Pope Francis Visits Jesuit Church in Havana

Pope Francis on Sunday visited the Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Saint Ignatius of Loyola, the venue of the Jesuits in Cuba, where he saluted the believers and people in general who gathered there to welcome him.

In a brief, surprising, but undoubtedly unforgettable visit, His Holiness entered the church and admired the majesty of the place, and when he left, people and neighbors were chanting his name and bearing signs with handwritten messages expressing their affection and respect.

The Convent and Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Saint Ignatius of Loyola, a neo-gothic temple, is the tallest church in Cuba. Its 50-meter-tall tower can be seen from several points of the city of Havana.

Moments before, the Holy Pontiff had received from President Raul Castro a Crucified Christ, a colossal artwork created by the Cuban artist Alexis Leiva (Kcho).

His Holiness presented Raul Castro with a mosaic of the Our Lady of Charity of El Cobre, made by artists from the Mosaic Studio of Saint Peter's Factory.

The exchange of gifts took place after a private meeting between the two heads of State at the Palace of the Revolution.

Source: Prensa Latina