The secretary for relations with the states and international organizations of the Holy See, Mons. Paul Richard Gallagher, who traveled to Cuba this week to commemorate the 90 years of diplomatic relations on the island, met this Thursday afternoon with the Cuban President, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez.
The Vatican reported the meeting through a brief message in the official account of the Secretary of State on Social Network X, but did not issue any statement on the content of the conversations.
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Visiting the Havana, if Mons. Paul R. Gallagher met if Miguel Díaz-Canel, President of the Republic, and if Bruno Eduardo Rodríguez Parrilla, Minister of Foreign Affairs. pic.twitter.com/XmzhcGmLq2
– Secretariat of State of the Holy See (@terzoggia) June 6, 2025
In any case, the Cuban presidency explained that during the meeting, which took place in the Palace of the Revolution, an official invitation was transferred to the Vatican’s prelate for Pope Leo XIV to visit the country.
Through the interlocutor, it was asked to send “a cordial greeting” to the pontiff, as well as the “invitation to visit us”, because “for us it would be a pleasure to receive him and will be treated as he deserves for his leadership at the head of the Catholic Church at the international level,” says the statement.
In addition, Díaz-Canel pointed out the importance of recognizing “the way in which the relations between the Holy See and Cuba have developed for nine decades, which are based on respect, with a high level of political dialogue, with systematic communication and that have been able to exceed obstacles over time”.
“We express again the will to continue strengthening that constructive dialogue with the Holy See,” said the dignitary.
“We continue to bet on respecting and perfecting religious freedom in Cuba, as proclaimed by our Constitution of the Republic, and from the conquests that we have been achieving in relations with different churches,” he said.
When referring to Pope Francis, who visited Cuba in 2015, the Cuban head of state assured that “we keep a pleasant memory, a pleasant memory, and Cuba keeps him as a good friend.” “In our people,” he said, “there is a” feeling of respect and admiration for the gestures and concerns he had towards the problems of the Cuban people. “
Victoria Cardiel
Victoria Cardiel is a journalist specialized in social and religious information issues. Since 2013, he has covered all the news of the Vatican for various media, such as the Spanish news agency Europa Press, or the weekly of the Archdiocese of Madrid, Alfa and Omega.