El Cobre Gives Popular Reception to Pope Francis

HAVANA, Cuba, Sep 22 (acn) A popular and warm reception was given on Monday by the hospitable city of El Cobre to Pope Francis, where he arrived from Holguin to continue his apostolic visit to Cuba.

Upon his arrival at the Antonio Maceo International Airport he was greeted by a chorus of 30 children from Santiago, who sang for him and gave him flowers.
People of all ages filled the stretch of the Central Highway that leads to the town of El Cobre between steep mountains and into the road where the Sanctuary of the Virgen de la Caridad, Cuba's patron saint, is located.
During the welcome, the head of the Catholic Church greeted the crowd assembled all the way to the entrance to the Basilica of La Caridad, where the Eucharist is scheduled for Tuesday, expected to be attended by about three thousand people.
In an atmosphere of joy and respect, with the feeling of living a unique experience, residents in the area carried small flags -Cuban flags and white and yellow flags of the Vatican as well as flowers, a demonstration of rejoicing for the momentous event.
Believers and nonbelievers stuck their heads out of doors and leaned out of windows of all streets, decorated for the occasion, to give a warm welcome to the Missionary of Mercy, in the third trip to Cuba by a pope -John Paul II in 1998 and Benedict XVI, in 2012.
Scheduled for 8:00 a.m. was a mass by the Pope of little over two hours in the religious temple, prepared for the Eucharist, and for around 11:00 a.m. a meeting with Cuban families at the Catedral de Nuestra Señora de Aasuncion, located in the central Cespedes Park. From the cathedral's portico he will bless the city of Santiago de Cuba for the 500th anniversary of its founding as a villa.
The farewell ceremony will take place at noon at the Antonio Maceo International Airport, from where Pope Francis will leave for the United States.