Pope Francis' Visit to Cuba Confirmed

HAVANA, Cuba, Apr 23 (acn) The Vatican's spokesman, Federico Lombardi, announced on Wednesday that Pope Francis will visit Cuba before starting a tour of the United States that will take him Washington, New York and Philadelphia, the Granma newspaper reported.
"I can confirm that Holy Father Francis, having received and accepted the invitation by the civil authorities and the bishops of Cuba, has decided to visit that island before arriving in the United States for the trip announced a long time ago," reads the communique by Lombardi.
Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez, meanwhile, also confirmed on Wednesday in Brussels the Pope's visit to Cuba in September.
Rodriguez assured that the Pope "will receive Cuba's warmest hospitality."
"His preaching to eradicate poverty in the world arouses the admiration of all," said the head of the Cuban diplomacy.
In this way, Pope Francis will become the third Pope in history to visit Cuba, after the historic visit of John Paul II in 1998 and of Benedict XVI in 2012.