Home page News
His Holiness Patriarch Kirill meets with President of&n…

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill meets with President of Cuba Miguel Mario Diaz-Canel Bermúdes

On October 30, 2019, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia met with the President of the Republic of Cuba, Mr. Miguel Mario Diaz-Canel Bermúdes.

They were joined at the meeting, which took place at the Patriarchal and Synodal residence in Danilov Monastery in Moscow, by Mr. Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla, Cuban Minister of Foreign Affairs; Mr. Rodrigo Malmierca Diaz, Cuban Minister of Foreign Trade and Foreign Investment; Mr. Luis Alberto Rodriguez López-Calleja, Counsellor to the Cuban President; Mr. Gerardo Peñalver Portal, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Cuba to the Russian Federation; Mr. Andrei A. Guskov, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to the Republic of Cuba; Archpriest Nikolai Balashov, deputy chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’ Department for External Church Relations (DECR); Archpriest Sergy Zvonarev, DECR secretary for far abroad countries; and Rev. Andrei Titushkin, staff member of the same secretariat.

While greeting the President of Cuba, the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church mentioned their first meeting in Moscow in September 2018 and cordially greeted the high guest with his election as President.

“I would like to express my feeling of deep satisfaction with the changes that taking place in Cuba. The new Constitution has opened new possibilities for economic development and established a sustainable system of state governance.  The Constitution contains a tradition set up by the Revolution, that is care for justice, for the poor and oppressed people.

“The current reforms in your country do not entail a break with the heroic past of your people, and I think that fraternal relations between our people and friendly relations between our countries will be continued in this context.”

His Holiness mentioned his visits to Cuba in 1998, 2004 and 2008 as Metropolitan of Smolensk and Kaliningrad, the DECR chairman. In 2004 he met with Fidel Castro, the first secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba and discussed a possible construction of a Russia church in Cuba. The head of the state approved the idea, and in October 2008, the Office of the Great Blessing of the Church of the Kazan Mother of God was celebrated by Metropolitan Kirill and bishops and clerics of the Moscow Patriarchate and the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia.

“The church has become a place where Russian people come, and the number of tourists and pilgrims is increasing,” His Holiness said.

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia recalled his visit to Latin America in 2016. The first country was Cuba, where we had long and informative talks with Raúl Castro who took part in many events. Thanks to him we were introduced to the life of the Cuban people and of the Orthodox community in Cuba.

“Certainly, my meeting with Pope Francis was the culmination of the visit,” His Holiness underscored. I told him that we were meeting in the right place at the right time. Cuba provided ideal conditions for the historic meeting, the very first of the kind. We spent two hours at Havana airport and discussed very important issues in an open brotherly talk. As a result of this meeting, the words ‘genocide of Christians’ have come into international use, and even the US Congress began to use them after our Joint Declaration had been issued.

Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill also discussed the problem of terrorism and other topical issues, including the situation in Ukraine. “Our appeal to solidarity and peacemaking was very important. Participation of the Church in such events must not aggravate conflicts among people.” The Pope and the Patriarch expressed their position on the Ukrainian crisis very clearly.

Patriarch Kirill believes that the Church should reduce the differences and seek compromise. “The Russian Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church are maintaining this position. Yet we cannot say the same about the Greek Catholics in Ukraine who are not only a part of civil conflict, but inspire it. I think that Pope Francis also has certain difficulties with the Greek Catholics as actions of this group of people are not manageable.”

The Primate of the Russian Church said that the Joint Declaration ‘has laid a foundation for common actions of the two Churches in the face of problems that concern the majority of people in the world today.”I would like to say once again that I am happy to see changed in Cuba. I am convinced that these changes will be conducive to the religious life in your country as religious life is a very important part of human life. Our Church is in favour of the development of relations between Russia and Cuba in various fields, including the realm of human spirit,” Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia said in conclusion.

President of the Republic of Cuba Mr. Miguel Mario Diaz-Canel Bermúdes thanked the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church for an opportunity to meet with him and conveyed greetings from Raúl Castro.

The Cuban President said that the visit of His Holiness to Cuba has left best impressions. The historic meeting of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill with Pope Francis in Cuba was a great honour for the entire Latin American region, said the President and added that the Russian Orthodox church built in Cuba as a sign of friendship between the two nations has a great spiritual and cultural importance.

“We want to strengthen relations between the Moscow Patriarchate and the Cuban government. We are satisfied with the present state of our bilateral relations and will seek to intensify them as they are a symbol of friendship between the Cuban and Russian people,” Mr. Miguel Mario Diaz-Canel Bermúdes said in conclusion.

At the end of the meeting His Holiness Patriarch Kirill and President of the Republic of Cuba exchanged memorable gifts.

Share:
His Holiness Patriarch Kirill: AFU attack on the church in Belgorod region indicates lack of Christian faith of those who committed it 

07.05.2025

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill meets with Sheikh ul-Islam Allahshukur Pashazade, Chairman of the Caucasus Muslims’ Board

05.05.2025

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill meets with President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev

03.05.2025

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill arrives in Baku

03.05.2025

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill sends condolences following the explosion at Iranian port of Bandar Abbas

27.04.2025

Primates of the Russian and Serbian Orthodox Churches сelebrate Liturgy at Holy Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius

25.04.2025

Primates of the Russian and Serbian Orthodox Churches meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin

23.04.2025

A meeting of the Primates of the Russian and Serbian Orthodox Churches has taken place

22.04.2025

Сondolences of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill on the passing of Pope Francis

21.04.2025

His Holiness Patriarch celebrates Paschal vespers on Easter Sunday at Christ the Saviour Cathedral.

20.04.2025

Paschal Message by Patriarch KIRILL of Moscow and All Russia

19.04.2025

On Good Friday the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church celebrates Vespers with the Procession of the Burial Sheet of the Saviour at Christ the Saviour Cathedral in Moscow.

18.04.2025

On Thursday of Holy Week the Primate of the Russian Church celebrated the Divine Liturgy and Office for the Consecration of Myrrh at Christ the Saviour Cathedral.

17.04.2025

Patriarch Kirill addresses Primates of Local Orthodox Churches, Christian Leaders, Heads of State, and International organizations regarding law banning the Estonian Orthodox Christian Church

11.04.2025

Primate of the Russian Church leads celebrations in Donskoy Monastery marking the centenary of Patriarch Tikhon’s demise

06.04.2025

Metropolitan Antony of Volokolamsk celebrates Divine Liturgy at the church of St. Catherine the Great Martyr in Rome

27.04.2025

DECR Chairman attended the funeral of Pope Francis

26.04.2025

DECR Chairman attends farewell ceremony for Pope Francis

25.04.2025

DECR Chairman meets with Russian Ambassador to Italy

25.04.2025

DECR Chairman begins his visit to Italy and the Vatican

24.04.2025

First Hierarch of the Serbian Church visits Donskoy Monastery in Moscow

23.04.2025

His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Porfirije visits Serbian Metochion in Moscow

23.04.2025

Primates of the Russian and Serbian Orthodox Churches meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin

23.04.2025

DECR Chairman attends a meeting of the Russia-Islamic World Strategic Vision Group

22.04.2025

A meeting of the Primates of the Russian and Serbian Orthodox Churches has taken place

22.04.2025

Delegation of the Serbian Orthodox Church arrives in Moscow headed by His Holiness Patriarch Porfirije of Serbia

21.04.2025

DECR Chairman expresses condolences on the passing of Pope Francis

21.04.2025

His Holiness Patriarch celebrates Paschal vespers on Easter Sunday at Christ the Saviour Cathedral.

20.04.2025

On Good Friday the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church celebrates Vespers with the Procession of the Burial Sheet of the Saviour at Christ the Saviour Cathedral in Moscow.

18.04.2025

On Thursday of Holy Week the Primate of the Russian Church celebrated the Divine Liturgy and Office for the Consecration of Myrrh at Christ the Saviour Cathedral.

17.04.2025

Metropolitan Hilarion: Many things in a person's life depend on faith

29.08.2021

Metropolitan Hilarion: The Holy Spirit is the main treasure of the Christian soul

01.08.2021

Metropolitan Hilarion: Holiness is a constant striving to imitate the Lord Jesus Christ

27.06.2021

Metropolitan Hilarion: God does not want to condemn, but to save us

07.03.2021

Metropolitan Hilarion: The Lord always grants to us the opportunity to display our talents

24.01.2021

Metropolitan Hilarion: The Lord has imbued the waters of Jordan with his divine presence to wash away human sins

19.01.2021

Metropolitan Hilarion: to repent means to change your way of life

17.01.2021

On commemoration day of St. Catherine, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk officiated at the Church of St. Catherine the Great Martyr In-the-Fields  the representation of the Orthodox Church in America

07.12.2020

Metropolitan Hilarion: We can always show compassion for people

29.11.2020

Metropolitan Hilarion celebrates on commemoration day of St. Varlaam of Khutyn at the church of ‘Joy to All the Afflicted’ icon of the Mother of God

19.11.2020

Metropolitan Hilarion: We should remember that the life of each human being is in the hands of God

06.11.2020

Metropolitan Hilarion: For God there is nothing impossible

25.10.2020

Metropoplitan Hilarion: The cross which was an instrument of dishonourable execution becomes the symbol of salvation for millions of people

27.09.2020

Metropolitan Hilarion: Eucharist is the wedding feast, to which Lord Jesus Christ invites each of us

13.09.2020

Metropolitan Hilarion: Faith alone is not enough for salvation

30.08.2020

Page is available in the following languages
Feedback

Fields marked by * are mandatory required

Send a message
Рус Укр Eng Deu Ελλ Fra Ita Бълг ქარ Срп Rom عرب