Screenshot from a report on the Vatican Insider

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Celebrating an outdoor Mass on his first day in Cuba, Pope Benedict acknowledged the struggles of the country's Catholics after half a century of communism and described human freedom as a necessity for both salvation and social justice, reports the Catholic News Service.

The pontiff spoke in Antonio Maceo Revolution Square, in Santiago, Cuba's second-largest city. The Vatican had said the square could hold 200,000 people and it was full; several thousand also filled the streets leading to the square. Cuban President Raul Castro, who welcomed the Pope at the airport, sat in the front row for Mass.

Before the Pope arrived in the Popemobile, the original statue of Our Lady of Charity of El Cobre, Cuba's patroness, was driven atop a white truck through the cheering crowd. The statue then was enthroned near the Papal altar.

In his homily, Pope Benedict recognised the "effort, daring and self-sacrifice" required of Cuban Catholics "in the concrete circumstances of your country and at this moment in history." Though now more tolerant of religious practice than in earlier decades, the communist state continues to prevent the construction of new churches and strictly limits Catholic access to state media.

In a possible allusion to reports that the regime had prevented political opponents from attending the Mass, Pope Benedict extended his customary mention of those absent for reasons of age or health to include people who, "for other motives, are not able to join us."

FULL STORY

At Mass, pope recognizes Cubans' struggles, calls freedom a necessity (Catholic News Service)

Cuban official says government wants dialogue with pope (Catholic News Service)

PHOTO CREDIT

Screenshot from a report on the Vatican Insider