Billedserie 22.09.15 Kl. 12:48

Pave Frans tager cubanerne med storm

Pave Frans er taget et smut over Atlanten, hvor han i disse dage gæster den kommunistiske østat Cuba. Det katolske overhoved har trykket Fidel Castros hånd og fået en hjertevarm hyldest fra op mod en million cubanere i Havana

Julie Greve Bentsen
Her på billedet står folk tæt på Revolution Square i Havana for at få et glimt af det katolske overhoved pave Frans.
Her på billedet står folk tæt på Revolution Square i Havana for at få et glimt af det katolske overhoved pave Frans. Foto: Adalberto Roque/AFP.

De har festet med flag og hjemmelavede bannere i Cubas gader, siden pave Frans i lørdags ankom til den lille østat, hvor mange bekender sig til katolicismen.

Cuba er første stop på pavens ni dages rundrejse, som tirsdag fortsætter i USA. 

Siden paven steg af flyet med sin pavehat flyvende i vinden (se billede længere nede i teksten), har han haft et travlt program i det kommunistiske Cuba, som to gange tidligere har modtaget en pave.

Landets kommunistiske forfatning har ellers længe forsøgt at styre øens befolkning efter ateistiske forskrifter, men de seneste 20 år er man officielt blevet mere åben over for katolicismen.

Pave Frans har da også på sin tur hilst på 89-årige Fidel Castro, landets tidligere kommunistiske leder. Også hans bror Raúl Castro, som er landets nuværende præsident, har været særdeles aktiv i fejringen, men han kender også paven fra tidligere på året, hvor den kommunistiske præsident aflagde visit i Vatikanstaten.

Se billederne fra pavens besøg i Cuba her ...

Pope Francis upon his arrival in Havana, Cuba, 19 September 2015. Pope Francis arrived in Cuba at the start of an historic nine-day trip that is also set to take him to the USA./GALAZKA_1300.01/Credit:Grzegorz Galazka/SIPA/1509201300
Pope Francis upon his arrival in Havana, Cuba, 19 September 2015. Pope Francis arrived in Cuba at the start of an historic nine-day trip that is also set to take him to the USA./GALAZKA_1300.01/Credit:Grzegorz Galazka/SIPA/1509201300 Foto: Grzegorz Galazka/SIPA
A woman holds a fan with an image of Pope Francis as she waits for the first mass led by him during his visit to Cuba in Havana's Revolution Square, September 20, 2015. REUTERS/Alexandre Meneghini
A woman holds a fan with an image of Pope Francis as she waits for the first mass led by him during his visit to Cuba in Havana's Revolution Square, September 20, 2015. REUTERS/Alexandre Meneghini Foto: Alexandre Meneghini/Reuters
Pope Francis arrives on the popemobile at Havana's Revolution Square to give the first mass of his visit to Cuba, on September 20, 2015. Pope Francis greeted massive crowds of fans and Catholic faithful Sunday as he arrived in his popemobile to give mass on Havana's iconic Revolution Square, the highlight of his trip to Cuba. AFP PHOTO / JUAN LOPEZ
Pope Francis arrives on the popemobile at Havana's Revolution Square to give the first mass of his visit to Cuba, on September 20, 2015. Pope Francis greeted massive crowds of fans and Catholic faithful Sunday as he arrived in his popemobile to give mass on Havana's iconic Revolution Square, the highlight of his trip to Cuba. AFP PHOTO / JUAN LOPEZ Foto: Juan Lopez/AFP
Cuban President Raul Castro and Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner (R) wait for the arrival of Pope Francis at Revolution Square in Havana on September 20, 2015. Pope Francis will give mass on Revolution Square, the biggest event of his trip to Cuba, with nearly a million people expected to attend. The pontiff's eight-day tour will also take him to the United States. AFP PHOTO / FILIPPO MONTEFORTE
Cuban President Raul Castro and Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner (R) wait for the arrival of Pope Francis at Revolution Square in Havana on September 20, 2015. Pope Francis will give mass on Revolution Square, the biggest event of his trip to Cuba, with nearly a million people expected to attend. The pontiff's eight-day tour will also take him to the United States. AFP PHOTO / FILIPPO MONTEFORTE Foto: Filippo Monteforte/AFP
epaselect epa04939556 A group of nuns wait to see Pope Francis pass in the Popemobile after his arrival to Havana, Cuba, 19 September 2015. Pope Francis will be in Cuba for a four day visit, in a journey that will also take him to the US, the two countries that benefited from his support towards restoring diplomatic relations. EPA/Ernesto Mastrascusa
epaselect epa04939556 A group of nuns wait to see Pope Francis pass in the Popemobile after his arrival to Havana, Cuba, 19 September 2015. Pope Francis will be in Cuba for a four day visit, in a journey that will also take him to the US, the two countries that benefited from his support towards restoring diplomatic relations. EPA/Ernesto Mastrascusa Foto: Ernesto Mastrascusa/EPA
Pope Francis climbs the steps to the altar upon arriving to give the first mass of his visit to Cuba in Havana's Revolution Square, September 20, 2015. Across from the square is a portrait of Che Guevara on the front of the Interior Ministry building. REUTERS/Tony Gentile
Pope Francis climbs the steps to the altar upon arriving to give the first mass of his visit to Cuba in Havana's Revolution Square, September 20, 2015. Across from the square is a portrait of Che Guevara on the front of the Interior Ministry building. REUTERS/Tony Gentile Foto: Tony Gentile/Reuters
The congregation look at a projection screen during the transmission of the Mass in Havana's Revolution Square one day before the Pope Francis visit to Holguin, Cuba September 20, 2015. Pope Francis celebrated Mass in Havana's Revolution Square on Sunday, offering both spiritual and political messages for the tens of thousands who packed the plaza, the symbolic heart of the Cuban revolution. REUTERS/Edgard Garrido
The congregation look at a projection screen during the transmission of the Mass in Havana's Revolution Square one day before the Pope Francis visit to Holguin, Cuba September 20, 2015. Pope Francis celebrated Mass in Havana's Revolution Square on Sunday, offering both spiritual and political messages for the tens of thousands who packed the plaza, the symbolic heart of the Cuban revolution. REUTERS/Edgard Garrido Foto: Edgard Garrido/Reuters
epa04941729 A handout picture released by Cubadebate shows Pope Francis (L) meeting Fidel Castro in Havana, Cuba, 20 September 2015. Pope Francis had a busy day in Havana, as he said mass before a crowd of thousands, met with historic Cuban leader Fidel Castro and addressed young people. EPA/Cubadebate / Alex Castro BEST QUALITY AVAILABLE HANDOUT EDITORIAL USE ONLY/NO SALES
epa04941729 A handout picture released by Cubadebate shows Pope Francis (L) meeting Fidel Castro in Havana, Cuba, 20 September 2015. Pope Francis had a busy day in Havana, as he said mass before a crowd of thousands, met with historic Cuban leader Fidel Castro and addressed young people. EPA/Cubadebate / Alex Castro BEST QUALITY AVAILABLE HANDOUT EDITORIAL USE ONLY/NO SALES Foto: Cubadebate