Thursday, September 22, 2011

The Pope and the hypothesis of a trip to Cuba in 2012

Twice in Latin America, both times in Brazil. Benedict XVI traveled to Latin America - once called "the continent of hope" - in May 2007, visiting Sao Paulo, Brazil, and then Aparecida, where he took part in a meeting held by the Latin American Council of Bishops (CELAM). 

Now, after the announcement that the next World Youth Day will be held in Rio de Janeiro, the second Latin American visit of his pontificate, in 2013, will also take place in Brazil.
 
In churches across the "continent of hope" there is talk of the possibility of the Pope adding a visit to a Spanish-speaking Latin American nation to his agenda, on top of his visit to Brazil. 

The only person to have mentioned this publicly in recent days, was the Archbishop of Havana, Cardinal Jaime Lucas Ortega y Alamino. 

On the occasion of the public pilgrimage of the Virgen de la Caridad del Cobre, the Archbishop said that "Cuba is living a springtime of faith," that the people "are coming closer to the Catholic Church." 

He also revealed that he had invited the Pope to Cuba: “I was with him on 14 August, at Castel Gandolfo, where he told us: "God willing." He did not say no, I think he has the desire to come." Ortega added that the Pope "is almost 85 and has set commitments and pre-planned travels... And yet he did not say no."
 
Could the opening of the Castro regime to the Church, at this stage of Fidel's extremely long twilight, indeed suggest a trip to the Caribbean island? The possibility of a Latin American trip in the second half of 2012 looks unlikely, although many are hoping for it. 

If, however, the Pope decided to do it, despite the fact that a trip to Asia next year is considered far more likely, there are also other countries asking to be visited. 

Above all, Mexico, which was the destination of John Paul II's first historic visit in January 1979.
 
Joseph Ratzinger has always been deeply impressed by the evangelizing role played by the Guadalupan event, an apparition of the Madonna with mestizo features to the Indian Juan Diego, that took place in 1531. 

But Mexico City, the federal capital of the country and seat of the Primate, rises to an altitude of 2400 meters and doctors have advised the Pope not to go.

Another possible destination within the country could be Guadalayara or the Yucatan: in this case, it might be the image of the Virgin of Guadalupe that makes a pilgrimage to Benedict XVI. 

The image came to be formed in the "tilma," a sort of cloak, belonging to the Indian Juan Diego, and is kept inside the most visited Marian shrine in the world.