Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
El Cobre (Agenzia Fides) - At the end of the month of January, a group of 40 people from all across the diocese of Cuba came together, upon the invitation of the Archbishop of Santiago de Cuba and Primate of Cuba, Archbishop Dionisio Garcia Ibañez, to begin planning the 4-year layout of the Pastoral Plan for the Church, looking towards the 2012 celebration of the 400-year anniversary of the presence of the Virgin of Charity among the Cuban people. The program is designed to widen the reach of the Church’s message and services to the greatest number of people and social sectors possible, placing emphasis on the discipleship of Christ and the missionary dimension of Christian communities, the main protagonists in the work of Evangelisation.
During the meeting, Archbishop Dionisio presented the objectives of the Encounter, as well as the previous agreements made by the Cuban Bishops’ Conference, in regards to the celebration and guidelines for the program. The Church in Cuba sees this historical moment as a Providential opportunity, a time of grace and hope, for sewing the seed of the Gospel in the midst of a situation that is full of challenges and so desperately in need of it.
The Virgin of Charity of El Cobre is the patroness of Cuba. Her statue was discovered by two indians and a black slave, a cross-section of the poorest and most marginalized classes. Shortly following her discovery, the image was taken to the town of Cobre, from whence it received its name. Since the statue’s appearance, devotion to the Virgin of Charity has spread at an impressive rate, over the entire island, in spite of the difficulties in communication. On May 10, 1916, His Holiness Benedict XV declared the Virgin of Charity of El Cobre, national patroness of Cuba, placing her feast day on September 8th. On January 24, 1998, John Paul II crowned the image of the Virgin of Charity in Santiago de Cuba, as Queen of Cuba. During the months of preparation prior to the visit of Pope John Paul II, ten copies of the statue of the Virgin of Charity travelled through the island, stopping in various dioceses, and receiving enormous response from the people. (RG) (Agenzia Fides 15/2/2008; righe 28, parole 367)
