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| Pope Francis at mass in Havana: 'Service is never ideological' – live | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 3.54pm BST15:54 | |
| OK! As they say at the end of mass, “Go in peace and serve the Lord”. And that’s what Pope Francis will be doing for the rest of today. I’ll just be serving you, loyal PopeBlog readers, which is just as good. | |
| This afternoon, the pontiff will make a “courtesy visit” to the Palacio de la Revolución, and will celebrate Vespers (evening prayer) with priests, religious brothers and sisters, and seminarians. | |
| He will also meet with young people at the Father Felix Varela cultural centre. Varela, a Cuban priest who died in the mid-19th century, is significant for both the US and Cuba (he served in New York city as vicar-general). | |
| Anyway, let us know what you thought of Pope Francis’s homily (or that amazing music!) in the thread below – see you there! | |
| Updated at 4.08pm BST | |
| 3.49pm BST15:49 | |
| Pope Francis celebrates mass in Havana before congregation of thousands | |
| If you’re just joining us on the Guardian’s PopeBlog, the pontiff has celebrated a mass in Havana’s Revolution Square with thousands of Cubans and the presidents of Cuba and Argentina, Raúl Castro and Cristina Fernández de Kirchner. | |
| His homily, focused on service and not explicitly political, carried a strong message for the Cuban state: | |
| This caring for others out of love is not about being servile ... Service is never ideological, for we do not serve ideas, we serve people. | |
| At least three protesters, who appeared to be distributing leaflets, were arrested, AP reported. | |
| The pope also gave first holy communion to five Cuban children, an important rite of passage for young Catholics. | |
| 3.42pm BST15:42 | |
| My colleague Angela Bruno has some more on the apparent crackdown on Cuban dissidents during the papal visit. | |
| Berta Soler, leader of the Ladies in White – an opposition group campaigning for the freedom of their jailed family members – tweeted last night that she and her husband Ángel Moya had been prevented from reaching the Vatican’s diplomatic mission in Havana by agents of the Department of State Security. | |
| Me arrestaron junto a Moya DSE impidiendo llegar a la Nunciatura Apodtolica | |
| This morning she tweeted: “If we are not at the bus terminal at 7 a.m., it is because we have been disappeared.” | |
| Si no estamos a las 7 am en la entrada de la terminal de ómnibus es q estamos desaparecido | |
| Las Damas de Blanco were notably absent from this morning’s historic mass. A message on their twitter account directed at the pope read: @Pontifex_es Father, I am watching the mass on TV, but the @DamasdeBlanco can’t even do that – they’ve been arrested for wanting to attend your homily | |
| @Pontifex_es Santo Padre estoy viendo la misa por TV , las @DamasdBlanco ni siquiera pueden hacer eso. Están presas x querer ir a su homilia | |
| Twitter user @ailermaria said that the activist Agustín López was being held in the Cerro police station after been “arrested and beaten” with Ladies in White member Ada María López when they attempted to enter Revolution Square. | |
| #VisitaPapa activista Agustin Lopez en estacion policial Cerro arrestado y golpeado con @DamasdBlanco Ada Maria Lopez al entrar en la Plaza | |
| Others dissidents described detentions and communications being cut off: | |
| Mientras #PapaEnCuba inicia su misa en La Habana, opositores y @DamasdBlanco detenidos para que no asistan. Sus teléfonos incomunicados | |
| While #PapaenCuba starts his mass in La Plaza de la Revolución, opposition activists @DamasdeBlanco have been detained so they can not attend. Their phones have been cut off | |
| Las Damas de Blanco aren’t the only group affected by these arrests. José Daniel Ferrer, leader of Unión Patriótica de Cuba (UNPACU), a human rights advocacy group, said Friday that members of his group have also been detained. According to UNPACU, they suspect those arrested will be detained until Pope Francis and foreign journalists leave Cuba after all scheduled events and appearances. | |
| Updated at 3.46pm BST | |
| 3.38pm BST15:38 | |
| Stephanie Kirchgaessner | |
| Is the pope a communist? Rome correspondent Stephanie Kirchgaessner writes: | |
| If Pope Francis does meet with Fidel Castro, as is expected, it is likely to spur another debate about whether the Argentine pope is a communist. | |
| It’s an interesting question given the pope’s very pointed and frequent criticisms of capitalism. But most experts agree that the pope cannot accurately be labeled. | |
| In July, Kevin Clarke, senior editor of America magazine, a Catholic publication, had this to say in the Washington Post: | |
| The pope is not a Marxist; he is not any sort of political revolutionary ... Pope Francis is not interested in changing political or economic systems, but in changing hearts, in acts of personal conversion that can lead to social transformation. | |
| That said, it is also true that the church in the age of Francis has experienced a resurgence in some tenets of liberation theology, a Latin American movement that focused on care for the poor. Before he was pope, Francis was a sometime critic of the marxist strands of liberation theology and some leftist regimes in Latin America. As papal biographer Austen Ivereigh told the Guardian: “He had a phrase he used – that they were for the people but never with them.” | |
| More on liberation theology here. | |
| Related: Catholic church warms to liberation theology as founder heads to Vatican | |
| 3.35pm BST15:35 | |
| And with a final send-off from that incredible choir, the pope departs for his next engagement, saying goodbye to Cuban president Raúl Castro and president of Argentina, Cristina Fernández de Kirchner. | |
| 3.30pm BST15:30 | 3.30pm BST15:30 |
| #PopeFrancis gives Apostolic Blessing to the Cuban People #PopeinCuba #Havana #Cuba #News #RadioSandino pic.twitter.com/qFo4np60ge | #PopeFrancis gives Apostolic Blessing to the Cuban People #PopeinCuba #Havana #Cuba #News #RadioSandino pic.twitter.com/qFo4np60ge |
| 3.29pm BST15:29 | 3.29pm BST15:29 |
| This has been such a hallmark of Francis’s pontificate: from his very first moment, he has asked Catholics to pray for him. | This has been such a hallmark of Francis’s pontificate: from his very first moment, he has asked Catholics to pray for him. |
| Don't forget, Pope tells ppl, to pray for him. Finally they clap. And chant: "amigo, amigo, Cuba está contigo" (Cuba is with you) | Don't forget, Pope tells ppl, to pray for him. Finally they clap. And chant: "amigo, amigo, Cuba está contigo" (Cuba is with you) |
| 3.28pm BST15:28 | 3.28pm BST15:28 |
| Sibylla Brodzinsky | Sibylla Brodzinsky |
| From Bogotá, a dispatch on Colombia from Sibylla Brodzinsky, whose peace process Francis remarked upon in his final words to the congregation. | From Bogotá, a dispatch on Colombia from Sibylla Brodzinsky, whose peace process Francis remarked upon in his final words to the congregation. |
| Colombia’s leftist Farc rebels and the government of President Juan Manuel Santos are engaged in peace negotiations aimed at ending the Western hemisphere’s longest-running war, that has killed more tan 200,000. | Colombia’s leftist Farc rebels and the government of President Juan Manuel Santos are engaged in peace negotiations aimed at ending the Western hemisphere’s longest-running war, that has killed more tan 200,000. |
| The peace talks are being held in Havana and Farc leaders had hoped the pope would agree to meet with negotiators from both sides during his visit to Cuba. But the Vatican denied that a meeting would take place. | The peace talks are being held in Havana and Farc leaders had hoped the pope would agree to meet with negotiators from both sides during his visit to Cuba. But the Vatican denied that a meeting would take place. |
| Pope Francis has repeatedly mentioned Colombia’s peace talks in his masses, and on when Santos visited the Vatican in June – at a moment when the negotiations seemed in peril – the pontiff told the Colombian president that he was praying “a lot, a lot for the peace process”. | Pope Francis has repeatedly mentioned Colombia’s peace talks in his masses, and on when Santos visited the Vatican in June – at a moment when the negotiations seemed in peril – the pontiff told the Colombian president that he was praying “a lot, a lot for the peace process”. |
| During the pope’s Latin American tour in July, which did not include Colombia, he said the Catholic Church was “willing to help in so many ways” to see the peace talks through. | During the pope’s Latin American tour in July, which did not include Colombia, he said the Catholic Church was “willing to help in so many ways” to see the peace talks through. |
| 3.23pm BST15:23 | 3.23pm BST15:23 |
| The mass has ended! Pope Francis makes some final remarks, praying for the congregation to be able to endure the suffering ahead. | The mass has ended! Pope Francis makes some final remarks, praying for the congregation to be able to endure the suffering ahead. |
| “We don’t have room for another failure on this path to reconciliation.” | “We don’t have room for another failure on this path to reconciliation.” |
| On an unrelated note, here’s some more popemobile footage for the revheads out there. | On an unrelated note, here’s some more popemobile footage for the revheads out there. |
| 3.19pm BST15:19 | 3.19pm BST15:19 |
| Related: Pope Fancis celebrates mass in Cuba – in pictures | Related: Pope Fancis celebrates mass in Cuba – in pictures |
| 3.18pm BST15:18 | 3.18pm BST15:18 |
| Cardinal Jaime Ortega, archbishop of Havana, thanks the Pope for his visit, and for his love and generosity toward the Cuban people. | Cardinal Jaime Ortega, archbishop of Havana, thanks the Pope for his visit, and for his love and generosity toward the Cuban people. |
| Cardinal #JaimeOrtega to @Pontifex: “Thank you for visiting our country, and for sowing interest in our numb minds, so used to mediocrity” | Cardinal #JaimeOrtega to @Pontifex: “Thank you for visiting our country, and for sowing interest in our numb minds, so used to mediocrity” |
| Cardinal #JaimeOrtega: "Only love and forgiveness will bring true and peaceful renovation to our nation #cuba #pope | Cardinal #JaimeOrtega: "Only love and forgiveness will bring true and peaceful renovation to our nation #cuba #pope |
| 3.11pm BST15:11 | 3.11pm BST15:11 |
| If you need to go grab a cup of coffee or a beer or something, now’s the time. With thousands upon thousands of people there, distributing all these communion hosts will take a while. | If you need to go grab a cup of coffee or a beer or something, now’s the time. With thousands upon thousands of people there, distributing all these communion hosts will take a while. |
| Updated at 3.11pm BST | Updated at 3.11pm BST |
| 3.07pm BST15:07 | 3.07pm BST15:07 |
| While Cuba is nominally a Catholic country, only some 5% of Catholics regularly attend mass. | While Cuba is nominally a Catholic country, only some 5% of Catholics regularly attend mass. |
| Cuban TV explaining what "communion" is. Most Cubans grew up never setting foot on a Catholic Church. #PapaEnCuba pic.twitter.com/U7aDXeSjIO | Cuban TV explaining what "communion" is. Most Cubans grew up never setting foot on a Catholic Church. #PapaEnCuba pic.twitter.com/U7aDXeSjIO |
| 3.03pm BST15:03 | 3.03pm BST15:03 |
| How does he manage so well with the jet lag at his age? He is like ordinary men and needs to use an airplane powered with kerosene, so I'm more interested in his diet/sleep pattern than his prayer routine. | How does he manage so well with the jet lag at his age? He is like ordinary men and needs to use an airplane powered with kerosene, so I'm more interested in his diet/sleep pattern than his prayer routine. |
| It’s a good point. Really, I don’t have any excuses for my jetlag, given the pope’s age. | It’s a good point. Really, I don’t have any excuses for my jetlag, given the pope’s age. |
| Updated at 3.13pm BST | Updated at 3.13pm BST |
| 3.01pm BST15:01 | 3.01pm BST15:01 |
| Updated at 3.13pm BST | Updated at 3.13pm BST |
| 3.00pm BST15:00 | 3.00pm BST15:00 |
| Pope Francis administers first communion to five Cuban children. | Pope Francis administers first communion to five Cuban children. |
| 2.58pm BST14:58 | 2.58pm BST14:58 |
| During this visit there has been a lot of “New Evangelization” – new media and fresh approaches to reaching people. I’ve been seeing these little pope emojis around online over the last few days. | During this visit there has been a lot of “New Evangelization” – new media and fresh approaches to reaching people. I’ve been seeing these little pope emojis around online over the last few days. |
| "Those who don't live to serve, don't serve to live" - Pope Francis #elpapaencuba pic.twitter.com/cKjVvzji2n | "Those who don't live to serve, don't serve to live" - Pope Francis #elpapaencuba pic.twitter.com/cKjVvzji2n |
| Updated at 3.14pm BST | Updated at 3.14pm BST |
| 2.55pm BST14:55 | 2.55pm BST14:55 |
| Members of the congregation offer each other the sign of peace – usually a handshake or a kiss on the cheek. By this stage they’re probably glad for a chance to get up and move around! | Members of the congregation offer each other the sign of peace – usually a handshake or a kiss on the cheek. By this stage they’re probably glad for a chance to get up and move around! |
| Updated at 3.15pm BST | Updated at 3.15pm BST |
| 2.52pm BST14:52 | 2.52pm BST14:52 |
| Pope Francis sings the doxology: “Through him and with him and in him”. Luckily the choir comes in afterwards with a rousing amen ... perhaps the Holy Father is more of a dancer. | Pope Francis sings the doxology: “Through him and with him and in him”. Luckily the choir comes in afterwards with a rousing amen ... perhaps the Holy Father is more of a dancer. |
| Updated at 3.14pm BST | Updated at 3.14pm BST |
| 2.51pm BST14:51 | 2.51pm BST14:51 |
| From my colleague Angela Bruno: | From my colleague Angela Bruno: |
| If the crowds were not moved enough by Pope Francis’ words on service, they were most certainly moved by the Cuban danzón music roaring through La Plaza de la Revolución during the mass. | If the crowds were not moved enough by Pope Francis’ words on service, they were most certainly moved by the Cuban danzón music roaring through La Plaza de la Revolución during the mass. |
| Misa (con danzón) en la Plaza de La Revolución de la Habana. Dios no ha muerto: baila. | Misa (con danzón) en la Plaza de La Revolución de la Habana. Dios no ha muerto: baila. |
| Mass (with danzón) at La Plaza de la Revolucion: God is not dead, he dances. | Mass (with danzón) at La Plaza de la Revolucion: God is not dead, he dances. |
| Un danzon casi cha cha cha en la misa ♬de la justicia nace la paz♬ | Un danzon casi cha cha cha en la misa ♬de la justicia nace la paz♬ |
| A danzón that’s almost like a cha cha cha at the mass. Peace is born from justice. | A danzón that’s almost like a cha cha cha at the mass. Peace is born from justice. |
| Hay una frase muy común y todos la entendemos... "Para bailar un danzón se requieren de dos", estamos de acuerdo? | Hay una frase muy común y todos la entendemos... "Para bailar un danzón se requieren de dos", estamos de acuerdo? |
| There’s a common phrase that we all understand: “To dance a danzón, two are needed.” Do we all agree? | There’s a common phrase that we all understand: “To dance a danzón, two are needed.” Do we all agree? |
| #PapaEnCuba ese danzón que acompaña la misa es una muestra de la cultura que tiene Cuba | #PapaEnCuba ese danzón que acompaña la misa es una muestra de la cultura que tiene Cuba |
| Updated at 3.22pm BST | Updated at 3.22pm BST |
| 2.48pm BST14:48 | 2.48pm BST14:48 |
| Now the rite of Holy Communion. Pope Francis is consecrating the bread and wine to become, Catholics believe, the body and blood of Jesus Christ. | Now the rite of Holy Communion. Pope Francis is consecrating the bread and wine to become, Catholics believe, the body and blood of Jesus Christ. |
| 2.42pm BST14:42 | 2.42pm BST14:42 |
| Jonathan Watts | Jonathan Watts |
| After singing and cheering as the pope’s drove by, a reverent hush fell over the crowd as mass got underway. | After singing and cheering as the pope’s drove by, a reverent hush fell over the crowd as mass got underway. |
| Everyone is standing. They are going to need stamina for this service, which is scheduled to last two hours. With sun now breaking out, it is going to be hot. It will be tough, especially for those who have been here since midnight. But the mood is joyful. | Everyone is standing. They are going to need stamina for this service, which is scheduled to last two hours. With sun now breaking out, it is going to be hot. It will be tough, especially for those who have been here since midnight. But the mood is joyful. |
| “I never imagined I’d see this day,” said Ramon Estevez, an engineer who is here with his wife. “I’m very happy I can be here as a Catholic.” | “I never imagined I’d see this day,” said Ramon Estevez, an engineer who is here with his wife. “I’m very happy I can be here as a Catholic.” |
| I have talked to several people who said they were also at the masses given by St John Paul II and Benedict. Opinions are divided about whether the crowds are bigger this time but everyone said they had higher expectations of Francis because he is Latin American or because he has played a role in brokering closer ties with the US. | I have talked to several people who said they were also at the masses given by St John Paul II and Benedict. Opinions are divided about whether the crowds are bigger this time but everyone said they had higher expectations of Francis because he is Latin American or because he has played a role in brokering closer ties with the US. |
| Crowds are big, but not as huge as many expected. Partly, I guess, because Cuba has a relatively modestly sized population and is less Catholic than other countries in the region. Fidel Castro certainly drew more, but then he also had the state to mobilize his audience. | Crowds are big, but not as huge as many expected. Partly, I guess, because Cuba has a relatively modestly sized population and is less Catholic than other countries in the region. Fidel Castro certainly drew more, but then he also had the state to mobilize his audience. |
| Updated at 3.19pm BST | Updated at 3.19pm BST |
| 2.39pm BST14:39 | 2.39pm BST14:39 |
| You’re not the only one, Diana! Is that a danzón beat? | You’re not the only one, Diana! Is that a danzón beat? |
| LOVING the music at the Papal Mass in Cuba! #PopeinCuba | LOVING the music at the Papal Mass in Cuba! #PopeinCuba |
| Updated at 3.20pm BST | Updated at 3.20pm BST |
| 2.35pm BST14:35 | 2.35pm BST14:35 |
| Updated at 3.20pm BST | Updated at 3.20pm BST |
| 2.34pm BST14:34 | 2.34pm BST14:34 |
| Now the prayers. Some of these are very sweet: | Now the prayers. Some of these are very sweet: |
| For the whole church, for the pope, for all the bishops for them to evangelize what jesus teaches us with simplicity and humility in the hands of god. Let us pray for all the priests and religious, who have Christ at the center of their lives, to work tirelessly to serve their brothers and sisters Holy Father, we present Cuba nd those that have the destiny of the island in their hands so that we can build a country prosperous and happy. | For the whole church, for the pope, for all the bishops for them to evangelize what jesus teaches us with simplicity and humility in the hands of god. Let us pray for all the priests and religious, who have Christ at the center of their lives, to work tirelessly to serve their brothers and sisters Holy Father, we present Cuba nd those that have the destiny of the island in their hands so that we can build a country prosperous and happy. |
| All our families, the captive, the old, the young, may they find in their path merciful people. | All our families, the captive, the old, the young, may they find in their path merciful people. |
| We put in God’s house our children – so that they may grow learning to do good in their lives. | We put in God’s house our children – so that they may grow learning to do good in their lives. |
| 2.31pm BST14:31 | 2.31pm BST14:31 |
| Stephanie Kirchgaessner | Stephanie Kirchgaessner |
| The homily Pope Francis has just delivered centers one of the major themes of his papacy: service to others, particularly the weakest among us. He emphasized that – even as Jesus’s disciples argued over who would have the “highest place” among them, who would be “above the common law” – Jesus taught that an authentic life was one based on the “concrete commitment to our neighbor.” | The homily Pope Francis has just delivered centers one of the major themes of his papacy: service to others, particularly the weakest among us. He emphasized that – even as Jesus’s disciples argued over who would have the “highest place” among them, who would be “above the common law” – Jesus taught that an authentic life was one based on the “concrete commitment to our neighbor.” |
| Christians are constantly called to set aside their own wishes and desires, their pursuit of power, and to look instead to those who are most vulnerable. There is a kind of “service” which truly “serves”, yet we need to be careful not to be tempted by another kind of service, a “service” which is “self-serving”,” Francis said. | Christians are constantly called to set aside their own wishes and desires, their pursuit of power, and to look instead to those who are most vulnerable. There is a kind of “service” which truly “serves”, yet we need to be careful not to be tempted by another kind of service, a “service” which is “self-serving”,” Francis said. |
| In a message that can be seen as having particular resonance in both communist Cuba and capitalist US, he added: “Service is never ideological, for we do not serve ideas, we serve people.” | In a message that can be seen as having particular resonance in both communist Cuba and capitalist US, he added: “Service is never ideological, for we do not serve ideas, we serve people.” |
| 2.30pm BST14:30 | 2.30pm BST14:30 |
| #PopeFrancis prays for forgiveness, God´s mercy and everlasting life #PopeinCuba #RadioSandino #Havana #Cuba pic.twitter.com/3i135PoOCv | #PopeFrancis prays for forgiveness, God´s mercy and everlasting life #PopeinCuba #RadioSandino #Havana #Cuba pic.twitter.com/3i135PoOCv |
| 2.27pm BST14:27 | 2.27pm BST14:27 |
| At least three protesters detained by police | At least three protesters detained by police |
| From AP: | From AP: |
| Cuban security personnel have detained at least three people who appeared to be trying to distribute leaflets ahead of Pope Francis’s Mass in Havana’s Revolution Square. | Cuban security personnel have detained at least three people who appeared to be trying to distribute leaflets ahead of Pope Francis’s Mass in Havana’s Revolution Square. |
| The officials dragged them away and picked up the flyers that were left on one of the streets surrounding the plaza. It’s not clear what the protest was about. The three were in white T-shirts and were yelling before they were tackled and dragged away. | The officials dragged them away and picked up the flyers that were left on one of the streets surrounding the plaza. It’s not clear what the protest was about. The three were in white T-shirts and were yelling before they were tackled and dragged away. |
| Here's the protest pic pic.twitter.com/pgl1SEeH85 | Here's the protest pic pic.twitter.com/pgl1SEeH85 |
| 3 people arrested behind the stage, as they were trying to reach the popemobile with leaflets. Pic by @Dariomenorroma pic.twitter.com/MZUIUIv3FG | 3 people arrested behind the stage, as they were trying to reach the popemobile with leaflets. Pic by @Dariomenorroma pic.twitter.com/MZUIUIv3FG |
| 2.26pm BST14:26 | 2.26pm BST14:26 |
| Pope Francis: Service is never ideological | Pope Francis: Service is never ideological |
| Pope Francis called Cubans to serve each other in a way that was not ideological or servile, during his homily at the Plaza de la Revoluciòn before an assembled crowd of thousands. | Pope Francis called Cubans to serve each other in a way that was not ideological or servile, during his homily at the Plaza de la Revoluciòn before an assembled crowd of thousands. |
| This caring for others out of love is not about being servile,” the Pope said, in his homily, which was free of explicit political references. | This caring for others out of love is not about being servile,” the Pope said, in his homily, which was free of explicit political references. |
| “Rather, it means putting our brothers and sisters at the center. Service always looks to their faces, touches their flesh, senses their closeness and even, in some cases, ’suffers’ in trying to help. Service is never ideological, for we do not serve ideas, we serve people.” | “Rather, it means putting our brothers and sisters at the center. Service always looks to their faces, touches their flesh, senses their closeness and even, in some cases, ’suffers’ in trying to help. Service is never ideological, for we do not serve ideas, we serve people.” |
| And from my colleague Stephanie Kirchgaessner in Rome: | And from my colleague Stephanie Kirchgaessner in Rome: |
| Vatican experts have said that Pope Francis – and indeed the church – are approaching this trip to Cuba mindful that the nation lies at a crossroads, and that some of the values that were enshrined in the 1959 revolution ought not to be weakened at this time of reconciliation with the US. | Vatican experts have said that Pope Francis – and indeed the church – are approaching this trip to Cuba mindful that the nation lies at a crossroads, and that some of the values that were enshrined in the 1959 revolution ought not to be weakened at this time of reconciliation with the US. |
| In his homily, Francis asked for the “faithful people in Cuba” to care for their “vocation of grandeur”. | In his homily, Francis asked for the “faithful people in Cuba” to care for their “vocation of grandeur”. |
| He said: “Today I ask you to care for this vocation of yours, to care for these gifts which God has given you, but above all I invite you to care for and be at the service of the frailty of your brothers and sisters. Do not neglect them for plans which can be seductive, but are unconcerned about the face of the person beside you”. | He said: “Today I ask you to care for this vocation of yours, to care for these gifts which God has given you, but above all I invite you to care for and be at the service of the frailty of your brothers and sisters. Do not neglect them for plans which can be seductive, but are unconcerned about the face of the person beside you”. |
| Updated at 3.06pm BST | Updated at 3.06pm BST |
| 2.26pm BST14:26 | 2.26pm BST14:26 |
| Pope Francis's Havana homily: full text | Pope Francis's Havana homily: full text |
| The Gospel shows us Jesus asking a seemingly indiscreet question of his disciples: “What were you discussing along the way?” It is a question which he could also ask each of us today: “What do you talk about every day?” “What are your aspirations?” The Gospel tells us that the disciples “did not answer because on the way they had been arguing about who was the most important”. The disciples were ashamed to tell Jesus what they were talking about. As with the disciples then, we too can be caught up in these same arguments: who is the most important? | The Gospel shows us Jesus asking a seemingly indiscreet question of his disciples: “What were you discussing along the way?” It is a question which he could also ask each of us today: “What do you talk about every day?” “What are your aspirations?” The Gospel tells us that the disciples “did not answer because on the way they had been arguing about who was the most important”. The disciples were ashamed to tell Jesus what they were talking about. As with the disciples then, we too can be caught up in these same arguments: who is the most important? |
| Jesus does not press the question. He does not force them to tell him what they were talking about on the way. But the question lingers, not only in the minds of the disciples, but also in their hearts. | Jesus does not press the question. He does not force them to tell him what they were talking about on the way. But the question lingers, not only in the minds of the disciples, but also in their hearts. |
| Who is the most important? This is a life-long question to which, at different times, we must give an answer. We cannot escape the question; it is written on our hearts. I remember more than once, at family gatherings, children being asked: “Who do you love more, Mommy or Daddy”? It’s like asking them: “Who is the most important for you?” But is this only a game we play with children? The history of humanity has been marked by the answer we give to this question. | Who is the most important? This is a life-long question to which, at different times, we must give an answer. We cannot escape the question; it is written on our hearts. I remember more than once, at family gatherings, children being asked: “Who do you love more, Mommy or Daddy”? It’s like asking them: “Who is the most important for you?” But is this only a game we play with children? The history of humanity has been marked by the answer we give to this question. |
| Jesus is not afraid of people’s questions; he is not afraid of our humanity or the different things we are looking for. On the contrary, he knows the “twists and turns” of the human heart, and, as a good teacher, he is always ready to encourage and support us. As usual, he takes up our searching, our aspirations, and he gives them a new horizon. As usual, he somehow finds an the answer which can pose a new challenge, setting aside the “right answers”, the standard replies we are expected to give. As usual, Jesus sets before us the “logic” of love. A mindset, an approach to life, which is capable of being lived out by all, because it is meant for all. | Jesus is not afraid of people’s questions; he is not afraid of our humanity or the different things we are looking for. On the contrary, he knows the “twists and turns” of the human heart, and, as a good teacher, he is always ready to encourage and support us. As usual, he takes up our searching, our aspirations, and he gives them a new horizon. As usual, he somehow finds an the answer which can pose a new challenge, setting aside the “right answers”, the standard replies we are expected to give. As usual, Jesus sets before us the “logic” of love. A mindset, an approach to life, which is capable of being lived out by all, because it is meant for all. |
| Far from any kind of elitism, the horizon to which Jesus points us is not for those few privileged souls capable of attaining the heights of knowledge or different levels of spirituality. The horizon to which Jesus points us always has to do with daily life, also here on “our island”, something which can season our daily lives with eternity.Who is the most important? Jesus is straightforward in his reply: “Whoever wishes to be the first among you must be the last of all, and the servant of all”. Whatever wishes to be great must serve others, not be served by others. | Far from any kind of elitism, the horizon to which Jesus points us is not for those few privileged souls capable of attaining the heights of knowledge or different levels of spirituality. The horizon to which Jesus points us always has to do with daily life, also here on “our island”, something which can season our daily lives with eternity.Who is the most important? Jesus is straightforward in his reply: “Whoever wishes to be the first among you must be the last of all, and the servant of all”. Whatever wishes to be great must serve others, not be served by others. |
| Here lies the great paradox of Jesus. The disciples were arguing about who would have the highest place, who would be chosen for privileges, who would be above the common law, the general norm, in order to stand out in the quest for superiority over others. Who would climb the ladder most quickly to take the jobs which carry certain benefits. | Here lies the great paradox of Jesus. The disciples were arguing about who would have the highest place, who would be chosen for privileges, who would be above the common law, the general norm, in order to stand out in the quest for superiority over others. Who would climb the ladder most quickly to take the jobs which carry certain benefits. |
| Jesus upsets their “logic”, their mindset, simply by telling them that life is lived authentically in a concrete commitment to our neighbor. The call to serve involves something special, to which we must be attentive. Serving others chiefly means caring for their vulnerability. Caring for the vulnerable of our families, our society, our people. Theirs are the suffering, fragile and downcast faces which Jesus tells us specifically to look at and which he asks us to love. With a love which takes shape in our actions and decisions. With a love which finds expression in whatever tasks we, as citizens, are called to perform. People of flesh and blood, people with individual lives and stories, and with all their frailty: these are those whom Jesus asks us to protect, to care for, to serve. Being a Christian entails promoting the dignity of our brothers and sisters, fighting for it, living for it. That is why Christians are constantly called to set aside their own wishes and desires, their pursuit of power, and to look instead to those who are most vulnerable. | Jesus upsets their “logic”, their mindset, simply by telling them that life is lived authentically in a concrete commitment to our neighbor. The call to serve involves something special, to which we must be attentive. Serving others chiefly means caring for their vulnerability. Caring for the vulnerable of our families, our society, our people. Theirs are the suffering, fragile and downcast faces which Jesus tells us specifically to look at and which he asks us to love. With a love which takes shape in our actions and decisions. With a love which finds expression in whatever tasks we, as citizens, are called to perform. People of flesh and blood, people with individual lives and stories, and with all their frailty: these are those whom Jesus asks us to protect, to care for, to serve. Being a Christian entails promoting the dignity of our brothers and sisters, fighting for it, living for it. That is why Christians are constantly called to set aside their own wishes and desires, their pursuit of power, and to look instead to those who are most vulnerable. |
| There is a kind of “service” which truly “serves”, yet we need to be careful not to be tempted by another kind of service, a “service” which is “self-serving”. There is a way to go about serving which is interested in only helping “my people”, “our people”. This service always leaves “your people” outside, and gives rise to a process of exclusion. | There is a kind of “service” which truly “serves”, yet we need to be careful not to be tempted by another kind of service, a “service” which is “self-serving”. There is a way to go about serving which is interested in only helping “my people”, “our people”. This service always leaves “your people” outside, and gives rise to a process of exclusion. |
| All of us are called by virtue of our Christian vocation to that service which truly serves, and to help one another not to be tempted by a “service” which is really “self-serving”. All of us are asked, indeed urged, by Jesus to care for one another out of love. Without looking to one side or the other to see what our neighbor is doing or not doing. Jesus tells us: Whoever would be first among you must be the last, and the servant of all”. He does not say: if your neighbor wants to be first, let him be the servant! | All of us are called by virtue of our Christian vocation to that service which truly serves, and to help one another not to be tempted by a “service” which is really “self-serving”. All of us are asked, indeed urged, by Jesus to care for one another out of love. Without looking to one side or the other to see what our neighbor is doing or not doing. Jesus tells us: Whoever would be first among you must be the last, and the servant of all”. He does not say: if your neighbor wants to be first, let him be the servant! |
| We have to be careful to avoid judgmental looks and renew our belief in the transforming look to which Jesus invites us. | We have to be careful to avoid judgmental looks and renew our belief in the transforming look to which Jesus invites us. |
| This caring for others out of love is not about being servile. Rather, it means putting our brothers and sisters at the center. Service always looks to their faces, touches their flesh, senses their closeness and even, in some cases, “suffers” in trying to help. Service is never ideological, for we do not serve ideas, we serve people. | This caring for others out of love is not about being servile. Rather, it means putting our brothers and sisters at the center. Service always looks to their faces, touches their flesh, senses their closeness and even, in some cases, “suffers” in trying to help. Service is never ideological, for we do not serve ideas, we serve people. |
| God’s holy and faithful people in Cuba is a people with a taste for parties, for friendship, for beautiful things. It is a people which marches with songs of praise. It is a people which has its wounds, like every other people, yet knows how to stand up with open arms, to keep walking in hope, because it has a vocation of grandeur. Today I ask you to care for this vocation of yours, to care for these gifts which God has given you, but above all I invite you to care for and be at the service of the frailty of your brothers and sisters. Do not neglect them for plans which can be seductive, but are unconcerned about the face of the person beside you. We know, we are witnesses of the incomparable power of the resurrection, which “everywhere calls forth the seeds of a new world” (cf. Evangelii Gaudium, 276, 278). | God’s holy and faithful people in Cuba is a people with a taste for parties, for friendship, for beautiful things. It is a people which marches with songs of praise. It is a people which has its wounds, like every other people, yet knows how to stand up with open arms, to keep walking in hope, because it has a vocation of grandeur. Today I ask you to care for this vocation of yours, to care for these gifts which God has given you, but above all I invite you to care for and be at the service of the frailty of your brothers and sisters. Do not neglect them for plans which can be seductive, but are unconcerned about the face of the person beside you. We know, we are witnesses of the incomparable power of the resurrection, which “everywhere calls forth the seeds of a new world” (cf. Evangelii Gaudium, 276, 278). |
| Let us not forget the Good News we have heard today: the importance of a people, a nation, and the importance of individuals, which is always based on how they seek to serve their vulnerable brothers and sisters. Here we encounter one of the fruits of a true humanity. | Let us not forget the Good News we have heard today: the importance of a people, a nation, and the importance of individuals, which is always based on how they seek to serve their vulnerable brothers and sisters. Here we encounter one of the fruits of a true humanity. |
| “Whoever does not live to serve, does not ‘serve’ to live”. | “Whoever does not live to serve, does not ‘serve’ to live”. |
| 2.15pm BST14:15 | 2.15pm BST14:15 |
| Stephanie Kirchgaessner | Stephanie Kirchgaessner |
| The pope will today be offering first communion to five Cuban children, according to the Vatican.This is the first time the pope is offering this sacrament on a foreign trip. This gesture is seen as a symbol of hope and the growth of the church in Cuba. | The pope will today be offering first communion to five Cuban children, according to the Vatican.This is the first time the pope is offering this sacrament on a foreign trip. This gesture is seen as a symbol of hope and the growth of the church in Cuba. |
| For the first time in a foreign trip, Pope Francis will give 5 Children their First Communion at the Mass in Havana. pic.twitter.com/q3FZOCYscm | For the first time in a foreign trip, Pope Francis will give 5 Children their First Communion at the Mass in Havana. pic.twitter.com/q3FZOCYscm |
| 2.14pm BST14:14 | 2.14pm BST14:14 |
| It really is incredible how a huge crowd can fall into silence at a papal mega-mass. Extraordinary. | It really is incredible how a huge crowd can fall into silence at a papal mega-mass. Extraordinary. |
| Updated at 3.25pm BST | Updated at 3.25pm BST |
| 2.11pm BST14:11 | 2.11pm BST14:11 |
| Now the Gospel is sung. It’s from Mark. | Now the Gospel is sung. It’s from Mark. |
| They went on from there and passed through Galilee. And he would not have any one know it; for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, “The Son of Man will be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him; and when he is killed, after three days he will rise.” But they did not understand the saying, and they were afraid to ask him. | They went on from there and passed through Galilee. And he would not have any one know it; for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, “The Son of Man will be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him; and when he is killed, after three days he will rise.” But they did not understand the saying, and they were afraid to ask him. |
| Updated at 3.29pm BST | Updated at 3.29pm BST |
| 2.09pm BST14:09 | 2.09pm BST14:09 |
| A young woman gives the first reading, which is from the Book of Wisdom. | A young woman gives the first reading, which is from the Book of Wisdom. |
| Let us lie in wait for the righteous man, because he is inconvenient to us and opposes our actions; he reproaches us for sins against the law, and accuses us of sins against our training. Let us see if his words are true, and let us test what will happen at the end of his life; for if the righteous man is God’s son, he will help him, and will deliver him from the hand of his adversaries. | Let us lie in wait for the righteous man, because he is inconvenient to us and opposes our actions; he reproaches us for sins against the law, and accuses us of sins against our training. Let us see if his words are true, and let us test what will happen at the end of his life; for if the righteous man is God’s son, he will help him, and will deliver him from the hand of his adversaries. |
| Afterwards, the Psalm: | Afterwards, the Psalm: |
| Save me, O God, by thy name, and vindicate me by thy might. | Save me, O God, by thy name, and vindicate me by thy might. |
| The second reading, from the Letter of James: | The second reading, from the Letter of James: |
| For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. | For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. |
| If you’re biblically inclined, the full readings can be found here. The theme of today’s readings is humility. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, without uncertainty or insincerity. | If you’re biblically inclined, the full readings can be found here. The theme of today’s readings is humility. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, without uncertainty or insincerity. |
| Updated at 3.29pm BST | Updated at 3.29pm BST |
| 2.04pm BST14:04 | 2.04pm BST14:04 |
| This is the most jubilant Kyrie and Gloria I have ever heard! They’re two musical liturgical elements to introduce the mass: to beg mercy from God, and to give glory to him. | This is the most jubilant Kyrie and Gloria I have ever heard! They’re two musical liturgical elements to introduce the mass: to beg mercy from God, and to give glory to him. |
| Updated at 2.07pm BST | Updated at 2.07pm BST |
| 1.58pm BST13:58 | 1.58pm BST13:58 |
| The pontiff censes the altar and a statue of the Virgin Mary, and asks the congregation to confess their sins. An enormous choir and orchestra are singing the Kyrie. | The pontiff censes the altar and a statue of the Virgin Mary, and asks the congregation to confess their sins. An enormous choir and orchestra are singing the Kyrie. |
| Mass has begun in Plaza de la Revolución in Havana, Cuba! Tune to @NETnyTV to see it all! #PopeInUSA #PopeInCuba pic.twitter.com/w04pmcOrLc | Mass has begun in Plaza de la Revolución in Havana, Cuba! Tune to @NETnyTV to see it all! #PopeInUSA #PopeInCuba pic.twitter.com/w04pmcOrLc |
| Updated at 2.07pm BST | Updated at 2.07pm BST |
| 1.56pm BST13:56 | 1.56pm BST13:56 |
| Tens of thousands of people have crowded into in Revolution Square beneath massive portraits of revolutionary leaders Ernesto “Che” Guevara and Camilo Cienfuegos on the facades of nearby buildings. | Tens of thousands of people have crowded into in Revolution Square beneath massive portraits of revolutionary leaders Ernesto “Che” Guevara and Camilo Cienfuegos on the facades of nearby buildings. |
| Hundreds of Cubans and foreign visitors began streaming into the sprawling square overnight, and nearly a million people are expected to attend, including Cuban President Raúl Castro and Argentina’s Cristina Kirchner. | Hundreds of Cubans and foreign visitors began streaming into the sprawling square overnight, and nearly a million people are expected to attend, including Cuban President Raúl Castro and Argentina’s Cristina Kirchner. |
| (As we reported yesterday, Guevara’s daughter Aleida is not one of them.) | (As we reported yesterday, Guevara’s daughter Aleida is not one of them.) |
| “It’s very exciting to see Pope Francis. He’ll be the third pope I’ve managed to see, but I’ve never been so close. We’re all hoping to receive his mercy,” Maria Eugenia Paulina Prieto, 56, who sings in a choir that will perform during the ceremony, told AFP. | “It’s very exciting to see Pope Francis. He’ll be the third pope I’ve managed to see, but I’ve never been so close. We’re all hoping to receive his mercy,” Maria Eugenia Paulina Prieto, 56, who sings in a choir that will perform during the ceremony, told AFP. |
| “His visit is cause for hope in our aspirations for improvement,” said biologist Benito Espinoza, 41, told Reuters. “We are an optimistic people, but we have suffered for many years.” | “His visit is cause for hope in our aspirations for improvement,” said biologist Benito Espinoza, 41, told Reuters. “We are an optimistic people, but we have suffered for many years.” |
| Mauren Gomez, 40, travelled some 250 kilometers (155 miles) from Villa Clara to Havana by bus with four friends for the Mass, saying they spent their pilgrimage praying the Rosary. “This is very important for us,” she told the AP. | Mauren Gomez, 40, travelled some 250 kilometers (155 miles) from Villa Clara to Havana by bus with four friends for the Mass, saying they spent their pilgrimage praying the Rosary. “This is very important for us,” she told the AP. |
| Jose Rafael Velazquez, a 54-year-old worker, arrived with his wife at the plaza three hours before mass was due to begin. He said he isn’t religious, but came more out of curiosity to witness a historic event. | Jose Rafael Velazquez, a 54-year-old worker, arrived with his wife at the plaza three hours before mass was due to begin. He said he isn’t religious, but came more out of curiosity to witness a historic event. |
| “We also are very hopeful for this visit, because the pope was key in the deal with the United States,” he said. “Ever since the announcement, there have been changes and this visit gives me more hope that it’ll get better.” | “We also are very hopeful for this visit, because the pope was key in the deal with the United States,” he said. “Ever since the announcement, there have been changes and this visit gives me more hope that it’ll get better.” |
| The crowd erupted in cheers, waving Cuban, Vatican and Argentinian flags as he made his way through the crowd in his open-sided popemobile. | The crowd erupted in cheers, waving Cuban, Vatican and Argentinian flags as he made his way through the crowd in his open-sided popemobile. |
| A chorus sang a mix of traditional Cuban songs and religious tunes. Francis stopped several times to kiss children handed up to him and to bless several people in wheelchairs. | A chorus sang a mix of traditional Cuban songs and religious tunes. Francis stopped several times to kiss children handed up to him and to bless several people in wheelchairs. |
| Updated at 2.11pm BST | Updated at 2.11pm BST |
| 1.50pm BST13:50 | 1.50pm BST13:50 |
| From my colleague Stephanie Kirchgaessner in Rome: | From my colleague Stephanie Kirchgaessner in Rome: |
| Pope Francis will shift gears on his first full day in Cuba today, with a message that is more pastoral in nature and less obviously focused on politics. He will start the day with a mass in front of hundreds of thousands of Cubans in Revolution Plaza and will, later in the day, have a formal meeting with Cuban president Raúl Castro. The big question of the day is whether the pope will also have a meeting with Raul’s brother Fidel, the revolutionary leader who is thought to be too frail to attend the public events. | Pope Francis will shift gears on his first full day in Cuba today, with a message that is more pastoral in nature and less obviously focused on politics. He will start the day with a mass in front of hundreds of thousands of Cubans in Revolution Plaza and will, later in the day, have a formal meeting with Cuban president Raúl Castro. The big question of the day is whether the pope will also have a meeting with Raul’s brother Fidel, the revolutionary leader who is thought to be too frail to attend the public events. |
| Most Vatican watchers believe that if Francis does, indeed, add a visit to Fidel to his schedule, it will be today, his only full day in Havana. Francis has said that he would be arriving in Cuba as a messenger of mercy – a theme that is key and constant in his papacy – and wants to show solidarity to the people of Cuba, who have suffered for decades under the US embargo. | Most Vatican watchers believe that if Francis does, indeed, add a visit to Fidel to his schedule, it will be today, his only full day in Havana. Francis has said that he would be arriving in Cuba as a messenger of mercy – a theme that is key and constant in his papacy – and wants to show solidarity to the people of Cuba, who have suffered for decades under the US embargo. |
| Updated at 2.12pm BST | Updated at 2.12pm BST |
| 1.44pm BST13:44 | 1.44pm BST13:44 |
| The crowds are enormous! | The crowds are enormous! |
| Le Pape arrive! Après un tour de la Place de la Révolution en Papamobile. Il est descendu pls fois #PopeInCuba pic.twitter.com/dp8hPVWgcU | Le Pape arrive! Après un tour de la Place de la Révolution en Papamobile. Il est descendu pls fois #PopeInCuba pic.twitter.com/dp8hPVWgcU |
| el Papa llega #PapaFrancisco #Habana #PopeinCuba #PopeFrancis pic.twitter.com/2r3TL3kIvp | el Papa llega #PapaFrancisco #Habana #PopeinCuba #PopeFrancis pic.twitter.com/2r3TL3kIvp |
| 1.39pm BST13:39 | 1.39pm BST13:39 |
| Adam Brereton | Adam Brereton |
| Hi Popefans! And welcome to the Guardian’s coverage of Pope Francis’s visit to Cuba. It’s an absolutely huge day today for the pontiff, who is at this moment arriving in the Plaza de la Revoluciòn in Havana to celebrate the mass with thousands of jubilant Cubans. | Hi Popefans! And welcome to the Guardian’s coverage of Pope Francis’s visit to Cuba. It’s an absolutely huge day today for the pontiff, who is at this moment arriving in the Plaza de la Revoluciòn in Havana to celebrate the mass with thousands of jubilant Cubans. |
| If you want to follow the proceedings live, there’s a YouTube stream below. | If you want to follow the proceedings live, there’s a YouTube stream below. |
| As a way of introduction, I’m Adam Brereton, the opinion editor for the Guardian’s Australian team, and I’m so thrilled to be joining my US colleagues to help cover Pope Francis’s historic pilgrimage to Cuba and the US. | As a way of introduction, I’m Adam Brereton, the opinion editor for the Guardian’s Australian team, and I’m so thrilled to be joining my US colleagues to help cover Pope Francis’s historic pilgrimage to Cuba and the US. |
| 1.20pm BST13:20 | 1.20pm BST13:20 |
| Good morning, and welcome to the Guardian’s coverage of the first full day of Pope Francis’s visit to Cuba. | Good morning, and welcome to the Guardian’s coverage of the first full day of Pope Francis’s visit to Cuba. |
| The pope is due to celebrate mass in Revolution Square in Havana at 9am ET (6am PT, 2pm UK). After that, in the afternoon, he will visit President Raúl Castro at the Palace of the Revolution. Following that, he will meet Cuban Catholics, old and young. | The pope is due to celebrate mass in Revolution Square in Havana at 9am ET (6am PT, 2pm UK). After that, in the afternoon, he will visit President Raúl Castro at the Palace of the Revolution. Following that, he will meet Cuban Catholics, old and young. |
| Pope Francis arrived in Cuba on Saturday, and gave a speech in which he called for the US and Cuba to set a “global example of reconciliation” – a call he was well placed to make, having played a major role in the recent thaw between the two countries which has seen embassies reopen and Republicans in the US seethe at another of Barack Obama’s foreign policy goals. Our report, from Jonathan Watts in Havana and Stephanie Kirchgaessner in Rome, is here. | Pope Francis arrived in Cuba on Saturday, and gave a speech in which he called for the US and Cuba to set a “global example of reconciliation” – a call he was well placed to make, having played a major role in the recent thaw between the two countries which has seen embassies reopen and Republicans in the US seethe at another of Barack Obama’s foreign policy goals. Our report, from Jonathan Watts in Havana and Stephanie Kirchgaessner in Rome, is here. |
| Adam Brereton will be anchoring our live coverage today – he’ll be here shortly. For further reading before he arrives, here’s an analysis piece by Peter Stanford, who says: | Adam Brereton will be anchoring our live coverage today – he’ll be here shortly. For further reading before he arrives, here’s an analysis piece by Peter Stanford, who says: |
| The world has responded to the former Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Buenos Aires with enthusiasm on account of his warmth, humility, spontaneity and habit of going off-script as far as the doctrines of his church are concerned. But Francis is also, in his own words, “a little furbo” – ie, shrewd, clever, an operator. This less remarked-on side has been seen in the way he is systematically reforming the corrupt, bloated Vatican curia (civil service) and straightening out its dodgy bank … | The world has responded to the former Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Buenos Aires with enthusiasm on account of his warmth, humility, spontaneity and habit of going off-script as far as the doctrines of his church are concerned. But Francis is also, in his own words, “a little furbo” – ie, shrewd, clever, an operator. This less remarked-on side has been seen in the way he is systematically reforming the corrupt, bloated Vatican curia (civil service) and straightening out its dodgy bank … |
| Updated at 2.15pm BST | Updated at 2.15pm BST |