AMERICA/CUBA - 
Santiago de Cuba (Agenzia Fides) – Archbishop Dionisio García Ibáñez, Archbishop of Santiago de Cuba and President of the Bishops' Conference, presided at the opening Mass for the start of the National Pilgrimage of the Madonna of Mambisa (a copy of the image of the Virgin of Charity venerated in the Church of St. Thomas in the town of Santiago de Cuba). The solemn Mass was celebrated by almost all the Bishops of Cuba (all except Cardinal Jaime Ortega Alamino), and dozens of priests from various dioceses of Cuba, deacons and religious from various congregations, and hundreds of lay people (from Pinar La Habana, Matanzas, Cienfuegos, Camaguey, Ciego de Avila, Holguin, Guantanamo, Granma, Santa Clara ... and even other parts of the world). All feel that they are children of Our Lady of Charity (Patroness of Cuba since May 1916). The pilgrimage began on 8 August in El Cobre and will end in Havana, on December 10, 2011.
The event was broadcast by Cuba's state television channel, an uncommon event in this country. But since this was the beginning of pilgrimage for 400 years of the discovery image of Our Lady of Charity, it was possible to follow the ceremony at the various faithful who could not be present physically. The pilgrimage of Our Lady of Charity is part of efforts undertaken by the Cuban Church in 2008 and will conclude in 2012. According to the tradition, the image of the Virgin appeared for the first time in 1612 to three fishermen in the eastern Bay of Nipe.
(CE) (Agenzia Fides 08/10/2010)
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