Late News Update from Radio Havana Cuba <http://www.radiohc.cu> -April 4, 2005
Fidel Castro Delivers Eulogy at Havana Mass for John Paul II
Havana, April 4 (RHC)--Cuban President Fidel Castro attended the funeral mass held at Havana's Cathedral on Monday evening on the occasion of the death of Pope John Paul II.
The mass was celebrated by Havana's Archbishop, Cardinal Jaime Ortega Alamino, with the attendance of the country's highest ranking government and communist party authorities, including the President of the Cuban Parliament, Ricardo Alarcon, Vice-President Carlos Lage, Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque, Culture Minister Abel Prieto and other officials.
Earlier the Cuban leader and First Vice-President Raul Castro signed the book of condolences opened in Havana's Nuncio's Office, terming the deceased prelate "unforgettable friend" and hoping that his example will last forever.
In his eulogy, President Fidel Castro also described the Pontiff as a tireless fighter and a friend of the poor. He also recalled the time in which the Pope visited Havana from January 21 through 25, 1998, when, in his words, the prelate termed the restrictive economic measures against Cuba coming from abroad as unacceptable.
Cuban Vice-President Carlos Lage and other high ranking Cuban government officials also signed the book of condolences. "I've expressed my most sincere condolences on the occasion of the prelate's death, for whom I feel respect due to his tireless work in favor of peace and solidarity", said Lage after signing the book.
Cuban Vice-President Jose Ramon Fernandez; Foreign Minister, Felipe Perez Roque; Labor and Social Security Minister, Alfredo Morales Cartaya; the Director of the Office of the Program on Cuban National Hero Jose Marti, Armando Hart and the head of the Cuban Communist Party's International Relations Department, Fernando Remirez de Estenoz also visited the office with the same purpose. Hundreds of Cubans have added their signatures to the book on Monday as a tribute to the so called "messenger of peace", who passed away on Saturday. The book will be opened until Wednesday.
The Cuban people's respect and the authorities' official mourning were hailed by the island's Catholic hierarchy, whose main representative, Cardinal Jaime Ortega, held mass in Havana's Cathedral and traveled to Rome to participate in the funeral and the conclave where the next Pope will be elected.