Vatican Confirms Pope Francis Will Visit Cuba in September, Meeting with Raul Castro Unlikely

The Vatican on Wednesday confirmed that Pope Francis, who aided in rekindling United States-Cuba relations, will make a pastoral stop to the communist island in September.

"I am able to confirm that the Holy Father Francis, having received and accepted the invitation from the civil authorities and bishops of Cuba, has decided to pay a visit to the island before his arrival in the United States," Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi said in speaking with journalists.

Lombardi didn't give specific details or date but it is unlikely Francis meets with Cuba President Raul Castro.

Francis will become the third pope to visit Cuba, following St. John Paul II in 1998 and Pope Benedict XVI three years ago. Benedict's 2012 trip reiterated the Vatican's long-standing position that the U.S. trade embargo on Cuba only hurt the island.

Last December, Castro and President Obama simultaneously thanked Francis for helping ease tension between the two countries. Secret summits hosted by Francis last fall led diplomatic relations that are beginning to take effect. U.S. citizens can travel to Cuba, businesses can trade with each other, and citizens can openly communicate with relatives.

"His Holiness Pope Francis issued a personal appeal to me and to Cuba's president, Raul Castro, urging us to resolve Alan's [Gross] case and to address Cuba's interests in the release of three Cuban agents, who've been jailed in the United States for over 15 years," Obama said shortly after a deal was reached.

Francis is scheduled to visit three U.S. cities starting around Sept. 23. He will address Congress and meet with Obama in at the White House, address the annual United Nations General Assembly of world leaders in New York, and attend Philadelphia's World Meetings of Families slated for Sept. 26-27.

Cubans in Philadelphia are ready for the pontiff's brief visit.  

"I Think him being a South American pope, he needed to do something drastic like this," said Guillermo Pernot, head chef for the city's Cuba Libre restaurants, in praising Francis for helping broker a deal. "I think this will move things much faster than we expected...This is the right time and Francis is the right person to achieve it."

Organizers of the September meeting said a handful of Cuban families have expressed interest in attending.

Francis is no stranger to Cuba. He joined Benedict during his visit and penned a book entitled "Dialogues between John Paul II and Fidel Castro."

"The presence of His Holiness in Cuba will be memorable," Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez said. "He will receive the warmest hospitality of the Cuban people."