Pope sends telegram thanking Pres. Castro for welcome in Cuba

(Vatican Radio) After leaving Havana, Pope Francis sent a telegram to Cuban President Raul Castro, thanking him for hosting him and Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill for their historic encounter.

Calling himself a missionary of mercy and peace, the Holy Father said the world "cannot cease to strive along the path of dialogue, encounter, and understanding, if we wish to achieve peace, reconciliation, and the coexistence of all people of goodwill". 

The full text of the telegram is below:

Telegram Format of a letter addressed to the President of Cuba on the occasion of the Meeting of His Holiness Pope Francis and His Holiness Patriarch Kirill

12 February 2016

MR PRESIDENT: ON MY WAY TO MEXICO FOR MY PASTORAL JOURNEY AS A MISSIONARY OF MERCY AND PEACE, I THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROUS HOSPITALITY DURING MY BRIEF STOPOVER IN CUBA, WHICH HAS GIVEN ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO  RECALL THE AFFECTIONATE AND WARM WELCOME THE CUBAN PEOPLE EXTENDED TO ME LAST SEPTEMBER.  ABOVE ALL, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU, MR PRESIDENT, AND YOUR GOVERNMENT FOR THE WILLINGNESS TO MAKE POSSIBLE MY MEETING WITH HIS HOLINESS PATRIARCH KIRILL OF MOSCOW AND ALL RUSSIA.  IT HAS BEEN AN IMPORTANT MEETING, FROM WHICH I HOPE MUCH GOOD WILL COME.  WE CANNOT CEASE TO STRIVE ALONG THE PATH OF DIALOGUE, ENCOUNTER AND UNDERSTANDING, IF WE WISH TO ACHIEVE PEACE, RECONCILIATION, AND THE COEXISTENCE OF ALL PEOPLE OF GOODWILL.   I ASSURE YOU, AND THE BELOVED CUBAN NATION WHICH I CARRY IN MY HEART, OF MY PRAYERS, AND PLEASE ALSO PRAY FOR ME.  FRATERNALLY, FRANCIS.