The Supreme Pontiff of the Catholic Church sent a congratulatory message to the Cuban city of Sancti Spiritus, as confirmed by a note published Friday by the weekly Escambray.
“Pope Francisco salutes with affection the authorities and citizens of the city of Sancti Spiritus on the occasion of the 500th anniversary of its foundation,” says the statement released by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State of the Vatican, and was read at the homily delivered by Archbishop Arnaldo Isaac Fernández Berroa, which also recalled the five centuries of permanence of the Catholic Church in the region.
In the Parish Mayor of the city, the words of the Pope, who hopes that all Santi Spiritus inhabitants to progress “in their efforts to be ever more just and caring” and urged the faithful to honor the past history with the commitment of embodying the present and transmit to future generations the ideals that have been a source of inspiration and hope.
Although the Conference of Catholic Bishops of Cuba has not posted the original letter of the Pope, the Facebook page of the Diocese of Santa Clara on June 5, a day after the official celebrations for half a millennium, published the the following message: “Today much of our Diocese celebrates 500th anniversary of the founding of the town of Sancti Spiritus, founded on June 4, 1514 by Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar, on the banks of river Tuinucú, now called the town of Pueblo Viejo, about 5 miles from its current location. And in 1522 it was moved to its current location on the banks of river Yayabo. “The Diocese of Santa Clara has two civil provinces: Villa Clara and almost the entire civil province of Sancti Spiritus with an area of 12,754 km2 and a population of a million and a half people. It was created by H.H. Pope John Paul II on April 1, 1995.
Congratulations to all Santi Spiritus Brethren in their day! ”
The city in these days celebrates its 500 years and it was Cuba´s fourth village. First there were Nuestra Señora de la Asunción de Baracoa, San Salvador de Bayamo, and the Village of the Holy Trinity.
It was not until 1514 that Diego Velázquez founded Sancti Spiritus, Cuba only province with a Latin name
