Pope Francis arrived in Havana at 3:51pm on Saturday, September 19, and was received on the tarmac of the José Martí International Airport by Army General Raúl Castro Ruz, President of the Councils of State and Ministers.
During the welcome ceremony, Cardinal Jaime Ortega – accompanying the Cuban President – greeted the Pontiff at the steps of the Alitalia aircraft which transported His Holiness on his first visit to Cuba.
On disembarking and after the two heads of state exchanged greetings a group of children shared tender minutes with the Bishop of Rome, clearly touched by the encounter with the little ones who also gifted him flowers.
