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HAVANA, Jan.
20 (Reuters) - Cuban exiles returning to their homeland to see Pope John Paul
arrived Tuesday to tearful reunions with relatives they had not seen for
decades.
"Thanks to the Pope I could come back,'' said Alba Fernandez as she
hugged her father, who she had not seen for 18 years, after arriving on a
charter flight bringing pilgrims from Florida.
A large group of Cuban-Americans from Tampa, Florida, arrived wearing yellow
T-shirts, the colors of the Vatican, bearing the words:
"The Pilgrimage - Home to Cuba.''
"I feel like new. I am born again,'' said Raul Hernandez, from Miami,
as he hugged his brother in tears. It was the first time they had seen each
other since Raul left Cuba in a mass boat exodus 18 years ago, and he had not
met his brother's wife or children.
"The only reason I was able to come back was the Pope's visit. That
helped me overcome any reservations I ever had to coming back,'' he said.
Many Cuban exiles have taken the opportunity of the papal visit to return to
their homeland for the first time.
Hernandez, 47, called the Pontiff, who arrives on a historic visit to Cuba
on Wednesday, a "messenger of peace'' who would unite Cubans.
"It means things are going to be different and better in Cuba,'' he
said.
Hundreds more pilgrims arrived aboard a chartered jumbo jet from New York,
including Democratic Congressman Charles Rangel, who said he hoped the Pope's
visit would improve the bitter relations between Washington and Fidel Castro's
communist government.
Asked why he came to Cuba, Rangel said: "As a former altar boy, I had
no choice. I would not want to miss this historic event.'' REUTERS
12:21 a.m. Jan 21, 1998 Eastern |