Cuba & the Catholic Religion
Cuba has had a very controversial relationship with Catholicism, particularly in the latter part of the 20th century. Communism generally goes hand in hand with atheism, which is the lack of belief in any sort of deity or deities. While Catholicism is not the most conservative religion it is among the more traditional groups; therefore, the tensions with atheism are clear.
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Atheism vs. Catholicism
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Cuba is no longer an atheist nation. During most of Fidel Castro's reign, which lasted from 1959 to 2008, Cuba operated as an atheistic nation. However, many of the people were Catholic and this declaration created issues. In 1962, Castro forced 400 Catholic schools in the country to shut down. In 1991, the Communist Party began to allow religious individuals to join their party. The next year, Cuba's constitution was changed, and the country was no longer declared an atheist nation, but rather a secular one.
Changes
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After the nation was changed from atheistic to secular, other changes took place. In 1997, Christmas was recognized as a holiday for the first time since 1969. Furthermore, the following year, Christmas was brought back as a national holiday for the first time in nearly 30 years. Perhaps the biggest change that occurred was in 1996, when Pope John Paul II was invited to visit Cuba.
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Pope John Paul II
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A number of priests were allowed into Cuba during the mid 1990s. During and immediately after the Pope John Paul II visit, the government arranged for media coverage of the visit, and the government also provided transportation for citizens to gatherings where they could view the pope. Furthermore, the pope asked Fidel Castro to grant amnesty to prisoners that the church wanted to see released. In turn, the Cuban government wound up freeing about 300 prisoners. Additionally, visas were granted for more priests to come to Cuba.
Afterwards
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Shortly after Pope John Paul II left, Cuba returned to an anti-Catholic attitude. Visas to priests became extremely limited. The Catholic Church is not permitted to have full media access, or to train enough priests to fulfill its demands. Furthermore, the church is not allowed to establish schools, universities, hospitals, clinics, nursing homes or any other sort of organization. Despite the fact that their efforts are so stifled, the Catholic Church is the largest independent institution in Cuba.
Other Religions
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According to the Globe Aware website, approximately 40 percent of Cubans are Catholic, and about four percent are Protestant. However, the majority of Cubans are associated with the afro-Cuban religion of Santeraa, a blend of Catholicism and African religions. Other groups, such as evangelical Christians also operate in the country. Although there are restrictions imposed on religion, all of the groups have benefited from the small steps Cuba is taking towards allowing more religious practices. Cuba also has a Jewish community that operates primarily in Havana, Santiago, and Camaguey.
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References
- Photo Credit Catholic Cemetary image by Terrance Gartland from Fotolia.com christ image by Vely from Fotolia.com priest and bible image by Lars Christensen from Fotolia.com
