Raul Castro bestows Jose Marti Order on Kirill

In the ceremony at the Cuban Revolution Palace, Homero Acosta, Secretary of the Council of State, read a document that stated that His Holiness was bestowed with the Jose Marti Order for the role played by the Russian Orthodox Church and Kirill himself on the strengthening of the relations between Cuba and Russia.

The Patriarch acknowledged the honor and said that the condecoration is not only for him but for the entire Russian Orthodox Church.

At the ceremony was the delegation that accompanies Kirill in this four-day visit to Cuba and staff from the Russian embassy in Havana.

On the Cuban part were present First Vice-President Miguel Diaz-Canel, Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez and other top Cuban officials