| When Fidel Castro rose to power in Cuba in the | | | | Castro removed the ban on the celebration of |
| 1960s, he declared Cuba an atheist nation. Along with | | | | religious holidays in honor of the Pope's visit. |
| this, he also removed religious holidays from Cuban | | | | From then on, Christians in Cuba were allowed to |
| calendars and banned their public celebrations. | | | | celebrate their holidays in public. Christmas is once |
| Christmas, Epiphany, Lent and other religious holidays | | | | again restored as the nation's biggest holiday. People |
| were no longer observed publicly. There were places, | | | | can go and hear mass, and prepare something special |
| though, where Castro still allowed decorations for | | | | for the Christmas celebration at home. |
| these religious holidays. In hotels and places where | | | | Now, every Christmas, a big mass is held in Havana |
| tourists frequent, owners of the establishments were | | | | at the Revolution Square. Church bells are sounded to |
| allowed to put up decorations. In other parts of the | | | | signify the coming of Christmas Eve. Epiphany, Lent, |
| country, the said holidays would just pass quietly by. | | | | Easter and other Christian holidays are celebrated |
| The Catholic Church and other religious organizations | | | | throughout Cuba. |
| have not stopped talking to the government to allow | | | | From an atheist nation, Castro unofficially moved |
| the devotees to celebrate religious holidays publicly. | | | | away from the label and considered Cuba a secular |
| In 1997, Fidel Castro decided to ease down on the | | | | nation. Today, religion and the Cuban flag can stand |
| restrictions on these holidays. Pope John Paul was | | | | alongside each other without conflict or fear of any |
| visiting Cuba the following year, January 1998, and | | | | sanction. |