‘Looking for hope:’ In Havana’s darkness, Cubans turn to faith

HAVANA – In the cool darkness of the church’s sacristy, the Rev. Ariel Suárez Jáuregui pulled on his vestments – a white ankle-length robe and bright green stole – and entered the 19th-century sanctuary of Our Lady of Charity Catholic Church.

Hints of incense wafted among the soaring columns up to the Baroque-style domed ceiling. Eight small fans blew onto about 35 parishioners scattered among the wooden pews, a luxury in power-starved Havana. They swayed on their feet in the heat like Cuban palms as Father Suárez read from the Old Testament, sang hymns and urged the faithful to look to the Holy Spirit for solutions to today’s “grave and urgent problems.”

After the service, most of them filed into a single line to speak with Suárez, a tradition he’s maintained after every Mass for the 27 years he’s been a priest. In hushed voices, they whispered their anxieties and asked for his help.

For decades, the Roman Catholic Church in Cuba has served as a savior to many Cubans, operating as a de facto social safety net. Once the bane of Cuba’s communist, atheist government, the church has stepped in as a powerful advocate for the Cuban people, a…

Original source: https://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/