The historic meeting between Pope Francis and the head of the Russian Orthodox Church Patriarch Kirill has brought hope to all the peoples of the world, Cuba's revolutionary leader Fidel Castro said on Monday.
The two religious leaders' meeting in the Cuban capital Havana last Friday was of "extraordinary importance", Castro wrote in the country's official media.
"The fight for peace in the world is the most sacred duty of all human beings, whatever their religion, homeland, the colour of their skin or their age," Castro wrote in state-run Cubadebate.
Francis and Kirill embraced when they met and issued a joint declaration pleading for world leaders to protect persecuted Christians and calling their encounter as an "indispensable" example of civility for a world riven by violence, poverty and sectarian strife.
The encounter, first between the heads of the Catholic and Russian Orthodox churches, also carried political overtones, coming at a time of Russian disagreements with the West over Syria and Ukraine.
Kirill arrived in Havana last Thursday and was greeted by Cuban president Raul Castro, an ally of Russia who also received Francis in Cuba just five months ago.
