Church sources said the schedule this year already includes visits to the Czech Republic, Poland, France and Brazil.
HAVANA -- (EFE) -- Pope John Paul II will visit Cuba in January 1998, Cuban Cardinal Jaime Ortega announced Friday, citing scheduling problems that would not permit a trip to the island this year.
Ortega, archbishop of Havana and Cuba's top Roman Catholic clergyman, issued a statement to the press shortly before delivering a homily in Havana Cathedral.
``The Holy Father is eager to visit our country and would have liked to do so before the end of 1997, but the Christmas festivities and other activities of that season oblige him to postone his visit to Cuba until January of 1998,'' the statement said .
President Fidel Castro reiterated Cuba's longstanding invitation to the pope when he called on the pontiff at the Vatican in November while participating in a U.N.-sponsored world food conference in Rome. It was said at that time that John Paul hoped t o make the trip in 1997.
Ortega said Friday, however, that there was not time to properly prepare for the trip in the first months of the year, ``and neither are the hottest months of our summer the most appropriate time for it.''
Church sources said the schedule this year for the 76-year-old pope already includes visits to the Czech Republic, Poland, France and Brazil.
Ortega's note said ``It has been decided that the Holy Father's visit to Cuba will be exclusively to our country, departing Rome for Havana and returning directly to Rome.''
Cardinal Camillo Ruini, head of the Italian Bishops' Conference, arrived in Havana on Thursday, apparently to discuss arrangements for John Paul's trip.
Copyright © 1997 The Miami Herald