Pope Francis Meets Fidel Castro at the 89-year-old retired president's home Sunday Sep 20,2015

 

Pope Francis and Fidel Castro discussed religion and world affairs at the 89-year-old retired president's home, just hours after the pope warned Cubans of the dangers of ideology and the lure of selfishness as their Communist-ruled country enters a new era of closer ties with the United States.

Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi said the meeting, which also included Castro's wife and other family members, was "very relaxed, fraternal and friendly."

Pope Francis(78)gave Castro several of his official papal writings, two books on spirituality and a book and CD on the writings of Father Armando Llorente, a priest who taught Castro in Jesuit prep school more than 70 years ago.

Fidel Castro, who wore a blue-and-white track suit jacket, gave him a copy of "Fidel and Religion," a 1985 book of interviews with a Brazilian priest which lifted a taboo on speaking about religion in Cuba, then officially atheist