The Cuban government expressed its “satisfaction” over the upcoming visit of Pope Benedict XVI to the island next spring and added that it will receive him “with all the respect and love that he deserves,” Havana’s envoy to the Holy See said Tuesday.

In a note sent to Efe, Eduardo Delgado added that the Cuban government “will do everything within its power to provide (the pope) with a happy stay and so that he retains a very pleasant memory of our people and his stay, as occurred in the case of the blessed John Paul II when he made his trip (to Cuba) in January 1998.”