HAVANA — Cuban authorities granted Havana’s Roman Catholic cardinal a rare chance to address the nation Tuesday night on state-controlled television about the imminent arrival of Pope Benedict XVI.

Cardinal Jaime Ortega said Benedict was coming to Cuba as a pilgrim to honor the 400th anniversary of the appearance of the Virgin of Charity of Cobre, the patron of Cuba. Church officials have taken the iconic representation of the Virgin across the island recently to large crowds of worshippers.

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