Vatican City, April 28 (RHC) – The Secretary of State of the Holy See, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, received Cuban Foreign Minister, Bruno Rodriguez, at the Vatican over the weekend.

During the meeting on Saturday, Cuba's top diplomat and the Vatican official stressed historic and friendly relations shared by the two states, as well as the need to keep strengthening such links.

The Cuban foreign minister thanked the Vatican for its support of Cuba against the U.S. economic, commercial and financial blockade and recalled with satisfaction the visits to the island by Popes John Paul II in 1998 and Benedict XVI in 2012.

The visit by Bruno Rodriguez to the Vatican took place amid the ceremony to canonize Popes John Paul II and John XXIII, an event attended by over 90 delegations from different parts of the world.