Newsweek

Why Cuba’s Muslim Population Is Growing

Fidel Castro banned religion when he first took over but in recent years the regime has been more tolerant.
Juan Enriquez, 70, became known by his Muslim name, Yahya, after he converted to Islam in 2007. Here, he calls to Friday's prayer in the mosque of Camagüey, which was built inside a private home to avoid problems with the Cuban authorities.
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The first time a pope ever set foot in Cuba was in 1998, when John Paul II traveled to the Communist state. The visit was the result of a thaw between the Vatican and Cuba’s president, Fidel Castro, who banned religion in 1959 when he seized power. Cuba’s majority-Catholic population welcomed the pontiff with great excitement; several hundred thousand people, including Castro, attended the Mass

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