Pope Francis In Cuba: Pontiff Meets With Fidel Castro, What Did They Talk About?

Pope Francis and Fidel Castro had a brief meeting in Havana on Sunday at the former Cuban leader's home. According to Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi, the two discussed common problems of humanity, the global economic system and environmental degradation.

The Argentinian Pope gave Castro a copy of his encyclical on the environment and a selection of books, including one written by an Italian priest called Alessandro Pronzato and a Spanish Jesuit Armando Llorente. Mr. Castro, who was accompanied by his wife and several children and grandchildren, presented the pope with a book of interviews about himself and his views of religion. “It was a very informal conversation,” Lombardi said.

The meeting came shortly after the pope warned thousands of Cubans that as Christians they should 'serve people, not ideas', and adding that 'service is never ideological.'