Havana, May 26 (RHC) -- Cuba and the Vatican have ratified their close ties during the delivery of the award Knight Grand Cross of the Order Piana to the Ambassador of Cuba, Eduardo Delgado.

According to a statement from the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Director of Protocol of the Secretary of State, Monsignor Nwachukwu Fortunatus, said that such a distinction given to Delgado is a gesture of appreciation for bilateral ties.

The statement notes that the Secretary of State of the Holy See, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, requested that Delgado be awarded the Order in a simple but very important activity.

Delgado said he received the award as an "expression of the high level of relations between our country, the government and people of Cuba with the Holy See."

The gesture occurred just weeks after the visit of His Holiness Benedict XVI to Cuba, an event which has put relations at a higher level, Delgado said.

The Pope made an apostolic visit to Cuba from March 26th to the 28th, where he fulfilled a busy schedule that included two public Masses and meetings with President Raul Castro and Revolution leader Fidel Castro.

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