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The National Sanctuary of Our Lady of Charity in Miami invites Cubans in exile to a special mass this Wednesday, May 20 at 8:00 PM, in commemoration of the 124th anniversary of the foundation of the Republic of Cuba and for the imminent freedom of the island.
The event will be held at the sanctuary's location, located at 3609 S Miami Ave, Miami, Florida, and is open to all faithful who wish to join in prayer.
The official announcement from the sanctuary calls for a gathering "to give thanks to God for our homeland and to pray, with faith and hope, for the imminent freedom of Cuba."
"On the 124th anniversary of the birth of the Republic, let us raise our prayers for the restoration of a Cuba with justice, peace, and prosperity for all its children," states the call published on the social media of the Ermita.
On May 20, 1902, the Republic of Cuba was formally proclaimed when Tomás Estrada Palma assumed the role of the first president and the Cuban flag was raised at the Morro Fortress in Havana, marking the end of the U.S. military occupation.
In the Miami exile, the date is celebrated as the birth of the free republic and represents the most symbolic anniversary on the Cuban civic calendar outside the island.
In 2026, the commemoration arrives imbued with an unusual political anticipation.
The mayor of Miami, Eileen Higgins, confirmed that the city has a contingency plan involving police, firefighters, and paramedics in anticipation of potential mass celebrations when Cuba is free.
The exiled leader Diego Suárez, co-founder of the Cuban American National Foundation, stated that he is "absolutely certain" that Cuba will be free in 2026.
On March 2nd, the Assembly of the Cuban Resistance and Steps for Change signed in Miami the so-called "Liberation Agreement," which includes a three-phase roadmap: the release of political prisoners, stabilization, and democratization with free elections for Cuba.
The Shrine of Our Lady of Charity is the main religious and identity symbol of the Cuban exile community in the United States.
It was inaugurated on December 2, 1973, built facing Biscayne Bay symbolically looking towards Cuba, and incorporates soil from the six Cuban provinces and water from a raft on which 15 Cubans lost their lives.
In the year 2000, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops recognized it as the National Shrine, a symbol of the Cuban exile.
The sanctuary has repeatedly been the setting for masses, vigils, and processions for Cuba on key dates such as July 11, September 8 —the day of the Virgin of Charity of El Cobre, the patroness of Cuba— and May 20 itself.
This year's call concludes with the outcry that encapsulates the sentiment of the exile: "Virgen de la Caridad, save Cuba soon!"
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