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The Archdiocese of Panama sent 35,000 hosts to Cuba this Tuesday to support the celebration of the Eucharist in Catholic communities on the island that cannot guarantee the supply of this essential liturgical element, according to an official statement signed by Archbishop José Domingo Ulloa Mendieta and published on the archdiocese's institutional account.
The products were crafted by the Sisters of the Monastery of the Visitation of Panama, vacuum-sealed to preserve their quality during transportation, and shipped free of charge by COPA Airlines to Cuba.
The shipment, in four boxes marked as fragile, was addressed to the Medalla Milagrosa Parish in Guanabacoa, Havana, attention of Father José M. Araya.
A gesture born from scarcity
The initiative responds to an unprecedented situation: the Discalced Carmelite nuns of the Monastery of Santa Teresa and San José, in El Vedado, Havana, the only supplier of hosts for all Catholic churches in Cuba, announced on June 4 that they would be halting production due to a lack of electricity.
"We inform you that, due to the power outage, we are unable to prepare the Eucharistic hosts," the nuns wrote in a statement circulated among the Cuban clergy.
The manufacturing process requires an industrial mixer and a mechanical press. With only two hours of power available each day, production has become unfeasible. "The remaining supply will be rationed to ensure it lasts a little for everyone," the Carmelites added.
The Dominican priest George Payano, 35 years old, clearly explained to the AFP agency last Monday: "The Carmelite sisters produce the hosts for all of Cuba. They need time and they need to operate the machinery, the press for that... Two hours of power are very limited."
An anonymous priest confirmed that the collection of communion wafers in Havana has already been reduced to a third of the usual amount. This is the second time in less than five years that the monastery has halted its production: in November 2022, the reason was a lack of flour; now, it is the ongoing structural electricity crisis.
What the rationing of hostages reveals about Cuba
That a sister church must send consecrated bread by plane so that Cuban Catholics can celebrate Mass is the most eloquent symbol of how deeply the crisis has affected every aspect of life on the island, including the most intimate: faith.
This Tuesday, the Electric Union reported a capacity of only 995 MW against a demand of 2,620 MW, with a projected deficit of up to 2,085 MW during peak hours. In some areas, outages reach up to 20 and 24 hours daily. The record deficit was 2,174 MW on May 14th.
The energy crisis, exacerbated by decades of poor management by the regime and the lack of regular oil shipments since January 2026, has led to a humanitarian emergency documented by the UN: over 100,000 postponed surgeries —including 11,000 for minors—, 32,000 pregnant women at risk, and nearly half a million students with reduced hours.
The psychological impact is also devastating: a study published in May revealed that 55.4% of the surveyed Cuban adults suffered from extremely severe depression.
Cubadebate, the regime's official media, reported yesterday on the shortage of communion wafers, attributing it to an "oil blockade" imposed by Washington, in an attempt to deflect responsibility from the dictatorship regarding the collapse of the electrical system.
The parishioner Mariela Shuman, a 70-year-old retiree, summarized the sentiment of many Cubans to AFP: "You know that those who don't have communion make it spiritual; let's hope it doesn't come to that."
The response from Panama
In response to that situation, the Archdiocese of Panama chose to take concrete action.
In its statement, the institution led by Archbishop Ulloa Mendieta emphasized the significance of the gesture:
"The Eucharist is the sacrament of unity. Around the same Bread of Life, we recognize ourselves as brothers and members of one Body. Therefore, when a community lacks what is necessary to celebrate this mystery, we feel the evangelical duty to extend our hand and support them."
On its X account, the archdiocese added: "More than a material aid, this shipment is a sign of communion, hope, and unity among sister churches, reminding us that faith connects us beyond any distance."
The Cuban Catholic Church is also going through a diplomatically sensitive position: Washington has designated it as the main channel for distributing humanitarian aid —including an offer of 100 million dollars in 2026— without the mediation of the regime, which strains its relationship with the authorities in Havana.
The Panamanian statement concludes with a call to keep "the prayer for the Cuban people, for their pastors and faithful, alive, so that, strengthened by the grace of God, they continue to proclaim the Gospel and joyfully celebrate the mysteries of our faith."
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