Pope Francis has arrived in Havana, Cuba for his three day visit en-route to the United States.
There were loud cheers from the crowd gathered at the airport as his plane touched down, and further cheers when he emerged from the plane.
Thunderstorms are forecast in Cuba for his stay and as the Pope descended the aircraft's steps a high wind whipped his zuchetto hat from his head, but he caught it and proceeded to carry it the rest of the way.
The President of Cuba Raul Castro greeted Pope Francis on the tarmac and both then stood for the playing of the Cuban national anthem and the firing of cannons.
Pope Francis has described the resumption of US-Cuban relations as an "example of reconciliation for the whole world" and called on political leaders to persevere.
Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to flock to Revolution Square in Havana tomorrow for the papal mass.
Arriving at the airport in Havana, Pope Francis said he had been filled with hope to witness the process of the normalisation of relations between Cuba and the US "following years of estrangement"
He described it as "a victory of the culture of encounter and dialogue".
He urged the political leaders to persevere with the relationship - an example of reconciliation for the whole world he said.
The President of Cuba Raul Castro met the pope on the tarmac and thanked him for his support in the US -Cuba dialogue.
However, he said the ongoing blockade was "cruel, immoral and illegal" and "should cease" and that the land occupied by the US military at Guantanamo Bay should be returned to Cuba.
Raul Castro said the "current international system" was "unfair and immoral".
Mr Castro said "money" had been turned into an "idol" and what "immigrants and the poor" throughout the world "were currently going through stands as an offense to human conscience".
The Pope and Raul Castro will have a private meeting tomorrow and it is expected that the Pope will also meet Fidel Castro.
Pope Francis will leave Havana on Monday to visit the cities of Holguin and Santiago de Cuba.
