[Cuba] needs to open herself to the world and the world needs to draw close to Cuba Pope John Paul II

Today the Pope urged an end to Cuba's political and economic isolation: "She needs to open herself to the world and the world needs to draw close to Cuba".

He also condemned the "resurgence of a certain capitalist neo-liberalism which subordinates the human person to blind market forces" and "often places unbearable burdens upon less favoured countries.

"We thus see a small number of countries growing exceedingly rich at the cost of increasing impoverishment of a great number of countries," he said.

President Castro, whom the Church blames for decades of persecution of Catholics, urged every able-bodied Cuban to attend the papal mass, if not out of conviction, at least out of respect.

And according to BBC correspondent Tim Gibb there was a mood of intense excitement in a crowd of several hundred thousand.

During the address in Havana's Revolution Square, which lasted more than three hours, the Pope was constantly interrupted by people chanting, "Long live Juan Pablo; he wants everyone to be free!"

The president, sitting in the front row, listened intently and smiled occasionally while alongside him sat Nobel-winning novelist Gabriel Garcia Marquez of Colombia.

The Mass, like his earlier one in the eastern city of Santiago de Cuba, was also broadcast on television nationwide.

The Pope looked tired at times during the long ceremony, but he was not too weary to joke about it. "I am not against applause, it allows the Pope to rest," he said on one occasion with a wry smile.

This morning he called for the release of Cuban political prisoners at a Mass on the outskirts of Havana at one of the country's principal shrines.

There are an estimated 500 prisoners of conscience in Cuba. Opposition activists face constant harassment and arrest.

Earlier in the week, the Pope personally handed Fidel Castro a list of names which the Church would like to see released.

So far there's been no public response from the Cuban government; however the country's vice-president, Carlos Lahe said the list would be given proper attention.

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