The Bishop of Rome, Pope Francisco after arriving at Old San Basilio Magno Seminary of El Cobre, held a private meeting with the bishops.

Then the Pope went to the Basilica of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Charity of Cobre, for personal prayer to the Virgin while were heard the guajira songs "The Virgen del Cobre" and "Ave Maria" by vocalists Melvin Rodriguez , Vilma Ramirez, Olga Gonzalez and Jorge Catasús diocesan priest . Thereupon he handed as a wreath a beautiful silver vase with flowers from the stem and petals pottery.

The Pope visits the sanctuary where he will officially start the Jubilee Year for the 100th anniversary of the proclamation of Our Lady of Charity as Patroness of Cuba (1916).
In the old mining settlement date today people coming from all over Cuba hear the words of the Holy Father in the Mass given in the Basilica.
The temple received a full renovation which was completed in 2012 on the occasion of two important and anticipated events: the visit of Pope Benedict XVI, the second Pope who came to Cuba, and the celebration of the 400th anniversary of the discovery of the image of the Virgin.