If it comes to fruition, it will be the second known mass dedicated in Cuba to the Queen of Salsa.
HAVANA, Cuba. – A commemorative mass in honor of Celia Cruz is scheduled for 11:00 this Tuesday in the Parish of Nuestra Señora de la Caridad del Cobre (Manrique Street, Salud corner, Centro Habana). This October 21, the legendary Queen of Salsa would turn 100 years old.
Omer Pardillo Cidexecutor of the Queen of Salsa, confirmed to CubaNet that the mass was called by the Catholic Church on the Island and by the Cuban singer Haila María Mompiéknown for her admiration of Celia Cruz. “I hope the dictatorship does not cancel the mass,” said Pardillo Cid.
On the other hand, a source linked to the religious ceremony, who asked not to be identified, told CubaNet that it is not expected that there will be any interruption during the ceremony by State Security, but that there had been news of the presence of agents in the vicinity of the temple. Likewise, he added that the participation of “important Cuban artists” is expected.
The tribute will take place after the censorship of a gala in honor of the great Cuban performerwhich had been organized by the theater group El Público at the Fábrica de Arte Cubano (FAC), in Havana.
The piece was censored by the Ministry of Culture, as confirmed by a producer from that organization – who asked to protect his identity – to CubaNet. The news of the cancellation of the launch was made known by the National Center for Popular Music on Facebook.
“The Programming Subdirectorate of the National Center for Popular Music informs (…) that the presentation of the theater group El Público, scheduled for this Sunday the 19th, at 8:30 pm, in Hall 3 of Fábrica de Arte Cubano, will not take place,” the entity indicated.
“The organizers fought until the last moment so that [la gala] was not cancelled, but the directors of the Ministry of Culture and those of the PCC are opposed to holding any public activity of this type due to Celia’s political position,” said the source, who requested anonymity for fear of reprisals.
The censorship of the gala was denounced this Sunday with a discreet, but symbolic, action at the Cuban Art Factory. For an hour, a chair remained on the illuminated stage, amid thunderous silence. Then a DJ began to play the most emblematic songs of the Guarachera of Cuba, which continue to be silenced in the state media.
The mass announced for this Tuesday will take place in the context of the international celebrations for the centenary of Celia Cruz, which will extend throughout the year. However, in his native country, censorship of his figure not only remains, but is increasing.
It is not the first time that the Parish of Our Lady of Charity of Cobre dedicates a mass to the most famous Cuban singer of all time. In October 2016, what is considered the first mass dedicated to Celia Cruz on the Island was held. The ceremony was officiated by the parish priest Ariel Suárez and was attended by artists, family members and admirers of the singer.
At that celebration, Javier Pérez Acosta, main producer of the event, declared to CubaNet that the mass began a cycle of tribute to the Cuban salsa singer, who died in exile without ever being able to return to her country.
“It’s something that should have been done many years ago. We started today, when Celia should be turning 91,” he said at the time.
The mass was seen as the beginning of a process of opening towards the singer. However, censorship of Celia’s figure has remained for decades by the regime that prevented her from returning to her country even to attend her mother’s funeral.
