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Cuban legend may predict Castro's death
upi ^ | Aug. 5 2006

Posted on 08/06/2006 10:34:44 AM PDT by Mount Athos

Fidel Castro's illness has renewed interest in a legend of Cuba's patron saint predicting the death of a terrible ruler in the fourth decade of his reign.

Stories about the prediction are making the rounds on the Internet -- with some variations -- the Miami Herald said Saturday.

The legend begins in the 1850s and goes something like this:

A Spanish priest, San Antonio María Claret, had been sent to Cuba to become archbishop of Santiago de Cuba, coincidentally Castro's home province. While riding his horse through Sierra Maestra -- also coincidentally Castro's mountain rebel stronghold in the mid-1950s -- he saw La Virgen de la Caridad del Cobre in a vision.

She relayed to him the future of Cuba in the hands of a leader that resembled Castro -- long hair, a beard, a uniform, bearing weapons with followers who look just like him.

He would promise reforms to the Cuban people but betray, imprison, divide and inflict them with great pain and heartache.

Claret said the virgin told him the ruler would rule for four decades, and Cuba would be devastated during this time. However, the young man would grow old and die -- and Cuba would be free.


TOPICS: Cuba; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; US: Florida
KEYWORDS: castro; cuba; deathwatch; legend
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To: Mount Athos

Well I still say it's been 4 Decades too much. About time this is about to happen.

All I have to say is:

Adios El Presidente.


21 posted on 08/06/2006 11:23:15 AM PDT by Petey139
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To: Mount Athos

St. Anthony Mary Claret, pray for your children in Cuba!

22 posted on 08/06/2006 11:31:16 AM PDT by AnAmericanMother ((Ministrix of Ye Chase, TTGC Ladies' Auxiliary (recess appointment)))
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To: Maceman

Just to be argumentative. He has ruled for four decades. He has to rule for 50 years to be ruler for five decades.

If we really want to get picky, we need to get the exact words of the prediction and then parse them.


23 posted on 08/06/2006 11:41:39 AM PDT by 2ndClassCitizen
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To: evad; David1; Ingtar; Maceman

The prophecy isn't exactly wrong though. While he's in his fifth decade, he hasn't completed his fifth decade. He HAS ruled for 40 years at least, which started in 1959. He has a few more years to make 50 complete years, in 2009, and THAT would make the prophecy wrong, since then it would mean he would have been ruling for a full five decades. Upon his death, which I hope will be soon, it will be said that he ruled for about 47 years, it will not reference any number 50 as his term of rule.


24 posted on 08/06/2006 11:45:45 AM PDT by Enterprise (Let's not enforce laws that are already on the books, let's just write new laws we won't enforce.)
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To: Mount Athos

I bet Snopes would have a field day with this one.


25 posted on 08/06/2006 11:48:46 AM PDT by thoughtomator (The worst thing about censorship is XXXXXXXXXXXXX)
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To: David1
he has ruled for 47 years

He was in his first decade from year zero to year ten. Of course at that time it was not known if he would have a whole decade. He has had four decades and is on his fifth, which he may not complete.

26 posted on 08/06/2006 11:52:43 AM PDT by RightWhale (Repeal the law of the excluded middle)
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To: Petruchio

Fidel will be dead in 24 business hours!


27 posted on 08/06/2006 12:09:25 PM PDT by The Old Hoosier (Right makes might.)
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To: Mount Athos

Rather broad, most insurrectionists are in their 30s or so and after four decades might well be expected to die.


28 posted on 08/06/2006 12:13:59 PM PDT by Old Professer (The critic writes with rapier pen, dips it twice, and writes again.)
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To: Mount Athos

he saw La Virgen de la Caridad del Cobre in a vision.

The Lady of the Charity of Copper? Or maybe there's a town named Cobre and it's just The Lady of the Charity of Cobre.

It sounds like a prophecy passed by oral tradition -- probably not written down anywhere. A little bit of web surfing showed me "40 years" and "at least 40 years."


29 posted on 08/06/2006 12:58:25 PM PDT by scrabblehack
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To: scrabblehack

She is the patroness of Cuba and the Miami exile community. They have a beautiful shrine in Miami (a replica of the original Cuban basillica) and a vibrant faith community inspired by Cuban priests and sisters. It sits on the water off Biscayne bay near Vizcaya; my favorite place to visit in Miami.


30 posted on 08/06/2006 1:10:57 PM PDT by rjp2005 (http://www.marypages.com/LadyCaridadDelCobre.htm)
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To: Mount Athos


"Future events such as these will affect you in the future!"
31 posted on 08/06/2006 1:17:13 PM PDT by reagan_fanatic (Get off my lawn!)
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To: David1

No, he is still in the 4th decade, meaning he has ruled for 47 years.

47 years is correct and that means 4 decades + 7 years or 7 years into the fifth decade.


32 posted on 08/06/2006 1:28:05 PM PDT by RAWGUY
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To: neodad

Even if Fidel dies tomorrow I don´t see much changing with his brother and communist cronies still in power. Unless there is another revolution this regime will be around until Raul dies.


33 posted on 08/06/2006 3:30:26 PM PDT by Americanexpat (A strong democracy through citizen oversight.)
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To: Seruzawa
Griswold predicts! "Castro will die!"

I predict! "Castro is dead!"

34 posted on 08/06/2006 6:20:53 PM PDT by ThanhPhero (di hanh huong den La Vang)
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