BOB ABERNETHY: Final preparations are under way for Pope John Paul II's historic trip to Cuba in two weeks' time. The Roman Catholic archdiocese in Miami this week announced plans to charter an airplane for a day-long pilgrimage to the pope's outdoor mass in Havana. In December, the archdiocese canceled plans to take a cruise ship to Cuba. Cuban exiles in Miami had objected to the cruise, claiming it would be exploited by Cuban Communists.

Cuba is the only Spanish-speaking country in Latin America the pope has not visited. Until 1992, Cuba was officially atheist. Religious institutions survived quietly and privately in the shadows of the Communist society. Six years ago, the government dropped the atheist label and has slowly eased up on its restrictions against religion. Maureen Bunyan recently returned from Cuba. In the first of three reports for us, she looks at preparations for the pope's visit. Maureen, welcome back.

MAUREEN BUNYAN: Thank you, Bob. Bob, churches in Cuba still face many restrictions, but in deference to the pope's visit, there have been some new concessions by the government to the Catholic Church. And now you can see the kind of public activity taken for granted in democratic countries, but not in socialist Cuba. For the first time in 35 years, Cuba's Catholic Church has taken to the streets. In the past six months, processions like this one, once illegal, have been bringing the country's patron saint, the Virgin of Cobre, to parishes around the island.

A way of announcing the pope's visit in a country in which the Church has no access to the state-controlled media. As the virgin has traveled the island like a papal messenger, Cuba's cardinal has held a series of unprecedented outdoor masses. This, after decades during which public religious festivals were banned and masses were held behind closed doors. Thousands have turned out, many amazed that the government has sanctioned this public display.

Unidentified Man: This is a beautiful sight. The Cuban people owe a lot to the pope. He hasn't even arrived yet and look what's happening.

BUNYAN: The announcement of the papal visit, of Fidel Castro's extraordinary meeting with the pontiff in late 1996, has ushered in a new era in relations between the government and the Catholic Church, with Castro himself pledging cooperation with the Church.

Cuba's Cardinal Jaime Ortega, whose bishops have openly criticized Cuba's lack of political freedom, says there is now a better understanding between the Church and the state.

Cardinal JAIME ORTEGA: The attitude toward religion has been favorable, open and less rigid. I don't have a reason to think that this is a false pretense.

BUNYAN: But with the only daily newspaper published by the Communist Party, the state media monopoly is a major point of contention. To compensate for the lack of press coverage, the Church is relying on a huge grassroots campaign to inform the public about the papal visit and to educate Cubans about the pontiff.

For many weeks, Catholic volunteers have been coming to churches like this throughout Cuba. They are briefed here about the details of the pope's visit and then armed with fliers and brochures, they are literally walking through the neighborhoods of the city, spreading the word about the pope's coming. This door-to-door evangelizing is another first. Never before allowed by the government, and never before undertaken by the Catholic Church.

Unidentified Woman #1: The pope is coming with a message for all Cubans. A message of peace, love, and hope.