File Photo of Pope Francis. (Agence France-Presse)
Pope Francis sets off on Saturday for a trip spanning communist Cuba and the spiritual home of capitalism, the United States, erstwhile bitter enemies he has helped bring closer together.
Dates with a cast of personalities as diverse as Fidel Castro, conservative Congressmen and Aretha Franklin await on a densely-packed trip set to further raise the global profile of the Catholic leader, who will be making his first visit to the United States at the age of 78.
A controversial figure for some in the US because of his radical economic and environmental views, the Argentine can expect a warm welcome in predominately Catholic Cuba, whose recent rapprochement with its giant neighbour he helped facilitate.
But the US leg of the trip first looks to be less of a guaranteed success.
Memories of the Catholic hierarchy's role in covering up widespread sexual abuse of children by American priests remain an open wound which Francis's reforms have yet to fully heal.
And there is potential for friction in the huge gulf between the pope's critical perspective on free-market capitalism and mainstream American political thinking.
For many observers, the dominant themes of Francis's papacy -- concern for the poor, defence of the marginalised and human dignity, his critique of the moral redundancy of consumerism -- can be read as an indictment of the entire American way of life.
Those themes will be reflected in his now familiar visits to the most marginalised members of society and in the 18 speeches he will make on US soil or at the United Nations, where he will address the General Assembly, in his native Spanish, on September 25.
Star quality
Only four of the speeches are to be delivered in English -- a decision that reflects the Argentine's lack of ease in the language rather than a desire to make any point about linguistic diversity, according to his spokesman.
Francis begins his 10th overseas trip since becoming pope in 2013 in Havana on Saturday.
He will also take in Holguin and Santiago, birthplace of Castro's revolution, on a three-night stop following in the footsteps of his immediate predecessors Benedict XVI (2012) and John Paul II (1998).
That such a small state is on the verge of its third papal visit in 17 years reflects the importance the Vatican attaches to the fate of the island's Catholics, who have won greater freedoms as part of a diplomatic process in which the Holy See has championed the case for an easing of the US embargo on trade and investment ties with the island.
In the run-up to Francis's arrival, the Cuban government now headed by Fidel's brother Raoul has announced the release of more than 3,500 prisoners, significantly more than were liberated before previous papal visits.
Obama welcome
In a reflection of his star quality, Francis will be personally met on his arrival at the Andrews US Airforce Base outside Washington by President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle.
His time in the United States will see him combine his official engagements with as many attempts to encounter ordinary Americans as possible against a backdrop of extremely high security preparations.
Highlights will be his speeches to the US Congress -- the first by a pope -- and the UN.
According to Vatican sources, the latter address will see Francis return to familiar themes: the tyranny of global finance and the evils of the throwaway culture, as well as more consensual questions such as human trafficking, unemployment, war and the persecution of religious and ethnic minorities.
A specific appeal could be for human trafficking for prostitution to be declared a crime against humanity.
While in New York, the pontiff will preside over a multi-faith service at Ground Zero against terrorism and in memory of the victims of the September 2001 attacks on the United States.
Some 1.5 million people are expected for the final mass of the trip, in Philadelphia at the end of an international festival of Catholic families.
Veteran soul diva Aretha Franklin is due to perform at the festival the day before.