HAVANA (Reuters) - Cuban Cardinal Jaime Ortega said on Saturday the
                                    Communist-run government continued to ignore the Roman Catholic Church,
                                    and always tense relations had not changed five years after Pope John Paul
                                    (news - web sites) ll visited the island.

                                    "Relations with the Cuban government remain essentially the same. There
                                    is no substantial change ... The social-political space is always very limited
                                    and it appears often the church is ignored," Ortega said, in declarations to
                                    the press after opening a Havana art exhibit.

                                    The pope's January 1998 visit to Cuba raised expectations Havana would
                                    adopt a more liberal policy toward the Roman Catholic Church, perhaps
                                    even allowing it to broadcast television programs and operate schools.

                                    Ortega said he was disappointed that neither policy reform had come to
                                    pass.

                                    "The government does not recognize the church is a public entity that
                                    should have access to the communications media," Ortega said.

                                    The state runs all media on the Caribbean island.

                                    "There is a silence in terms of information about the church," Ortega added.

                                    The Cardinal said the pontiff's visit had helped the Catholic Church become
                                    more acceptable and less mysterious to Cubans. The church was portrayed
                                    as counterrevolutionary and marginalized during the first three decades of
                                    the revolution.

                                    Christmas Day holiday was banned in 1969 by President Fidel Castro's
                                    government and only restored in 1997 on the eve of the pope's visit.

                                    Church officials complain that while the government now recognizes
                                    Christmas as a holiday, it does nothing to encourage the religious nature of
                                    the day.