Relations between the United States and Cuba are becoming more amicable, and Pope Francis played a significant role in making that happen.

Relations between the United States and Cuba, two countries that have been adversaries for over 50 years, are becoming more amicable, and Pope Francis played a significant role in making that happen.

Said President Obama, "His Holiness Pope Francis issued a personal appeal to me and to Cuba's president, Raúl Castro, urging us to resolve Alan's case and to address Cuba's interests in the release of three Cuban agents, who've been jailed in the United States for over 15 years."

The case referred to by the president is that of US State Department contractor Alan Gross who was taken into custody by Cuban authorities about 5 years ago.

He was recently released, ostensibly in exchange for the Cuban prisoners being held in the US, although US officials state the reason was “humanitarian grounds”.

It was also announced that the United States will once again operate an embassy in Havana and that travel restrictions to Cuba are to be eased.

While discussions between the two countries leading to the remarkable policy changes reportedly began over a year ago, they intensified when Pope Francis wrote rare personal requests to the leaders of each nation this fall.

In the time since, there have been a number of meetings between US and Cuban officials, one of which was held at the Vatican.