The head of the Roman Catholic church in Cuba, Cardinal Jaime Ortega, has said the government's restoration of Christmas as a national holiday after thirty years has brought great joy to Cubans.

Cardinal Ortega, in a rarely-permitted national radio address, urged people to preserve the day as one of faith and free of commercialization.

Although the communist authorities gave the Cardinal permission to make the speech, it was broadcast on one of Cuba's smaller stations.

A BBC correspondent in Havana says while most people seemed to enjoy having the day off work, much of Cuba's state media made no mention of Christmas.