The Vatican has officially confirmed that it took a central role in the mediation that resulted in thawed relations between the United States and Cuba, issuing a statement that diplomats from the church and the Pope himself were directly involved.

The United States had no diplomatic relations with Cuba and had a policy of economic sanctions and a trade embargo in place for nearly six decades. The policies were designed to impede Cuba’s communist government and were put in place when the U.S. was embroiled in the Cold War with Russia and its communist allies.

The Vatican confirmed that Pope Francis sent personal letters to Presidents Obama and Castro urging them to open talks. The Catholic Church is very popular in Cuba, a Catholic nation despite communist rule, due to its consistent opposition to the U.S. policies towards that country. The Vatican had been involved in diplomatic operations in Cuba before, as well.

This thaw between the countries remains controversial within the U.S. Although the threat of communist domination has faded, many Cuban-Americans fled Cuba under the often oppressive rule of Fidel Castro and do not support any new relationship with Cuba until the Castro regime has been overthrown and replaced. However, anti-Cuba sentiment in the U.S. is at a low ebb, and President Obama has been actively seeking achievements that do not involve the U.S. Congress, which has been difficult for the President to deal with during his administration.

Pope Francis has proven to be a much more involved and outspoken pontiff than his predecessors, criticizing his own church officials in a recent statement, and taking active positions in many global matters.