Not long ago readers of the New York Times opened their papers to see an extraordinary photograph splashed across the front page. It was taken on Revolution Square in Havana, Cuba, on the eve of Pope John Paul II’s historic visit. Amidst aging memorials to Communist revolutionaries, workers were erecting an enormous mural of Jesus Christ.

Ironically, the mural was being set in place by members of the Propaganda Unit of the Communist Party. Even more remarkable was the inscription emblazoned across the top of the mural. In a nation whose walls are covered with propaganda, the Communist government had inscribed the words: “Jesus Christ, In You I place my trust.”

What a reminder that, no matter how hard dictators try suppress the Gospel, eventually, every knee shall indeed bow.

A short time ago a public celebration of Christianity would have seemed impossible in a land ruled by Fidel Castro. When he came to power in 1959, Castro declared Cuba an atheist state. He banned the public practice of religion and even prohibited the celebration of Christmas. He declared devout Christians “enemies of the revolution.” Christians were barred from good jobs. Priests and ministers were jailed.

And yet during the pope’s visit, millions of people attended huge outdoor masses all over Cuba. Government employees even went door to door urging people to attend the masses.

What’s going on? The consensus among Cuba experts is that Castro is gambling that the Pope’s visit can help end Cuba’s isolation on the world scene. Castro is well aware, of course, that the pope was a key figure in bringing down communism in Eastern Europe, but he obviously hopes the same thing will not happen in Cuba.

Well, if history is any guide, the same thing will happen. The photograph from Havana on the front page of the New York Times has a great historic parallel captured in another photo, a copy of which hangs in my office: This one was taken on May Day 1990 and it shows the Soviet army marching through Red Square, on display for Gorbachev.

Suddenly an Orthodox priest rushed out of the crowd, raised an eight-foot high crucifix, and shouted, “Mikhail Sergeyevich! Christ Is Risen!” And the photographer chose that moment to snap his picture. That photograph, showing the crucifix looming over the portrait of Lenin on Red Square, appeared on the front pages of newspapers all over the world. Within months, the Soviet regime had collapsed.

The lesson is that if the people practice the “faith once delivered to the saints,” communism will be mercilessly exposed as a false god that fails to keep its promises.

The pope’s visit to Cuba is now history, and the mural of Jesus will likely be taken down. But the image in Cubans’ memories proclaims a truth that cannot be torn down or denied: It is a portent of things to come.

I predict that what we witnessed during the pope’s visit is but the beginning of the end of Castro’s journey. He will soon discover what the apostle Paul meant when he wrote that God has given Jesus—not Marx, or Mao, or Castro—the name that is above every name.