Santería and the Celebration of Saint Lazarus
in Cuban Catholicism
Melissa Joyce
ANT3241, RVC1188: Myth, Ritual and Mysticism
Dr. Jean Muteba Rahier
October 7, 2018
Santería is most simply defined as “an Afro-Caribbean religion based on Yoruba beliefs and traditions, with some Roman Catholic elements added… A syncretic religion that grew out of the slave trade in Cuba.” (BBC.) The Yoruba people were brought to Cuba as slaves in the 1500’s. A common belief with Santería is the relationship between normal humans and moral, but powerful spirits. These spirits are called Orishas. Orishas are often associated to Catholic Saints. One of the most venerated Orishas/saints in both Santería and Catholicism is Babalú Aye, or Saint Lazarus. In Catholicism, there are two prominent saints named Lazarus, Saint Lazarus of Bethany, and Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem. In the Gospel of Saint John, Jesus performs a miracle on Saint Lazarus of Bethany by restoring him back to life after he died four days before. In the Gospel of Luke, Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem was the patron of the hospital and military order in Jerusalem. The parable of Lazarus is told by Jesus about a relationship between a rich man who was always found in fine purple linens and a poor beggar covered in sores named Lazarus. He Is accompanied by dogs who would lick his sores to heal them and are able to smell diseases. When Lazarus died, angels carried him to Abraham, but when the rich man died, he was taken to Hades. Cuban San Lázaro is seen as a mixture of both Saint Lazarus’, combined with the powers of the Yoruba God, Babalú Aye in Santería. Babalú Aye in Santería is the Orisha who is responsible for spiritual and physical health. This makes the saint known as the patron of healing and the sick in both practices.
Every year on December 17, those who practice Catholicism in Cuba celebrate the Saint by traveling to the Santuario de San Lázaro in the town of El Rincón outside of Havana. The pilgrimage can take days to weeks for many. The sanctuary holds San Lázaro and is next to a hospital for those suffering from leprosy. On San Lázaro’s Day, tens of thousands of devoted Catholics make the two-kilometer trek to the entrance of the sanctuary on their knees, barefoot, or with heavy chains tied to their bodies. Many different offerings are brought to pay homage to the saint, in return for the chance of a miracle to be delivered. Herbs are brought to dedicate to a sick person in need. Grains are brought to dedicate to those in need of nourishment, and onions are brought to repel illnesses from the devotee’s environment. Other miscellaneous offerings are brought as well. The ritual begins by acknowledging Legba, who is the “opener of the ways,” then the offerings are placed on a plate at the altar of San Lázaro. A prayer is said, and the devotee goes home to eat grains and leave a candle lit for 7 days to increase their energy field. This ritual is typically practiced once or twice in a lifetime, but some promise to make the pilgrimage every year for the rest of their lifetime.
As I have no religious preference, it is often hard for me to understand religious traditions and rituals. I was raised Christian up until I was about 12 years old, when both of my parents decided to become atheists/agnostics. This greatly influenced me to become an agnostic as well, but organized religion has always been highly respected and interesting to me. Of all religions, Catholicism interests me the most, especially the practice of Santería. The person I chose to interview is my father in law, who Cuban and is a devoted Catholic who continues to practice Santería after coming to America. Growing up, he was raised as a strict Catholic, attending church every Sunday and praying every night. His mother and father taught him the basics of Santería. While they were alive, his great grandparents partook in sacrificial rituals, such as the killing of chickens as offering, but his parents did not continue these rituals. As he grew older, he began to question religion. Up until his late 20’s, he did not attend church or pursue Catholicism. That was when his father fell ill to tuberculosis in the 1980’s. Afraid his father would never recover, he started attending church and praying to the saints once again. At age 28, he was able to travel to the Cuban Sanctuary of Saint Lazarus. The ritual for him was a spiritual awakening and gave him great hope that his father would recover. It took 2 days to get to El Rincón, traveling by foot. When he arrived to El Rincón, he got on his knees and crawled until he reached the entrance. When finished, his knees were scraped and damaged, which to him, signified the pain he is willing to go through to help another person in need. He brought herbs, flowers, holy water and bread wrapped up in burlap to the shrine, asking Babalú Aye to heal his father and restore him to his usual health. He gave a long prayer, asking for the saint to watch over his father, himself and the rest of his family. After the ritual, he stayed in the area for a while, visiting the hospital next door to volunteer. My father in law noticed that other people that were praying to the saint were found lying on the ground, created extravagant statues, and crawling on their stomachs to the alter. After returning home, he spent time with his father, who did eventually recover after a few weeks. My father in law was religious before, but after this experience, he celebrates El Día de San Lázaro y de Babalú Aye every single year from home, even though he is unable to make it to Cuba. Health and happiness is what he prays for every year. He now has a tattoo on his arm of San Lázaro, since the experience greatly impacted him. The ritual he practices now is celebrating the saint by lighting a candle with his image on it for 7 days, praying at the candle along with a large painting of San Lázaro, and wearing purple. Even though his father was expected to recover to begin with, Saint Lazarus had a great impact on him, changing his life and religious beliefs forever.
Religious rituals are often one of the most important rituals practiced by people around the world, performed to build a cultural and personal identity within a person. A ritual is a ceremony that has a series of activities in a certain order, often dedicated to a higher power. These ceremonies are important to help deepen a religious connection or bind the community of worshipers together. The celebration of saints by ritual is a very common ritual in Catholicism and Santería. Providing offerings, pilgrimage and sacrifice gives Santería a unique spin on Cathlicism that is unique to Cuba. Those who practice all over the world feel very connected to higher powers, giving the devotee a feeling of security.
Sources
"Cuba: The Day Dedicated to San Lazaro – Havana Times." Accessed October 7, 2018. https://havanatimes.org/?p=83731.
Hunt, Nigel. Cuba Heritage .org – The Orishas: Santeria Gods. Accessed October 08, 2018. http://cubaheritage.org/articles.asp?artID=108.
"Religion: Santeria." BBC. Accessed October 08, 2018. http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/santeria/.
"Santeria." Dictionary.com. Accessed October 08, 2018. https://www.dictionary.com/browse/santeria.