Everybody that has visited Cuba with cuba.bgspace or another tour agency has seen monuments of a Saint covered in bruises and a purple cloak and accompanied by two dogs. Who is he and what is his story? Why is he worshiped by both – Catholics and santerists?
The worship of San Lazaro in Cuba is a result of the mix between Christianity and Santeria. Three characters are intertwined:
- San Lazaro described in the Bible as Jesus’s friend and brother of Mary Magdalene.
- The sick beggar Lazaro who has many dogs in the Gospel of Luke.
- The Santeria deity Babalú Ayé – the protector of the sick and leprous.
In the small town of Santiago de Las Vegas near Havana, you can find the Santuario Nacional de San Lazaro Church, which is of great significance both for Catholics and for the Santeria believers. This is the second most worshiped holy place in Cuba after Virgen de la Caridad del Cobre.
Every 17th of December /the date aligns with the Catholic calendar/ thousands of Cubans gather before the Santuario Nacional de San Lazaro Church for a special pilgrimage “promesa”.Many of them pass the final kilometres of the way crawling or moving on their knees and some of them walk the way from Santiago de Cuba.
“Promesa” means “a promise” and it is a promise made to San Lazaro usually by a relative of a very sick person. The pilgrim might tie a stone to oneself or another heavy object and drag it with the sole task to reach the altar of Santuario Nacional de San Lazaro Church on the 17th of December so that San Lazaro could show mercy and heal the sick person. Many pilgrims dress like the orisha Babalu Aye with garments made from purple textile. A relative of the pilgrim ritually cleans the way with a stick to encourage them.
The church is full of purple candles. Behind it, there is a fountain whose water is thought to be sacred so people get it to cure themselves. The altar is covered in many things – from Olympic medals to a children’s basket with socks and clothes. Many people simply lie and wait for their miracle…
