Saint Lazarus is a deity for Yoruba, Bantú or Catholic pantheons. It is the figure Cuban people adore the most and the one they grant the gift of miracle in healing sick people.

As it occurs every December 17th, this year more than 60 thousand devotees, from various religions, walked streets and avenues from dusk, to arrive to El Rincón village town, locates 30 km from Havana City. They came from different parts of the island to this sanctuary that is the name s after this Catholic Saint Martyr and Orisha ( a deity of Africans). Those piligrims chose Wednesday (Saint Lazarus´day according to the African deities´calendar) and 17s of each month. In both occasions, that characteristics and frequencies of these manifestations were not the same, although believers always made their promise. Generally the offerings are bunches of flowers, candles or monetary donations for the leprosarium, installed in the surroundings of the temple. However, on December the 17th, piligrims took long walks, dragged themselves through the central road that leads to the village town where the small chruch is located, carrying sometimes big stoness tied to their legs or making complicated skips. All of them make those sacrifices recognizing the miracles are translated into the solution of difficult situations, usually linked to serious disease or, sometimes, for having conquered the loving person. This adoration to Babalú Ayé or Saint Lazarus, was born with the African appearance in The New World and the most liberal version, resents the story of the orisha as a man of dissolute life who was pinished by Olofi, Supreme God in Yoruba´s mythology, for having violated commitments with this deity upon his personal behavior. Thus, according to the legend, Babalú Aye´s body was covered with ulcers and then, he died. But, was resurrected by olofi himself due to the insistent pleas of other orishas from the Pantheon. Popular religiousness presents him with such features.He is describes as an old Hunched man, accompanied by two dogs, leaning on two crunches and carrying a jute sack on his shoulder. This sack, with a smaller size and filled with toasted corn has become, as time goes on, one of the attributes that identifies orishas in Santeria as an element of protection against diseases, especially contagious illnesses. In Cuba, where african religions mixed in an exotic symbiosis have a significant weight, believers worship this saint who is the most popular admidst all the deities from different cults. However, his best known image is not recognize by the Catholic church where its devotees worship Saint lazarus of Bethany, sister of Mary and Martha who was resurrected by his friend Jesus. Lazarus of Bethany came to be Bishop of Marseilles, bur was dead by his Christian faith. Canonized by the Catholic church he is, at present, place in the highest step of the Higher Altar at El Rincón sanctuary. He is also recognize by all the devotees of the Catholic world. Babalú Ay who could be the beggar in Christ´s parable, was made a “saint” in Cuban popular belief. The image of the “Old man” is an everlasting remembrance that respecfully lives in the mind of Cubans. To him, they place with committed discrection a little jute sack filled with toasted corn every December the 17 th, while in the same plece, at thetop of the Catholic temple, the Bishop of Bethany wears his best gowns and opens his arms any believer.

SAINT LAZARUS LEPROSORIUM

Since 1917, Saint Lazarus leprosarium began to function in El Rincón village twon. It was named after a saint who has been traditionally linked to leprosy or Hansen´s diseade suffers since the foundation of Saint Lazarus or Saint Martin of Jerusalem´s congregation by Pope Dámaso II, in 1048. The closest reference to this name thar has granted a self indenty to this kind of center is the name of Lazarus of Bethany, to whom Jesus Christ, his personal friend, resurrected. Then, he bacame First Bishop of Marseilles. People suffering from that disease began to known as lazarinos (lazarus´) and hospitals where susch people were treated, were indentified as lazarettos. In Spain and other European countries, the Catholic church was in charge of creating and suppoting hospital specialized on the treatment of this disease, wich was spread to the New World with its conquest and colonization. With the incoming of the first African slaves into Cuba, 1513, leprosy was also brought into but, the first official refernce of its presence was registered by the Havana, s Council on January 17th, 1613. During the second half of the 17th century, a small hut was equipped in Caletas de Juan, de Guillen or Caletas de San Lazaro, in the capital of island. It was made to concentrate leprosery sufferers until the ends of 1600, wheb they they were transferred to another place with better conditions, also located in Havana City. According to its characteristic, this facility could be considered the first hospital officially established. With 340 beds, 192 patients attended by 11 doctors, 60 nursed and group of Hermanas de la Caridad (Charity Sisters), El Rincón leprosarium has taken an image more human than the one it traditionally had years ago.