Our Lady Of Regla
Bria Harper
Today, we took the ferry to the Regla sanctuary and saw the church and the museum. The church was beautiful. Although Cuba has been declared a secular state, many Cubans identify with Catholicism and syncretize the saints with African spirits. It was a humbling experience to walk into the church. The sanctuary was beautiful. As soon as you walk off of the ferry, you see the church. The walls were aligned with pictures of the different saints . It was interesting to see how race was transcribed in religion. The altar was lined with white religious figures. However, it was the sight of the black Virgin that struck me the most. One of the most interesting things about Cuba’s religious culture is the fluidity of the belief system. While in American culture, often, a person’s loyalty can only be tied to one religion, Cubans believe in multiple belief systems that mingle and intersect. While there are rules about being initiated into Santeria and Palo, for instance, there are some who are members of both. It was interesting to be in the Church and see people worshiping and praying, something I had only experienced being in my religious services back home. We also had the opportunity to visit the altar of Yemaya. next door. This altar was built by a Cuban woman. It is the largest altar of Yemaya to date. As you walk to the altar, you see a pathway leading from the ferry to the altar because hundreds of people come from all over the world to visit the monument.
Close to the Church is the Yoruba museum which was interesting because it allowed us to see the evolution of Yoruba culture through history and how it changed Cuban history. I loved the artifacts and the setup of the museum. Some of the rooms were set up with furniture from the early 1900s. There was a pair of 400 year old drums that were used in celebration of the orishas. The altars of the orishas were beautiful. Traditionally, when a person dies, their altars are either destroyed or they are donated to museums to be preserved.
Bria Harper
Today, we took the ferry to the Regla sanctuary and saw the church and the museum. The church was beautiful. Although Cuba has been declared a secular state, many Cubans identify with Catholicism and syncretize the saints with African spirits. It was a humbling experience to walk into the church. The sanctuary was beautiful. As soon as you walk off of the ferry, you see the church. The walls were aligned with pictures of the different saints . It was interesting to see how race was transcribed in religion. The altar was lined with white religious figures. However, it was the sight of the black Virgin that struck me the most. One of the most interesting things about Cuba’s religious culture is the fluidity of the belief system. While in American culture, often, a person’s loyalty can only be tied to one religion, Cubans believe in multiple belief systems that mingle and intersect. While there are rules about being initiated into Santeria and Palo, for instance, there are some who are members of both. It was interesting to be in the Church and see people worshiping and praying, something I had only experienced being in my religious services back home. We also had the opportunity to visit the altar of Yemaya. next door. This altar was built by a Cuban woman. It is the largest altar of Yemaya to date. As you walk to the altar, you see a pathway leading from the ferry to the altar because hundreds of people come from all over the world to visit the monument.
Close to the Church is the Yoruba museum which was interesting because it allowed us to see the evolution of Yoruba culture through history and how it changed Cuban history. I loved the artifacts and the setup of the museum. Some of the rooms were set up with furniture from the early 1900s. There was a pair of 400 year old drums that were used in celebration of the orishas. The altars of the orishas were beautiful. Traditionally, when a person dies, their altars are either destroyed or they are donated to museums to be preserved.