In Cuba as in all pro-Catholic countries the natives have a host of
saints to whom they attribute various supernatural powers; they are
held in greater or less esteem according to the miraculous cures they
have achieved or the concessions they have granted their followers.
Each family or individual has a special saint to whom they appeal
in times of trouble or sickness. Sometimes however when a saint
has repeatedly proved inefficient or has failed to grant the wishes
of a devotee, it is cast aside or exchanged for one that has been
recommended by a friend. It is no unusual thing to hear one lady
advising another to try such and such a saint. "Rece á San José, él
me ha concedido todo lo que yo le pedí". Pray to San José he grants
all I ask him.
There are also a number of saints who are specially efficient in
certain diseases or conditions. One always prays to San Blas to cure
throat trouble, and young ladies know that San Nicolas with gladly
assist them to secure good (rich) husbands, San Ramón protects them
during pregnancy and San Lázaro during child-birth. Sta. Bárbara makes
timid hearts brave in times of war; Santo Domingo cures fever, Santa
Lucia looks after the eyes, San Antonio protects from fire; and so in
every case that may be presented there is some saint (or saintess) who
has taken that disease or ill for their special power of benefaction.
When an article is lost San Antonio de Padua is in disgrace until it
is found. The figure of the saint is placed head-down-wards and if
some time elapses without the lost object being recovered the image
is bound to a chair back and severely whipped for failing in his duty;
if the lost object still remains undiscovered the infant which always
accompanies the saint is cut away from the image and the following
couplet repeated
"San Antonio Bendito
si no me concedes lo que te pido
no te devuelvo tu niño."
"Blessed San Antonio if you do not grant what I ask, I will not return
your child" this last resource rarely fails in causing the recovery
of whatever is missing.
"El Señor Milagroso" the miracle worker, is an image treasured as
one of the most valued religious possession of Matanzas. Although
the church has offered many thousands of dollars for its possession,
and its owner is in comparatively poor circumstances, it still remains
in the hands of a private family.
It has been handed down through many generations of the Castro family
and is at present in the possession of Sr. Arturo Castro who has
built a shrine where all are welcome to visit and revere the saint.
This saint is supposed to instantly answer the prayer of those who are
in great danger. A curious story is connected with the image of a snake
twined about the body of a man that is placed before in the saint.
During the revolution of 1868 when many well to do families were
temporarily reduced to needy circumstances an old man was accustomed
to visit his married son about the time of the mid-day meal. The
son who found it difficult to fill the all too many mouths of his own
household one day ordered the meal to be kept back until his father had
gone. The father came and failing to see the usual preparations for
breakfast in progress inquired if the meal had already been served,
he was given to understand that it had and left the house somewhat
nettled as was natural. The dish was now ordered to be placed on the
table with the least possible delay. As moments passed and no food
appeared the master of the house went to the kitchen to inquire the
causes of delay and there found the servant struggling to lift the
cover from a kettle. Angry at the inability to perform so apparently
simple a task he gave the cover a pull ... and then slowly from the
boiling liquid appeared the shining coils of a monstrous serpent,
which wound itself about the body of the selfish son! ... imagine
the confusion and consternation in which the household was thrown on
seeing their master in the coils of this huge monster.
The master finding it impossible to release himself from the coils
of the serpent and realising that this was the punishment of God for
deceiving his parent vowed to present the Señor Milagroso a silver
image of the incident.
El Santo Sudario is a saint out-lawed and unrecognized by the
authorities of the church; persons found wearing the reliquary
containing the prayer to the saint are accounted rebels against the
church and are excommunicated.
This saint is the patron of robbers and assassins, and of people who
are in constant danger of death by violence or drowning.
El Santo Sudario or Just Judge protects its followers against fire,
wild animals, bullets, death by drowning, and hanging, it is in great
request by soldiers or sailors.
During the Spanish regime in Cuba it became a misdemeanor to have
an image of the saint in one's possession it being believed by
the authorities that it gave criminals immunity against detection
or arrest.
A laughable accident in connection with the saint happened to the
knowledge of the writer. During the last political unpleasantness an
officer of the government forces was pressed to accept a present of a
reliquary of El Santo Sudario to protect him against the dangers of
battle incredulous of its power but willing to please his friend he
accepted the gift and placed it about his neck. The reliquary encased
in a red silk bag to prevent its chafing the skin was soon forgotten.
While taking account of the casualties after a very active skirmish the
officer was astonished and somewhat frightened to have his attention
called to an apparently severe wound he himself had received in
the breast. Glancing down sure enough a huge stain of blood had
appeared on the front of his uniform. Feeling no pain and the wound
appearing in such a vital place the officer imagined himself booked
for the long voyage. Frantically tearing open his clothing in haste
to stop the bleeding he found to his surprise that the red silk bag,
containing the reliquary was dripping with perspiration and had run
through his clothing.
The Shrine of La Santa Imagen in the Hermitage of Monserrat, Matanzas,
is the Mecca of the Spanish residents of Cuba, who annually in the
8th of November journey from all parts of the Island to attend the
fiesta of Monserrat.
This saint is supposed to have the power to grant three wishes to
those who fulfill their vows during the year. The many offerings of
gold and silver about the altar offer eulogiastic proof of the faith
and esteem in which the saint is regarded. These objects are vowed to
the saint in times of sickness or despair and usually take the form
of a miniature representative of the parts of the body that are made
well by the intercession of the saint.
Vows of humility are also made to the saint. One devout more believer
has passed the whole of each fiesta on his knees for than 20 years,
in fulfillment of a vow made when he received intelligence of a fatal
accident to his only daughter that happened while he was far from
home. He vowed to the Holy Image that if he were allowed to reach the
bedside of the child before she passed away he would perform this
act of humility as long as he lived in gratitude for the saint's
intercession in his behalf.
For some special favor shown young girls will promise Our Lady Carmelo
to use no other dress for a certain period than that prescribed by
the Order of the Sisters of Carmelo, a dusty brown with black girdle.
La Señora del Cobre is the patron saint of Cuba. This saint is a
wooden image placed on El Cobre hill near Santiago of Cuba.
This Image has a touch of the wanderlust often disappearing during
the night and returning, covered with sand and sea weed. Once some
accident befell it and it was picked far out at sea by a fishing boat
and returned to its place.