Cuba Religion

The predominant religion is Roman Catholic Christianity, but they also tolerate different Protestant denominations such as evangelicals and Pentecostals, Adventists, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Methodists, Presbyterians, etc. Parallel Santeria or Regla de Ocha, is established as a recognized religion.

The Catholic Church arrived in Cuba with the first conquerors and was the fastest growing. Most Cubans have been baptized, but active participation is much lower.

There are many Catholic churches throughout the country, and in the capital there are: the Cathedral of Havana; the Church of the Sacred Heart (Jesuit); the Church of Mount Caramel (Carmelites); the Church of the Holy Spirit; the Virgin of the Rule; San Lazaro in the corner; the Church of the Caridad del Cobre in Havana and the Sanctuary-Basilica of the Virgen de la Caridad del Cobre in the province of Santiago de Cuba, to mention a few. The Church of Remedios is a jewel of Baroque art, with an altar in gold plating.

Following the appointment of a Cardinal (Jaime Ortega) and the visit of Pope John Paul II, a holiday was declared on December 25^th and there have been authorized processions during Holy Week.   As a result of slave trafficking for prolonged periods of several centuries, during the colonial period in Cuba there were introduced various religious events.

This was according to the different people who came from Africa with the movement of men. Since then, Hispanics and Africans are the two main trunks of ethno cultural Cuban nationality, which also match other cultures (Caribbean, U.S, China and the rest of Europe), which has resulted in a unique composition.

A derivation from the Yoruba culture generated the Regla de Ocha, popularly known as Santeria, whose center of worship was a pantheon of deities (orishas), each invested with different myths, attributes and powers. Among the most important are: Olofin, Olorun and Oloddumare with supreme power and Chang, Yemaya, Obatala, and Ochun Eleggua (amongst others.

In Cuba the cult of the orishas African deities brought from various regions, the slaves in a single religious body, La Regla de Ocha.  Practitioners of Santeria are known santeros.   The priests of the religion (babalaos) are also the santeros who have no higher rank as the priesthood. The most systematic and complex expression of this is the cult Ifa – deity whose main attribute is divination – supported by the highest authorities in the priesthood, the Babalawos.
Derived expressions of the peoples subject to the kingdom of Congo, is practiced in Cuba and is called Rule Conga, Palo Monte or Palo Mayombe.  It is a set of religious forms that focus on the worship of natural forces. Since there was no trace of them in Africa, many researchers have concluded that they were conceived on the island, which has great strength.