from Cuban Folk-Lore by L. Roy Terwilliger
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 pedÔ. 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.
