The glass-encased statue of him inside the church shows an elegant prelate in a red robe with gold brocade, his hands outstretched and a sad, imploring expression on his face. The sanctuary located in the community known as El Rincon - the corner - is dedicated to the Roman Catholic St. ![]() "The people come asking for a miracle in their lives: work, school, health," said Torres. Others wrapped their bodies in long chains, which they dragged behind themselves as penance. Last year, 90,000 people made the pilgrimage, the Rev. ![]() I don't have the faith," he wept as he sat on the steps outside the church, his artificial leg of wood and plastic in a dirty old tennis shoe standing at his side.Īs the tears poured out of Valdez' eyes, a little boy guided by his mother dropped two peso coins on a growing pile next to the man's small San Lazaro statue. Ricardo Valdez, 38, had an impossible wish for San Lazaro to grant: that the motorcycle that took his left leg and 9-year-old daughter six years ago in the eastern province of Cienfuegos would never have happened. His visit will include a stop at the San Lazaro leper hospital next to the shrine.Īt El Rincon, a banner stretched over the main entrance of the church proclaimed: "You must always believe in the power of love: Pope John Paul II."īy early evening, perhaps 1,000 people had made their way to shrine, but tens of thousands more were expected to travel to the white church by dawn. Many expected an especially large turnout, a little less than a month before Pope John Paul II's historic trip Jan. The annual pilgrimage coincides Wednesday with St. Some believe Babalu Aye took upon himself all the illnesses of his people to save them.īeginning Tuesday night, the pilgrims traveled by foot, bicycle, car and motorcycle to the sanctuary just outside the nation's capital to ask San Lazaro for a miracle or thank him for a wish fulfilled. He is also closely identified with Babalu Aye, a deity of the ill in the African-influenced Santeria religion popular in Cuba. San Lazaro is the patron saint here of lepers. "Any Cuban can tell you that San Lazaro is very miraculous. I told San Lazaro I would do this if he could get me my eye operation," said Martha Suarez, 47, who was blinded in her 30s by a hereditary eye disease. It's an annual trek that many Cubans make at least once. ![]() Lazarus shrine barefoot and on his knees, cradling his sleeping baby girl Bexis, who suffers from a serious heart ailment.įrancinet Yero Mesa, 33, was making the pilgrimage on his stomach, pulling himself through the dusty road by his hands and frequently stopping to rest his head on the feet of a friend.Tens of thousands more were expected to make their way by early Wednesday to the sanctuary of St. Explore the best schools in your area based on rigorous analysis of key statistics and millions of reviews from students and parents using data from the U.S.
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