Cuban Festival Of San Lazaro

To fulfill their promise to the saint, some devotees walk or crawl to the church of San Lazaro at El Rincon dragging concrete blocks tied to their feet along with a shrine to their beloved saint. Many take the journey from other cities in Cuba and even other states.

Purple and yellow are believed to be the colours representing the saint. Devotees will wear these colours to honour San Lazaro, and many bring their own shrine to the festival with the statue of the saint, adorned in purple and yellow fabrics, along with offerings of tobacco, money, candles and certain foods.

After completing the pilgrimage, devotees leave behind their shrines at the site of the church dedicated to San Lazaro in El Rincon.

A woman crawls on her hand and knees while approaching the main church of San Lazaro. Family members, even strangers, accompany the followers as they clear the way of debris and rocks as the devotees approach the final stretch toward the church.

The Cuban Red Cross members, ready with medical aid, stop to help care for cuts and scrapes that are common among the devotees approaching the church.

Pork is a traditional food item consumed on the festival day with many food stalls set up near the church of San Lazaro.

Having reached their final destination, devotees stay awake throughout the night to pay vigil and some deeply engaged in their prayers in moments of silence.

As another test of faith, some devotees sit and wait in vigil all night as they burn purple candles honouring their promises to San Lazaro.

A local priest blesses a devotee as they arrive at the church of San Lazaro. Due to the pandemic, attendees have not been allowed to go inside the church and an outdoor area has been set up where people can gather.

All throughout the night, people walk along the final stretch of the road in El Rincon toward the church and local families are able to earn an income selling flowers and other devotional items that attendees carry with them to honour their beloved saint.