ᐈ Santeria 【What is it, Rituals, Saints, Necklaces and MORE】

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There are many religions around the planet, so a large part of the population is a practitioner of at least one of them. Being more specific, 60% of people are religious and the rest are not.

In Latin America Catholicism predominates, however, there are other religions with a large number of believers such as Santeria.

If you want to know deeply and in detail all about santeria keep reading this article.

What is Santeria?

Santeria beliefs derive from African culture. The mixture between the Yoruba religion and the Catholicism implanted with the arrival of the Spanish on the American continent, results in Santeria. In this context, we can define it as a religion of african origin but with roots in the Caribbean which worships a large number of gods (Orishas).

This religion arises in Latin America with the arrival of black slaves from the African continent to the island of Cuba. Where it is practiced by them and later taken to neighboring countries, such as: Puerto Rico, Panama, Venezuela and the Dominican Republic.

After the Cuban revolution, a large number of santeros He emigrated to other destinations such as Spain, Mexico and the United States, thus achieving an expansion of religion throughout almost the entire world.

The cult of Santeria has historically suffered contempt from people outside the religion. Despite the fact that today it is normalized in many countries and that it syncretizes directly with Catholicism, the Catholic Church does not recognize it as part of the Christian cult but as a pagan religion.

Saints

As already mentioned, within Santeria there is a large number of deities that are praised by practitioners. However, today only a few Orishas are actively revered. Including other deities superior to these.

The Saints The main ones of Santeria are:

Olodumare

Olodumare is the God with more power within Santeria, is a Being superior to the others and is the one who created everything that is found on the existential plane. His name means “Man where the perpetual path leads”. The practitioners of the religion consider him the main creator of all things, procreator of the Orishas and of existence.

The power of this God goes further, it is the palpable and immaterial manifestation of all the elements that exist. For this task, he has the manifestations of him Olorun and Olofi who are in charge of the affairs of humanity both directly and indirectly.

Lastly, it should be clear that being omnipotent It does not have human qualities, so it is not symbolized by altars or necklaces. Nor are rituals or ceremonies performed.

olofin

Olofin or Olofi is the third representation of the supreme God Olodumare, his task is to indirectly take charge of the fulfillment of natural laws on earth, the work of men and to govern the Orishas. to this deity is syncretized with Jesus Christsince he is the direct first-born of God, and in turn gave particular power to each of the other gods.

Obatala

The god Ochalá, better known as Obatalá, is the name of one of the direct descendants of the first God already mentioned (Olodumare) or supreme God.

It is recognized as the creator of the earth and as one of the main Orishas of Santeria. Olofin sent him to earth so that he would rule the world, make peace and have order among the population. Despite this power that he has, he is considered a kind and merciful saint.

He is highly respected within the santero cult since he has great authority within the Orishas ranks and for possessing the ability to attenuate other Orishas (Oggun and Changó). He is also credited with being the patron of intelligence and master of all white things on the planet.

Shango

He is recognized as a great warrior and one of the best known Orishas within the religion. Changó or Shangó is in charge of justice and other elements such as lightning / thunder and fire. It symbolizes the momentary happiness of life and the fortune of people.

Shango has control of the Yoruba Santeria, is the pattern of patterns within it. Likewise, he is one of the most recognized saints of his sanctuary. He stands out mainly for being one of the first people to be able to interpret the Ifa oracle. It should be noted that when he achieved it, he took possession of the artifact. It is said that this deity can represent both favorable situations for people and the opposite.

Yemaya

Yemayá was the first Saint to appear when Olofi decided to conceive the earth. He was Obatalá’s partner and she herself gave life to the later Orishas. She is a very dear deity to be kind and noble with people and for this reason she is considered the queen of love. However, like all saints, she has a severe side to her, so it is not recommended to make her upset.

This goddess dominates the principles of Mother Nature, so if you have problems conceiving a child or during pregnancy, it is advisable to pray to her, since she has the ability to solve the problems related to this.

oshun

Considered the patron saint of Cuba by many and the queen of all the sweet waters in the world, Oshun is the least Orisha of all the others. This goddess represents affection and the ability to procreate. People generally invoke her or pray for her when they have financial problems.

She is very loved by living beings because she is the only Orisha who usually approaches Olofin to beg for the well-being of life on the planet.

eleguá

Eleguá is considered by many as one of the main Orishas within the Yoruba pantheon. This is because it is the beginning and the end of all the paths of Santeria. For this reason, he is the Orisha that people invite first when a ceremony is to take place and likewise, he is also the last one to leave.

His function as Saint is to send the offerings and sacrifices to the other Orishas, ​​that is, he is the messenger between both worlds and head errand boy of Olofin.

People who have not yet been initiated into Santeria must first pray and receive Eleguá before another Orisha.

Babalu Aye

This Orisha contrary to many others who are loved, this one in particular is usually highly respected. Some people may even feel scared by this Saint. Since he is the Orisha in charge of the sexually transmitted diseasesof epidemics, terminal illnesses and misfortunes in general.

However, for this very reason it is revered by devotees of Santeria as a method of prevention against any disease. Some of the offerings that can be made to this Orisha are: a garlic, a coconut palm and/or a stick decorated with snails and pieces of sack.

ogun

The Orisha Ogún, is a Saint that belongs to Santeria and is characterized by representing leadership, brute force, masculinity and weapons with his figure.

Along with Eleguá, Osun and Ochosi, he belongs to the group known as the Warriors. He is always accompanied by his most characteristic element, his machete also called “Embelebobo”. He uses it to fight or make his way on difficult paths to cross.

orula

Orula is the deity related to guessing things and has the ability to profess and advise on things in the future. He has the ability to reveal things through the mystery of IfaAccording to people, he is very wise and intelligent and for this reason they usually go to him when they have doubts about what the road holds for them.

In addition, he was the only Orisha who had the possibility of observing the creation of the universe carried out by Olodumare and therefore he knows the course of everything. Those people who dare not obey Orunmila’s wise advice have the possibility of being attacked by those who do not abide by Orula’s advice, whether men or Orishas, ​​may be victims of an Osogbo (negative environment).

ochosi

Like Ogún, this Orisha is part of the warriors. He represents the hunters because he is a hunter par excellence and is usually characterized by his yellow and blue colors.

For the religious, this personalizes the idea of ​​being relentless when it comes to doing something, since it is capable of moving to almost any place in order to fulfill its hunting purpose.

hey

Oyá is a very important Orisha since it is she who manages the air, the eddies, the rainbows and the deceased (also called Eggúns). Being the queen of the air, it regulates and offers the amount of air that humanity needs to be able to breathe properly.

However, it can also provide the population with hurricanes and strong winds as punishment. It does not have a specific color that characterizes it, since it usually wears a combination, except for black.

Agayú

Aggayú Solá as it is known in the world of the Orishas represents the crust of the earth, lava, volcanoes and furious water currents. He is a very complicated saint to treat and contact, thus becoming one of those who require the greatest number of previous ceremonies before being able to receive him. Added to this, he is characterized by having a explosive temperbully and full of rage, which further complicates their contact or treatment.

Choose the Orisha that most attracts your attention:

Santeria Necklaces

The necklaces within the Yoruba religion represent the growth within the cult of the people. Also, it serves to identify you more easily as a practitioner of the doctrine and as a link between the deity with the bearer of the necklace.

In order to wear a santero necklace, you first need to go to a Babalawo, who will help you perform the corresponding ceremony. The rituals vary depending on which Orisha the initiate will venerate, some of which may include the spiritual cleansing of the individual.

There are multiple necklaces, each one for a corresponding saint and they vary according to their colors. Here is a short descriptive list:

Green and yellow: It belongs to the Orisha of Orula or Orunmila the Orisha of wisdom. The necklace is made up of the colors yellow and green alternating each one until the end of it and always with a snail. It symbolizes the mythical pact that the Orisha made with death so that he would not approach his descendants, so that the person who carries it is protected from losing his life until his purpose on the existential plane has ended. One of the concerns of people who wear this necklace is that it breaks. In case this happens, you should go as quickly as possible to the Babalawo, who is the only one with the authority to place it. Whites: The white necklaces allude to the deity of Obatalá, owner of everything white and harmony. They have various ways of putting it together, it can be completely white or with variations of coral. People use it to keep their life in a state of tranquility and so…