"The journey to the sanctuary is filled with people dressed in purple clothing, the symbolic color of Saint Lazarus and also of the orisha Babalu Aye, the Afro-Cuban deity with whom Saint Lazarus is identified. Marcel Villa December 17 is the day dedicated to this religious figure shared by Catholicism and the Yoruba people. Believers travel long distances to reach the shrine."
"On November 12, the Cuban government acknowledged the chikungunya and dengue epidemic for the first time, despite the first cases emerging in July and increasing in September and October. Red Cross personnel assist pilgrims in need. Marcel Villa Deputy Minister of Public Health Carilda Pena reported that most of the deaths were among people under the age of 18. Of the total number of fatalities (52), 34 died from complications associated with chikungunya, while the rest died from dengue."
The pilgrimage to the Saint Lazarus shrine draws believers dressed in purple, honoring both Saint Lazarus and the orisha Babalu Aye. Devotees travel long distances and perform extreme penances, with some crawling on their knees or stomachs and others collapsing during the journey. A dengue and chikungunya epidemic has reduced attendance and strained health resources. The Cuban government publicly acknowledged the epidemic on November 12 despite earlier cases from July. Health officials report 52 fatalities, 34 linked to chikungunya, with many deaths among people under 18. By the end of November 2025, PAHO recorded 25,995 dengue infections. Economic shortages complicate care and limit medicines and supplies.
Read at english.elpais.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]