Santiago
de Cuba El
Cobre
The
most important shrine for Cubans and most famous church in the country
is lodged in the foothills of the Sierra Maestra near the old copper
mines that give it its name. The triple-domed church with the mouthful
name of El Sanctuario de Nuestra Señora de la Caridad del
Cobre, built in 1927, rises on Maboa hill and is photogenically
framed by green forest. The faithful come from across Cuba on pilgrimages
to pay their respects to (and ask for protection from) a black Madonna,
the Virgen de la Caridad (Virgin of Charity). She is nothing less
than the protectress of Cuba, and her image, cloaked in a glittering
gold robe can be seen throughout the country. Her parallel figure
in Afro-Cuban worship is Ochún, goddess of love and femininity,
who is also dark-skinned and dressed in bright yellow garments.
In 1998 the Pope visited and blessed the shrine, calling the Virgin
"La Reina de los Cubanos" (Queen of Cubans), and donated
a rosary and crown.
According
to legend, Cuba's patron saint was rescued bobbing in the Bay of
Nipe in 1611 by three young fishermen (or miners, depending on who's
telling the story) about to capsize in a storm. The Madonna wore
a sign that read YO SOY LA VIRGEN DE LA CARIDAD (I am the Virgin
of Charity). With the wooden statue in their grasp, they miraculously
made it to shore. Pilgrims, who often make the last section of the
trek on their knees, pray to her image and place mementos (votos)
and offerings of thanks for her miracles; among them are small boats
and prayers for those who have tried to make it to Florida on rafts.
Ernest Hemingway -- whose fisherman in The Old Man and the Sea made
a promise to visit the shrine if he could only land his marlin --
donated his Nobel Prize for Literature to the shrine, but it was
stolen (and later recovered, but never again to be exhibited here).
The Virgin sits on the second floor, up the back stairs, encased
in glass. When Mass is being said, the push of a button turns the
Virgin around to face the congregation. The annual pilgrimage is
September 12, and the patron saint's feast day is July 25. The Basílica
is open daily from 6am to 6:30pm; admission is free.
You
can take a taxi to El Cobre for $20 to $30 round-trip. The no. 2
bus runs between Santiago and El Cobre four times daily, leaving
from the main bus station in Santiago. To enhance the spiritual
experience, or to merely have a serene and incredibly cheap overnight
stay, there's an inn behind the church, Hospedería de la
Caridad, which welcomes foreigners who abide by the strict rules;
a stay costs a mere 10 pesos a night (38¢), although they generally
charge foreigners a few dollars. There are only 15 austere but well-kept
rooms; it's necessary to reserve by phone (tel. 22/3-6246) at least
15 days in advance.
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Cachita
..."La Virgin de la Caridad"
Around 1600, 2 Indian boys, found a 30cm high wooden statue
of a black virgin in the Bay of Nipe. On her left arm she
was carrying the child Jesus and in her right hand she held
a golden cross. The statue had the inscription :"Yo soy
la Virgin de la Caridad" (I'm the Virgin of Mercy)
In
1608 the statue was brought to mine village. She got famous
of projecting freedom, doing wonders, gives consolation and
heals wounds after wars. In 1916 the pope canonize her to
the saint of protection. |
Many
pelgrims go to this basilique to pray to Cachita daily, but
most crowded is this place at September 8, when there is a
proccession and a statue of Cachita will be carried around
the village.
In
Santartia religion, Chachita is dressed in yellow called Yoruba
the goddess of love and dancing
Inside
the Basilique people left a lot of relics, you will be impressed
what people left behind in the hope Cachita can solve their
problem or to be with them.
Outside
you can buy all kind of souvenirs, buy a little bag of copper-pieces
from the El Cobre mines and carry one piece always with you,
after giving the other pieces to your best friends for having
luck |
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