What is Santeria spiritual?

What is Santeria spiritual?

The Santeria faith teaches that every individual has a destiny from God, a destiny fulfilled with the aid and energy of the orishas. The basis of the Santeria religion is the nurture of a personal relation with the orishas, and one of the principal forms of devotion is an animal sacrifice.

Can anyone be initiated into Santeria?

One is not automatically born into Santería. It is you or your parents, depending on how old you are, who must make an active choice on initiation. Moreover, many are never initiated, but still consider themselves to be devotees.

Can you leave the Santeria religion?

In order to maintain their religion, Africans living on the island prayed in secret by superimposing their orishas on Catholic saints. In theory one can always change a religion, but letting spirits in and out is just calling for bad times; some don’t like to leave. Santeria is common, not secretive, but is private.

Is Santeria practiced today?

Santeria is a belief system that travelled from West Africa to the Caribbean and is now practiced all over Latin America, the US and even Europa.

How much does it cost to be initiated in Santeria?

The average price to become initiated into the religion in the country ranges from $1,000 to $3,000, and the initiation ceremony includes a sacrifice of live animals, dance and “the mixing of an assortment of holy plants for seven days.” In the U.S. and Europe, becoming a santero could cost anywhere from $5,000 to …

Who are the strongest Orishas?

Ṣàngó is viewed as the most powerful and feared of the orisha pantheon.

Where does the religion of Santeria come from?

Taken from : The Encyclopedia of World Religions – Revised Edition – written by DWJ BOOKS LLC. Similar in practice to Vodun, Santería centers around the worship of the ancient African gods who have been assimilated as Catholic saints. Santería comes from the Spanish word santo, meaning “saint”; practitioners are called Santeros (female: Santeras).

Which is the most impressive ceremony in Santeria?

Santería ALTARS and costumes are often magnificent works of art. The most impressive ceremonies are those in which the deities, called orishas, “mount” or possess initiated devotees. The possessed one will then speak and act in ways characteristic of that god.

Who is the spirit of the crossroads in Santeria?

Elleggua is the lord of the crossroads, serving as a liaison between man and the divine, and has very great power indeed. Yemaya, the spirit of motherhood, is often associated with the Virgin Mary. She is also affiliated with moon magic and witchcraft.

Who is the guardian of the dead in Santeria?

Oya is a warrior, and the guardian of the dead. She is associated with Saint Theresa. It is estimated that about a million or so Americans currently practice Santeria, but it’s hard to determine whether this count is accurate or not.