The concept of this magic is that one symbolically takes one of the three nails from the Cross, the one that Santa Elena did not use for another purpose, and one nails it through the heart of her lover to make him loyal, or to make him come back when he has gone astray. There is a milagro - a Mexican religious charm, that shows a heart with a daggar in it, and this is associated with this same concept. Its roots go back to the Roman god Cupid, who shoots an arrow through a person's heart to make him fall in love.
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The legend says that the Lazato whose image is venerated in Cuba was born in a village near Jerusalem, from a wealthy family. He had an older sister named Marta and the other destined for fame: Maria, owner of the Castle of Magdalon, and this is why she was known as Maria Magdalena, which counts in the story of Jesus that he was the freind of her family and he liked to go there to visit her. The Gospel assures us that Lazaro became ill and died, but on the fourth day Jesus revived him. Lazaro had to leave the country and arrived in France, where he was the Bishop of Marseilles, under the the emperor Domiciano. Then the was made prisoner and executed, and this time he died definitely. He is presented wrapped in banages, as was the custom to do with corpses of the Jews, this being the explanation for the interpretation that is associated with the image of the San Lazaro that is adored by the Cubans, which is the religious syncretism with the African deities, he is known as Babalú Ayé. < [ 1 ] [ 2 ] 3 [ 4 ] > |