Cuba devotees pray for relief from blackouts

Thousands of Cubans joined annual celebrations for the island's patron saint, Our Lady of Charity, praying for relief as regular blackouts, shortages and strained essential services weigh on daily life.

The Tuesday procession honored the saint known affectionately as “Cachita.” A portrait of the patron saint moved through packed streets as people sang, applauded and prayed. Many wore yellow, carried sunflowers or held dolls representing the saint.

Carlos Trejo, a 34-year-old electrician whose partner is expecting their first child, told AFP he had come to make a request for his wife. He said Cubans had to deal with the situation without abandoning faith.

Catholic Cubans walked alongside practitioners of Afro-Cuban religions. Cachita is associated by practitioners of the Yoruba religion with the goddess Oshun, giving her special status on the island.

This year, Cachita was cloaked in white rather than her usual yellow. Ariel Suarez, secretary of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of Cuba, said the white cloak was “a symbol of peace.”

A day earlier, hundreds gathered across the port to honor Our Lady of Regla, the patron saint of Havana Bay, who is syncretized with the Yoruba water goddess Yemaya. Power had just returned to the Regla neighborhood after a 40-hour blackout.

Odalys Fernandez, 64, said people were using the restored power to cook. Jessica Napoles, a 24-year-old doctor, said she prayed for health and for Cubans to get out of the current situation, adding that food and medical shortages were taking a particular toll on sick people.