An Afro-Cuban ritual performed near a Catholic chapel in Havana, which involved animal sacrifices, has stirred outrage and reactions across social media following a public denunciation by Cuban priest Lester Rafael Zayas Díaz. "I can never normalize what cannot be normalized," Zayas expressed in a Facebook post. He recounted how, after conducting mass, he discovered eight dying jicoteas and two sacrificed white roosters under a palm tree, directly at the entrance of a chapel that supports vulnerable individuals.
The location is part of the facilities where the parish extends help to pregnant women, children, the elderly, and the sick. "There, in plain sight, eight jicoteas agonize and bleed out at the foot of the palm, and two dead white roosters await decay," Zayas reported.
Earlier, the priest had encountered three individuals performing a ritual beneath a palm at the church's entrance. When he requested they not leave animal remains, they assured him they wouldn't. However, they failed to keep their promise. "Is the sacrifice of jicoteas legal? Where are they sold? Isn't this animal cruelty, and worse, leaving them to suffer?" he questioned, raising not only ethical but legal concerns about the ritual.
Public Space and Religious Practices
Beyond the specific incident, Zayas focused on the use of public spaces for practices impacting others and the apparent leniency of the State towards certain religious groups. "Can I take the blessed image of the Virgin of Charity and place it under the palm now during the novena without permission, exercising the same right?" he asked.
The priest clarified his criticism wasn't aimed at any particular religion, yet he warned, "I cannot respect what contributes to fear and horror." Zayas went to the Communist Party headquarters located opposite the incident site to report what happened. Officials received his complaint politely and informed him it would be forwarded to the Yoruba Cultural Association of Cuba, an organization linked to Afro-Cuban religion.
The priest from the Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish, situated in El Vedado, one of Havana's most central neighborhoods, reminded that it's the authorities' duty to ensure coexistence and respect in the country's streets. "Are the authorities not there to regulate this? Or do they only spring into action to remove signs they find inconvenient, yet are part of the people's outcry?" the priest questioned.
Social Reactions: A Nation Out of Control?
In a nation where diverse beliefs and spiritual practices intersect, balancing freedom of worship, mutual respect, and coexistence regulations remains a pending issue. The priest's post generated a flood of comments reflecting widespread public concern over the perceived impunity of such practices in public spaces.
Some users remarked that in other countries, these ceremonies would be regulated or banned: "In Europe or Miami, you don't see these things because there are laws and public spaces are respected," stated one netizen.
Others targeted the unequal treatment among religions: "To hold a Catholic procession, you need a thousand permits, but sacrificing animals in front of the PCC is no problem," commented another user. Some lamented the visual and emotional impact of the ritual: "Do our children have to witness this grotesque spectacle without a word?" a woman asked indignantly.
Animal cruelty was another recurring theme in the debate. "Nothing justifies the suffering of an animal. It's appalling. Where are the defenders?" wrote a user, while others wondered if the ritual was an expression of genuine faith or distorted religious practices. Overall, comments demanded greater institutional control, respect for public spaces, and clear rules for coexistence among faiths. Many shared the priest's concern about the State's passivity regarding such incidents.
Public Concerns about Afro-Cuban Rituals
What triggered the controversy over the Afro-Cuban ritual in Havana?
The controversy arose from an Afro-Cuban ritual near a Catholic chapel in Havana involving animal sacrifices, which was publicly denounced by a local priest, sparking discussions on social media.
How did the priest respond to the ritual near the chapel?
The priest, Lester Rafael Zayas Díaz, expressed his inability to normalize such acts and questioned the legality and ethics of the animal sacrifices, while addressing the State's apparent leniency towards certain religious practices.
What are the public's main concerns regarding these rituals?
The public is primarily concerned with the use of public spaces for such practices, animal cruelty, and the unequal treatment of different religions, demanding more institutional control and clear regulations.