Spend your holiday in Cuba

• Cuba history
• Cuba society
• Religion in Cuba

Religion in Cuba Cuba has a multitude of faiths reflecting the 1990s, approximately 400 Jewish Cubans island’s diverse cultural elements. relocated to Israel in a co-ordinated exodus Catholicism, which was brought to the island using visas provided by nations sympathetic by Spanish colonialists at the beginning of to  their  desire  to  move  to  Israel. the 16th century, is the most prevalent professed faith. After the revolution, Cuba Religion in Cuba reflects the island’s became an officially atheistic state and diverse cultural elements. Cuba is restricted religious practice. Since 1991, traditionally a Catholic country. In some restrictions have been eased and, according instances Catholicism is much modified and to the National Catholic Observer, direct influenced through syncretism. A common challenges by state institutions to the right syncretic belief is Santería, which to religion have all but disappeared, though originated in Cuba and spread to neighboring the church still faces restrictions of islands; it shows similarities to Brazilian written and electronic communication, and can Umbanda and has been receiving a degree of only accept donations from state-approved official  support. funding sources.[46] The Roman Catholic Church is made up of the Cuban Catholic Santería developed out of the traditions Bishops' Conference (COCC), led by Jaime of the Yoruba, one of the African peoples who Lucas Ortega y Alamino, Cardinal Archbishop were imported to Cuba during the 16th through of Havana. It has eleven dioceses, 56 orders 19th centuries to work on the sugar of nuns and 24 orders of priests. In January plantations. Santería blends elements of 1998, Pope John Paul II paid a historic visit Christianity and West African beliefs and as to the island, invited by the Cuban such made it possible for the slaves to government  and  Catholic  Church. retain their traditional beliefs while appearing to practice Catholicism. The religious landscape of Cuba is also Cuba’s patron saint, La Virgen de la strongly marked by syncretisms of various Caridad del Cobre (Our Lady Of Charity) is a kinds. This diversity derives from West and syncretism with the Santería goddess Central Africans who were transported to Ochún. The important religious festival Cuba, and in effect reinvented their African "La Virgen de la Caridad del Cobre" is religions. They did so by combining them with celebrated by Cubans annually on 8 September. elements of the Catholic belief system, with Other religions practised are Palo Monte, and a result very similar to Brazilian Umbanda. Abakuá, which have large parts of their Catholicism is often practised in tandem with liturgy  in  African  languages. Santería, a mixture of Catholicism and other, mainly African, faiths that include a History number of cult religions. Cuba’s patron saint, La Virgen de la Caridad del After the revolution of 1959, Cuba became an Cobre (the Virgin of Cobre) is a syncretism officially atheistic state and restricted with the Santería goddess Ochún. The religious practice. From 1959 to 1961 eighty important religious festival "La Virgen de la percent of the professional Christian priests Caridad del Cobre" is celebrated by Cubans and ministers of Cuban churches left Cuba for annually on 8 September. Other religions the United States.[1] Relationships between practised are Palo Monte, and Abakuá, the new government and congregations were which have large parts of their liturgy in tense, the new Cuban government was very African  languages. limiting and suspicious of church operations, blaming them for collaboration with the CIA Protestantism, introduced from the United during the Bay of Pigs invasion and States in the 18th century, has seen a steady stockpiling arms provided for a increase in popularity. 300,000 Cubans belong "counter-revolution". to the island’s 54 Protestant denominations. Pentecostalism has grown Since 1991, restrictions have been eased and rapidly in recent years, and the Assemblies direct challenges by state institutions to of God alone claims a membership of over the right to been eased somewhat, though the 100,000 people. The Episcopal Church of Cuba church still faces restrictions of written claims 10,000 adherents. Cuba has small and electronic communication, and can only communities of Jews, Muslims and members of accept donations from state-approved funding the Bahá'í faith. Havana has three sources. The Roman Catholic Church is made up active synagogues and one mosque. Most Jewish of the Cuban Catholic Bishops' Conference Cubans are descendants of Polish and Russian (COCC), led by Jaime Lucas Ortega y Alamino, Jews who fled pogroms at the beginning of the Cardinal Archbishop of Havana. It has eleven 20th century. There is, however, a sizeable dioceses, 56 orders of nuns and 24 orders of number of Sephardic Jews in Cuba, who trace priests. their origin to Turkey (primarily Istanbul and Thrace). Most of these Sephardic Jews On January 1998, Pope John Paul II paid a live in the provinces, although they do historic visit to the island, invited by the maintain a synagogue in Havana. In the 1960s, Cuban government and Catholic Church. almost 8,000 Jews left for Miami. In the 1 A B C 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93