Religion in Cuba

Cuba has a multitude of faiths reflecting thelive in the provinces, although they do maintain a
island’s diverse cultural elements.synagogue in Havana. In the 1960s, almost 8,000
Catholicism, which was brought to the island byJews left for Miami. In the 1990s, approximately 400
Spanish colonialists at the beginning of the 16thJewish Cubans relocated to Israel in a co-ordinated
century, is the most prevalent professed faith. Afterexodus using visas provided by nations sympathetic
the revolution, Cuba became an officially atheisticto their desire to move to Israel.
state and restricted religious practice. Since 1991,Religion in Cuba reflects the island’s
restrictions have been eased and, according to thediverse cultural elements. Cuba is traditionally a
National Catholic Observer, direct challenges by stateCatholic country. In some instances Catholicism is
institutions to the right to religion have all butmuch modified and influenced through syncretism. A
disappeared, though the church still faces restrictionscommon syncretic belief is Santería, which
of written and electronic communication, and can onlyoriginated in Cuba and spread to neighboring islands; it
accept donations from state-approved fundingshows similarities to Brazilian Umbanda and has been
sources.[46] The Roman Catholic Church is made upreceiving a degree of official support.
of the Cuban Catholic Bishops' Conference (COCC),Santería developed out of the traditions of the
led by Jaime Lucas Ortega y Alamino, CardinalYoruba, one of the African peoples who were
Archbishop of Havana. It has eleven dioceses, 56imported to Cuba during the 16th through 19th
orders of nuns and 24 orders of priests. In Januarycenturies to work on the sugar plantations.
1998, Pope John Paul II paid a historic visit to theSantería blends elements of Christianity and
island, invited by the Cuban government and CatholicWest African beliefs and as such made it possible for
Church.the slaves to retain their traditional beliefs while
The religious landscape of Cuba is also stronglyappearing to practice Catholicism. Cuba’s
marked by syncretisms of various kinds. Thispatron saint, La Virgen de la Caridad del Cobre (Our
diversity derives from West and Central AfricansLady Of Charity) is a syncretism with the
who were transported to Cuba, and in effectSantería goddess Ochún. The important
reinvented their African religions. They did so byreligious festival "La Virgen de la Caridad del Cobre" is
combining them with elements of the Catholic beliefcelebrated by Cubans annually on 8 September.
system, with a result very similar to BrazilianOther religions practised are Palo Monte, and
Umbanda. Catholicism is often practised in tandemAbakuá, which have large parts of their liturgy in
with Santería, a mixture of Catholicism andAfrican languages.
other, mainly African, faiths that include a number ofHistory
cult religions. Cuba’s patron saint, La VirgenAfter the revolution of 1959, Cuba became an
de la Caridad del Cobre (the Virgin of Cobre) is aofficially atheistic state and restricted religious
syncretism with the Santería goddesspractice. From 1959 to 1961 eighty percent of the
Ochún. The important religious festival "Laprofessional Christian priests and ministers of Cuban
Virgen de la Caridad del Cobre" is celebrated bychurches left Cuba for the United States.[1]
Cubans annually on 8 September. Other religionsRelationships between the new government and
practised are Palo Monte, and Abakuá, whichcongregations were tense, the new Cuban
have large parts of their liturgy in African languages.government was very limiting and suspicious of
Protestantism, introduced from the United States inchurch operations, blaming them for collaboration with
the 18th century, has seen a steady increase inthe CIA during the Bay of Pigs invasion and
popularity. 300,000 Cubans belong to thestockpiling arms provided for a "counter-revolution".
island’s 54 Protestant denominations.Since 1991, restrictions have been eased and direct
Pentecostalism has grown rapidly in recent years, andchallenges by state institutions to the right to been
the Assemblies of God alone claims a membership ofeased somewhat, though the church still faces
over 100,000 people. The Episcopal Church of Cubarestrictions of written and electronic communication,
claims 10,000 adherents. Cuba has small communitiesand can only accept donations from state-approved
of Jews, Muslims and members of thefunding sources. The Roman Catholic Church is made
Bahá'í faith. Havana has three activeup of the Cuban Catholic Bishops' Conference
synagogues and one mosque. Most Jewish Cubans(COCC), led by Jaime Lucas Ortega y Alamino,
are descendants of Polish and Russian Jews who fledCardinal Archbishop of Havana. It has eleven
pogroms at the beginning of the 20th century. Theredioceses, 56 orders of nuns and 24 orders of priests.
is, however, a sizeable number of Sephardic Jews inOn January 1998, Pope John Paul II paid a historic
Cuba, who trace their origin to Turkey (primarilyvisit to the island, invited by the Cuban government
Istanbul and Thrace). Most of these Sephardic Jewsand Catholic Church.