Pilgrimage to the National Sanctuary of San Lázaro

2017

Performance

Pilgrimage to the National Sanctuary of San Lázaro, from Old Havana to El Rincón (From December 14th to 20th, 2017).

A common practice among Cuban devotees of San Lázaro is to make a pilgrimage to the Sanctuary of Rincón on the eve December 17th, a date that according to the Catholic calendar corresponds to this Saint. Saint Lazarus is a miracle worker, so his devotees make extreme sacrifices every year on a physical level, to be worthy of his attention. In the midst of a context of total social and political despair, the artist performs an authentic act of faith and drags himself towards El Rincón with a rock tied to his ankle for more than 30 kilometers. Although he could not arrive on the 17th because he was detained for three days by the political police to prevent him from carrying out this action, once released, he continued with his pilgrimage, distributing his particular prayer / request to Saint Lazarus.

Oh! Saint Lazarus
You who are stronger than all the presidents
and all forces of this world
I ask you to help me with your divine power,
in this situation that afflicts the Cuban people
and me as part of it,
in this moment of despair
and that men cannot solve.
I summon you and ask you, miraculous saint,
that you eliminate all the miseries for the Cubans;
that neither death and violence
be the path of transition;
I ask you for genuine democracy
where the law protects us.
Saint Lazarus make my prayers yours,
I ask you to remove the embargo,
Prosperity
Freedom of expression
Freedom for political prisoners
Free internet access.
Cessation of discrimination based on race, gender and creed;
no more repression!
OH! Babalu
You who lived always abandoned of everything,
sick and hungry, no one helped you,
and you always had a good heart
and you knew how to put your trust in God
Intercede for us today.
Make my generation regain faith.