#black saint

[portraitsofsaints]

Saint Benedict the Moor

1526-1589

Feast Day: April 4

Patronage: African missions, African Americans, black missions, black people, Palermo, Sicily

Saint Benedict the Moor, a Sicilian Franciscan friar and son of enslaved African slaves who converted to Catholicism, was freed at birth. He became a Franciscan because of his love for the poor. They appointed him as cook and eventually Master of Novices. Even though he was illiterate he had an intuitive understanding of theology, scripture, and spiritual counseling. He was called “the Holy Black" and is incorrupt to this day. 

Prints, plaques & holy cards available for purchase here:{website}

[southernmermaidsgrotto]

Let's talk about San Baltasar, the Wise King, Saint of Afroargentines.

I think it's extremely interesting how one of the biggest afrodiasporic cults native to Argentina is that of El Santo Negro (the Black Saint) St. Balthazar, the Wise King. Other syncretic saint cults make mention to african deities or saints with titles such as "The Queen of Rivers" or "The Queen of the Sea", making the deities involved easily identifiable, but this cult in particular is one of the most widespread across the black population of Argentina and yet the most elusive in regards to who may be behind the mask. At least, until you pay attention to the details.

The Church first introduced the cult of Catholic Figures and Saints such as San Baltasar (King Balthazar) or San Benito de Palermo (St. Benedict of Palermo, the Moor) as a way to control the enslaved population politically and culturally. Although their goal was to dissipate african religions and install catholicism among them instead, they underestimated black argentines: after much effort, the church allowed the enslaved faithful to organize socially and politically and perform dances, drumming and singing for the saints of their formed Cofradía (similar to a congregation, but including social and political structures within it, naming a king and queen or a president and other culturally and politically significant roles). Thanks to the passing down of african culture and customs through these organized societies and the syncretism within them, we can proudly say the church failed in their attempts. The african spirits are very much still an integral part of afroargentines' lives. Today, although it has spread across the country and beyond, the center of this cult is in it's origin, the capital city of Corrientes, Argentina, in a neighborhood called Cambá Cuá.

The cult to San Baltasar is clearly african in origin, although with indigenous (guaraní) influences, such as calling the saint Santo Cambá/Kambá (Black in guaraní language), calling his statues Cambára'angá (guaraní for Black Figure), and some dancers dressing up as indigenous figures like el pombero, among other things. Thus, it is an afroindigenous cult, developing amongst mixed descendants of african enslaved peoples and guaraní natives. The cult is also a local expression of the most african of customs: ancestral veneration. The festivities honor not only the Saint himself, but all the black ancestors before us who are present in pictures at the altar, and answer to the call of the drums. The color red, that covers the saint and adorns his followers, is the color of warriors and protection in African Traditional Religions. He's offered food and drink (such as wine and traditionally made sangría), and most importantly dance and drums. He is invoked and honored, along with the ancestors, through drumming and dancing, through La llamada a San Baltasar and Saludos de Tambores a los Santos Cambá (Calling Saint Balthazar and Drum Salutations to the Black Saints).

His festivities, held in Corrientes around Epiphany, from January 1st to the 6th, include dancing afroargentinean rhythms such as diverse forms of candombe and samba. Particularly, he was traditionally honored with a dance called bambula, a form of ring dance where women move in short and slow steps, barely lifting their feet, while men jump in the air, and where one singer sings a phrase that is then repeated or answered by the others present. This kind of dance is native to Congo and Angola, and widely practiced by enslaved people and their descendants in the Southern United States, the Caribbean, Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay. The music used to this day to petition favors, to invoke his spirit into his image and even dispel or call thunderstorms or other natural phenomena, is called charanda and includes drums, guitars and triangles. Just like in other afrodiasporic devotional and resistance dances, these dances involve Kings and Queens of the dance, a hierarchy of drummers including those called Master drummers, and a hierarchy of the drums themselves as Chico, Repique and Piano.

If you compare him to Xangó...

He carries a double-headed axe. He's often depicted wearing a crown. His colors are, surprisingly, also white and red, with gold accents. Also a King and a warrior, also associated with thunderstorms and fire, drums and dance. His followers also wear white and red beaded collares. Ringing any bells...?

Now, I am not saying they are the same Spirit, but there is an undeniable resemblance. You come to your own conclusions. It's kind of obvious that this afrodiasporic cult stems from either (a) a hidden, veiled cult to the orisha(s) or (b) a syncretic cult to african deities (not only orishas but maybe other african spirits too). There is, after all, strong ties not only to Yorubaland but also to Dahomey, Kongo, etc. Just in this instance, the spirit may resemble an orisha but the rhythms and dance are from kongo, so there is much more to it than just one or the other. There is a culture of resistance born from the union of Nations through music, faith and tradition.

Sources:

None of the images here belong to me: San Baltazar and festivities [1,2,3,4-6] and Xangó [1]

Festividad de San Baltasar : performances artístico-religiosas de la cofradía de la ciudad de Corrientes, by Cavalieri, Ana Belén, Universidad Nacional del Nordeste. Facultad de Artes, Diseño y Ciencias de la Cultura, 2018. Available for download at [Link]

San Baltazar, Historias de Corrientes at [Link]

The bamboula Lineage at [Link]

The Orishas, Indiana University at [Link]

[illustratinglaura]

Crimson

[luv-wildd]

[helloparkerrose]

[zegalba]

Jean Seberg in Saint Joan (1957) Dir. Otto Preminger

[sictransitgloriamvndi]

[manicpixiedepressedwitch]

[saintslewis]

❝ 𝐏*𝐒𝐒𝐘 𝐅𝐀𝐈𝐑𝐘 | 𝐋𝐇𝟒𝟒 ❞

pairing: sir lewis hamilton x fem!reader

summary: has anyone else noticed how his facial hair is a tad bit lighter? /j

warnings: sexual innuendos, twitter environment, cussing

requested: yes | no

saint’s team radio 🎀: y’all just have fun with this one lol. thank you for the request anon!

tags: @non-stop-imagines @alika-4466 @lorarri @httpsserene @yeea-nah @purplelewlew @goldenalbon

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saint speaks: hope y’all enjoy and i hope it’s not too short! onto the next one 🤭

[portraitsofsaints]

Happy Feast Day Venerable Pierre Toussaint 1766-1853 Feast Day: May 28

Venerable Pierre Toussaint was born a slave in Haiti to the Berand family. They brought him to New York City in 1787 to escape the political unrest in Haiti. He became a successful hairdresser, eventually even supporting Mr. Berand’s widow, who granted his freedom in 1807. Using his wealth he became a philanthropist to the poor in NYC, starting an orphanage, employment and credit bureaus, a hostel for travelers and priests and contributed to the building of Old St. Patrick Cathedral and  is interred in the new cathedral. Pierre died at 87 and is known as one of NYC's most famous Catholics. {website}

[sibmakesart]

"WHY AM *I* KRAMPUS ?!!!"

"because hes supposed to be scary :p"

day 6 of the ✨One Piece Advent Calendar✨

its Saint nicolas taday, and i know its not celebrated in the rest of the country but im

well im far from home and im missing it lol

[frankwaxman]

Oliver Lake Quartet – Clevont Fitzhubert (A Good Friend Of Mine) (Black Saint, 1981)

[luv-wildd]

funne

[babsi-and-stella]

Bianca Jagger and Sterling St. Jacques at Studio 54, 1977.

[helloparkerrose]

[expulence]