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80-629: Èzili Dantò or Erzulie Dantor is the main loa (or lwa ) or senior spirit of the Petro family in Haitian Vodou . Ezili Danto, or Èzili Dantò, is the "manifestation of Erzulie, the divinity of love." It is said that Ezili Danto has a dark complexion and is maternal in nature. The Ezili are feminine spirits in Haitian Vodou that personify womanhood. The Erzulie is a goddess, spirit, or loa of love in Haitian Voudou. She has several manifestations or incarnations, but most prominent and well-known manifestations are Lasirenn (the mermaid) , Erzulie Freda , and Erzulie Dantor. There are spelling variations of Erzulie,

160-574: A kwi , a calabash shell bowl. Once selected, the food is placed on special calabashes known as assiettes de Guinée which are located on the altar. Offerings not consumed by the celebrants are then often buried or left at a crossroads. Libations might be poured into the ground. Vodouists believe that the lwa then consume the essence of the food. Certain foods are also offered in the belief that they are intrinsically virtuous, such as grilled maize, peanuts, and cassava. These are sometimes sprinkled over animals that are about to be sacrificed or piled upon

240-559: A form of Louisiana Voodoo. Vodouisants will sometimes comment that there are over a thousand lwas, most of whom are not known to humans. Of these, the names of at least 232 have been recorded. The large number of lwas found in Vodou contrasts with the Cuban religion of Santería , where only 15 orichas (spirits) have gained prominence among its followers. Our Lady of Mount Carmel Our Lady of Mount Carmel , or Virgin of Carmel ,

320-448: A horse". Vodou teaches that a lwa can possess an individual regardless of gender; both male and female lwa can possess either men or women. Although children are often present at these ceremonies, they are rarely possessed as it is considered too dangerous. While the specific drums and songs used are designed to encourage a specific lwa to possess someone, sometimes an unexpected lwa appears and takes possession instead. In some instances

400-596: A model of virtue, in the person who was closest in life to Jesus Christ . She is seen as the one who points Christians most surely to Christ. As she says to the servants at the wedding at Cana , "Do whatever he [Jesus] tells you." Carmelites look to the Virgin Mary as a Spiritual Mother. The Stella Maris Monastery (Star of the Sea) on Mount Carmel, named after a traditional title of the Blessed Virgin Mary,

480-831: A new Voodoo was the African American Miriam Chamani , who established the Voodoo Spiritual Temple in the French Quarter of New Orleans in 1990. Another initiate of Haitian Vodou, the Ukrainian-Jewish American Sallie Ann Glassman , launched an alternative group, La Source Ancienne, in the city's Bywater neighborhood. A further Haitian Vodou initiate, the Louisiana Creole Ava Kay Jones, also began promoting

560-483: A simple ceremony; it takes its name from the absence of blood. Species used for sacrifice include chickens, goats, and bulls, with pigs often favored for petwo lwa. The animal may be washed, dressed in the color of the specific lwa, and marked with food or water. Often, the animal's throat will be cut and the blood collected in a calabash. Chickens are often killed by the pulling off of their heads; their limbs may be broken beforehand. The organs are removed and placed on

640-423: A special way. In 1642, a Carmelite named John Cheron published a document which he said was a 13th-century letter written by Simon Stock's secretary, Peter Swanington. Since the early 20th century, historians have concluded that this letter was forged, likely by Cheron himself. But Stock's vision was long embraced by many promoters of the scapular devotion. The forged Swanington letter claimed that 16 July 1251

720-409: A spiritual life of incalculable wealth: a life of recollection, prayer, uninterrupted oblation to God, continual contact, and intimate union with him. Mary's soul is a sanctuary reserved for God alone, where no human creature has ever left its trace, where love and zeal for the glory of God and the salvation of mankind reign supreme. [...] Those who want to live their devotion to Our Lady of Mt. Carmel to

800-443: A succession of lwa possess the same individual, one after the other. The trance of possession is known as the crise de lwa . Vodouists believe that during this process, the lwa enters the head of the chwal and displaces their gwo bon anj , which is one of the two halves of a person's soul. This displacement is believed to cause the chwal to tremble and convulse; Maya Deren described a look of "anguish, ordeal and blind terror" on

880-470: A tower with a statue of Our Lady of Mount Carmel affixed atop it – is lifted and paraded on multiple dates during the festival. The festival culminates with the celebration of the liturgical feast of Our Lady on July 16. In the Bronx neighborhood of Belmont (Little Italy), a procession is held on 187th street, where the parish church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel is located. In the town of Hammonton New Jersey

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960-665: Is a Roman Catholic title of the Blessed Virgin Mary venerated as patroness of the Carmelite Order . The first Carmelites were Christian hermits living on Mount Carmel in the Holy Land during the late 12th and early to mid-13th century. They built in the midst of their hermitages a chapel which they dedicated to the Blessed Virgin, whom they conceived of in chivalric terms as the "Lady of

1040-400: Is a devoted and selfless mother, willing to do all that is possible to protect those she loves and cares for, even "turn the world upside down". Those who venerate Dantor are expected to serve her with the same undying loyalty in return, as well as caution. It is accounted that the slave revolt of 1791 started with a pact which followed a big feast in honour to Ezili Dantor. For this reason she

1120-416: Is also known to take on lovers of her own. Ezili Dantor is believed to have children of her own in some stories, such as Ti-Jean Petwo, and is a fervid protector of the youth and the marginalized. Ezilí Freda is Dantor's rival and is said to be responsible for leaving scars on Dantor's cheek -known as twa màk - during a fight over the love of Ogou , according to some legends. Another distinction between them

1200-509: Is associated with love, but who has a Petwo parallel known as Ezili Je-Rouge, who is regarded as dangerous and prone to causing harm. Another is the Rada lwa Legba , who directs human destiny, and who is paralleled in the Petwo pantheon by Kafou Legba, a trickster who causes accidents that alter a person's destiny. The Gede (also Ghede or Guede ) family of lwa are associated with the realm of

1280-460: Is associated with specific colors, days of the week, and objects. The lwa can be either loyal or capricious in their dealings with their devotees; Vodouists believe that the lwa are easily offended, for instance if offered food that they dislike. When angered, the lwa are believed to remove their protection from their devotees, or to inflict misfortune, illness, or madness on an individual. Although there are exceptions, most lwa names derive from

1360-413: Is believed to reside in the sea, rituals devoted to him often take place beside a large body of water such as a lake, river, or sea. His devotees sometimes sail out to Trois Ilets , drumming and singing, where they throw a white sheep overboard as a sacrifice to him. The food is typically offered when it is cool; it remains there for a while before humans can then eat it. The food is often placed within

1440-538: Is celebrated on 16 July. The solemn liturgical feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel was probably first celebrated in England in the later part of the 14th century. Its object was thanksgiving to Mary, the patroness of the Carmelite Order, for the benefits she had accorded to it through its difficult early years. The institution of the feast may have come in the wake of the vindication of their title "Brothers of

1520-719: Is considered the national Lwa . Considered to be a fearless warrior in the Petro Nation ( Petwo Nanchon in Haitian Creole ), Dantor has been popular among single mothers during the 1980s and 1990s in Haiti and Dominican Republic . Syncretic modern representations of Dantor sometimes associate her with the Mater Salvatoris, especially those depicted with children; Our Lady of Lourdes and Our Lady of Mount Carmel as examples. The most common association however,

1600-455: Is considered the spiritual headquarters of the order. Gabriel of St. Mary Magdalene de' Pazzi, a revered authority on Carmelite spirituality, wrote that devotion to Our Lady of Mount Carmel means: a special call to the interior life, which is preeminently a Marian life. Our Lady wants us to resemble her not only in our outward vesture but, far more, in heart and spirit. If we gaze into Mary's soul, we shall see that grace in her has flowered into

1680-636: Is even said to be able to afflict those who anger her with extremely painful illnesses. Ezili Je Wouj is also sometimes considered a separate figure. In Zora Neale Hurston’s Haiti and Their Eyes Were Watching God, Ezili's Danto's rage is described as "violent reminder to the folk that their passive faith in Euro-Americans, or Christianity, to determine their fate is misguided." Ultimately, Ezili Dantor "rages and destroys, but she also suffers", known to be associated with fertility problems women experience, including aphasia. However, at heart, Ezili Dantor

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1760-671: Is held in the highland Paucartambo District , Peru , featuring a procession with the Virgin and traditional dancers. Veneration of the Virgen del Carmen (often also associated with the Stella Maris) is particularly strong in coastal towns of Spain. The feast day of Our Lady of Mount Carmel is celebrated for ten days each July in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York, where an approximately sixty-five foot tall "giglio" –

1840-479: Is phonetically identical to both a French term for law, loi , and a Haitian Creole term for law, lwa . The early 20th-century writer Jean Price-Mars pondered if the term lwa , used in reference to Vodou spirits, emerged from their popular identification with the laws of the Roman Catholic Church . In the early 21st century, the historian Kate Ramsey agreed that the phonetic similarity between

1920-466: Is that Freda is traditionally light-skinned (though this has begun to shift in devotional art) and relatively wealthy, indicative of her status as an upper-class woman. Thus, Ezili Dantor strongly resonates with lower class women in Haitian society. People may often petition her to help them get work. Ezili Dantor is also associated with the masisi , transgender women and effeminate men. Other stories in

2000-588: Is the Black Madonna of Częstochowa , the patron saint of Poland . The original association of Ezili Dantor with the Black Madonna of Częstochowa is hypothesized to be from copies of the icon brought to Haiti by Polish soldiers sent by order of Napoleon Bonaparte , to subdue the then still ongoing Haitian Revolution . It is accounted that the Polish legion saw the struggle of the Polish nation during

2080-474: Is today a small sanctuary at Acquafondata , Italy, where the Virgin of Mount Carmel reportedly appeared on 16 July 1841. The visionaries of Our Lady of Fátima in 1917 reported Our Lady of Mount Carmel as among the titles claimed by Mary. According to Sister Lucia , in the last apparition the Mother of God appeared as Our Lady of Mount Carmel "because Our Lady wants all to wear the scapular". In Palmi , Italy,

2160-416: Is too angry and exhausted to do so from having to work hard and gaining so little. Her daughter, Anais, often interprets for her, and may be contacted to pass on messages. Dantor's anger has the power to destroy, and her vehement displeasure has earned her the reputation of being the red eyed, "Èzili Je Wouj". Her destructive powers often come in the form of natural disasters and the forces of nature. Her rage

2240-600: Is traditionally depicted in a scene with snakes; alternatively he is often associated with Moses . The Marasa, or sacred twins, are typically equated with the twin saints Cosmos and Damian . In Haitian Vodou, the lwa are divided into nanchon or "nations". This classificatory system derives from the way in which enslaved West Africans were divided into "nations" upon their arrival in Haiti, usually based on their African port of departure rather than their ethno-cultural identity. The nanchons are nevertheless not groupings based in

2320-715: The Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments states that Devotion to Our Lady of Mount Carmel is bound to the history and spiritual values of the Order of the Brothers of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel and is expressed through the scapular. Thus, whoever receives the scapular becomes a member of the order and pledges him/herself to live according to its spirituality in accordance with

2400-459: The Fon and Yoruba languages . New lwa are nevertheless added to those brought from Africa; practitioners believe that some Vodou priests and priestesses became lwa after death, or that certain talismans become lwa. Vodouists often refer to the lwa residing in "Guinea", but this is not intended as a precise geographical location. Many lwa are also understood to live under the water, at the bottom of

2480-462: The Hispanic studies scholars Margarite Fernández Olmos and Lizabeth Paravisini-Gebert . Vodou teaches that there are over a thousand lwa. They are regarded as the intermediaries of Bondyé , the supreme creator deity in Vodou. Desmangles argued that by learning about the various lwas, practitioners come to understand the different facets of Bondyé. Much as Vodouists often identify Bondyé with

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2560-644: The Partitions of Poland in the struggle of the Haitian slaves in fights for their freedom, and as a result the Polish soldiers eventually turned on the French army to join the Haitian slaves. As a consequence of this action, during Jean-Jacques Dessalines 's 1804 massacre , which took place shortly after the Haitian victory; the Poles were left alive and granted citizenship of the newly-founded Republic of Haiti . The descendants of these soldiers are still living in

2640-408: The vèvè designs on the floor of the peristil . Possession by the lwa constitutes an important element of Vodou. It lies the heart of many of its rituals; these typically take place in a temple called an ounfò , specifically in a room termed the peristil or peristyle . The person being possessed is referred to as the chwal or chual (horse); the act of possession is called "mounting

2720-546: The Blessed Virgin Mary in which she gave him the Brown Scapular. This formed part of the Carmelite habit after 1287. In Stock's vision, Mary promised that those who died wearing the scapular would be saved. This is a devotional sacramental signifying the wearer's consecration to Mary and affiliation with the Carmelite order. It symbolizes her special protection and calls the wearers to consecrate themselves to her in

2800-668: The Blessed Virgin Mary" at Cambridge , England, in 1374. The date chosen was 17 July; on the European mainland this date conflicted with the feast of Saint Alexis , requiring a shift to 16 July, which remains the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel on the Roman Calendar of the Catholic Church. The Latin poem Flos Carmeli (meaning "Flower of Carmel") first appears as the sequence for this Mass . The Carmelite Order

2880-528: The Carmelite Order; second, consecration to Mary, devotion to and trust in her Immaculate Heart; third, an urge to become like Mary by imitating her virtues, above all her humility, chastity, and spirit of prayer. Since the Middle Ages, Our Lady of Mount Carmel has been related to Purgatory and purgation from sins after death. In some images, she is portrayed as accompanied with angels and persons wearing Brown Scapulars, who plead for her mediation. In 1613,

2960-517: The Christian God, the lwa are sometimes equated with the angels of Christian cosmology. The lwa are also known as the mystères , anges , saints , and les invisibles . The lwa can offer help, protection, and counsel to humans, in return for ritual service. They are thought of as having wisdom that is useful for humans, although they are not seen as moral exemplars which practitioners should imitate. Each lwa has its own personality, and

3040-586: The Church forbade images to be made of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel descending into purgatory, due to errors being preached about certain privileges associated with the Brown Scapular (known as "the Sabbatine Privilege "). That privilege appears in the noted Decree of the Holy Office (1613). It was inserted in its entirety (except for the words forbidding the painting of the pictures) into the list of

3120-707: The Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, as well as that of Simon Stock, because of the historical uncertainties about the origins. The liturgies were revised and, in the 21st century, neither, even in the Carmelite proper, makes reference to the scapular. In Spain and other Spanish-speaking countries, there has been particular devotion to Our Lady of Mount Carmel, who has been adopted as a patron saint of several places, as she has been in other Catholic-majority countries. In addition, Carmen and María del Carmen have been popular given names for girls in Spanish-speaking countries. An annual festival, known as Mamacha Carmen,

3200-621: The Gede's symbol is an erect penis, while the banda dance associated with them involves sexual-style thrusting. Feeding the lwa is of great importance in Vodou, with rites often termed mangers-lwa ("feeding the lwa"). Offering food and drink to the lwa is the most common ritual within the religion, conducted both communally and in the home. An oungan (priest) or manbo (priestess) will also organize an annual feast for their congregation in which animal sacrifices to various lwa will be made. The choice of food and drink offered varies depending on

3280-526: The Petwo lwa as 'hot'. The Rada lwa are generally regarded as righteous, whereas their Petwo counterparts are thought of as being more morally ambiguous, associated with issues like money. At the same time, the Rada lwa are regarded as being less effective or powerful than those of the Petwo nation. The Petwo lwa derive from various backgrounds, including Creole, Kongo, and Dahomeyan. In various cases, certain lwa can be absorbed from one nanchon into another; various Kongo and Ibo lwa have been incorporated into

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3360-419: The Petwo nanchon. Many lwa exist andezo or en deux eaux , meaning that they are "in two waters" and are served in both Rada and Petwo rituals. Various lwas are understood to have direct counterparts in different nanchon; several Rada lwas for instance have Petwo counterparts whose names bear epithets like Flangbo (afire), Je-Rouge (Red-Eye), or Zarenyen (spider). One example is the Rada lwa Ezili , who

3440-553: The Rada and the Petwo are the largest and most dominant. The Rada derive their name from Arada , a city in the Dahomey kingdom of West Africa. The Rada lwa are usually regarded as dous or doux , meaning that they are sweet-tempered. The Petwo lwa are conversely seen as lwa chaud ( lwa cho ), indicating that they can be forceful or violent and are associated with fire; they are generally regarded as being socially transgressive and subversive. The Rada lwa are seen as being 'cool';

3520-577: The Son of God, Immaculate Virgin, assist me in my necessity. O Star of the Sea, help me and show me you are my Mother. O Holy Mary, Mother of God, Queen of Heaven and earth, I humbly beseech you from the bottom of my heart to succor me in this necessity (make request). There are none that can withstand your power. O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee. Sweet Mother I place this cause in your hands. Amen. A 1996 doctrinal statement approved by

3600-404: The altar or vèvè. The flesh will be cooked and placed on the altar, subsequently often being buried. Maya Deren wrote that: "The intent and emphasis of sacrifice is not upon the death of the animal, it is upon the transfusion of its life to the lwa; for the understanding is that flesh and blood are of the essence of life and vigor, and these will restore the divine energy of the god." Because Agwé

3680-450: The anniversary of the earthquake of 1894 is observed annually on 16 November. The earthquake had its epicenter in the city. An associated event has been classified as the "miracle of Our Lady of Mount Carmel." For 17 days preceding this earthquake, many of the faithful had reported strange eye movements and changes in the coloring of the face in a statue of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. The local and national press reported these occurrences. In

3760-533: The basis of similar characteristics or shared symbols. The lwa are divided into different groups, known as nanchon (nations), the most notable of which are the Petwo and the Rada . According to Vodou belief, the lwa communicate with humans through dreams and divination , and in turn are given offerings, including sacrificed animals . Vodou teaches that during ceremonies, the lwa possess specific practitioners, who during

3840-469: The characteristics of his/her state in life. Discalced Carmelite Kieran Kavanaugh summarizes this spirituality: The scapular is a Marian habit or garment. It is both a sign and pledge. A sign of belonging to Mary; a pledge of her motherly protection, not only in this life but after death. As a sign, it is a conventional sign signifying three elements strictly joined: first, belonging to a religious family particularly devoted to Mary, especially dear to Mary,

3920-482: The congregation will pass along the lwa's message. In some instances, practitioners have reported being possessed at other times of ordinary life, such as when someone is in the middle of the market, or when they are asleep. During the closing decades of the 20th century, attempts were made to revive Louisiana Voodoo , often by individuals drawing heavily on Haitian Vodou and Cuban Santería in doing so. Among those drawing on both Vodou lwa and Santería oricha to create

4000-444: The dance will put a certain item, often wax, in their hair or headgear to prevent possession. Once the lwa possesses an individual, the congregation greet it with a burst of song and dance. The chwal will typically bow before the officiating priest or priestess and prostrate before the poto mitan , a central pillar within the temple. The chwal is often escorted into an adjacent room where they are dressed in clothing associated with

4080-490: The dances, dancing with anyone whom they wish to, or sometimes eating and drinking. Sometimes the lwa, through the chwal, will engage in financial transactions with members of the congregation, for instance by selling them food that has been given as an offering or lending them money. Possession facilitates direct communication between the lwa and its followers; through the chwal, the lwa communicates with their devotees, offering counsel, chastisement, blessings, warnings about

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4160-414: The dead. The head of the family is Baron Samedi ("Baron Saturday"). His consort is Grand Brigitte ; she has authority over cemeteries and is regarded as the mother of many of the other Gede. When the Gede are believed to have arrived at a Vodou ceremony they are usually greeted with joy because they bring merriment. Those possessed by the Gede at these ceremonies are known for making sexual innuendos;

4240-475: The early 19th century, the diasporic religion of Vodou emerged amid the mixing of different West African traditional religions and the influence of the French colonists' Roman Catholicism. From at least the 19th century, Haitian migrants took their religion to Louisiana , by that point part of the United States, where they contributed to the formation of Louisiana Voodoo, a religion that largely died out in

4320-461: The early 20th century. In the latter part of that century, Voodoo revivalist groups emerged in Louisiana, often incorporating both the lwa spirits of Haitian Vodou and the oricha spirits of Cuban Santería into their practices. Modern linguists trace the etymology of lwa to a family of Yoruba language words which include olúwa (god) and babalawo (diviner or priest). The term lwa

4400-420: The evening of 16 November, the faithful improvised a procession carrying the statue of the Virgin of Carmel on their shoulders through the streets. When the procession reached the end of the city, a violent earthquake shook the whole district of Palmi, ruining most of the old houses along the way. But, only nine people died out of a population of about 15,000 inhabitants, as almost all of the population had been on

4480-450: The faces of those as they became possessed. Because their consciousness has been removed from their head during the possession, Vodouists believe that the chwal will have no memory of what occurs during the incident. The length of the possession varies, often lasting a few hours but sometimes several days. It may end with the chwal collapsing in a semi-conscious state; they are typically left physically exhausted. Some individuals attending

4560-429: The feast is commemorated each year with a week long festival culminating with a parade of saints on the sixteenth. Celebration of the feast has been ongoing since 1875 and is widely recognized as the longest running Italian American festival in the United States. The Carmelites consider the Blessed Virgin Mary to be a perfect model of the interior life of prayer and contemplation to which Carmelites aspire, as well as

4640-570: The full must follow Mary into the depths of her interior life. Carmel is the symbol of the contemplative life, the life wholly dedicated to the quest for God, wholly orientated towards intimacy with God; and the one who has best realized this highest of ideals is Our Lady herself, "Queen and Splendor of Carmel". Devotees the Blessed Mother of Mount Carmel might raise petitions to her through the prayer: O most beautiful flower of Mt. Carmel, fruitful vine, splendor of Heaven, Blessed Mother of

4720-405: The future, and healing. Lwa possession has a healing function, with the possessed individual expected to reveal possible cures to the ailments of those assembled. Clothing that the chwal touches is regarded as bringing luck. The lwa may also offer advice to the individual they are possessing; because the latter is not believed to retain any memory of the events, it is expected that other members of

4800-495: The geographical origins of specific lwas. The term fanmi (family) is sometimes used synonymously with "nation" or alternatively as a sub-division of the latter category. It is often claimed that there are 17 nanchon, although few Haitians could name all of them. Each is deemed to have its own characteristic ethos. Among the more commonly known nanchon are the Wangol, Ginen, Kongo, Nago (or Anago), Ibo, Rada, and Petwo. Of these,

4880-714: The indulgences and privileges of the Confraternity of the Scapular of Mount Carmel. In the 21st century, the Carmelites do not promote the Sabbatine Privilege. They encourage a belief in Mary's general aid and prayerful assistance for persons beyond death, especially her aid to those who devoutly wear the Brown Scapular, and commend devotion to Mary especially on Saturdays, which are dedicated to her. There

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4960-433: The island, specifically in the locality of Cazale . Loa In Haitian Vodou, the lwa serve as intermediaries between humanity and Bondye , a transcendent creator divinity. Vodouists believe that over a thousand lwa exist, the names of at least 232 of which are recorded. Each lwa has its own personality and is associated with specific colors and objects. Many of them are equated with specific Roman Catholic saints on

5040-540: The liturgical cult of Saint Simon. The latter has been documented in Bordeaux, where Stock died, from the year 1435; in Ireland and England, from 1458; and in the rest of the Order, from 1564. Historians have long questioned whether Stock had the vision of Mary and the scapular. Although Simon Stock was never officially canonized, his feast day was celebrated in the church. The Carmelite convent of Aylesford , England ,

5120-460: The lwa in question, with different lwa believed to favour different foodstuffs. Damballa for instance requires white foods, especially eggs. Foods offered to Legba, whether meat, tubers, or vegetables, need to be grilled on a fire. The lwa of the Ogu and Nago nations prefer raw rum or clairin as an offering. A mange sèc (dry meal) is an offering of grains, fruit, and vegetables that often precedes

5200-424: The lwa of agriculture, is associated with Saint Isidore the farmer. Similarly, because he is understood as the "key" to the spirit world, Papa Legba is typically associated with Saint Peter , who is visually depicted holding keys in traditional Roman Catholic imagery. The lwa of love and luxury, Ezili Freda, is associated with Mater Dolorosa . Damballa, who is a serpent, is often equated with Saint Patrick , who

5280-401: The main sacrifice. In Haitian mythology, there are multiple spiritual entities, or lwa , that work between the mortal world and the divine world. Ezili are feminine spirits that personify different aspects of womanhood. Ezili Freda is a Rada Loa who represents romantic love and erotic sexuality, while Ezili Dantor is Petro and represents the hardworking and sometimes angry mother, although she

5360-408: The other being Ezili. They are English interpretations of a Creole word, but do not differ in meaning. Tuesdays are the days reserved to worship Ezili Dantor. Worship is normally done in solitary in front of an altar identified by the colors blue, black and red. The most recurrent sacrifices consist of crème de cacao , jewels, golden rings and Agua de Florida . For her birthday a wild pig is normally

5440-479: The place." Our Lady of Mount Carmel was adopted in the 19th century as the patron saint of Chile . Since the 15th century, popular devotion to Our Lady of Mount Carmel has centered on the Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel , also known as the Brown Scapular. Traditionally, Mary is said to have given the Scapular to an early Carmelite named Simon Stock (1165–1265). The liturgical feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel

5520-427: The possessing lwa. Alternatively, the clothes are brought out and they are dressed in the peristil itself. Once the chwal has been dressed, congregants kiss the floor before them. These costumes and props help the chwal take on the appearance of the lwa. Many ounfo have a large wooden phallus on hand which is used by those possessed by Ghede lwa during their dances. The chwal takes on the behaviour and expressions of

5600-410: The possessing lwa; their performance can be very theatrical. Those believing themselves possessed by the serpent Damballa, for instance, often slither on the floor, dart out their tongue, and climb the posts of the peristil. Those possessed by Zaka, lwa of agriculture, will dress as a peasant in a straw hat with a clay pipe and will often speak in a rustic accent. The chwal will often then join in with

5680-475: The possession are considered the chwal (horse) of the lwa. Through possessing an individual, Vodouists believe, the lwa can communicate with other humans, offering advice, admonishment, or healing. During the Atlantic slave trade of the 16th to 19th centuries, enslaved West Africans brought their traditional religions with them. In the French colony of Saint-Domingue , which became the republic of Haiti in

5760-413: The religion note that Èzili Dantò is nonspeaking as a result of her tongue being cut out by other Haitian Revolutionaries who feared she would betray them. Èzili Dantò only utters syllables during possession because of this, and is capable of becoming extremely angry and vengeful, to the point that she is considered evil, though she is not inherently so. Other adherents believe she does not speak because she

5840-418: The sea or in rivers. Vodouists believe that the lwa communicate with humans through dreams and through the possession of human beings. During rituals, the lwa are summoned through designs known as veve . These are sketched out on the floor of the ceremonial space using cornmeal, ash, coffee grounds, or powdered eggshells. The lwa are associated with specific Roman Catholic saints. For instance, Azaka,

5920-406: The spelling loa , although in 2008 the historian Jeffrey E. Anderson wrote that the spelling loa was typically found in older works on the topic, having fallen out of favor with scholarly writers. The spelling lwa has been favored by more recent scholarly writers including Anderson, Ramsey, the anthropologist Karen McCarthy Brown , the scholar of religious studies Leslie Desmangles , and

6000-489: The street to watch the procession and were not trapped inside the destroyed buildings. Therefore, the city commemorates the 1894 procession each year, accompanied by firecrackers, lights, and festive stalls. The Catholic Church has officially recognized the miracle. On 16 November 1896, the statue of the Virgin was crowned, based on the decree issued 22 September 1895, by the Vatican Chapter. The first atomic bomb

6080-472: The terms for the law and the Vodou spirits may not be "mere linguistic coincidence" but could reflect the complex interactions of African and French colonial cultures in Haiti. Several spelling for lwa have been used. Early 20th-century writers on Haitian religion, such as Price-Mars, usually spelled the term loi . During that century, writers like the American anthropologist Melville Herskovits favored

6160-649: Was exploded in the United States at the Trinity test site on 16 July 1945, near Alamogordo, New Mexico . The Catholic anti-war movement has built on the coincidence between this date and the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. In 1990 the Rev. Emmanuel Charles McCarthy , a priest of the Eastern Rite (Byzantine-Melkite) of the Catholic Church, initiated the "16 July Twenty-Four Hours Day of Prayer," for forgiveness and protection from Our Lady of Mount Carmel, at Trinity Site in

6240-473: Was restored and a relic of Saint Simon Stock was placed there in 1951. The saint's feast is celebrated in the places dedicated to him. Also associated with Our Lady of Carmel was a papal bull saying that there was a Sabbatine privilege associated with devotion to the saint; that is, until the late 1970s, the Catholic liturgy for that day mentioned the scapular devotion. Vatican II resulted in scrutiny of

6320-457: Was the date of the vision (16 July being the date of the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel), which led for centuries to a strong association between this feast day and the scapular devotion. Based on available historical documentation, the liturgical feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel did not originally have a specific association with the Brown Scapular or the tradition of Stock's vision of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This tradition grew gradually, as did

6400-466: Was the only religious order to be started in the Crusader States . In the 13th century, some of its people migrated west to England, setting up a chapter and being documented there about 1241–1242. A tradition first attested to in the late 14th century says that Simon Stock , believed to be an early English prior general of the Carmelite Order soon after its migration to England, had a vision of

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