Naná Burukú and her Syncretism in Santeria: Ancestral Orisha

Nana Buruku She is a major Orisha of the Yoruba religion, recognized for her powerful gifts and immense wisdom.

Also known as Naná Burukú is the wise Orisha grandmother that represents strength and ancestral knowledge. It is said that it is very old and that as such, it demands respect from her devotees.

Who is Nana Burukú in Santeria?

This deity is attributed immense spirituality, and the Yoruba consider her Mother of God and Grandmother of all Obatala.

It is the mediator between life and death, since Naná is a powerful ancient force that goes above all in the head of the believer. It is said that it already existed before the arrival of Oduduwá to Ilé Ifé and its food is the spirit of the beings.

Naná has both male and female characteristics. She rules in nature in the powerful energy of the water holes, the mouths of rivers, swamps and lagoons.

The Arara origin cult considers her as Mother of Babalú Ayé or San Lázaro the patrons of diseases, or even one of their paths.

There are many babalawos who warn about Naná Burukú, saying that she is a mysterious and terrible deity if provoked, and that she lives in the form of a majá, in rivers, springs and wild reeds. For this reason, she is invoked in springs, lagoons, pools and rivers and it is said that she comes down dressed in the skin of the majá.

His attributes They are a knife made of wild cane, a majá coiled around the jar, a metal stomach and their element of power, the Ibirí (a bouquet of palm leaves or coastal straw curved with ornaments).

Syncretism of Naná Burukú

And as part of the transculturation process caused by the slavery stage, many of the Orishas were syncretized with the Catholic saints, as the colonialists prohibited the slaves from practicing their religion and decided to hide it.

And so Naná Burukú syncretizes with:

Santa Ana
Virgin of the Way

Santa Ana, Patroness of pregnant women

Santa Ana or Ana is considered the mother of the Virgin Mary, and therefore the grandmother of Jesus of Nazareth.

Her cult comes from the apocryphal gospels, which contain some data from historical documents and tell that Ana lived in Nazareth with her husband Joaquin, saddened by not having been able to have children.

It is said that Hannah cried out to the Lord asking Him to remove the curse of sterility from her and that, if she had the happiness of having a child, he would dedicate herself entirely to His service.

Then an angel appeared to them and told them that their prayers had been heard. Later, Ana gave birth to a daughter whom they named Miriam (María).

The veneration of Santa Ana as the mother of the Holy Virgin Mary dates back to the 1382th century. It was in 1584, that Urban VI published the first pontifical decree referring to Saint Anne, granting the celebration of the saint's feast to the bishops of England exclusively. The festivities spread throughout the Western Church in XNUMX.

Today, the cult of Saint Anne has spread worldwide and she is the representative virgin of many cities around the world. Today, hundreds of cities and towns have her as their patron saint. For example, she is the main patron saint of the province of Quebec in Canada and of Cuenca, Burgos, Asturias and Tenerife in Spain.

And with the extension of the Catholic cult to America, the veneration of Santa Ana also grew in this part of the world, distinguishing the United States, Puerto Rico, Cuba, El Salvador and Mexico.

Many pray to Santa Ana for the well-being of her children and relatives. She is regarded as the patroness against poverty, and protector of carpenters, childless people, landlords, housewives, grandmothers, cordon workers, lost items, miners, mothers, pregnant women, the Indian people, seamstresses and working women. .

Prayer to Saint Anne to ask for the children:

We propose below, a prayer to ask Santa Ana for her blessing for our children:

Glorious Saint Anne, Patroness of Christian families, to You I entrust my children. I know that I have received them from God and that they belong to God, therefore I beg you to grant me the grace to accept what his Divine Providence has for them.

Bless them oh Merciful Saint Anne, and take them under your protection. I am not asking you for exceptional privileges; I only want to consecrate their souls and bodies to you, so that you preserve both from all evil. To You I entrust their temporal needs and their eternal salvation.

Print to their hearts, my good Santa Ana, horror of sin; separate them from vice; preserve them from corruption; he preserves in his soul Christian faith, righteousness and sentiments; and teach them, as you taught Your Most Pure Daughter the Immaculate Virgin Mary, to love God above all things.

Santa Ana, You who were a Mirror of Patience, grant me the virtue of suffering with patience and love the difficulties that arise in the education of my children. For them and for me, I ask Your blessing, oh Kind Heavenly Mother.

May we always honor you, like Jesus and Mary; that we live according to the will of God; and that after this life we find bliss in the other, reuniting with You in glory for all eternity.

So be it.

Virgen del Camino, protector of the roads

The Virgin of the Way, known as the protector of roads, is a Marian devotion from Spain and the patron saint of the region of León and the city of Pamplona. The Virgin of the Way is part of the French Way of St. James and is the centre of an important pilgrimage in honour of Saint Froilán.

The Holy See appointed La Virgen del Camino patron of the León Region since 1914 and in 1961 a Basilica was inaugurated there in honor of the Virgin, belonging to the Dominican order entrusted by the Bishop of León, Luis Almarcha.

And it is that legend has it that the Virgin Mary appeared to a shepherd named Alvar Simón Fernández and entrusted him to notify the bishop so that he could place his image there.

The Sovereign Lady is said to have picked up a small stone, placed it in the shepherd's sling, and threw it. He then told the pastor that the bishop would believe him, because he would find the stone so large that it would be a sufficient sign that she was sending it and that it was her will and that of her Son that the image be placed.

As a result of this legend, Pope Pius X changed the previous title of Patroness of León de la Virgen del Camino, to that of Principal Patroness of the Region of León.

Likewise, Pope Benedict XV granted that she could be canonically crowned in 1930 and during the Spanish Civil War, on May 19, 1938, she was granted the title of Perpetual Regidora of the city of León.

The Sanctuary of the Virgen del Camino is located in the town of the same name, 6 kilometers from the León region and next to the León-Astorga highway.

The Virgen del Camino is also known as Patroness of the roads and protector of travelers, as well as Honorary and Perpetual Councilor of the Valverde de la Virgen town hall. His liturgical celebration takes place on September 15.

The Virgen del Camino is prayed for protection from enemies and good fortune. She is asked by those who undertake dangerous journeys and those in need of better luck.

Prayer to Our Lady of the Way for protection and help:

Those who want their paths to be opened, dedicate the following prayer to him for 21 days:

Oh! Virgin Mother of the Way, our hope, our advocate,

Take me under your protection, guide me and lead me on the right path

Let not my enemies persecute me, nor with entanglements; that eyes have and do not see me;

That they have hands and do not touch me; have feet and do not reach me

And if you have thoughts, don't think of me.

Oh! Mighty Virgin of the Way, sublime influence of the Eternal Father,

I invoke your help through the Holy Spirit, so that the good star shines on my path

I invoke the God of the heights so that my home and my life prosper,

May my person receive a message of luck and protection, I implore your Supreme Majesty.

Cover me with your mantle of grace

I want peace, tranquility, prosperity and harmony

Cover us with your veil of grace and the splendor of your magnificence,

Amen.