Osain the Orisha del Monte, his History and religious Syncretism

osain He is the Orisha who represents nature and its secrets, a wise deity who knows the properties of all plants, animals and minerals.

He is also a fortune teller and with all the knowledge he saves life and strengthens himself for war. He is a doctor and wise, owner of all the secrets of plants.

Who is Osain in Santeria?

Osain is the absolute owner of the mountain and from the vegetation that is gathered there, he knows each herb and its particular ashé, and uses them to do good. He is a healer and a magician, a hunter and a celibate. There are those who have him as a guardian and consultant. He takes refuge in the middle of the mountain, where he lives alone.

The songs for Osain are extremely important in every ceremony of consecration and spiritual purification and especially for the making of the Omiero for the spiritual cleansing of the devotees. The songs of Osain invoke his presence at the ceremony to bless the herbs to be used.

What is the Osain Treaty?

It exists in the Rule of the Ocha (Santeria) the so-called Treaty of Osain, which brings together all the knowledge of the nature and properties of the herbs or Ewe used in Santeria.

This is included in an encyclopedic text, a must-read for all Osainists, who are those who receive the Orisha's teachings.

This three-volume treatise establishes the characteristics of each of the herbs used in spiritual works, in addition to the prayers and prayers that must be pronounced for ceremonies and rituals.

History of Osain del Monte

According to several Yoruba Pataki, Osain is a man with physical imperfections. He has only one eye, one leg, one arm, a large ear, and a small one that he listens for.

On the history of the imperfections of Osain del Monte, we can find some patakies, for example another legend says that Osain gained his defects and lost his limbs due to anger and rays of Shango.

Patakí de Osain and the fortune teller Orula

This Patakí tells that Osain, the Orisha who came out of the earth like grass, was curious and mischievous.

And so he decided one day to annoy the great diviner Orisha, orula. Osain made him iká (Hex) and the god of the Oracle did not know where he came from or how to protect himself from evil, so he was more and more restless.

Orula was embarrassed by so many disorders and could not eat or sleep in peace. That is why one day he decided to consult with Chango, king of thunder, to find out who his enemy was who was throwing so many evils at him.

orula discover your enemy

Chango after a consultation, ordered him to do a job with twelve burning cotton wicks and twelve odduará or lightning stones.

At the same time, Osain was in the bush looking for herbs to continue to harm the great fortune-teller, content with his antics.

And Orula, who was doing this ebbó (cleaning), began to do the invocations and light the fuses, unleashing an immense storm of lightning that trapped Osain in the middle of the mountain.

From one moment to another, lightning struck and Osain was caught between two fires. This is how the Orisha of nature lost his limbs and his missing eye.

When Orula saw Osain physically injured, he knew who his enemy was and from that moment on they did not get along.

Osain syncretism

In the process of transculturation associated with the slave stage, the African slaves syncretized Osain with various saints of the Catholic cult in order to continue showing their devotion without their masters knowing.

That is why Osain syncretizes with:

San Antonio Abad
San Silvestre

Saint Anthony the Abbot, patron saint of animals

It is San Antonio Abad or San Antón, known as the Patron of basket weavers, brush makers, cemeteries, butchers and domestic animals.

His story He says that he is a model of ascetic spirituality, since he was a Christian monk, founder of the hermitic movement and represents the man who grows in holiness.

In the figure of Antonio Abad, historical elements and others of a legendary character converge, since it is said that he abandoned his property to lead a hermit existence and dedicate himself to study and prayer.

Very young, he went to the desert to do penance and they say that there the Evil One subjected him to all kinds of temptations that Antonio Abad managed to overcome. Later he locked himself up in a castle for twenty years, leading a life of perfect chastity and fasting and for this reason many revere him as the true model of Christianity.

He died around the year 356, on Mount Colzim, near the Red Sea. It is said that, of advanced age, some legends indicate that, at the age of 105, but his date of birth is not really known.

His image is represented with the black habit of the Hospitallers and the tau or the Egyptian cross that became the emblem as it was known.

The so-called order of the Antonians, in his honor, cared for patients with contagious ailments: plague, leprosy, scabies, venereal diseases and especially ergotism, also called the fire of San Antón, sacred fire or shingles. They settled at various points on the Camino de Santiago, on the outskirts of the cities.

Prayer to Saint Anthony the Abbot for the animals:

For this reason, many pray to San Antonio Abad for the health and well-being of pets, as he is considered the protector of animals.

We offer below a prayer to pray to San Antón for the protection of all the animals of the world:

Heavenly Lord, Creator Father of all things,
today I want to ask for your mercy and compassion for my pet,
and through the mediation of Saint Anthony the Abbot,
also called Saint Anton, the great protector of animals,
how much love these creatures had,
I beg you never to leave him
grant him health, that he does not suffer or suffer,
that he is not sad, that he does not lack strength
do not feel pain or anguish,
do not feel alone
and always have someone by your side who cares for you with love.
By the power of Your love,
allow… (pet's name)
live happy and healthy,
May I have everything you need according to Your desire.
Take care of it and protect it,
that he does not lack food, bed and rest,
that does not lack friends, love and respect,
put your hand on him if he falls ill,
do not allow anything or anyone to harm you,
nor is it lost or stolen,
I love him as one more member of the family
and I will always be by your side
giving you all my love and meeting your needs.
I ask for your special blessing and help
right now that ... (pet's name)
needs so much from you,
(ask for health, or theft, or loss, protection, problems ...):
(to make the request).
Lord, I also pray that,
through the intercession of Saint Anthony the Abbot,
have mercy on men who out of ignorance
they mistreat animals,
teach them to love them as your creatures.
Lord, have mercy on domestic animals,
that are so often given up and abandoned,
without any defense,
to indifference and human cruelty:
do not leave them alone with their sorrows.
Lord God have mercy on the animals
like the lion, the tiger, the monkey, the elephant
and other species that are caught
to be taken to circuses or zoos:
give all of them a safe haven in their habitat.
Lord have mercy on the farm animals
that grow inside inhospitable habitats,
as well as those animals that in slaughterhouses
they are slaughtered without anesthesia: embrace them with their pain.
Lord have mercy on the experimental animals
make them stop these practices and save them from their suffering.
Lord, you who infused in San Antonio Abad
a great love of poverty and respect for animals,
have mercy on all suffering animals
and make a more just society based on love and peace
of all the beings that populate the planet.
Amen.

Saint Sylvester, Supreme Pontiff

Silvestre was the son of a Roman nobleman who became Pope early, due to the death of several of his predecessors in the chair of Saint Peter.

Saint Sylvester I, Pope of the Catholic Church, had to grow up in the face of difficulties, because even in his youth he had to act as the highest representative of Christianity in a time of persecution and at the same time that Emperor Constantine I the Great decreed full freedom to practice in everywhere the religion of Jesus Christ.

He suffered the last periods of persecution of Christians, but it is said in the text known as “Donation of Constantine” that the sovereign, repentant, prostrated himself before him and gave him the imperial crown, as well as the purple and the other signs of the power of Rome. It was Sylvester who baptized him as the first Christian emperor.

San Silvestre is credited with the official institution of Sunday as the Lord's Day, to remember the Resurrection and is also considered the inspirer of the Iron Crown, which was made with a nail from the True Cross.

He also supported priests and the faithful in need and instituted the first cathedral in Rome, called San Juan de Letrán.

Saint Sylvester was the first pope who did not die a martyr, but did die as a saint, on December 31, 335. The Church includes his name in the litany of Saints and in his honor the "Pontifical Equestrian Order of Saint Sylvester Pope and Martyr" was proclaimed. », also known as the Silvestrine Order.

Prayer to Saint Sylvester for prosperity:

We pray to San Silvestre fundamentally to ward off evils from home, witchcraft and attract good fortune, love and abundance.

We propose a prayer to pray to Saint Silvestre for the protection of the home:

This is the Holy Cross where our Lord died. Father San Silvestre, Monte Mayor, I beg you to free my body and my house from all evildoers, witches, sorcerers, men and women of evil living from all the evil that they wish for me and my family, my visible and invisible enemies, no they can come to me.
In the Sacred Heart of Jesus, I ask that, by pouring the sugar into this Bath, which as it is sweetened, it sweetens my future and that of my family.
I ask in the name of Saint Teresa of Jesus, that, when you throw the Basil, everything bad that is inside my house and my family be scared away and move away.
I ask in the name of the Holy Cross that, by taking the step, according to the seeds it carries, between honestly money and abundance, health through the door of my house and through the house of all my family.
And lastly I ask on behalf of the Kings of Heaven, Jesus, Mary and Joseph, that by watering this bathroom in my living room now that it is twelve o'clock, good luck may come to everyone ...
In the name of the Lord. Amen