Vodou Lwa, Voodoo Spirits and Catholic Saint Counterparts
The Vodou Lwa, Voodoo Spirits and their Catholic Saint counterparts. Who were the Vodou Lwa most closely syncretized to when they came to the new world in the New Orleans Voodoo tradition and in the Haitian Vodou religion?
This section serves as a basic primer of the Voodoo Spirits, the Vodou Lwa and their Catholic counterparts. These are the most common Catholic Saints traditionally associated with the Vodou spirits as found within the Haitian Vodou religion, New Orleans Voodoo traditions and other spiritual paths of the African traditional religions as represented at Erzulie’s Voodoo in New Orleans.
The following overview of the Voodoo spirits and their Catholic counterparts are not intended to replace the vast history or the culturally rich, and complex theology. Instead, this is to provide general foundational concepts as to which Catholic Saints the Vodou Lwa are most closely associated with due to the African diaspora (slave trade) and acquaint you with the power and beauty of the mysteries of Vodou.
More comprehensive information on the Voodoo Spirits and their Catholic Saint Counterparts can found within our Vodou App available on app on iTunes & Google Play. If you wish to discuss the Vodou tradition, this spiritual path and how the Vodou can assist you with your spiritual needs, our initiated practitioners are always available for a spiritual consultation. Alafia from all of us at Erzulie’s Voodoo in New Orleans!
The origins of Louisiana Voodoo and New Orleans Voodoo remain the subject of controversy, with much conflicting information available. One thing is certain, however: Louisiana Voodoo and New Orleans had the most African-influenced slave culture in colonial America. Thus, many traditions survived that were elsewhere eradicated. New Orleans also had more oversight from the Catholic Church than Haiti, where the revolution allowed practice to continue unmolested.
However, with the purchase of Louisiana by the United States in 1803, much of the religious expression went underground while more practical work could continue in private. Further, slaves were prohibited by religious laws from working on Sundays where they were relegated to gather in Place Congo or better known as Congo Square.
While more public Voodoo rituals took place there, slaves seeking further privacy worshiped in other places such as Lake Pontchartrain and Bayou St. John. These locations displayed more traditional practice than the performance-oriented Congo Square rituals. After the Haitian Revolution of 1804, Voodoo was suppressed due to the fear of slave uprisings.
Voodoo and the Catholic Saints:
In New Orleans, many traditional Voodoo altars are decorated with Catholic saints. This is because, to avoid persecution, many practitioners syncretized the Lwa and Orisha with the saints. This practice has also led to the incorrect belief that Voodoo is descended from Catholicism, even though the African religions it is based on predate Christianity by thousands of years. Here are some of the more sought after and renowned Vodou Lwa and their Catholic Saint counterparts for your reference and to petition for your Voodoo Spells and Rituals:
Voodoo Lwa and their Catholic Saint Counterparts in the Vodou Religion:
We sincerely hope this introduction on the Vodou Lwa, Voodoo Spirits and their Catholic Saint Counterparts assists you with exploring the many expertly written articles on the Voodoo religion through the Erzulie’s website, and any future journey of discovering the magical and mysterious world of Vodou! To learn more about the Vodou religion, Vodou rituals and Vodou altars & shrines, download our comprehensive Vodou app available on iTunes & Google Play. Alafia from all of us at Erzulie’s!