The Archdiocese of Santiago de Cuba reached out to its followers on social media this Sunday with a prayer to Saint Emigdius, the patron saint against earthquakes, in light of the ongoing seismic activity troubling the eastern region of Cuba. Highlighting Saint Emigdius of Ascoli, the diocese noted on Facebook, "In the midst of nature's unforeseen reactions, where earthquakes strike with uncontrollable force unexpectedly, the figure of Saint Emigdius of Ascoli emerges, revered for his special connection to protection against these seismic events."
The ecclesiastical seat elaborated that Saint Emigdius of Ascoli, the first bishop of Ascoli Piceno, is credited with safeguarding that Italian city, which remained undamaged after a regional earthquake in 1703. Since then, he has been honored as the patron of earthquakes.
The prayer to Saint Emigdius of Ascoli, highly recommended by Pope Benedict XVI, is invoked as a spiritual shield for those seeking refuge from the destructive power of earthquakes. The prayer reads: "May Our Lord bless us / and protect us, provide help and have mercy / on us, turn His gracious countenance towards us / and grant us peace and holiness. / May Our Lord bless this house and all who dwell within / and spare us from the might of the earthquake / by the sweetest name of Jesus. Amen. / Holy God, Mighty God, Immortal God. / Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory."
The diocese included an image of Saint Emigdius, venerated in the Holy Metropolitan Basilica Cathedral Church of Santiago de Cuba, alongside the prayer.
Faith as a Sanctuary Amidst Natural Disasters
Faith often serves as a sanctuary during natural disasters, as individuals cling to their beliefs, whatever they may be, in search of solace. In this context, the Casa del Caribe, based in Santiago de Cuba and a leading authority on Caribbean culture studies, popular religiosity, and Afro-Cuban traditions, announced on Facebook that the Yoruba association in the region performed ceremonies within the Osha-Ifa complex to "counteract negative energies."
According to the cultural institution, these rituals were led by babalawo Juan Martén Portuondo (Guancho Irete Anza), president of the Yoruba Cultural Association of Cuba in Santiago de Cuba. The Casa del Caribe explained that the goal of these ceremonies is to "counteract negative energies that might be affecting the country," highlighting "climatological phenomena and others that, by their nature, impact the normal course of daily life for Cubans."
Lastly, it was noted that the shared photos depicted "a ceremony of feeding the earth" and, additionally, due to the earthquakes impacting eastern Cuba, "a prayer or oriki for the Odun Iwori Ogbe," aimed at "counteracting and calming the fury of storms and disasters."