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It was common in Brazil, where I lived as a child, to see animal sacrifices in our neighborhood crossroads. As much as we tried not to look, we inadvertently found ourselves staring in fear and disgust at the splattered blood, melted candles, libation, and cigar offerings set before us. Practitioners of the Afro-Brazilian Yoruba religions mostly sacrificed chickens to appeal to or appease the spirits, but occasionally, other animals, such as cats and dogs, were used. Other places for sacrificial ceremonies were at cemeteries, the beach, in the woods, or near waterfalls.

Although many African diaspora religions are practiced here in the United States, Santería is growing rapidly in urban America, according to an article in the Christian Research Institute. It’s commonly believed that between 75 to 100 million people practice Santería around the world per the website About Santeria. Throughout the years, both Santería and Palo Mayombe have made headline news in connection to legal and criminal cases in this country.

Santeros [Santería practitioners] now number about 100,000 in South Florida and 1 million nationwide, says anthropologist Rafael Martinez, who has worked with the Dade County (Miami) Medical Examiner’s Office investigating crime scenes linked to Afro-Caribbean religions.¹Evan Perez, Los Angeles Times, “Santeria Faith Emerging From Shadows,” December 31, 1995

What is Santeria?²Harvard University-The Pluralism Project, “Santeria: La Regla de Ocha-Ifa and Lukumi,” December 18, 2024

Santería, also known as La Regla Lukumí or Regla de Ocha, an Afro-Caribbean spiritual practice from Cuba and practiced all over the world, arrived in the US via Cuban immigrants. Similar to Haitian Voodoo, Brazilian Candomblé, Umbanda, and Quimbanda, Santería is a syncretic belief system between West African Yoruba religion, Roman Catholicism, and Spiritism. Spirit deities known in Spanish as Orichas (Orishas in Yoruban), which are associated with Roman Catholic Saints, are worshiped. Olodumare is the supreme creator god of Santería. The energy power from this god is known as Ashé or asé, pronounced “ashay.” Santería translates to “way of the saints,” but Regla de Ocha, meaning “the rule of the orishas,” is considered Santería’s official name. La Regla Lukumí translates to “the order of Lukumí. Lukimí is a Yoruba greeting meaning “my friend.”

Worship in Santeria

The syncretic beliefs of Santería with Roman Catholic saint worship stem from the African diaspora throughout the Americas and Caribbean.

Born of a marriage of Roman Catholicism and religions practiced by West African slaves brought to the Caribbean, Santeria has evolved into a distinct faith. Slaves prayed to their gods from the Yoruba culture in what is now Nigeria but adopted Roman Catholic saints as equivalents to appease their masters bent on converting them… The saint worship that developed in Santeria centers on…deities with responsibility for various forces in nature.³Evan Perez, Los Angeles Times, “Santeria Faith Emerging From Shadows,” December 31, 1995

 In summary, followers of Santería believe in one creator god, worship orisha deities syncretized with Roman Catholic Saints, and put great emphasis on ancestor worship.

Reverence for one’s ancestors is fundamental to the Santería religion and before every ceremony, libation and prayers to the ancestors are carried out. It is important to know and mention by name the members of one’s family that have passed to the realm of the ancestors.⁴Begin/Again: Marking Black Memories, “Santeria,” December 18, 2024

Rituals of Santeria

Dancing, playing drums, and spirit possession known as “mounting” are rituals that usually take place in a hall or private home. Statues of saints or orixás are displayed in altars with candles, flowers, and other offerings. Divination is also performed by a trained priest called Babalawo who interprets palm nuts that reveal orishas’ messages. Animal sacrifice is an important ritual in Santería. Sacrifices are used during priest initiations, marriages, births, deaths, and for healing ceremonies.

The animals are killed by cutting the carotid arteries with a single knife stroke in a similar way to other religious methods of slaughter. Animals are cooked and eaten following all Santeria rituals (except healing and death rites, where the sickness is believed to pass into the dead animal). Eating the sacrificed animal is considered a sharing with the Orisha, who only consumes the animal’s blood, while the worshippers eat the meat. Sacrificial animals include chickens (the most common), pigeons, doves, ducks, guinea pigs, goats, sheep, and turtles.⁵BBC, Religions Sacrifice, “Animal Sacrifice in Santeria,” September 15, 2009

Legal Matters in Santeria

In 1987, after announcing plans to open The Church of the Lukumi Babalu Aye in Hialeah, Florida, the city council passed ordinances banning animal sacrifices. Citing concerns for animal cruelty, including health risks, housing, slaughtering, and disposal of animals at the church’s location that was not zoned for these practices. The city estimated that approximately 10,000 animals were sacrificed in these ceremonies.

The church filed suit, and the federal district court ruled for the city. However, in 1993, the Supreme Court unanimously reversed this ruling, stating that the city of Hialeah targeted, and sought to suppress a religious practice: Church of the Lukumi Babalu Aye v. City of Hialeah, 508 U.S. 520 (1993)

The Tampa Bay Times reported in 2019 that a woman was shocked to find three headless chickens outside a cemetery gate. The chicken heads lay beside the carcasses with the legs wrapped in ribbons. The article titled “Santería or Voodoo, They’re Used to Headless Chickens at Tampa Cemetery,” included the following subtitle: “Animal sacrifice for religious purposes is a protected right, but leaving carcasses behind is not.”

Tori Lockler, professor of religious studies at the University of South Florida stated in the article:

When people think of the dark side, they are thinking of the pop culture version of these traditions. In reality, they are asking for help.

Lockler explained that by offering blood or energy from the animal, it is believed that the animal is taking on the illness of that individual.

John Rañon also stated in this article that sacrifices were seen at the cemetery intermittently every few months. He added that the chickens were usually left at the gate but sometimes were found on graves. The article explains that when Santería practitioners bring sacrifices to the cemetery, they deliver them to a grave to ask for the ancestor’s help.

According to Florida statute, “It is unlawful to dispose of the carcass of any domestic animal by dumping such carcass on any public road or right-of-way, or in any place where such carcass can be devoured by beast or bird.” The state considers all poultry to be domestic animals. The infraction is a second-degree misdemeanor, punishable by up to 60 days in jail, six months’ probation, and/or a $500 fine.⁶Paul Guzzo, “Santería or Voodoo, They’re Used to Headless Chickens at Tampa Cemetery,” Tampa Bay Times, November 27, 2019

The New York Post article, “Animal sacrifices on the rise in Queens with chickens, pigs being tortured in ‘twisted’ rituals,” reported in September of 2024 that in a little over a month, at least nine wounded animals or carcasses were recovered from Howard Beach and the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. Even though the article suggests that the animals tortured or killed were linked to Hindu devotees who worship the goddess Kali, Santería and Voodoo were also mentioned.

Followers of other religions whose rituals involve animal sacrifice, such as Santeria and Voodoo, also have been known to use beaches and parks surrounding Jamaica Bay to carry out bloody rites. The US Supreme Court upheld the right to animal sacrifice on religious grounds in a 1993 ruling. Under New York State law, however, aggravated cruelty to animals, meanwhile is a felony punishable by up to two years in prison.⁷Matthew Sedacca, “Animal sacrifices on the rise in Queens with chickens, pigs being tortured in ‘twisted’ rituals,” New York Post, September 7, 2024

Santeria in Culture

Beyonce, Jay Z, Chaka Khan, and Jennifer Lopez are just a few names on the ever-growing list of celebrities who practice African diaspora religions. The BLM movement is a social justice movement, but first and foremost, it is a spiritual movement according to Melina Abdullah, co-founder of BLM-LA.  Patrice Cullors, co-founder of BLM, and other BLM activists openly practice Ifá, the Yoruba faith system that is the root of all African diaspora religions. The orixá gods of Ifá are worshiped in all Afro-American and Afro-Caribbean religions. When they chant, “Say their name,” during protests, they are performing a ritual by calling on the name of the dead.

“George Floyd. Asé. Philandro Castille. Asé. Andrew Joseph. Asé. Michael Brown. Asé…As each name was recited, Dr. Abdullah poured libations on the ground as the group of over 100 chanted “Asé,” a Yoruba term often used by practitioners of Ifa, a faith and divination system that originated in West Africa, in return. This ritual, Dr. Abdullah explained, is a form of worship.⁸Hebah Farrag, Berkley Forum, “The Fight for Black Lives is a Spiritual Movement,” June 9, 2020,

Many Christian leaders have no idea how spiritually dangerous these occult beliefs are. Without understanding how these religions operate, how will Christians be prepared to fight against the dark forces behind these practices? Most importantly, how can we reach African diaspora believers for Christ if we don’t know what they worship and what they put their faith in? The Bible teaches us that only God and Satan have spiritual powers. What powers are Santería believers putting their trust in?

When someone tells you to consult mediums and spiritists, who whisper and mutter, should not a people inquire of their God? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living? (Isaiah 8:19)

Palo Mayombe, another African diaspora religion that originated in Cuba and is commonly practiced in America, will be discussed in Part II of this article.

Ivani Greppi was introduced to the Umbanda (Yoruba-based) religion in Brazil at the age of fourteen. She was considered a medium from birth due to her psychic “gifts” of seeing the spirit world from early childhood. In 1997, she found deliverance and salvation in Jesus Christ. Her testimony, From Spirit Guides to the Holy Spirit is available in English and Portuguese on her website: Ivani Greppi. Drawing from her personal experiences, she wrote Cast Out: Chronicles of a Familiar Spirit, a Fiction/Christian/Historical novel that delves into Ivani’s and her ancestors’ spiritual journeys, spanning one hundred years across three continents.

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