El Rincon - Santuario de San Lazaro Attractions

In the little village of El Rincon is the Santuario de San Lazaro, sight of a huge pilgrimage on December 17th. As many as 50,000 worshippers make the pilgrimage, leaving trails of blood from their scraped knees, as they make their way to the church. Santuario de San Lazaro is a large white church dedicated to the patron saint of the sick, St Lazarus. In the Afro-Cuban culture this same saint is known as Babalu Aye. The church stands next to a former lepers' hospital, which has been converted into a more modern hospital dealing with dermatological problems.

To the right of the church stands a fountain with holy water that worshippers believe will heal the sick and injured.