Shango Bath

Shango is the owner of fire, lightning, thunder, and war, but he is also the patron of music, drumming, and dancing. He represents male beauty and virility, passion, and power. His colors are red and white, and his eleke (sacred necklace) is made of alternating red and white beads. His number is 6, and his day of the week is Friday and the 4th day of every month. He's syncretized with Santa Barbara because she's portrayed in Catholic lore as a fiercely independent and brave young woman, dressed usually in a red and white costume, holding a sword and wearing a crown-like Shango. The feast day for Shango/ Santa Barbara is December 4, one of the most important festival days in Cuba. In a way, it's surprising that such a powerful masculine Orisha is syncretized with a female saint, but there are underlying similarities between their stories. For example, Santa Barbara's torturer was struck down by a lightning bolt, which is Shango's favorite weapon. And according to a patakÌ_ (sacred stor