A Cuban worshiper crawls past icons of Saint Lazarus as she arrives at the shrine of Saint Lazarus December 17 in the town of El Rincon, some 30 km from Havana city. The annual pilgrimage to one of Cuba's most sacred icons drew large crowds of both Roman Catholic believers and followers of the Afro-Cuban Santeria faith for whom Saint Lazarus also symbolises the deity of Babalu-Aye, introduced by African slaves brought to Cuba when it was a Spanish colony.

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