San Benito Filadelfo, called the Black or the Moro was born in the year 1526 in an Italian village of San Fratello name, located in the province of Messina, Sicily. His parents were African slaves, but unlike them, he was free thanks to the promise that the love of his parents when he was not yet born. As a gesture of kindness, the love the couple promised to color, the first child who had granted him freedom. And so it was.

“As actually happened, the eldest son of Christopher Manassari and Larcari Diana, was free and that is why we Cristobal, he called by name Benedict, which means free,” said the pastor of the Church of the Morochas The city of Cabimas, Luberto Rios.

From a very young man, St. Benedict began in the religious world. In the twenties he joined a group of Franciscans eremitas, becoming since then in a faithful follower of the example of the saint from Assisi. It was never a priest, but that was no impediment to being a selfless spiritual guide that earned him, among other things, the appointment of superior of the Convent of Santa Maria de Jesus, in Palermo, where he was 24 years of his life.

Benedict was a cook special. What good would come of spicy stews Anafe friar’s black? What exquisite desserts angélicos prepared cuisine repostero color of coal? What delectable menu would come out of their hands stained recias and cook lego? The story does culinary memory of this. The uniqueness of Benedict is that, in addition to being a good cook, is admirable for his piety, for his humility and the miraculous healings that lavished.

Later he became master of novices and, as has, again cook, that was what he loved. It was, in the strictest sense, a saint among pots. What matter the color? The sick people storm the convent kitchen, the Black, asking for healing prayer for his unerring and his gesture of taumaturgo between the fumes of the cooker, the smell of the pots, pans from the mist and Monde on the day. He was a man of extraordinary kindness and a sublime prayer.

Drums and alcohol

The cult of the saint black, is also known as San Benito, in our country goes back to the days of La Colonia. It tells the story of a group of evangelists Spaniards came to the peoples of South Lake, as Bobures and Gibraltar, with the aim of bringing the word of the Lord of slaves.

As the majority of the inhabitants of these two peoples of color slaves brought by white people, obviously can not introduce a Holy blank, that’s why I decided to show the evangelizers the figure of Saint Benedict of Palermo.

Since then, and thanks to the miracles and favors that San Benito was giving those men and women repressed, initiated the worship of the Holy black.

The feasts of St. Benedict of Palermo in the Punjab are very particular, as the tap dancing and drumming, and alcohol are central to its veneration. The chimbanguele is the official dance that runs in honor of the saint of color.

San Benito Ajé!, is the exclamation point when it is said with hands extended upward and sideways, and to the sound of the drums are approaching the black saint who is charged by four men who also danced to the rhythm of chimbanguele .

“The slaves who had nothing to offer to San Benito. The only thing they owned was their dancing and consuming alcohol to forget their sorrows. From there is where the tradition of dance when I get in procession and to get liquor on his feet, but not in the body, “he said the pastor of the Church of the Morochas The city of Cabimas.

The priest noted that “it is a serious fault that the holy baths with rum or any other kind of alcohol. It is also considered severe that people are drunk on behalf of San Benito. Can take because that is the tradition, but not to get drunk. ”