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Cultural Approaches to Pediatric Palliative Care in Central Massachusetts: Santeria

This subject guide is a collaborative project with the Children's Medical Center Pediatric Palliative Care Team, the Lamar Soutter Library, and Interpreter Services.

Santeria

Santeria 

Basics
  • Similar to Voodoo spirituality
  • Mix of Catholic rituals and various African deities

Healing

  • May seek a Santeria priest for physical and mental healing who may use herbal formulas, prayers and ritual

Ceremonies
  • Mostly performed secretly at home because of Santeria’s stigma
  • Can include spells, magic, and animal sacrifice

Reproduced by permission from George Handzo, BCC at ghandzo@healthcarechaplaincy.org 

Dictionary of Patients' Spiritual & Cultural Values for Health Care Professionals were developed by the Pastoral Care Leadership and Practice Group of HealthCare Chaplaincy, New York, NY. (Revision and update of earlier work by the Rev. Susan Wintz, BCC and the Rev. Earl Cooper, BCC)