On a tour of the Regla Museum you’ll see religious art housed inside the Church of Nuestra Señora de la Merced (Our Lady of Mercy). You’ll have a specialized guide who can explain the cultural context of this art, which has significance for both Catholicism and Santería.

The Church of Nuestra Señora de la Merced is home to one of the most famous religious icon in all of Cuba, La Santísima Virgen de Regla. This version of the Virgin Mary is black, which is important for Cubans, many of whom have African heritage. In Santería she also represents the African goddess of the ocean, Yemayá.

You can see other works of art in this that shows the combination of African and Catholic traditions. The virgin attracts huge numbers of pilgrims from all over the country, especially on her festival day of September 8th.