Maria Lionza Pilgrimage (20 images)

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  • Sorte mountain in Yaracuy, Venezuela is home to the "altar mayor" or high alter to Maria Lionza, an indian goddess revered across Venezuela and the Caribbean. Every 12th of October, her followers make a pilgrimage to the mountain to pay homage to "La Reina" (Queen) Maria and a pantheon of other saints and deities revered in the Maria Lionza religion.

  • Caravans of Maria Lionza followers gear up outside of the Quibayo base camp to buy supplies such as candles, figurines, elixers, cigars, flowers and fruit that they'll use to make alters and perform rituals with during their pilgrimage to Sorte mountain.


  • Assorted cards of saints and deities for sale in a shop outside of the Quibayo base camp. Followers place the cards on the alters that they construct in Sorte mountain, make rituals and ask the saints, ranging from indian chiefs to doctors, political leaders such as Simon Bolivar, to deceased "malandros" or gangsters to bless areas of their lives, including health, love, finances, etc.

  • Followers of Maria Lionza perform purification rituals in the river that runs through Sorte Mountain National Park in Yaracuy, Venezuela.

  • Children participating in the Maria Lionza pilgrimage playfully perform their own version of the purification rituals in the river that runs through Sorte Mountain National Park in Yaracuy, Venezuela.

  • A follower of Maria Lionza bathes in the river that runs through Sorte Mountain National Park in Yaracuy, Venezuela as part of a purification ritual.

  • Followers of Maria Lionza bathe and perform purification rituals in the river that runs through Sorte Mountain National Park in Yaracuy, Venezuela.

  • Followers of Maria Lionza perform a ritual during their pilgrimage to Sorte Mountain in Yaracuy, Venezuela. During the ritual, to the rhythm of drum beats, spiritual leaders smoke cigars, blow whiskey and assist participants to enter a spiritual trance.

  • Followers of Maria Lionza perform a ritual to cure a problem with this man's job during their pilgrimage to Sorte Mountain in Yaracuy, Venezuela. During the ritual, to the rhythm of drum beats, spiritual leaders smoke cigars, blow whiskey and assist participants to enter a spiritual trance.

  • A man in a trance makes a pact with a spiritual leader to be more responsible and to work harder at his job. Members of his caravan performed this ritual with him to cure problems he was having at his workplace during their pilgrimage to Sorte Mountain in Yaracuy, Venezuela.

  • A follower of Maria Lionza smokes a cigar as part of a ritual during her pilgrimage to Sorte Mountain in Yaracuy, Venezuela to pay homage to Maria Lionza. Cigars and liquor are a vital part of the rituals.

  • An alter constructed in Sorte Mountain during the Maria Lionza pilgrimage in Yaracuy, Venezuela.

  • A man said to be possessed by a Viking spirit makes prophesies in a strange, growling voice to a group of Maria Lionza followers during their pilgrimage to Sorte mountain in Yaracuy, Venezuela. While possessed, the man partially cut his tongue, suck nails into his face and bled profusely, covering his white clothing with red stains.

  • Followers of Maria Lionza show their devotion to their Indian goddess by walking through heaps of burning embers during the "Baile en Candela" ritual during their pilgrimage to Sorte mountain in Caracas, Venezuela.

  • A man lights a cigar during the "Baile en Candela" ritual during his pilgrimage to pay homage to Maria Lionza in Sorte Mountain in Yaracuy, Venezuela.

  • Followers of Maria Lionza show their devotion to their Indian goddess by walking through heaps of burning embers during the "Baile en Candela" ritual during their pilgrimage to Sorte mountain in Caracas, Venezuela.

  • A family from Caracas performs a ritual asking various saints to bless their children with evolution, health, well being and education. As the children lay surrounded by candles, intricate chalk patters and flowers, the adult family members beat drums and chanted, smoked cigars and poured flower petals and perfumes on their children.

  • A child trembles and cries while his family performs a ritual asking various saints to bless him and their other children with evolution, health, well being and education. As the children lay surrounded by candles, intricate chalk patters and flowers, the adult family members beat drums and chanted, smoked cigars and poured flower petals and perfumes on their children.

  • Followers of Maria Lionza show their devotion to their Indian goddess by walking through heaps of burning embers during the "Baile en Candela" ritual during their pilgrimage to Sorte mountain in Caracas, Venezuela.

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