Saint Raphael Rafael Balendjo Agwe 8x11 Image Lwa Lithograph Espiritismo Spiritual picture altar Chromolithographs drapo flag statue cromos

We have over 50 high quality, large 8 x 11 inches (22cm x 28cm)
Color Lithographs for Vodou Lwa, Santeria / Lucumi, Palo, Espiritismo, Arara, etc. Old school, authentic, beautiful.

Saint Raphael - Tobias large color image. Syncretized with Inle - Erinle Abatan, Also Rafaelo Balendjo in 21 Divisions Sanse Divisiones and some see St Raphael as Met Agwe / Agoue in some lineages of Vodou.

We have over 50 high quality, large 8 x 11 inches (22cm x 28cm)
Color Lithographs for Vodou Lwa, Santeria / Lucumi, Palo, Espiritismo, Arara, etc. Old school, authentic, beautiful.

These are professionally printed, traditional cromos or chromolithographs of the Catholic saints, Virgins, and other entities (such as San Cipriano, La Mano Poderoso, Siete Potencias Africanas, and so on), please check out all our listings and ask for any you do not see.

Saints: St Ulrich or St Raphael Arkanj

Colours: White and blue; sometimes gold and sea-green also

Raphael, in the Bible, one of the archangels. In the apocryphal Old Testament (Hebrew Bible) Book of Tobit, he is the one who, in human disguise and under the name of Azarias (“Yahweh helps”), accompanied Tobias in his adventurous journey and conquered the demon Asmodeus. He is said (Tobit 12:15) to be “one of the seven holy angels [archangels] who present the prayers of the saints and enter into the presence of the glory of the Holy One.” In the pseudepigraphal First Book of Enoch, Raphael is “the angel of the spirits of men,” and it is his business to “heal the earth which the angels [i.e., the fallen angels] have defiled.” The archangels are referred to as numbering seven (e.g., Revelation 8:2 and Tobit 7:15) and are listed in 1 Enoch 1:20 as Uriel, Raphael, Raguel, Michael, Sariel, Gabriel, and Remiel. Raphael is reckoned among the saints in both Eastern and Western churches, his feast day being October 24. His counterpart in Islam is Isrāfīl.

21 DIVISIONS: Division del Agua (Water Division)

This Division is the group of native Taino Indians. Tin Djo Alagwe, or San Rafael Rafaelo Balendjo (Angel Raphael), is the leader of this Division. This Division also is comprised of all the Spirits that rule over Water. This Division is often consulted to cleanse people spiritually, bring prosperity, luck, love, healing, and removing obstacles.

Agwe, the great admiral, is the spirit and personification of the sea. Frequently depicted as a “green eyed mulatto man”, he is wealthy and owns a great ship, Imamou, on which he and his crew sail across the waters. His veve, generally, takes the form of this very ship, and many Vodou temples feature a boat hanging from the ceiling in his honour. In possession he often sits on a chair and “rows” it about the area, referencing his nautical nature; one of his epithets is koki lanme, that is, ‘seashell’. In fact, a conch shell drilled out is often sounded as a horn to call him during ceremonies.

The saint images frequently given to him (in houses where they are used) are St Ulrich and St Raphael Arkanj, because both are portrayed holding fish–a fitting example of how an element in the image represents the lwa.

In Vodou we say that the dead go anba dlo (under the water) for a year and reside in Agwe’s palace with him; as the sea is the physical road home to Guinen (Africa) it also serves as a metaphor for movement into the spiritual realm of the lwa and the ancestors. Agwe, then, serves as a sort of psychopomp, that is, a guide for the souls of the departed.

There is an elaborate ceremony undertaken for Agwe in which a sort of raft, or bak Agwe, is constructed and loaded with offerings, which are then taken out into the sea. Maya Deren’s footage of this ceremony is part of her Divine Horsemen documentary.

Agwe’s wife is La Sirene, the mermaid who lives in the sea, but he is also said to be married to (or at least the lover of) Ezili Freda. He is a lwa frequently married by Vodouisants, and brings constancy and plenty.

Agwe is a beloved lwa, and anyone who lives near the sea can appreciate the richness he brings to one’s life. Offerings to him include nautical items such as shells, oars; champagne; coffee; rice boiled in milk; melons; cakes with icing in his colours; and so on.

Agwe, of course, is properly a family name, and there several variations of this lwa included under that name, including Agwe Towoyo, Agwe Woyo Mede, Agwe Vodoun Miwa, Agwe Woyo Azili Menfo, and many others.

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Individual devotees and priests typically maintain a small altar for the Lwa (or for a specific Lwa) in their homes as a focal point for prayer and meditation; here, they make private devotionals and frequent services to their personal mysteries. Properly, these home altars are called ogantwa or pe. On the ogantwa sit many of the same items found in the badji of the hounfò, including lithographs (or other representations of the Lwa), thunderstones, satin scarves of various colors, dolls, ceramic govi (lidded jars housing the Lwa), paket kongo, etc. There will likely also be a perpetual lamp of some kind.
The Basics of a Vodou Altar / Vodou Shrine
A Lwa altar or ogantwa can be made on a table or bookshelf, inside a cabinet/closet, or within a set of divided niches, each one for a specific Lwa. Cover the surface with a mouchwa or silk cloth, often a white cloth ―cotton, satin, or other spotless fabric but can also be in another color and style. Behind it, place the image of St. Claire who represents the Lwa Klèmezin Klermey, a spirit who brings light and protection.
Other images include the Holy Virgin, Sacred Heart, Lazarus - Papa Legba, St. Patrick - Danbala Wedo, Mater Dolorosa - Ezili Freda, St. Isidore - Kouzin Azaka Mede, Ogou - St James or St. George , and so on. A candle is placed on one side, and a red or multicolored candle on the other. Holy water from a Catholic Church, perfumes, Pompeii, Florida Water, or Reve d’Or, incense, as well as fresh flowers, complete the setup of a personal shrine. There should always be a glass or bowl of fresh water on the ogantwa, and most devotees will place a kwakwa or rattle or a bell here (or an ason, if they are priests) to use for calling their spirits. Other items that may be necessary include, a small brazier for burning incense or other items, a glass bowl for making lamps, a supply of white taper or beeswax candles, cotton wicks, and olive oil as well as playing cards for divination.

Most lwa are associated with specific Roman Catholic saints. These links rely on "analogies between their respective functions"; Azaka, the lwa of agriculture, is, for instance, associated with Saint Isidore, the farmer. Similarly, because he is understood as the "key" to the spirit world, Papa Legba is typically associated with Saint Peter, who is visually depicted holding keys in traditional Roman Catholic imagery. The lwa of love and luxury, Èzili Freda, is associated with Mater Dolorosa. Danbala Wedo, the serpent, is often equated with Saint Patrick, who is traditionally depicted with snakes, or with Moses, whose staff turned into serpents. The Marasa, or sacred twins, are typically equated with the twin saints Cosmas and Damian. Scholars like Desmangles have argued that Vodouists initially adopted the Roman Catholic saints to conceal lwa worship when the latter was illegal during the colonial period. Observing Vodou in the latter part of the 20th century, Donald J. Cosentino argued that by that point, the use of Roman Catholic saints reflected the genuine devotional expression of many Vodouists. The scholar Marc A. Christophe concurred that most modern Vodouisants genuinely see the saints and lwa as one, reflecting Vodou's "all-inclusive and harmonizing characteristics." Many Vodouists possess chromolithographic prints of the saints, while images of these Christian figures can also be found on temple walls, and on the drapo flags used in Vodou ritual. Vodouisant also often adopts and reinterprets Biblical stories and theorizes about the nature of Jesus of Nazareth.
Used to serve each lwa. Often placed on the altar and worn as a head wrap.

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Saint Lwa Lithographs Lwa loa Haitian Vodun spirit altar Chromolithographs image drapo flag statue cromos pe Haitian Vodou

San Martin Caballero, San Jose, Sagrado Corazon de Jesus, Virgen de Guadelupe, Sta Teresita, Santa Marta, Santo Nino de Antocha, San Antonio de Padua, Santisima Trinidad, San Ramon, Sagrada Corazon de Jesus, Virgen de los Dolores, San Judas Tadeo, San Francisco de Assis, Sagrada Familia de Pie, Santisima Trinidad, Omnipresencia Divina, Sta Cecilia, Bautismo de Cristo, Ntra Sra de Altagracia, San Florencio, Jesus Nazareno, Cosme e Damian, San Lorenzo, Santa Lucia, San Marcos, San Geronimo, San Cristobal, San Elias, San Cipriano, San Blas, San Juan Bautista, Sta Filomena, San Martin de Porres , V del Carmen, San Judas Tadeo, Del Carmen , Sta Rita de Casia , Sta Ursula, San Sebastian, San Benito de Palermo, San Roque, San Alejo, Sta Ana, San Martin de Porres
Ounto – The Lwa of the Drums Gran Chemin – The Great Road Papa Legba – Keeper of the Door and Gate Marassa – The Divine Twins Papa Loko – The First Houngan, Father of the Asson Ayizan – The Mother of Initiates Danballa Wedo – Serpent Father, Spirit of Peace and Tranquility Ayida Wedo – The Rainbow Serpent Sobo – Spirit of Prosperity Badet – Lightening Agasou – Powerful and Fraternal Silibo – Beautiful Mistress of White Met Zile Met Agwe – Captain of the Sea Domanyan Agwe La Sirene – Seductress and Queen of the Sea Granne Erzulie – The Grandmother of Love and Beauty Granne Adalayi Granne Halouba – Wise Woman Erzulie Freda – Queen of Love, Beauty, Wealth and Sweetness Klemezin – Who enlightens us in or difficulties and decisions Filomez – The princess of the house, beautiful little sister of Freda, so happy Dereyal – Clean and Pure Lovana – Who washes away our obstacles Manze Marie – Companion of Freda Elizabeth – Dancer in the Royal Court Ceverine – Companion of Freda and La Sirene Jean Laurent Jean Baptist – The Baptiser of Jesus Bossou – The Bull of Power Toro Belecou Agarou – St Michael the Archangel Kouzen Azaka – Spirit of Agriculture SIMBI ANBAKA AGAWOU SIMBI ATIBON LEGBA ANDEZO BOSOU TWA KÒN SIMBI MANZÈ FILOMIZ ÈZILI DANTÒ TWA ILE ÈZILI FREDA ANDEZO SANTA GEDE MANBO AYIZAN MARGARITA PAPA MARASA TWA OGOU FERAY OGOU BADAGRI MÈT AGWE MÈT LÒJ AND SEN JAN BATIS.