Ilê Axé Opó Afonjá, also known as Centro Santa Cruz Axé of Opó Afonjá or Casa de Xangô, is a

Candomblé Candomblé () is an African diaspora religions, African diasporic religion that developed in Brazil during the 19th century. It arose through a process of syncretism between several of the traditional religions of West and Central Africa, especi ...

terreiro Terreiro is a town and commune of Angola, located in the province of Cuanza Norte. See also * Communes of Angola The Communes of Angola () are administrative units in Angola after municipalities. The 163 municipalities of Angola are d ...

Salvador Salvador, meaning "salvation" (or "saviour") in Catalan, Spanish, and Portuguese may refer to: * Salvador (name) Arts, entertainment, and media Music *Salvador (band), a Christian band that plays both English and Spanish music ** ''Salvador'' ( ...

Bahia Bahia () is one of the 26 Federative units of Brazil, states of Brazil, located in the Northeast Region, Brazil, Northeast Region of the country. It is the fourth-largest Brazilian state by population (after São Paulo (state), São Paulo, Mina ...

Brazil Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...

. It was founded by Eugênia Anna Santos (1869-1938), better known as Mãe Aninha, in 1910. The terreiro is located in the Cabula neighborhood on Rua de São Gonçalo do Retiro. Ilê Axé Opó Afonjá was the second

Afro-Brazilian Afro-Brazilians (; ), also known as Black Brazilians (), are Brazilians of total or predominantly Sub-Saharan African ancestry. Most multiracial Brazilians also have a range of degree of African ancestry. Brazilians whose African features are mo ...

religious place of worship to receive heritage status from the Brazilian National Historic and Artistic Heritage Institute (IPHAN). Ilê Axé Opó Afonjá was formed in 1910 by a group that separated from Ilê Axé Iyá Nassô Oká, or the Casa Branca do Engenho Velho. It is one of the primary temples of the

Ketu KETU (1120 AM) is a commercial radio station licensed to Catoosa, Oklahoma, and serving the Tulsa metropolitan area. The station broadcasts a Spanish adult contemporary radio format and is owned by Antonio Perez, through licensee Radio Las Amer ...

sect of Candomblé. A terreiro of the same name was founded by Mãe Aninha in

Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro, or simply Rio, is the capital of the Rio de Janeiro (state), state of Rio de Janeiro. It is the List of cities in Brazil by population, second-most-populous city in Brazil (after São Paulo) and the Largest cities in the America ...

. In 1967 the Terreiro was visited by

Jean-Paul Sartre Jean-Paul Charles Aymard Sartre (, ; ; 21 June 1905 – 15 April 1980) was a French philosopher, playwright, novelist, screenwriter, political activist, biographer, and literary criticism, literary critic, considered a leading figure in 20th ...

and

Simone de Beauvoir Simone Lucie Ernestine Marie Bertrand de Beauvoir (, ; ; 9 January 1908 – 14 April 1986) was a French existentialist philosopher, writer, social theorist, and feminist activist. Though she did not consider herself a philosopher, nor was she ...

who were invited by

Jorge Amado Jorge Amado ( 10 August 1912 – 6 August 2001) was a Brazilian writer of the modernist school. He remains the best-known of modern Brazilian writers, with his work having been translated into some 49 languages and popularized in film, includi ...

and

Zélia Gattai Zélia Gattai Amado de Faria (July 2, 1916 – May 17, 2008) was a Brazilian photographer, memoirist, novelist and author of children's literature, as well as a member of the Brazilian Academy of Letters. Gattai wrote 14 literary works, including ...

Grounds and structures

Ilê Axé Opó Afonjá covers . Two-thirds of the land is covered in dense vegetation. The remainder includes religious structures, sacred plants, and a fountain dedicated to

Oxum Oshun (also Ọṣun, Ochún, and Oxúm) is the Yoruba orisha associated with love, sexuality, fertility, femininity, water, destiny, divination, purity, and beauty, and the Osun River, and of wealth and prosperity in the Yoruba religion. She ...

. Terreiro structures include a central temple, the Casa de Xangô, and sanctuaries dedicated to Oxalá ( Obatala) and Iemanjá. The terreiro has a public school, the Escola Eugênia Anna dos Santos, founded in 1976. The Ilê Ohum Lailai, also known as the Museu do Axé Opô Afonjá, is a museum founded to house physical objects related to the terreiro, including ceremonial objects, clothing, and cooking implements. It was founded in 1981. The Ikojopo Ilê Iwe Axé Opô Afonjá, also known as the Biblioteca do Axé, is a library opened by the terriro in 1996. Its collection consists of books related to African and Afro-Brazilian culture.

Lineage

Ilê Axé Opó Afonjá has had six ''sacerdotisas'', or religious leaders since 1910: * Mãe Aninha - 1909-1938 * Mãe Bada de Oxalá - 1939-1941 * Mãe Senhora - 1942-1967 * Mãe Ondina de Oxalá - 1969-1975 * Mãe Stella de Oxóssi - 1976-2018 * Mãe Ana de Xangô - 2019-

Festivals

Ilê Axé Opó Afonjá holds public festivals including one dedicated to Oxóssi, held on the same day as

Feast of Corpus Christi The Feast of Corpus Christi (), also known as the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, is a liturgical solemnity celebrating the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist; the feast is observed by the Latin Church, in addition to ...

. Another is dedicated to Xangô, which begins on the evening of June 28 and June 29. Festivals dedicated to other orixás are held on separate cycles.

Heritage status

Ilê Axé Opó Afonjá received heritage status by the National Institute of Historic and Artistic Heritage (IPHAN) on July 28, 2000.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Ile Axe Opo Afonja National heritage sites of Bahia Religious buildings and structures in Salvador, Bahia Organisations based in Salvador, Bahia Candomblé temples Religious organizations established in 1910 1910 establishments in Brazil