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Papa LegbaIn Haitian Vodou, Papa Legba is the intermediary between the lwa and humanity. He stands at a spiritual crossroads and gives (or denies) permission to speak with the spirits of Gine, and translates between the human and angelic and all other languages. He is always the first spirit invoked in any ceremony, because his permission is needed for any further communication. He is also a god of prophecy and taught people how to interpret oracles. He usually appears as an old man on a crutch, sprinkling water. The dog is sacred to him. Because of his position as 'gate-keeper' between the worlds of the living and the mysteries he is often identified with Saint Peter who holds a comparable position in Catholic tradition. But he is most often depicted in Haiti as St. Lazarus. In Benin and Nigeria, Legba is viewed as young and virile, is often horned and ithyphallic, and his shrine is usually located at the gate of the village in the countryside. He is somewhat cognate to the Ellegua of the Yoruba pantheon, honored in Nigeria, Cuba, Brazil, and elsewhere in the Yoruba diaspora. Alternative: Legba, Legba Atibon
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