There are also a number of saints who are specially efficient in certain diseases or conditions. One always prays to San Blas to cure throat trouble, and young ladies know that San Nicolas with gladly assist them to secure good (rich) husbands, San Ramón protects them during pregnancy and San Lázaro during child-birth. Sta. Bárbara makes timid hearts brave in times of war; Santo Domingo cures fever, Santa Lucia looks after the eyes, San Antonio protects from fire; and so in every case that may be presented there is some saint (or saintess) who has taken that disease or ill for their special power of benefaction.
When an article is lost San Antonio de Padua is in disgrace until it is found. The figure of the saint is placed head-down-wards and if some time elapses without the lost object being recovered the image is bound to a chair back and severely whipped for failing in his duty; if the lost object still remains undiscovered the infant which always accompanies the saint is cut away from the image and the following couplet repeated
“San Antonio Bendito
si no me concedes lo que te pido
no te devuelvo tu niño.”
“Blessed San Antonio if you do not grant what I ask, I will not return your child” this last resource rarely fails in causing the recovery of whatever is missing.
“El Señor Milagroso” the miracle worker, is an image treasured as one of the most valued religious possession of Matanzas. Although the church has offered many thousands of dollars for its possession, and its owner is in comparatively poor circumstances, it still remains in the hands of a private family.
It has been handed down through many generations of the Castro family and is at present in the possession of Sr. Arturo Castro who has built a shrine where all are welcome to visit and revere the saint.
This saint is supposed to instantly answer the prayer of those who are in great danger. A curious story is connected with the image of a snake twined about the body of a man that is placed before in the saint.
During the revolution of 1868 when many well to do families were temporarily reduced to needy circumstances an old man was accustomed to visit his married son about the time of the mid-day meal. The son who found it difficult to fill the all too many mouths of his own household one day ordered the meal to be kept back until his father had gone. The father came and failing to see the usual preparations for breakfast in progress inquired if the meal had already been served, he was given to understand that it had and left the house somewhat nettled as was natural. The dish was now ordered to be placed on the table with the least possible delay. As moments passed and no food appeared the master of the house went to the kitchen to inquire the causes of delay and there found the servant struggling to lift the cover from a kettle. Angry at the inability to perform so apparently simple a task he gave the cover a pull ... and then slowly from the boiling liquid appeared the shining coils of a monstrous serpent, which wound itself about the body of the selfish son! ... imagine the confusion and consternation in which the household was thrown on seeing their master in the coils of this huge monster.