In the neighbourhood of Regla, right at the harbour, is the church of Nuestra Señora de Regla (Our Lady of Regla). The church is dedicated to the Virgin of Regla, a Marian apparition, who is wildly venerated in Hispanic countries. The church was built in the 17th century by Spanish colonialists, but since then, it has not just been a site of worship for Christians but for Santería practitioners as well. In Cuba the deity of Yemayá, is also portrayed through the image of Our Lady of Regla. Yemayá, whose worship came to Cuba through the transatlantic slave trade, finds her origin in the ifá divination and Yoruba culture in West-Africa. In Cuba she is venerated as the ruler over the oceans and seas, as well as the mother of living beings. Her colours are variations of blue.
The shrine for Yemayá beside the church of Our Lady of Regla is one of the few public places in Havana where Santería is openly acknowledged.
