Brazilian Candomble Ceremonies Honor Goddesses Lemanja and Oxum
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Candomble is an Afro-Brazilian religion whose practitioners sometimes fall into trances during ceremonies believing they have become possessed by gods, or orixas. The roots of the Candomble religion came to Brazil via African slaves and eventually incorporated some elements of Catholicism. Afro-Brazilian religions generally refer to Iemanja as Goddess of the Sea and Oxum as Goddess of Rivers, Lakes and Waterfalls, or fresh water. Worshippers dance and are blurred during a long exposure during a Candomble ceremony honoring goddesses Iemanja and Oxum on Dec. 12, 2015 in Itaborai, Brazil.
