Christian and African religious beliefs have blended to create a relationship between the Catholic St. Lazarus and Babalú-Ayé/Obaluaiye. In Yoruba and Vodou culture, Obaluaiye is a spirit connected to healing and inflicting epidemic diseases. Lazarus was a man that died of Leprosy and was brought back to life by Christ. This is an image of an alter for St. Lazarus/Obaluaiye.
Throne-altar for St. Lazaus/Obaluaiye
Visona, Monica Blackmun, Robin Poyner, and Herbert M. Cole. A History of Art in Africa
Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson Education, Inc., 2008: 534