Vodou funeral for venerated Haitian priestess

Hundreds of mourners attended the funeral of a prominent Haitian Vodou priestess, in Port-au-Prince on Saturday. Evonie Georges Auguste died on March 23 of unidentified health complications.

Vodou practitioners believe that the deceased will be reborn and focus the funeral ceremony, with the use of singing and drums, on helping the deceased make the passing to the after-life.

Vodou high priest read the eulogy, praising for her dedication to Vodou and to Haiti.

The priestess was outspoken on political issues, taking part in meetings held by the Organization of American States and participating in the successful campaign to make Vodou an official religion in Haiti in the early 2000s.

The religion is practiced widely in the country of more than 11 million people. It was created in the 1500s when African slaves forced to practice Catholicism mixed saints with spirits from African religions.