Babalú Ayé (also known as Asojano in some lineages) is the Orisha of healing, disease, and the earth. He governs illness — particularly epidemic diseases of the skin — and has the power both to afflict and to cure.
Babalú Ayé is one of the most widely venerated Orishas in Cuba, particularly among the poor and the sick. His sanctuary in El Rincón near Havana draws enormous crowds on December 17, when thousands make pilgrimages — some crawling on their knees — to honor him.
He is a figure of immense compassion but also deep severity: he has the power to send illness as punishment or to withdraw it as grace.
Babalú Ayé's toque has a distinctly solemn, heavy character unlike any other:
Ceremonies for Babalú Ayé are particularly solemn. His rituals often involve those seeking healing from illness. In Cuba, the December 17 pilgrimage to El Rincón is one of the most remarkable religious events — a fusion of Lucumí tradition and popular Catholic practice.
Babalú Ayé is one of the few Orishas whose name entered mainstream Cuban popular music. Miguelito Valdés popularized the song "Babalú" in the 1940s, and it became internationally known through Desi Arnaz. The song's dramatic build and devotional energy reflect the intensity of the real ceremonial toque.