▁sick ▁energy ▁is ▁believed ▁to ▁have ▁passed ▁into ▁the ▁sacrifice . ▁ ▁San ter ia ▁has ▁been ▁subject ▁to ▁w ides p read ▁per sec ution ▁in ▁Cuba , ▁so ▁it ▁is ▁tradition ally ▁pract iced ▁in ▁secret , ▁employ ing ▁saint ▁symbol ism . ▁ ▁The ▁Church ▁of ▁L uk umi ▁Bab alu ▁A ye , ▁Inc ., ▁is ▁a ▁Florida ▁non pro fit ▁organized ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 3 ▁by ▁Ern esto ▁P ich ardo , ▁who ▁was ▁an ▁Ital ero - level ▁priest ▁in ▁the ▁San ter ia ▁faith . ▁ ▁The ▁Luc um í ▁language ▁is ▁used ▁in ▁the ▁San ter ia ▁lit ur gy ▁and ▁Bab al ú - A y é ▁is ▁the ▁spirit ▁of ▁wr ath ▁and ▁disease . ▁ ▁In ▁April ▁ 1 9 8 7 , ▁the ▁Church ▁le ased ▁a ▁property ▁at ▁ 1 7 3 ▁W . ▁ 5 th ▁Street , ▁H iale ah , ▁in ▁Miami - D ade ▁County , ▁Florida ▁and ▁announced ▁its ▁intention ▁to ▁use ▁the ▁site ▁to ▁open ly ▁practice ▁the ▁faith .< ref > L uk umi , ▁ 7 2 3 ▁F . ▁Supp . ▁at ▁ 1 4 7 7 .</ ref > ▁ ▁The ▁H iale ah ▁City ▁Council ▁held ▁an ▁emer gency ▁public ▁session ▁on ▁June ▁ 9 , ▁ 1 9 8 7 . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁session , ▁Council man ▁Sil v io ▁Card oso ▁stated ▁that ▁the ▁religion ▁is ▁" in ▁viol ation ▁of ▁everything ▁this ▁country