Papa Legba

Papa Legba stands at the threshold between worlds...the revered loa of Haitian Vodou who opens the gates to the spirit realm. Known as the Keeper of the Crossroads, he grants or withholds permission to commune with the other loa, and is said to speak all human tongues. As the master of communication, understanding, and divine translation, Papa Legba is the first spirit called in ritual, the one who makes all other conversations possible.

He often appears as an old man with a cane or crutch, wearing a wide-brimmed straw hat and puffing thoughtfully on a pipe. But don’t be fooled by his gentle demeanor, Legba is a trickster at heart. He delights in guiding the wise and grounded, but may lead astray those who are arrogant, careless, or unprepared. Approach him with humility, respect, and an open heart.

In Catholicism, Papa Legba is aligned with Saint Peter, the guardian of heaven’s gates. His sacred colors are black and red, his number is three, and his favored offerings include black coffee, rum, coconut, cigars, pipe tobacco, peanuts, pennies, seashells, small toys, and candy...simple gifts with deep symbolic meaning.

To honor Papa Legba, we’ve crafted a layered soy candle in red, black, and white...a symbolic beacon at the crossroads. It’s infused with the rich scents of rum, tobacco, vanilla, and sugar, and adorned with sacred elements ~ Amethyst for clarity, Black Onyx for protection, Garnet for vitality, dried tobacco for tradition, three pennies hidden within the wax for passage, and a Cowrie Shell to echo the rhythms of the spirit world.

Light this candle with intention, and let its flame be your guide as you seek wisdom at the crossroads.