BY: DICKERSON, A.J. ;  Associated Press Writer
  DATELINE: HILEAH, Fla. (AP)   June 04, 1987

  A  priest  of a religion that sacrifices animals and is practiced by much
of  Florida's  Latin  population  claimed Thursday that city harassment was
threatening plans to open the sect's first church in Florida.
  "We're  days  away  from losing the whole thing," Santeria priest Ernesto
Pichardo  said of $1.4 million in pending financing to buy a parcel of land
for the Church of Lukumi Babalu-Aye.
   "And  people  don't  want  to  drive  up here. They're afraid they'll be
harassed."
   The  sect had planned to hold its first service Thursday in the building
it  is  leasing  with  an  option to buy, but it lacks an occupancy permit.
Instead, about 75 people attended a Mass in the parking lot.
   City  Councilman  Paulino Nunez said residents had called and written to
protest the church opening, but he said Pichardo had not been harassed.
   The  main  complaint of residents and City Council members in this city,
which is 85 percent Cuban, involves sacrifices of animals such as goats and
chickens as part of the Afro-Cuban religion Santeria.
   Florida  laws  on  animal  slaughter  allow  religious sacrifices if the
animals are killed quickly, Pichardo said.
   Experts  say about 40 percent of south Florida's Latin community dabbles
in  Santeria,  but, because there is no central headquarters, the extent of
membership is unknown.
   Santeria  was  created  when African slaves brought to Cuba merged their
native  beliefs  with  the  Catholicism  of plantation owners. The religion
requires offering fruit and animal gifts to appease their gods.
   Donors  have "backed off" on pledges because of controversy that erupted
after he announced last month the church would open, Pichardo said.
   Pichardo  said lack of a permit forced Florida Power & Light to turn off
the  building's  electricity  Thursday  morning.  The  sect applied for the
permit, a process that usually takes a week.
   But  the  permit  has  not  been  granted  because  of  trouble  with an
electrical  inspection,  the city attorney's office said. Pichardo said the
building  should  have  passed  the  inspection  and  accused  the  city of
stonewalling.
   The 14-year-old, state-registered church has been worshipping in private
homes.