Officials and dignitaries representing all of Haiti's different religions paid tribute to the "rare unifying genius" of Max Gesner Beauvoir, the supreme leader of the voodoo faith.

Beauvoir, trained in the United States and France as a chemist, dedicated his life to defending Haiti's voodoo culture and community.

He died on Saturday at the age of 79.

"He was a brave man who fought for respect, tolerance, and honor of our ancestral values," said Roman Catholic Bishop Pierre-Andre Dumas.

Dumas lamented the fact that voodoo "has long been misunderstood, stigmatized and demonized."

Beauvoir worked hard to fix that, countering negative stereotypes and explaining the religion to foreigners, including opening the religion's temple to the public during important religious ceremonies.

Although voodoo, brought to Haiti by African slaves, has always been part of the country's culture, it was banned during French colonial rule in the 17th and 18th centuries and only recognized as an official religion by the government in 2003.

While it incorporates elements of other religious beliefs, including Catholicism, voodoo has been historically attacked by many Catholics. More recently, it has been the target of some Protestant churches and Evangelical preachers.

For his efforts on religious tolerance and defending the Creole language, the Haitian government posthumously made Beauvoir an officer of the national order of Honor and Merit.

After the 2010 earthquake, which killed more than 200,000 people in Haiti, Beauvoir co-founded the Religions for Peace interfaith group that has repeatedly served as mediator in the electoral crises that have paralyzed the country's government.

"Max Beauvoir united bishops, Protestant pastors and Muslim imams to launch Religions for Peace, which fosters dialogue during difficult times," Prime Minister Evans Paul said during a ceremony in Port-au-Prince.

"He chose to live out his faith with the most discredited members of our society. It was a message of courage."

Source: AFP