Santa Muerte, Folk Saint of Death

Figure 1: Santa Muerte (Source: Pinterest)

Today’s blog post will discuss a figure that is cloaked in mysticism as well as inaccurate and sensationalized ideas: Santa Muerte.  Also referred to as the Bony Lady, the White Girl, or Our Lady of Holy Death Santa Muerte is a Mexican folk saint who is represented as a skeleton dressed in long robes and who carries a scythe and globe in each of her hands (Figure 1).  This blog post will discuss the origins of Santa Muerte, what she represents, and why people are drawn to her.

 

The specific origins of Santa Muerte are imprecisely known, but many scholars believe she is a syncretic mix of religious beliefs held by the ancient Aztecs and Spanish Conquistadors, the latter of whom were Catholics.  It is believed that the Aztec goddess of death, Mictecacihuatl, was retained exclusively by indigenous Mexicans while various other Aztec gods and goddesses were coopted by Spanish Catholics and later incorporated formally into Catholicism as recognized saints.  From this the worship of Santa Muerte began and continued largely in secret.  Despite her name, the Catholic Church has not and continues to not recognize Santa Muerte as a legitimate saint, and they actually rebuke any and all of her devotees, who often worship her in similar fashions to other Catholic saints.

 

Santa Muerte has gained quite a following, with 10 to 12 million devotees across North and Central America and many more across the globe[CB1] .  This large following is attributed to the notion that she accepts all individuals who worship her.  She is known as the saint who will not turn anyone away, making her popular among drug dealers, cartel members, the poor, the marginalized, unwanted members of society (e.g. sex workers, immigrants, and LGBTQI), and anyone who seeks her protection, which includes law enforcement officers, prison personnel, lawyers, social workers, and more. 

 

Santa Muerte is known to grant all of the prayers of her devotees.  Some say that these prayers are only granted when an appropriate offering is made, while others claim that no such offerings are required.  The catch of this universal wish granting is that these wishes are granted regardless of the consequences.  For example, if one were to wish for a specific partner/significant other they will get said individual as their partner/significant other, but they may regret that decision if the partner/significant other is a serial cheater or abuser.  Santa Muerte is known for granting all of these wishes and prayers because ultimately the cost is universal among all people, regardless of if they believe in her or not.  Upon death she collects the souls of those who asked and were granted favors by her. 

 

Given Santa Muerte’s powers in granting any prayer, including those that other religions do not deem worthy or moral, and her acceptance of all individuals it is no surprise that Santa Muerte is gaining in popularity.  She offers something for every individual, fostering a wide appeal among all segments of society.  This is why the number of her devotees are increasing annually, despite the admonishment by the Catholic Church and the inaccurate representations of her through popular media.  She offers help and salvation to all.  One need only ask.

 

References

Latina Magazine, Contributor. "7 Things to Know About La Santa Muerte, Mexico’s Folk Saint of Death." Huffington Post 26 October 2016. Electronic.

McNelll, Brian. "Q&A: Why folk saint Santa Muerte should be considered the ‘matron saint of the Mexican drug war’." 18 February 2020. VCU News. Electronic. 5 August 2020.

NBC News. "Growing Devotion To Santa Muerte In U.S. And Abroad." NBC News 29 December 2014. Electronic.

Prower, Tomas. La Santa Muerte: Unearthing the Magic and Mysticism of Death. Woodbury, Minnesota: Llewellyn Worldwide Ltd., 2018. Document.

Tucker, Duncan. "Santa Muerte: The rise of Mexico’s death 'saint'." BBC 1 November 2017. Electronic.

 

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 [CB1]Move to third paragaraph and replace with description of her