Saint Death
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Saint Death, otherwise known as Santa Muerte or La Santísima Muerte, is an uncanonized Mexican saint who receives petitions for love, luck, and protection. Saint Death is depicted by means of both male and female representations.
Although the Catholic Church refuses to acknowledge Saint Death's existence, this figure of prayer is said to work miracles for those who pray to him/her and adore him/her. Saint Death is worshipped by criminals, thugs, and drug dealers, but modern-day urban dwellers also invoke this saint for protection and the recovery of health, stolen items, or even kidnapped family members.
Saint Death can be either male or female: sometimes he dressed as a grim reaper, with a scythe and scales; sometimes, Saint Death is female, dressed in a long white satin gown and a golden crown. Grim Reaper statues are made in red, white, and black – for love, luck, and protection. Offerings to Saint Death include roses and tequila. Public shrines to Saint Death are adorned with red roses and bottles of tequila, and Saint Death candles burn in his/her honor. On the border between Mexico and the United States, Saint Death prayer cards, medals, and candles are made and sold to the public.
One resource indicates that the Cult of Saint Death has been around since only the 1960s; however, other research inclines one to question if Saint Death is much older. Saint Death may have his/her roots in pre-Christian beliefs of the Aztec Native Americans, under the name of Mictlantecuhtli as the god of death. Similar to other cultures around the world, pre-Christian deities in Mexico are sometimes synthesized as saints.
Her prayers, orations, and novenas contain the Trinity, and worship of Yahweh. While some view Santa Muerte as a figure of black magic, others view him/her as specifically a Catholic saint worthy of worship.
See also
Resources
- Le Santisma Muerte (http://www.geocities.com/mabcosmic/essays/muerte.html)
- La Santísima Muerte Nicho (http://ojinaga.com/store/curanderos/flaca.html)
- Historical Personifications of Death (http://www.westgatenecromantic.com/historical.htm)
- A saint of death (http://room23.de/1466.html)
- 'Saint Death' Sought for Blessing in Endless War (http://ipsnews.net/interna.asp?idnews=22186)
- Other Folk Religion Icons (http://www.nacriollo.com/OthetFolkR.htm)
- Patron saints for various occupations and conditions (http://www.luckymojo.com/patronsaints.html)
- Amended Iconographies (http://www.ctv.es/USERS/anlou/amend.html)
- 'St. Death' calls to the living in Mexico City (http://www.ajc.com/news/content/news/0304/10mexico.html)
- The 'saint' of last resorts (http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/pls/impreso/noticia.html?id_nota=3914&tabla=miami)