What is Santa Muerte?

What is Santa Muerte?

Santa Muerte is a portrayal or embodiment of death itself, but far from being feared, she is deeply respected and honored by her believers.

This characterization of death is usually depicted as a female skeletal figure with an outward appearance that instills fear and respect… And yet, Santa Muerte acts as a protector of those who seek her guidance and support.

That's why – despite her gruesome appearance – Santa Muerte is seen in a friendly way and she’s deeply loved by her devotees as if she were a friend or a mother.

In many ways, her essence can be seen as a representation of the cycle of life and death, in which we all end up participating. Death is completely fair according to Santa Muerte's believers because it comes to everyone, regardless of race or social class… And this is what makes her worshipers love her as a just deity that should be understood and not feared.

In addition, Santa Muerte comforts those who suffer, bringing protection, healing, abundance, and spiritual strength as any other deity would.

The most exciting thing about this deity is that she can be used for good or evil. She does not judge people's desires as she considers herself a fully righteous saint and offers her support for the noblest of acts such as healing a sick patient – and protecting criminals from danger too.

The origins of Santa Muerte

Santa Muerte as a religious symbol has grown in popularity since the 1990s… And some consider Santa Muerte to be the only popular religion originating in Mexico.

The exact origin of Santa Muerte is unclear. It is believed that Spanish conquistadors brought with them stories about gods and goddesses of death at the time when plague epidemics were still raging in Europe.

In Mexico, these depictions of death merged with the skull figures representing the pre-Hispanic gods of the Aztecs such as Mictecacihuatl, ruler of the Mictlan (the underworld), and Chalchiuhtlicue, goddess of the rains and life-giving rivers.

Over time, these two stories combined to give rise to the modern figure of Santa Muerte.

Today, Santa Muerte is an established figure that is part of Mexican culture – and features prominently in religious festivals and other celebrations throughout Mexico.

Veneration of Santa Muerte

The worship of Santa Muerte is quite similar to the cult of other popular saints. It is believed that Santa Muerte grants blessings to her devotees such as providing protection from physical harm, healing the sick, and giving increased abundance.

For this reason, it is common for her devotees to build shrines dedicated to Santa Muerte as a form of gratitude for the favors granted. These shrines usually consist of candles, incense, pictures, or statues of Santa Muerte.

There are also temples devoted to Santa Muerte in several areas of Mexico – and her statuettes and allegorical figures are easy to find in e-commerce stores and retail stores in Mexico and the United States.

However, the underlying reason why the cult of Santa Muerte is growing so rapidly is that her worshipers seek to protect their loved ones from harm or to connect with the spiritual realms.

Actually, Santa Muerte is a powerful symbol for people seeking comfort at the end of life – or people living in harsh conditions with a life full of threats.

For example, the idea that death can be painless and peaceful is incredibly appealing to many, and invoking the figure of Santa Muerte can help people find relief.

Likewise, Mexico has been marred by distressing levels of violence in recent years… And this environment has led to the growth of Santa Muerte. Some see it as a symbol of protection in the face of increasing violence, while others see it as an instrument of terror and revenge.

Maybe, it is an emotional reaction to the fear and despair that hangs over many Mexicans in these difficult times.

In either case, it is clear that Santa Muerte has struck a deep emotional resonance with the Mexican population. So, this cult is perfect in such an intimidating context.

Are “La Santa Muerte” and “La Catrina”, the same?

Santa Muerte and La Catrina are often mistaken for each other, but they are not the same – and there is a clear difference between them.

La Catrina is the symbolic and cultural representation of death and a central figure in the Day of the Dead, typically illustrated as a female skeleton elegantly dressed in a large hat. Therefore, La Catrina is not a religious figure.

The Catrina is a relatively recent creation since it was created by José Guadalupe Posada in a humorous way and then immortalized by Diego Rivera in his murals at the beginning of the 20th century.

Whereas Santa Muerte is a popular saint who represents the inevitability of death, provides protection, aid to her believers, and assists her worshippers in their transition to death.

In the end, Santa Muerte can be regarded as a loving presence that reminds people that everyone experiences death, while La catrina is a cultural and artistic representation of death.

Is Santa Muerte evil?

Santa Muerte is a symbol of hospitality, protection, and justice. However, some religions regard the worship of this divinity as an evil practice.

… But, is Santa Muerte evil?

Santa Muerte does not judge the desires of her believers… And to some extent, it is above good and evil. Just as death comes to anyone, Santa Muerte offers protection to everyone.

In any case, Santa Muerte assists millions of people to normalize death instead of fearing it. This contrasts with the traditional view of death as something to mourn, allowing its believers to accept death as just another stage of life.

In this way, followers of Santa Muerte can psychologically cope with their mortality – and focus on creating meaningful lives.

It is also notable that the cult of Santa Muerte helps people to cope with the loss of loved ones – and to understand death in a much friendlier way.

Santa Muerte and the Virgin of Guadalupe

Santa Muerte and the Virgen de Guadalupe son dos figuras importantes de la cultura mexicana. Para muchos fieles, estas figuras representan la fuerza y la protección divina.

In particular, followers of Santa Muerte consider her an intermediary and a subordinate deity to God.

Likewise, the Virgin of Guadalupe gives support and protection to her believers in hard times such as illness, loss of a family member, and lack of work, among others. The devotees of the Virgin of Guadalupe consider her a heavenly link between humanity and Heaven, as well as a source of inspiration.

Although the Virgin of Guadalupe is a traditional figure in Catholicism, she is not opposed to Santa Muerte. Even, many of the believers of the Virgin of Guadalupe are also believers of Santa Muerte.

So, both Santa Muerte and the Virgin of Guadalupe serve as a support for their believers in life and a little relief to endure the idea of death.

How to pray to Santa Muerte?

Santa Muerte is quite generous according to her believers and has performed miracles for millions of people not only in Mexico but also in Guatemala and the United States.

To ask for a blessing adequately, you should consider whether it is something that Santa Muerte can help you with. She does not judge your wishes. She only needs your faith and an offering as a token of gratitude.

It can be helpful to create an altar with offerings of items you think Santa Muerte might appreciate, such as candles, flowers, written prayers, photographs, a bottle of tequila, apples, money, and other valuable objects.

People can even offer a symbolic offering such as making peace with their enemies, or even giving up a bad habit.

Regardless of what is offered, it is essential that the offerings are made with honesty and genuine love. Furthermore, it is vital to keep the promises made because it is said that breaking one's word with Santa Muerte could bring family misfortune, bad luck, or even death (of the believer who has broken his word – or of a loved one).

On the other hand, although this aspect is controversial, many of its devotees say that there is no punishment for breaking your word with Santa Muerte, but it is not recommended to be ungrateful to the deity.

The imagery of Santa Muerte

The statuette of Santa Muerte is a remarkable representation of the transitory nature of life, and of the passage between life and death.

Santa Muerte is an impressive figure holding symbols that reflect her role as death: a scale represents justice, a scythe is used to harvest souls, a small world she carries symbolizes the inevitable march of time forward, and an hourglass reflects the fragility of life.

Additionally, her representations are found on necklaces, T-shirts, candles, and even statues as tall as 20 meters (65,62 feet) like the one in the Temple of Santa Muerte in Tultitlán.

Anyway, this is only the most famous representation of Santa Muerte because it can also be simplified by showing a skull with a long dress, or simply a skull as seen in some tattoos.

Santa Muerte Tattoos

Santa Muerte tattoos are a unique piece of body art that represents this powerful protective force that assists those who wear it on their skin.

People who choose to wear Santa Muerte tattoos often believe that they will receive blessings from Santa Muerte. Also, some of them tattoo Santa Muerte as a way to pay tribute to her wherever they go. It is also a way of thanking her for favors granted.

The symbolism of the Santa Muerte tattoo stands for acceptance of death and faith in religion. It can also signify bravery and defiance, a sign of a person's devotion to their beliefs.

… And there are many designs to suit all tastes.

Controversy with the cult of Santa Muerte

The cult of Santa Muerte has become increasingly popular in recent years, giving rise to conflicting interpretations and some opposition within traditional Christianity.

In Christianity, Santa Muerte is seen as a rather despised pagan cult. But, on the other hand, it is also a sign of Christianity's loss of believers as many former Christians have switched to the cult of Santa Muerte - or practice both cults at the same time.

Some others have argued that Santa Muerte is an example of an aberrant form of religious worship that leads to criminal activity. This is because members of drug trafficking groups use Santa Muerte as their protectress.

This is due to the neutral character of Santa Muerte, who provides help regardless of one's intentions. For this reason, her cult is increasingly associated with gangs and cartels that practice rituals that include human sacrifice, robbery, vandalism, and all kinds of illegal activities.

Even leaders of this cult have been involved in criminal activities. This is the case of David Romo Guillen who used his position of leadership to engage in criminal practices, including robbery and kidnapping. Although he is obviously not the first authority of a religious cult to be involved in crimes, he undoubtedly affected the vision of the cult of Santa Muerte

Santa Muerte is also a popular deity in many prisons, offering inmates a sense of security and peace during their punishments… And helping them to carry out new crimes and increase their chances of getting away with them.

However, it would be unfair to generalize all of its adherents for the acts of some groups. There are millions of people in the cult of Santa Muerte – and each has different worldviews and varying moral constraints.

So, Santa Muerte will remain a controversial figure because she is far from the saints of Christianity regarding moral standards. The fact that Santa Muerte can help people to do good and evil without judging the desires of the believer, makes her a rather controversial deity for traditional religions whose spiritual deities generally act for the good.

Whether or not you believe in his powers, it is undeniable that she is a powerful and interesting figure, with a peculiar history and a membership of around 12 million believers in Mexico.

Santa Muerte and the LGBTQ+ community

Recently, Santa Muerte has gained popularity among members of the LGBTQ+ community due to its wide acceptance of them in the cult.

The attraction stems from Santa Muerte being seen as an entity that understands and never judges its followers. No matter what they do or where they come from, they are all accepted with open arms and not made to feel like outcasts.

For this reason, Santa Muerte has been a powerful unifying force in the lives of many members of the LGBTQ+ community. A figure who, like them, is often looked down upon by society.

Historically many religions have shown rejection of this community, while Santa Muerte even allows gay marriage, which has been a substantial support for the LGBTQ+ community not only in Mexico but globally.

The belief in Santa Muerte is the way to deal with death

Despite its frightening appearance, many believe that Santa Muerte attracts protection and good luck. Others fear the dark forces associated with her cult.

… And that is precisely the duality of death. It is neither good nor bad, but part of life.

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