Death Has Shown Her Face: A Santa Muerte Seer Lifts the Veil

*names and details are changed in this article, for the safety and privacy of those concerned, no faces are shown in any photo apart from Yelha's who gave me permission to share her photos and even kindly sent me some of herself* - dedicated to the brave and resilient people of Oaxaca All images, content … Continue reading Death Has Shown Her Face: A Santa Muerte Seer Lifts the Veil

Devoting Myself to Death on Day of the Dead: a Santa Muerte Devotee in Rural Oaxaca

Abby describes how she watched, initially a non-believer herself, as her family and the whole community came together to care for a statue of Santa Muerte during a hurricane and eventually built a large chapel that would come to house many statues where la Santa would be celebrated on Day of the Dead and Abby would come to realise she was devoted to death.

My Vision of Santa Muerte and the Virgin Mary as Psychopomps

Dreams and visions are powerful portals through which many devotees report communicating with Santa Muerte. Though not a devotee themself, our guest contributor, who prefers to remain anonymous, had a recent vision in which Saint Death, along with the Virgin Mary, rushed to the aid of the dying. - Dr. Andrew Chesnut I saw Holy … Continue reading My Vision of Santa Muerte and the Virgin Mary as Psychopomps

Why Would a Belgian Follow Mexican Folk Saint Santa Muerte?

By Guest Contributor Walter M. C. Walgraeve* Devotion to Santa Muerte has been spreading like wildfire across Latin America and parts of North America so it’s not surprising that it also has made the leap over the ocean and has reached Europe. While probably most devotees here will be of Latin American descent, it is … Continue reading Why Would a Belgian Follow Mexican Folk Saint Santa Muerte?

Santa Muerte – The Mother Who Heals

When I began my research on Santa Muerte in 2009 it didn't occur to me at first to look for devotees in my hometown of Richmond, Virginia. The Latinx population is less than 10% and most are Central American immigrants, not Mexicans. After finding the Skeleton Saint easily in nearby Washington, DC, I decided to … Continue reading Santa Muerte – The Mother Who Heals

The Offering of Flesh – A Personal Account of Sacred Tattooing in Santa Muerte’s Devotional Tradition

THE FOLLOWING IS A PERSONAL ACCOUNT FROM SANTA MUERTE DEVOTEE HANK VINE: It was early spring, 2016 - I was homeless, unemployed and drifting around the U.S. I'd just traveled from Minneapolis, Minnesota to the Rio Grande Valley, deep in south Texas where I was crashing on the couch of a friend whom I'd only … Continue reading The Offering of Flesh – A Personal Account of Sacred Tattooing in Santa Muerte’s Devotional Tradition

Loving Godmother, Holy Saint – Santa Muerte devotee Hank Vine on the death of la Madrina Enriqueta Vargas Ortiz, leader of Santa Muerte Internacional

It is difficult for me to make the distinction between Enriqueta Vargas Ortiz the person I adored and the spiritual leader that she was and now the transition to....I don't know, for me at least she is at the right hand of San Padrino Endoque (Jonathan Legaria Vargas.)* I understand what blossoms in a lot … Continue reading Loving Godmother, Holy Saint – Santa Muerte devotee Hank Vine on the death of la Madrina Enriqueta Vargas Ortiz, leader of Santa Muerte Internacional

Santa Muerte and the Culture of Violence

"Main stream media reports which unfairly categorize Santa Muerte as nothing more than a ‘narco-saint’ and criminal spiritual tradition are a good reminder that the current media is not capable of hosting a real dialogue on this topic. While the majority of Santa Muerte’s devotees are not satanic cartel hitmen, the struggle to pull her … Continue reading Santa Muerte and the Culture of Violence