As a specialist in Latin American religion I suspected that sooner or later my research would take me to the Philippines, which was also colonized by Spain. However, I thought it would be the burgeoning Catholic Charismatic Renewal that would lead me there since I had done research on the dynamic movement in Latin America. … Continue reading King Death: Santa Muerte in the Philippines
Santa Muerte and Human Sacrifice in Mexico and Guatemala
Since Santa Muerte went public in 2001 there have been numerous cases of alleged human sacrifice to the skeleton saint. The great majority follow the pattern of the two latest cases, one in Chihuahua, Mexico, and the other in Guatemala City. In the Mexican case involving the shocking murder of a 6 year-old boy by … Continue reading Santa Muerte and Human Sacrifice in Mexico and Guatemala
Noisy Santa Muerte Statue Destroyed by Texas Bomb Squad
Santa Muerte is at it again in the small Texas border-town of San Benito. Two nights ago drivers on a rural road came across a white Santa Muerte statue planted in the middle of the road, on top of the yellow dividing line. At least one passerby believed they heard noises being emitted from the … Continue reading Noisy Santa Muerte Statue Destroyed by Texas Bomb Squad
Santa Muerte News: Human Hands and New Documentary
While Santa Muerte has become a permanent newsmaker, she received an extraordinary amount of coverage over the past couple weeks. The biggest story, by far, was one that Italian journalist Ludavico Laccino and I teamed up for on a series of Mexican cartel hitwomen who had adopted the nom de guerre of "Flaca" (often spelled … Continue reading Santa Muerte News: Human Hands and New Documentary
Three Suspects Detained For Doing Santa Muerte Witchcraft on Town Soccer Field
On Wednesday a number of residents of the town of Buenos Aires, located about twenty miles north of the county seat of Cosoleacaque in the Mexican state of Veracruz, detained three suspected witches and handed them over to Veracruz State Police. It was the burning of Santa Muerte candles by the three suspects in the … Continue reading Three Suspects Detained For Doing Santa Muerte Witchcraft on Town Soccer Field
Marriage and la Madrina – Images from a wedding at El Templo de la Santa Muerte de Tultitlán
El Templo de la Santa Muerte de Tultitlan is quickly becoming one of the most stable and well developed devotional centers associated with Saint Death. The temple's proprietress, Enriqueta Vargas, recently traveled to New York City to meet with Queens shrine holder Arley Vazquez, marking one of the first cross country meetings of high profile … Continue reading Marriage and la Madrina – Images from a wedding at El Templo de la Santa Muerte de Tultitlán
Santa Muerte and Godfather Endoque Saved Me From Armed Robbers
One of Santa Muerte's most important roles is that of protectress. And in a Mexico plagued by so much crime and violence, the demand for supernatural protection is greater than ever. Every day hundreds of thousand of devotees invoke the Powerful Lady's protective powers to shield them from the myriad dangers of the streets of … Continue reading Santa Muerte and Godfather Endoque Saved Me From Armed Robbers
El Padrino Jonathan Legaria Vargas, Mi Niña y el Milagro, by Jeronimo Santiago
Queridos Hermanos d Fé, Quiero compartirles un Hecho Q m sucedio el dia d Hoy. En el Trayecto d mi casa hacia el medico se subieron Asaltar 4 individuos el Autobus c/ Armas d fuego donde venia su Servidor despojando d sus pertenencias a cada uno d los pasajeros. Al llegar el Asaltante ami lugar … Continue reading El Padrino Jonathan Legaria Vargas, Mi Niña y el Milagro, by Jeronimo Santiago
Who decides when the Reapress comes?
Recently Dr. Andrew Chesnut asked an intriguing question in regards to the efficacy of Santa Muerte: "Who, if anyone, decides the hour that Santa Muerte, the Reapress comes for our souls?" Robin Artisson, a writer on the subjects of folklore, supernaturalism, spiritual ecology, and pre-modern British Witchcraft, responded with his thoughts on her tradition. As … Continue reading Who decides when the Reapress comes?
Reflections on the First Academic Conference on Santa Muerte
Despite the fact that over 90% of Santa Muerte devotees live in Mexico and the U.S., the first ever academic conference http://www.centroestudiosmexicanos.nl/2014.html dedicated exclusively to the skeleton saint was held in Europe, at the University of Groningen, in the Netherlands, on 11/21/14. Europeans have taken a particular interest in the growth of devotion to Saint … Continue reading Reflections on the First Academic Conference on Santa Muerte
Most Holy Death 