THE Catholic Church appears to be getting itself all of a-lather over a silly figurine known as Santa Muerte, or Saint Death.
In Mexico, the Church has spoken against the tequila-guzzling, cigar-smoking Santa Muerte, saying she is linked to Satanism and is being used to mislead desperate people.
Misleading desperate people is, of course, the prerogative the Catholic Church itself, and one can understand its annoyance at having an intruder on its turf.
Rev Esequiel Sanchez, pastor of Mary, Queen of Heaven in Cicero, Illinois is worried that parishioners have asked him to bless statues of Santa Muerte.
I’m concerned about it because it’s an aberration. It’s a misunderstanding of faith. It’s taking a Catholic concept of the holy death of Christ and personifying it with this skeletal figure. At the same time, I can understand why it’s growing. Many people, especially Mexican immigrants, are feeling that institutions are abandoning them and are grasping for spiritual help wherever they can.
According to Religious News Blog, Eduardo Ornelas, a spiritual adviser and owner of the Botanica San Miguel Arcangel in Chicago which sells Saint Death statuettes, said he warns customers that the Roman Catholic Church does not recognise the object. Even so, for many in the Mexican community she has emerged as representing a dark, less-travelled path ultimately connected to God.
Ornelas, 33, added:
People ask her for many things. Some want to be cured from an illness or are looking for a job or want protection of their business or family. You make a contract with Santa Muerte and devote yourself to her. She is not a saint, but people see her that way. They have faith in her and are apparently seeing results.
For decades Santa Muerte has been present in the tough neighborhoods of Mexico City, where prostitutes and drug traffickers worshipped her mostly in secret. Last month, a group devoted to the icon gave her a make-over, giving the figure long, brown hair and a rose to hold in an attempt to change her image and win Mexican government recognition.
To pray to her, many devotees use Catholic rituals known as novenas, nine-day prayers. Her followers say she loves to drink tequila and smoke cigars, so those offerings are often left at her feet.
Hmmm. Sounds like my kinda gal!
Some warn that Santa Muerte has an evil side. She is very jealous, so devotees are advised never to place Catholic saints near her or suffer the consequences.
Little wonder, then, that Holy Mother Church has developed yet another twitch.
The Freethinker was founded in 1881 by GW Foote, an outspoken critic of religion. After the publication of 
June 5th, 2008 at 9:56 am
‘Mary, Queen of Heaven’ – is that a church or the name of a drag act?
Seriously though, Sanchez’s last sentence gives it away (institutions abandoning the poor). That’s what you get when a braindead president takes advice from religious wingnuts and closes or hands over social and public services to evangelical ‘charities’.
Same thing happening this side of the big pond and we have to fight it.
The priest (have to admit) has another point – in that the way some evangelical ‘charities’ work also involves abandoning your native belief and signing up to their cult in order to ‘qualify’ for the service. Catholic aid agencies have reported this happens increasingly in South America and the same cult tried it in Pakistan two years back according to other agencies.
June 5th, 2008 at 10:31 am
This is how Catholicism has always developed. There’s a brilliant story in one of William Dalrymple’s books about the Mauritian cult of “Santo Esposito”. If I recall, a relic was sent to a church on the island in a box marked “esposito” – express delivery. But they forgot to label it properly. Lacking any information, locals invented the figure of Saint Esposito – a Roman centurian who converted to Christianity and was martyred, I think – and he quickly became the island’s unofficial patron saint.
June 5th, 2008 at 5:20 pm
geesh, these beliefs sound so creepy.
June 5th, 2008 at 8:54 pm
Send for Fox Mulder! Surely there’s an X-File on this? The idea of death as a saint is just too good. She does, after all, bring genuine respite to the poor. I suggest that Santa Muerte join forces with the Flying Spaghetti Monster, so people can dress as pirates, eat pasta and get drunk while feeling pious. You know it makes sense.
And Vickilynne – these beliefs only sound ‘creepy’ to you because they’re unfamiliar. Don’t let mere historical perspective trick you into thinking one belief is somehow more ‘natural’ than another. They are (or were) all natural to someone. Think yourself lucky you can pick and mix, or simply reject the lot.
July 27th, 2009 at 8:54 am
sounds very satanic to me. the name 'santa' just looks like 'satan" all mixed up. i personally believe that death can NEVER be a saint. be careful what you pray to because there is, and will only ever be one way..JESUS CHRIST!
July 27th, 2009 at 11:03 am
Er, is this the Jesus Christ that makes you all moist?
http://www.popularmechanics.co.....esearch/...
If so, you need to lift your standards a tad. Personally, I think Saint Death is far sexier!
July 27th, 2009 at 11:25 am
Jesus Christ rescues me from the clutches of eternal death. death is sorrow and sorrow is pain and pain is suffering. There is nothing "sexy"about death ; If not, why do we all try to stay alive
July 27th, 2009 at 12:23 pm
"Death is sorrow and sorrow is pain and pain is suffering"
No it isn't. Death is simply the end of life. It comes to us all, and when it does we are finished, kaput, no more. Jesus, like Satan, God, Heaven, Hell and the Afterlife are pure figments of you imagination. Get real, Kate and stop wasting your time (and mine) with these infantile fantasies.