Santa Muerte is a recognized female deity in Mexican and recently Mexican-American culture. Also known as Our Lady of Holy Death, she is commonly identified as the personification of death; she is associated with the healing and protection, along with the peaceful delivery to the afterlife. Her worshippers consist of mostly the marginalized; specifically the communities revolving around violence, criminality, and the illegal drug trade. The worshipping of Santa Muerte extends across borders and continues to become increasingly prominent with its recent rise in the 2000s. (Roush 2014:130). Santa Muerte has been referred to as a folk character due to miscounts and difficulty of identifying her origin. However, the aspect that correlates Santa Muerte with contemporary mythology is the fact that the deity is worshipped similar to a saint or other high religious figures. The devotion to Santa Muerte is commonly associated with the Catholic religion, but the worship of Santa Muerte is condemned by the Catholic Church. This implements the status of a folk saint; a non-institutionalized figure that is present in mythology commonly venerated as a saint but not officially canonized. (Roush 2014:132). Although the worship of this deity is deemed invalid, it is becoming increasingly entrenched in Mexican culture. The deconstruction of the myth regarding Santa Muerte begins with her potential origin, her recent rise in society, her function or symbolism, her worshippers, and the discourse between Santa Muerte and the Catholic Church. The growing attraction to the Lady of Holy Death can be explained through her function that coincides with modern circumstances; this categorizes her worship as contemporary mythology.
The Possible Origin
The exact origin of Santa Muerte cannot be exclusively identified, however, theories suggest possible correlations from past mythological figures. In regards to deciphering the origin of Santa Muerte, the context of the dominance of devotees and places of worship are taken into account. The devotion and acknowledgment of this folk saint is highly dominant in Mexico. The context of the location suggests that part of the phenomenon could potentially be influenced by the Aztec goddess Mictecacehuatl or “Lady Death.” (Adams 1991:73).
Present in Aztec Mythology, Mictecacehuatl and Mictlantecuhtli (the male counterpart), were created to rule the underworld. The creation of these male and female death deities were the result of Quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipoca creating the world. (Fernández 1996:142). This implies the balance between life and death through symbolic figures. This correlation is similar to La Santa Muerte, who represents death, and La Virgen de Guadelupe, who is commonly representative of life. The role of Mictecacihuatl is to watch over the bones of the past world. In Aztec mythology, the bones of the deceased are used to create life for the current and future world. (Fernández 1996:142). Mictecacihuatl's main goal is to guard these bones, however, the bones need to be stolen from her in order to create future beings. (Fernández 1996:143). It is said that as the bones are stolen, Mictecacihuatl’s spirit is carried with them. This correlation is why she is often associated with festivals regarding dead. This deity resides in the underworld, but she travels to the land of the living to continuously monitor the bones. (Fernández 1996:143). Often times, Mictecacihuatl is suspected as one of the first beings that dies during her birth; this could potentially explain why she ends up in the underworld. Her later connection with the bones implies her role in the land of the living; she is heavily present in both death and life, hence why she is identified as the embodiment of Living Death. (Fernández 1996:143).
After the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire, the worship of death was never eradicated. A reference to a death deity was accounted in 18th-century Mexico. According to records of the Spanish Inquisition, indigenous people tied up a skeletal figure in central Mexico. The indigenous were recorded as threatening the figure with violence if its spirit did not grant their wishes they petition through their rituals. (Thompson 1998:427). It can also be inferred that over time the dominant language of the region has changed from the indigenous language to Spanish. The translation of Mictecacihuatl and Santa Muerte both correspond with females representative of death. This exemplifies that skeletal figures have been worshiped for centuries and further implies that the origin of Santa Muerte could be in Mexico.
The following of Santa Muerte has been identified as far back as the 1960s. However, it isn’t until the 21st Century that the veneration of this death deity becomes more public and widespread. The recent influx of followers is partly due to the implementation of a shrine in 2001 that was dedicated to Santa Muerte. The shrine is a public display of a five-foot-tall statue of Santa Muerte; although there are many shrines to this day, this specific shrine in Mexico City is the oldest and by far most attended by devotees. (Chestnut 2012:8). Similar to the Catholic Church, special prayers are recited along with the ceremonial blessing of personal items. (Chestnut 2012:8). Many of the same services are also performed at the shrines of Santa Muerte; there are masses and rosaries that are devoted to the Lady of Holy Death. The modern rise in the worship of La Santa Muerte is greatly dependent upon modern circumstances. With Mexico’s unsteady economic times, violence, criminality, and the involvement in the illegal drug trade, it is not surprising in the recent influx of followers devoting their faith to La Santa Muerte. Her worship has increased immensely; behind La Virgen de Guadalupe, La Santa Muerte is the second-most venerated icon in Mexico. (Chestnut 2012:8).
The Worship of Santa Muerte
The worship of Santa Muerte is greatly associated with narco-culture; the increase in her devotion coincides with the continuously developing drug trade. Santa Muerte’s image appears to be a cloaked skeletal female figure who is holding a scythe and a globe. The scythe is a wildly recognized symbol of death, the long handle is indicative of the wide variety of places that the blade (death) can reach. (Velázquez & Méndez 2006:13). The globe is representative of how death encompasses the world and how it has vast power on Earth because death is inevitable. The globe can be inferred as a type of tomb, for when one passes they are more commonly buried within the Earth. (Velázquez & Méndez 2006:16). The two objects she holds stay the same, it is her cloak that regularly appears in different colors. Her image varies, especially in color, by her devotees and according to what they are praying for in their rituals. Santa Muerte is symbolic of not only death but protection. Common Santa Muerte paraphernalia are votive candles and statues of her used during prayer. However, the importance is not necessarily in the object but rather in the color. The color of Santa Muerte paraphernalia allows for an insight into what her devotees are praying for in this contemporary time.
The colors often associated with Santa Muerte are black, white, red, and green. (Chestnut 2012:102). The paraphernalia in black is by far the most commonly bought and color attributed to Santa Muerte. Black is symbolic of vengeance and protection; this color is representative of drug traffickers ensuring their protection from violence of their rivals as well the hopes of ensuring harm to their enemies. (Chestnut 2012:102). White is symbolic of gratitude and cleansing. This color is commonly associated with spiritual cleansings, healing rituals, as well as ensuring good luck. (Chestnut 2012:103). Red is symbolic of love; both romantic and passionate. Paraphernalia of this color alludes to sexual desires in the despair of abandonment by a lover. (Chestnut 2012:103). Green is symbolic of prosperity in the context of worshipping Santa Muerte. This color is often used in prayer in regards to success with criminal activity that benefits in growing wealth. (Chestnut 2012:103). As the drug war in Mexico escalates and surpasses borders, the veneration of Santa Muerte within narco-culture continues to increase, her skeletal image is almost expected to be seen. It has come to the point that Santa Muerte’s image within the drug world has become routine.
The worship of Santa Muerte is highly dominant in Mexican society, especially devotees of the urban working class. (Chestnut 2012:11). These individuals are deemed marginalized, they are predominately lured to the devotion of Santa Muerte through the disillusions with the Catholic Church. More specifically, with the established saints that are supposed to deliver and perform wishes proclaimed by the suffering. (Chestnut 2012:12). The devotion to Santa Muerte has been referred to as a cult of crisis; this is due to the peaking of devotion during economic and social hardships that tends to predominantly affect the working class. (Roush 2014:137). Although her worship targets those in difficult situations, her most devoted followers are by individuals who commit small crimes on an economic scale; most of these crimes are committed in desperate times such as prostitution and thievery. (Roush 2014:137). The allure of Santa Muerte predominantly extends to those who feel that the traditional values of the Catholic Church do not provide the spiritual solace that is needed.
The devotees of Santa Muerte ultimately feel marginalized in society. Prostitutes, drug traffickers, and gang members are lured into the worship of Santa Muerte based on the premise that they feel she reflects their realities of life. (Chestnut 2012:8). Her attraction is dependent on the belief that she can perform miracles; the continuously growing following is not shocking when the everyday lives of the marginalized is filled with uncertainty and struggle.
Santa Muerte vs. Catholic Church
The devotion and worship of the Lady of Holy Death is commonly compared to other saints, especially in the Catholic religion. La Santa Muerte is recognized as the counterpart to La Virgen de Guadalupe. The Catholic Church recognizes that Jesus has conquered death and proclaims his faithful followers to everlasting life. (Kail 2010:7). The following of Santa Muerte is symbolic of eternal death. The veneration of this death deity is deemed demonic, cult-like, and even anti-Catholic. (Kail 2010:7). The allure of Santa Muerte is associated with marginalized individuals; those who feel that the Catholic Church (or other religious institutions) do not protect and cater to them. (Roush 2014:137). Although Santa Muerte is worshipped deity equivalent to a religious figure, she has no connection and validation within the Catholic Church.
Conclusion
The deconstruction of the myth regarding Santa Muerte begins with her potential origin within the Mexico region and the reasoning behind her 21st Century rise in society. Her function and symbolism are what lures her worshippers, especially in the narco-culture. Her uprising and continuous expansion have been substantial enough to cause a rift with the Catholic Church. The categorization of her worship as contemporary mythology is dependent upon the continuously growing attraction to her worship due to modern circumstances that correspond with the devotion to a religious figure.