This picture show a  gruesome skeletal figure, dressed in a robe, holding the world in one hand and a scythe in the other. She is the Santa Muerte - Saint Death or Holy Death - and. This picture strike the similarity of  a typical European “Grim Reaper” rather unexpectedly holding a balanced pair of scales and standing with one foot upon a stylized Aztec skull.

 

La Santa Muerte’s following is growing in Mexico, where chapels have sprung up over the six years to honor her. The statues are popular each November during the celebration of All Souls and All Saints where the Mexican also celebrate it together with honors family members who have died. Many believed that La Santa Muerte will become more known in the United States because of immigrants.

 
A bit of history:No one really know when exactly the Santa Muerte cult began as the sect could have remained underground for decades. Devotion to Santa Muerte first took hold in rough, poor urban neighborhoods where violence and death are facts of daily life. In 2001, it surfaced in Colonia Morelos in Mexico City. It began with one chapel, and now there are 20 in Colonia Morelos and (Colonia) Tepito. The followers also include those who broke away from the Roman Catholic Church.    

Believers:

Includes:

• Narcotraffickers, corrupt cops and politicians
• The Santa Muerte image that has been appearing on the skin and in the writings of a number of criminal organizations.
• ‘Santisima Muerte’ or ‘Holy Death’ is an image that is finding popularity among members of such gangs as MS-13 as well as members of Mexican drug cartels.
  The ‘angel of death’ may also give her followers ‘psychological strength’ if they believe that she will keep them from death. Reports of shrines discovered among drug labs and in the homes of drug dealers continue to grow.
• The Santisima Muerte subculture appears to growing. A number of incidents surrounding the figure continue to give the spirit’s reputation more credibility as a protector of crime. Murdered victims of the notorious Mexican Gulf Cartel were left at a public shrine to Santisima Muerte in Monterrey Mexico on May 11, 2007.
• Santisima Muerte is also honored by those who are not involved in criminal activity. Some believe she is simply a saint that can identify with the poor, the sick and the oppressed. Inmates pray to the image for protection from other inmates.
• Believers, including some Roman Catholics, also pray to her at altars in their homes as they believe she saves lives.
• Others pray to her so as to bring death to their enemies.
• Others ask her for protection “even as they do harm to others,”
• People pray to Santa Muerte for jobs, good fortune and money, as well as for safety.”On Friday

 Whilst those non-believers thought that Santa Muerte as “satanic because it is attributing powers to something that doesn’t have power which is then idolatry.So who was this Holy Death? Where did she come from?

Stories/Myths about La Santisima Muerte:

1.  Scholars of Mexican culture said that La Santisima Muerte is a “banned saint,” the Roman Catholic “cover” for an ancient Aztec goddess named Mictlantecuhtli, a death goddess and co-ruler, with her husband, of the underworld. Mictlantecuhtli is the sister to the Aztec heavenly goddess Tonantzin, who has been syncretized with the Virgin Mary as Our Lady of Guadalupe. That’s why Mictlantecuhtli became “Most Holy Death, The Virgin Mary as a Skeleton.”
2. La Santisima Muerte is a SHE. “women perform a novena to her to keep men faithful.” Some gave a long story of how she keeps men faithful to their wives and will judge and kill men who violate the sanctity of marriage if called upon to do so, because her husband was unfaithful to her, causing her to commit suicide, and to hate and punish all unfaithful men.
3. The image typically appears as a skeletal figure holding a bladed sickle or a globe. Its exact origins are unknown, but there are a number of speculations that the icon comes from a mixture of Aztec heritage, Spanish Catholicism and even African religious culture. The image’s subculture appears to be accepted within the religious cultures of Afro-Caribbean religions such as Santeria, Palo Mayombe and Haitian Voodoo. The religious communities of Mexican Curanderismo and Brujeria also appear to incorporate the image into their spiritual practices. Some followers of the folk saint call upon her powers without fully integrating the saint into their full-time religious practices.
    Rituals involved with La Santisima Muerte:

•  Perform a seven-knot spell for La Santisima Muerte which is quite similar to the hoodoo nine knot spell for a Nation Sack, but only that the knotted string that has been smeared with semen is tied around her statue, for safe-keeping. The statue is actually designed with a groove around the base to accept the wound-up string.
• Holds an altar with a dozen figures of Santa Muerte in robes of white, gold and black. Black stands for a death wish or for bringing harm to an enemy. White is for protection, and gold is for money. Red, another color associated with Santa Muerte, represents passion.
• Prayers ( refer below: 9 days cycle of prayers)
• Offerings given to Santisima Muerte include gifts of flowers, fruit, coins, alcohol and cigarettes.
• Prayers called ‘Oracions’ are given to the saint to ask for her assistance and protection. Traditional religious artifacts of the Catholic Church such as rosary beads and prayer cards may be found in her shrine.

The different form of popularity of Santa Muerte: 

• In the form of tattoos of the saint.
• Images may also be found on the jewelry of her followers.
• Some carry ‘amulets’ or ‘charms’ made from seeds, plastic beads and stone decorated with the saint’s image.
• A popular Santisima Muerte image is a mass produced amulet in the form of a necklace with the skeletal image on one side and an image of the saint ‘Our Lady of Guadalupe’ painted on the back.
• Santisima Muerte’s most popular image is found in the form of a plastic or ceramic statue. The statue is hollowed out with various ingredients such as beans, rice, coins and thread placed inside. These ingredients represent various aspects of the saint and are typically ‘sealed’ in the base of the statue with wax.
  The image can be male or female in gender, and is depicted in a number of colors including red, black, gold, white and green. The colors represent the specific purpose that the statue is being used for in rituals. For example, a black statue represents protection and aggressive magic while red represents matters pertaining to love. Some variations of the saint include removable hands, which can be removed from the image and returned to the image when the prayers are answered.

 

Append below is  a nine-day cycle of prayers to Santisima Muerte, taken from a Mexican Novena booklet.

 

Actually there are two separate prayers:

The first prayer is the Ejaculatory prayer which begins  with a separate prayer to the string that has been covered with the semen of the beloved and knotted with seven knots. This “Ejaculatory” prayer is recited as the string is wound around into the groove in the base of the statue. 

JACULATORIA	EJACULATORY
Muerte querida de mi corazon no me desampares de tu proteccion,    y no dejes que fulano…….     un solo momento tranquilo,  molestalo a cada inquietarlo    para que siempre piense en mi       (*Se resan 3 Padres Nuestros*)	Death, dear to my heart don’t abandon me, protect me, and don’t let ____name____ have one moment of peace; keep him restless and bothered with the thought of me always.   (*Say Three Our Fathers*)

 Following this, the oration for the “First Day” is to be recited. This “First Day” of the spell should be a Sunday, for reasons that will become apparent later within the text.  

NOVENA SANTA MUERTE ORACION  HOLY DEATH PRAYER Para todos los dias.	NOVENA For all the days.
PRIMER DIA Muerte Santisima:   Los favores que me tienes que      conceder:     Haras que venza todas las      dificultades y que para mi no    halla nada imposible, ni              obstaculos, infranqueables, ni        tenga enemigos, ni que nadie             quiera hacerme dano, que   todos sean mis amigos y que yo     salga vencedor en todas las      empresas o cosas que haga;            Mi casa se llenara de bienes           con las virtudes de tu proteccion      (*Tres Padres Nuestros*)	FIRST DAY Most Holy Death The favours that you have to grant me: Make me overcome all difficulties so that for me nothing is impossible, no obstacles, barriers, no enemies, that no one does me any harm, that everyone is my friend and that I am victorious | in all my dealings and things I do; May my house be filled with all the good virtues of your protection. (*Three Our Fathers*)
SEGUNDO DIA Muerte Santa, mi gran tesoro,         no te apartes en ninguna ocacion:     Pan comiste y de el me diste, y como eres la poderosa duena de        la oscura mansion de la vida y la     Emperatriz de las tinieblas, quiero que me hagas el favor de que fulano……… se presente a mis pies humiliado y arrepentido y        que nunca mas vuelva a irse de mi     lado, mientras yo lo necesite. Y        has que me cumpla lo que me ha   prometido.    (*Tres Padres Nuestros*)	SECOND DAY Death Saint, my great treasure, never go away from me at any time: You ate bread and gave me bread, and as you are the powerful owner of the dark mansion of life and Empress of darkness, I want you to grant me the favour that ___name___ is at my feet humiliated and repentant and that he never leaves my side when I need him, and that you make me get what was promised to me. | (*Three Our Fathers*)
TERCER DIA Jesucristo vencedor que en la cruz fuiste vencido, vence a fulano……  que este vencido conmigo. En el       nombre del Senor si eres animal feroz, te volveras manso como         cordero suave como la flor de romero. Muerte adorada: Te suplico    encarecidamente que con esa fuerza       titanica que Dios te dio me intro- duscas en el corazon de fulano……. que no tenga ojos, mas que para mi, ye que yo sea todo para el, hazme el favor que te pido con        mucha fe en esta Novena, ye te pren-  dere una vela todos las martes de           cada semana a las doce de la noche.   (*Tres Padres Nuestros*)	THIRD DAY Jesus Christ Conqueror who on the cross was conquered, conquer ____name____ that he is overcome by me.  In the name of God, you are a ferocious animal; you will come back to me as a   tame sheep, mild as the Rosemary flower Adored Death, I implore you earnestly that with this titanic force that God gave you, instill in ____name’s____ heart that he has eyes for no one but me, and that I am his everything, that you grant me this which I ask, having great faith in this Novena, and I light a candle every Tuesday of every week at twelve midnight (*Three Our Fathers*)
CUARTO DIA Muerte querida: Yo te pido con        todas las fuerzas de mi corazon,      que asi como Dios te formo              Inmortal, ye poderosa duena y         Reina de las tinieblas del mas alla, que con ese gran poder que tienes sobre todos los mortales,      hagas que fulano……. no pueda en   mesa corner, ni en silla sentarse, ni tranquilidad tenga, deseo que lo      obligues a que humilde y rendido      venga a mis pies y que nunca          jamas se aleje de mi.                 (*Tres Padres Nuestros*)	FOURTH DAY Dear Death: I ask you with all my heart, that as God made you   Immortal, and the powerful owner and Queen of the Darkness Unknown hereafter, that with your great powers, which you have over all mortals, make ____name____ unable to eat at any table or sit in any chair and grant that he has no peace; I wish that he becomes obliged to be humble and devoted at my feet and that he never again goes away from me. (*Three Our Fathers*)
QUINTO DIA    Gloriosa Y Poderosa Muerte:           Abusando de tu bondad, como           mi proctetora y duena te pido este    favor: Como senora invencible que eres te ruego que hagas que           fulano…….  no pueda en paseos     gozar, ni con mujeres andar ni        comer, ni dormir si a mi lado no      esta. Que sus pensamientos sean       solo para mi, lo mismo que su         voluntad y que me de la felicidad     de todo su amor.                      (*Tres Padres Nuestros*)	FIFTH DAY   Glorious and Powerful Death, taking advantage of your kindness, as my protector and owner, I ask this favour: As the invicible madam that you are, I beg that you make ____name____ so that he can’t enjoy strolling around, so hat he can’t walk or eat with other women, or sleep unless he’s at my side. Grant that his thoughts are about me only, by his own choice, and that he gives me the happiness of having all of his love. (*Three Our Fathers*)
SEXTO DIA    Oh Soberana Senora! a la que la      Divina Trinidad en el Padre Eternopuso para cegar la vida de todos      los mortales, a la que a todos llega  mas tarde o mas tenprano y que        no le importan las riquezas ojuventudes, pues es pareja con        viegos, jovenes o ninos, a los que    habra de llevar a sus dominios,       cuando Dios se lo indique. Te         suplico que fulano……. se ena-     more mucho de mi, que no se fije      en la hermosura fisica, sino en la     de mi alma, y que venga a mi  sumiso, field, arrodillado a mis pies    (*Tres Padres Nuestros*)	SIXTH DAY Oh Sovereign Lady! In that the Holy Trinity in our Eternal Father has blinded the life of all mortals to the fact that you will come to everyone sooner or later, whether rich or poor or in youth, who does to us all the same, old, young, child; we enter your domain of death when God decrees. I implore you that ____name____ is much in love with me, not just for physical beauty, but also for my soul, and that he comes to me faithful, submissive, kneeling at my feet. (*Three Our Fathers*)
SEPTIMO DIA	SEVENTH DAY
Librame a mi de todo mal, y  con este titanico poder que tienes    con el cual Dios te doto, haras       que gocemos eternamente, un           dia glorioso sin noches. Por eso      protectora y Duena: te pido me        concedas los favores que yo           deseo en esta Novena. Se hace la      peticion…….. (*Tres Padres Nuestros*)	Liberate me from all evil, and with the titanic power with which God endowed you, make it so that we enjoy eternal heavenly nightless days. Protector and owner: I beg you to grant me the favors I request in these prayers. I ask that _______________________. (*Three Our Fathers*)
OCTAVO DIA    Milagrosa Y Majestuosa Muerte:        Te pido que con tu poder              inmenso me devuelvas el carino        de ……..   No lo dejes un          momento sociego, ni tranquilo         con nadie se halle, ni con amigos ni con mujeres contento        esta. Si esta durmiendo me este       pensamiento este en mi, y en las      palabras que yo te digo las           escuche y haga lo que yo te pido (*Tres Padres Nuestros*)	EIGHTH DAY Miraculous and Majestic Death: I ask that with your immense power you return my beloved,  ____name____. Don’t let him for one minute be sociable or tranquil with anyone he comes across; neither with friends nor with women may he be at ease Grant that while sleeping, he thinks of me, and that he listens to the words I say to you in his sleep, and that he does what I ask. (*Three Our Fathers*)
NOVENO DIA  Muerte Protectora Y Bendita:          Por la virtud que Dios te dio:        quero que me libres de todos los      maleficios y peligros y enferme-      dades y que en cambio me des:         SUERTE, SALUD, FELICIDAD Y            DINERO, que me des amigos y           me libres de mis enemigos             haciendo tambien que fulano…….    se presente ante mi humilde a          pedirme perdon, humilde como            un cordero, fiel a sus promesas y siempre amoroso y sumiso   (*Tres Padres Nuestros*)	NINTH DAY Blessed Protector Death: By the virtues that God gave you I ask that you free me from all evil, danger, and sickness and that instead you give me                                        LUCK, HEALTH, HAPPINESS AND MONEY, that you give me friends and freedom from my enemies, also making ____name____ come before me, humbled  to ask my forgiveness, humble as a sheep, keeping his promises and always loving and submissive. (*Three Our Fathers*)

 

Notes to the above prayers:

 

• The reference to the pale blue Rosemary flower in the prayer of the “Third Day” has a significant dual meaning — ros marinus (”the dew of the sea”) is the ancient Latin name for the Mediterranean Rosemary herb much used in spells for female domination and in Peaceful Home spells — but the sound of the words also makes a pun with the idea of a Rose of [the Virgin] Mary (whose sacred flower is the Rose), and so the herb, not at all related to Roses, has come to symbolize certain aspects of Mary, especially her sea-borne and home-strengthening apparitions.

 

• This spell-work must be done at night. The prayers for both “The Third Day and “The Eighth Day” make that clear, for the former refers to “midnight” and the latter to the beloved being asleep while the work is underway.

 

• The reason that it is necessary to begin this Novena on a Sunday night is because in the prayer for the “Third Day,” mention is made of “Tuesday” — but only if the first day is a Sunday will the third day will be a Tuesday.
• Also, as the prayer of the “Third Day” makes clear, even after the nine-day novena cycle is completed, the supplicant must continue to offer a candle to Santisima Muerte “every Tuesday of every week at twelve midnight” as long as the spell is desired to be in effect.

 

• In other words, the Novena cycle gets things going, but to keep them working, a candle must be offered to Holy Death every Tuesday at midnight.

 

• Finally, it is worth noting that this prayer-cycle contains elements rather similar to the better-known Prayer of Intranquility designed to bring back a lost lover. The “Ejaculatory” prayer and prayers of “The Third Day” and “The Eighth Day” all make a point of condemning the wandering lover to have no peace or tranquility in his social life until he complies with the desires of the petitioner.

1 comment