Mexican folk saints

[kimg901]

So my trips to the Hispanic market are becoming a little more perturbing. In addition to the traditional crucifixes, la virgian, and rosaries, I’ve been noticing quite a few non catholic “saints” many associated as patrons saints of illegal or evil activities. Most disturbing is the figure of Santa Muerte, which in my mind seems to be pretty darn close to devil worship. But it seems that the cult of Santa Muerte seems to be gaining traction on both sides of the border and her statues seems to be a top seller at the local market. Is the church taking a particularly strong stand against this? If so, it doesn’t seem to be working.

Peace!
-Michael

It has do with the cartels and their form of worship and their belief it will protect them. As for the vast majority of Mexicanos they do not except this because of what it represents. And we do have quite a few members of the cartels living here in the U.S (even in Utah). I can only speak my opinion on the Church’s take on this but I would think they don’t approve of it.

 

[kimg901]

I don’t know that much about St. Death, but I do know that Mexicans are pretty obsessed with the Day of the Dead and all the celebrations that go with it. I imagine this “saint” appeals to them because of the Day of the Dead connections. The Aztec culture was a very bloody death-filled culture, that never really completely left the Catholic Mexican culture today.

Do you have any evidence that shows us Mexicans are obsessed with the Day of the Dead? Because I find it offensive. Well I find your whole post offensive. So please show us proof of your accusations.

 

[Iheartcoffee]

In my area I have seen the “Santa Muerte” stickers on the backs of cars and things like that. It always gives me the creeps. There is an unfortunate subculture among some Catholics in my area that have grown up with some very non-Catholic occult and superstition purely because it has been intermingled with their cultural Catholicism.

Recently, I had a co-worker telling a group at lunch about her mother-in-law’s “Catholic” healing practices involving various cooking ingredients placed on people and “invoking” Saints. She is non-practicing/culturally Catholic and she actually didn’t realize this wasn’t allowed by the church.I got the impression she was pleasantly surprised that it wasn’t part of the Church as she seemed a little troubled by it. I politely explained that was santeria and not Catholicism. You’re not allowed to perform magic spells no matter how much you try to drag the saints into it. It’s a good thing I was there, because some rather anti-Catholic co-workers were nearly foaming at the mouth with excitement over the prospect of furthering their “Catholics aren’t Christians” vitriol.

Honestly, if you see some of these santa muerte things anywhere near actual Saint Candles you need to complain to the store owner. We need to be more vocal about this stuff because I am certain many of the anti-Catholics in your area will assume that this is legit Catholicism.

 

[CathConvert602]

Do you have any evidence that shows us Mexicans are obsessed with the Day of the Dead? Because I find it offensive. Well I find your whole post offensive. So please show us proof of your accusations.

Agreed, the day of the dead is, as I understand, the day of all saints. Followed by the day of the innocents. At the day of the dead, there are processions, prayers and penance offered for the departed. The day of the innocents is same, but the focus is for the children who are departed.

Culturally, it’s been watered down to just an excuse to have a BBQ at the gravesite. , in an extreme example. More moderately, it’s a reason for families to get together, sing songs and remember their dead relatives; communion of saints and all.
Personally I find that some do gather for BBQs or drinks in cemetery abhorrent, and I know it’s not allowed in our Catholic cemeteries but it still happens in secular cemeteries.

Anyway, to say that Mexicans accross the board are obsessed with it, is really way too broad of a brush stroke.

 

[CathConvert602]

Could be… except the Bible is an inanimate object where as death is used as a person. That is why the holy cross is santa - an inanimate object as well.

The only 2 exceptions that I know are:

Holy Mary in the prayer is translated as Santa Maria and the Holy Ghost/Spirit is translated as Espiritu Santo - both of which are persons but their uniqueness place them outside language limitations.

Also, a Holy Death should carry the blood of a martyr or a Christian cause. The fruits of crime are seldom Holy…

El Santo Padre, our Holy Father, the Pope is another “exception” since he is not an inanimate object, right?

As for LSM being a saint, she is a deity to them, she is considered “holy” in a perversion of that word. Not at all like what we would call a Holy Death of a martyr, for example. In Spanish, a true Holy Death would be a “muerte santa” since the santa is an adjective describing the type of death. Not a title of honor, like in Santa Biblia (holy Bible-.

 

[lifllelovepeace]

It depends on context. Take the names of California cities: Santa Barbara, Santa Rosa, Santa Ana. Those are saints. Santa Cruz, on the other hand, is Holy Cross.

Just as hagia in Greek means ‘holy’ but is also applied to saints, and in Latin as well, English translations need discretion.

In this context, Santa Muerte is the personification of Death. This can be contrasted by a faithful Catholic’s wish for a holy death. That is not what Santa Muerte is about: it is demonic cult worship by drug dealers and homosexualists who, lacking God on their side, seek some power that they think will overcome good.

Yes it’s the same way in French. Like “Le Saint-Esprit” is The Holy Spirit, so it can mean holy, and there’s also like “Saint Valentine” and other such.

Ok but maybe not quite the point.

Santa Muerte is not sanctioned by the Catholic Church, internet resources tell me.

 

[jesuspsr]

I think holy is a closer translation for the word Santa
For example La Santa Biblia is the Holy Bible.

In Spanish a word can mean two things depending in what context you use it. In this case Isaiah45_9 is correct. Santa means saint, muerte means death so it’s santa muerte,
saint death.

 

[CHRISTINE77]

Do you have any evidence that shows us Mexicans are obsessed with the Day of the Dead? Because I find it offensive. Well I find your whole post offensive. So please show us proof of your accusations.

Sorry, I did not mean to be offensive. I just mean that they make all those skeleton foods and all those little retablos full of skeletons. I don’t know any other culture that does this at least not to the degree that Mexicans do. I know a lot of it is to laugh and be playful about death, and I guess our Halloween is a bit like it.

 

[jesuspsr]

Do you have any evidence that shows us Mexicans are obsessed with the Day of the Dead? Because I find it offensive. Well I find your whole post offensive. So please show us proof of your accusations.

I don’t find it offensive. If anything, I find it a way to educate others on the richness and customs of Mexican practices.

Being a Mexican-American I get to celebrate the richness in both cultures. Like hollween or Dia de los muertos, Christmas Santa Clause or Posadas.

At any rate

God bless

 

[Stillsosola]

Hi Michael, not knowing anything about Santa Muerte, I wonder could that be a way to honor Mary as Our Lady in relation to the Day of the Dead celebrated by the Catholic Church November 2nd each year?

NO NO NO I was once entrapped in the Santa Muertes cult this has nothing to do with the day of the dead at all the day of ther dead is set aside for visiting the cemetary praying the rosary for the dead and having a dinner and remembering thier time here on earth the Santa Muerte involves harming others, manipulative love spells, protection for criminals and flirts with paganism as La Muerta is actually an ancient aztec goddess repainted in european grim reaper dress she is not the holy death described by many saints she is evil

As for other folk saints El Nino Fidencio he has a huge following in mexico he was a curandero or folk healer but people worship him in his chapels they picture him as the sacred heart or la virgen de guadalupe

Don pedrito is another fake santo

Don diego duende is actually a troll who people pray to for favors mixing his prayers with the our father

And Malverde is the santo of cartels he is everywhere in mexico city and the border towns I can’t go to the market without seeing these fake saints leering at me from yerberia windows

And all cultures do it not just mexico in brazil thier is candomble honoring saints but really they are just hiding ancient african and indian dieties

And I’m from florida so I am all too familiar with Santeria the pseudo catholicism that takes place there and in cuba and other places

And hoodoo using saints to make mojo bags and cast spells and sell magical charms I’m sure every nation has it’s own blending that is evil but the southern united states and the central and south america are very bad about it.

 

[kimg901]

I don’t find it offensive. If anything, I find it a way to educate others on the richness and customs of Mexican practices.

Being a Mexican-American I get to celebrate the richness in both cultures. Like hollween or Dia de los muertos, Christmas Santa Clause or Posadas.

At any rate

God bless

I do see your point about sharing our practices with others but not something that’s used for greed and harm. Palm Springs huh? I was raised in Indio and Coachella! Miss them date shakes thought and the Date Festival.