Devotees know her as...

‘Nuestra Señora de la Santa Muerte (Our Lady of Holy Death), often shortened to Santa Muerte "Sacred Death/Holy Death". Santísima Muerte, which is translated as "Most Holy Death" or "Most Saintly Death". La Flaquita (the Skinny Lady), la Huesuda (the Bony Lady), la Niña Blanca (the White Lady), la Hermana Blanca (the White Sister), la Niña Bonita (the Pretty Girl), la Dama Poderosa (the Powerful Lady), la Madrina (the Godmother), Señora de las Sombras (Lady of Shadows), Señora Blanca (White Lady), Señora Negra (Black Lady), Niña Santa (Holy Girl), Santa Sebastiana (Saint Sebastienne/Holy Sebastian) or Doña Bella Sebastiana (Beautiful Lady Sebastienne) and La Flaca (The Skinny Woman)’.

The aforementioned names all belong to Santa Muerte. She is the Mexican-American female saint that is believed to be all powerful by her devotees. Santa Muerte, as she will be referenced here, has been mentioned as far back as colonial Spain with the conquistadors creating her to help with the Catholic conversion of the Aztecs. The Aztecs had their own death deity, Mictecacihuatl; the commonality of a “death saint” was part of the introduction to Catholicism. Mictecacihuatl is the death goddess of the underworld often depicted having a skull face or being partial skeleton; a similarity that is often seen with Santa Muerte. According to one account, recorded in the annals of the Spanish Inquisition, indigenous people in central Mexico tied up a skeletal figure, whom they addressed as "Santa Muerte," and threatened it with lashings if it did not perform miracles or grant their wishes (Chesnut, 2018). There is also reference to inquisitors during the Spanish Inquisition destroying shrines dedicated to the death deity. This is also a sad occurrence in modern day shrine vandalization.

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Over the course of the last 10-15 years, Santa Muerte has accumulated more followers than any other religion. Her rise in popularity has been attributed to the increase of incarceration of prisoners and the increase of the death tolls from drug wars as well as the distress and war-torn borders throughout Mexico and Central America. As populations and cultures move back toward the idea of the good death and acceptance of death, it makes sense that you would look toward a Saint with domain in both worlds (life and the afterlife) for protection and guidance. “If somebody is going to be doing something illegal, and they want to be protected from the law enforcement, they feel awkward asking God to protect them…So they promise something to Santa Muerte in exchange for being protected from the law” (Father Andres Gutierrez). She is the saint of the outsiders, the black sheep and downtrodden. Santa Muerte has become the saint that all, especially the “unholy” and “un-saintly”, can look to for protection and comfort. Her association with the Dia De los Muertos and the rise of popularity in the holiday in recent years have also helped her devotees find her.

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