The Cult of Santa Muerte, aka Saint Death

Buried Secrets Podcast

English - August 14, 2020 11:00 - 33 minutes - 28.7 MB
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Next Episode: Ghosts of the Grove Park Inn, Asheville, North Carolina

A look at Santa Muerte, or Saint Death, a Mexican folk saint whose popularity has skyrocketed over the last 20 years.

The Catholic Church has condemned Santa Muerte as "satanic," the Mexican military has destroyed shrines to her, the Mexican government refuses to acknowledge the veneration of Santa Muerte as a religion, and the media in the US and Mexico have conflated the cult of Santa Muerte with drug cartels.

But that's not the whole story. We take a look at the history behind Santa Muerte and see how many people who've felt rejected by the Catholic Church have been able to find hope, comfort, and community in Santa Muerte.

Highlights include:
• Marijuana smoke used as incense
• A trans woman who puts on the largest festival to Saint Death
• A reimagined version of the rosary
• Frida Kahlo holding a ying yang

Note: there's a mention of someone being beheaded at 1:21-2:32.

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