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Dear catholic.com visitors: This website from Catholic Answers, with all its many resources, is the world's largest source of explanations for Catholic beliefs and practices. A fully independent, lay-run, 501(c)(3) ministry that receives no funding from the institutional Church, we rely entirely on the generosity of everyday people like you to keep this website going with trustworthy , fresh, and relevant content. If everyone visiting this month gave just $1, catholic.com would be fully funded for an entire year. Do you find catholic.com helpful? Please make a gift today. SPECIAL PROMOTION FOR NEW MONTHLY DONATIONS! Thank you and God bless.

‘Santa Muerte’ Is Not Holy

Question:

What is the Santa Muerte?

Answer:

Santa Muerte (“Saint/Holy Death”) is essentially a death cult. It is a kind of deity, a female folk saint venerated primarily in Mexico and the southwestern US, that is the epitome of an anti-gospel (it preaches violence, hatred, revenge, etc). This cult has been tied to violent gangs and cartels and is not a genuine devotion of Catholicism.

Recommend reading: Santa Muerte is no saint, say Mexican bishops

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