La Santa Muerte in Mexico: History, Devotion, and Society

For over a decade the cult of La Santa Muerte has grown rapidly in Mexico and the United States. Thousands of people—ranging from drug runners and mothers to cabdrivers, soldiers, police, and prison inmates—invoke the protection of La Santa Muerte. Devotees seek her protection through practicing popular vows, attending public rosaries and masses at street altars, and constructing and maintaining home altars.

This book examines La Santa Muerte’s role in people’s daily lives and explores how p...