Death for the "Death Saint"

Saint Death (Santa Muerta) (Photo credit: ShiraleeS)

Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, in charge of the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for Culture, has denounced the Death Saint worshipped by a cult that reveres death.  In Spanish the Saint is called “Holy Death” or “Santa Muerta.” The Idol representing this saint is a female’s skeleton wrapped in a shawl and some hold bladed scepters. This cult dates back to the period of SpanishColonization, when the tradition of honoring saints was first used to the native cultures. Many who pray to Santa Muerta make altars in her honor, and pray to receive wishes granted.  The issue is that they are praying to death and according to the Vatican it “degenerates the religion.” Cardinal Ravasi said that the saint does not represent religion and is blasphemous against religion.

Cardinal Ravasi said the practice was "anti-religious". "Religion celebrates life, but here you have death," he said. The danger lies in those who practice it, since this death theme has turned the cult to practice black magic. Eight people were arrested last year in Mexico for the murder of two boys and a woman in a sacrificial ritual. The victim were held down on an alter and cut them draining them of blood until their death.

The ancient practice of sacrificing humans goes way back to early American history in the Central and South American tribes. According to historical accounts, “The Aztecs would give a series of rituals to unlucky nearby tribesman to be sacrificed with an obsidian knife, and donate their blood to Acolnahuacatl, an Aztec god. When they knew he had finished his drink and he was no longer thirsty, they would end the sacrificing. This ritual would go on for a whole weekend, so as to please the god."


as seeb on examiner.com