The Scythe and the Pentagram: Santa Muerte from Folk Catholicism to Occultism
Manon Hedenborg White, Fredrik Gregorius
Religions December 22, 2016 Peer reviewed DOI: 10.3390/rel8010001 via OpenAlex 41 citations
Summary
Santa Muerte is gaining followers among contemporary occultists in Europe and North America, a milieu distinct from the Mexican folk cult due to its middle-class orientation and emphasis on secrecy and tradition. This article argues that the Skeleton Saint's appeal in occultism stems from needs and demands specific to that milieu, not from inherent qualities of the symbol itself. Understanding her spread outside her original sociocultural context requires analyzing the new context she enters. The analysis draws on three recent English-language books on Santa Muerte aimed at an occult audience.
Study at a glance
| Design | theoretical or philosophical paper |
|---|---|
| Key finding | The reception of Santa Muerte in occultism is driven by perceived needs and demands of the occult milieu rather than characteristics inherent in the symbol. |
Abstract
Santa Muerte is establishing a presence among practitioners of contemporary occultism in Europe and North America. The occult milieu is highly different from the Mexican cult of Santa Muerte, having a strong heritage of secrecy and tradition as social capital and being mostly middle-class in orientation. Nonetheless, this Catholic folk saint with a mostly pragmatic, popular, and grassroots cult is becoming increasingly popular among occultists. Based on a survey of three recent books on Santa Muerte geared towards an Anglophone, occult audience, it is therefore the aim of this article to understand how and why the Skeleton Saint is attracting adherents in the occult milieu, by analyzing the underlying causes of this growing trend, as well as the conditions shaping it. It is the overall argument of this article that the beginning reception of Santa Muerte in occultism is a result of perceived needs and demands specific to the occult milieu rather than characteristics inherent in the symbol itself, and that an analysis of the ways in which she is spreading outside of her original sociocultural context must be guided by an understanding of the novel one she is integrated in.