For more than ten years now, the cult of Santa Muerte has been rapidly gaining popularity in Mexico and the United States. Thousands of people: from drug dealers and mothers to taxi drivers, soldiers, police officers and prisoners turn to Santa Muerte for protection. Devotees seek her protection by fulfilling their vows to her, attending public rosaries and masses at street altars, and constructing home altars.

This book examines the role of Santa Muerte in people’s daily lives and provides an in-depth and comprehensive study of how how the popular religious practices of this cult developed.

The essays collected in this book go beyond the visual perception of Santa Muerte – be it a tattoo or figurine, and suggest that her cult became quite a large movement in Mexico.