Buzz
Who is Santa Muerte, and how do you communicate with a figure who isn’t officially considered a saint? Nuestra Señora de la Santa Muerte (Our Lady of the Holy Death)—known simply as Santa Muerte or the Bony Lady—has gained immense popularity over the past few decades, alongside an increasing number of rituals and prayers directed toward her. For those seeking a deeper understanding, we’ve compiled a guide to help you effectively connect with Santa Muerte, including tips for building an altar to enhance your rituals and deepen your spiritual bond with her. Keep reading to learn how to invite the power of Santa Muerte into your life.
How to Summon Santa Muerte
At dusk or just as night falls, begin by saying a prayer to God, such as the Hail Mary or the Lord’s Prayer. Request an audience with Santa Muerte from God, and set a serious and pure intention to speak with her. Share your situation and ask for her advice. If you make a promise, ensure it’s something you can honor.
Instructions
What is Santa Muerte?
Santa Muerte is a revered and mystical figure symbolizing death in Mexico. While not recognized as a Catholic saint, she is a folk figure with deep roots in Indigenous spirituality and the Aztec death goddess, Mictecacihuatl. She is often depicted as a skeletal figure dressed in vibrant, traditional Spanish attire, holding a scythe, a globe, or scales.
- Santa Muerte is widely seen as a comforting guide to the afterlife, as well as a powerful figure with the ability to protect individuals from death through her healing abilities.
- The Vatican does not officially endorse the veneration of Santa Muerte, as she is not a canonized saint within the Catholic Church.
Devotees turn to Santa Muerte for solace in the face of loss. Many seek her aid to cure ailments, protect their children, or resolve personal challenges. Her following has surged since the 1990s, especially among working-class people impacted by drug trafficking and poverty. Santa Muerte is revered as a non-judgmental figure who embraces individuals for who they are, regardless of their background or beliefs.
- While the media and Catholic Church attempt to discredit Santa Muerte, often labeling her as the patron saint of criminals, her true followers are working-class individuals seeking genuine support.
- It’s estimated that over 10 million people regularly worship Santa Muerte, not including those who turn to her on special occasions.
Setting Your Prayer Intention
When praying to Santa Muerte, ensure that your intentions are sincere and meaningful. She does not appreciate being called upon without a genuine purpose, and may reject your requests or impart spiritual consequences if invoked for trivial reasons. You may also face mystical repercussions if you make promises you cannot keep. Always express gratitude, regardless of the outcome, as what you ask for may not be what you truly need.
- Physical items such as a rosary are not necessary to pray to her—your connection with Santa Muerte comes from your heart.
- Santa Muerte’s power is most potent during the night or just before dusk. To achieve the best results, plan your rituals, prayers, or altar work after sundown.
- If you wish to work with spells, it’s advisable to seek guidance from an experienced spellcaster to ensure the spell is performed safely.
Seeking the Guidance of Santa Muerte
Start your session with a brief prayer to God. Santa Muerte's followers believe she serves under God's guidance, so it's important to pray to Him first. Appropriate prayers to invoke Santa Muerte include:
- Our Father: Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
- Hail Mary: Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
- Gloria Patri: Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be. World without end. Amen.
Ask for God's permission to invoke Santa Muerte. It's customary to first request God's permission to work with Santa Muerte, ensuring that your intention is pure and sincere. Once granted, you may address Santa Muerte directly, seeking her guidance. Use this prayer to ask for God's permission and to call upon Santa Muerte:
- Almighty God, before your Divine Presence, in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, I ask permission to invoke the Santisima Muerte. Holy and Miraculous Mother, at this time I beg for your presence and intervention. Through the great power, which God has granted you, I beg you to hear my prayers and grant me all the favors I ask of you until the last day, hour, and moment when the Divine Majesty shall call me before His presence.
Present your request to Santa Muerte. Be open and clear about your situation or struggle, and ask for her help and protection. If you are offering something in return, specify what it will be, but ensure it is a commitment you can honor. After voicing your request, conclude with the following prayer along with 3 repetitions of the Our Father:
- Santisima Muerte, beloved of my heart, do not abandon me without your protection. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Prayers with the Rosary
Prayer to Dedicate Your Rosary: To dedicate your rosary to Santa Muerte, recite this prayer at your altar every day for 9 consecutive days. The only items you need are your rosary and your altar. Pray with complete faith in Santa Muerte:
- Mother Death, Beloved of my heart, do not abandon me, neither by day nor by night. Enlighten me with Your wisdom and console me with Your love. When my time comes, by Your will, take me into Your embrace and guide me into eternal life. Lady in White, Lady in Red, Lady in Black, I place this rosary upon Your altar, seeking Your blessing. Servant of God, may this image be blessed to protect and serve Your devoted child. May it bring peace, prosperity, and hope to me and my loved ones, as well as safety in our homes and on our journeys. May we always have shelter and sustenance, with all our needs provided. Free the captives, heal the sick, and comfort the forsaken with Your sacred love, O our Guide on Heaven's path and Guardian of the gateway to eternal life. Amen.
Prayer for the Rosary Pendant: Praying with the rosary pendant (or any part of the rosary) is a way to honor Santa Muerte and clear your mind for spiritual work. Typically, the pendant on a Santa Muerte rosary features an image of her. Hold the pendant and a depiction of Santa Muerte in your hands while reciting this prayer:
- I believe in the power of Santa Muerte, Keeper of the living and Protector of the dead, who sees all and forgives all. Her authority is immense, and her power, boundless. I accept her protection under her cloak and ask for her guidance on my journey. Amen.
- It is also appropriate to pray with other protective amulets or pendants, not just the official Santa Muerte rosary.
Prayer for a Single Bead: Hold a single bead of the rosary and an image of Santa Muerte in your hands. Recite the Our Father and Gloria Patri prayers, or you may use these alternative prayers:
- Alternative Our Father: Death, Beloved of my heart, do not leave me unprotected by day or by night. Guide my steps through life and grant me a peaceful and painless death. Amen.
- Alternative Gloria Patri: O' Santa Muerte, I offer my gratitude and thanks for Your protection, influence, and blessings. Amen.
- To learn how to pray the full Santa Muerte rosary, click here.
Building Your Altar
Keep Your First Altar Simple and Temporary: Set up a small, quiet space for your altar, such as a clean shelf, a small table, or an uncluttered desk. You only need a picture of Santa Muerte and two glasses of water—one for her and one for you (use real glass, not plastic). In emergencies, you can use an image of Santa Muerte on your phone or computer screen.
- Refresh the water in Santa Muerte's glass daily to keep it fresh for her.
- Maintain cleanliness on your altar to avoid negative energy. Wash your tablecloths regularly and purify the air with essential oils, white sage, or eucalyptus.
- Dedicate the altar solely to Santa Muerte; she doesn't like sharing space with other saints unless there is a special reason.
Make a more complex altar as your relationship with Santa Muerte grows. Move it to a permanent location and add more pictures or statues of her, as well as at least one votive candle. A tablecloth adds a nice touch too. Leave offerings of fresh bread or fruit, plus aromatic incense, herbs, or flowers. Just make sure to replace perishable offerings when they spoil to keep things fresh and pleasing.
- Light an altar candle in her honor at the start or end of every day to acknowledge both her pagan and Catholic identity.
Other Prayers and Rituals
Money Ritual and Prayer: Perform this ritual to attract money or get out of debt. Gather a yellow candle, some physical money, seven metal stones, honey, and cinnamon at your altar. Spread honey on the candle with your hands and sprinkle cinnamon on it. Place your money around the candle, then light the candle with a match. Place a stone in front of the candle and recite the following prayer:
- Glorious Santa Muerte, love of my heart, do not forsake me in this moment in which I most need protection and your blessing. You who are always hovering around the world, you who are the guide. You are the one who will help us to cross the wonderful world. Thanks, I give you for bringing what I need most at this time.
Love Ritual and Prayer: Use this ritual to attract someone you love. Light a red candle of Santa Muerte at your altar and recite this prayer every day for 3 days:
- Love has knocked on my door dear and most holy death, but it has behaved capriciously with me. I feel sorry because I love and I am not reciprocated. I beg you with sadness so that you hear my prayer, feel how my being throbs when I speak to you and beg my beloved girl. That is why I come to you, you are miraculous and kind. I want and wish that [mention the name of your impossible love] correspond to your love, as I love them. I will beg you for the time necessary for my wish to be fulfilled, while I will prove my loyalty offered for your grace [mention what your offering will be] for [mention a term]. So be it.
Healing Ritual: Perform this ritual to soothe your ailments. First, gather a medium stalk of rue, 1 metre (3.3 ft) of purple ribbon, a purple candle, a bottle of Santa Muerte oil, a cigar, the leaf of a maguey plant, and a black pen. Then go to your altar and follow these steps:
- Write your afflictions on the ribbon with the pen, then tie the rue in a bunch with the ribbon.
- Sprinkle some oil over the rue, then light the cigar and breathe smoke over the rue too.
- Cleanse your entire body with the rue. Start at your head and work down to your feet, passing over the most ill part of your body several times. Wrap the rue in paper and throw it out.
- Write your full name along the width of the candle with the sharp tip of the maguey leaf.
- Cleanse your body with the candle wax in the same manner as with the rue.
- Light the candle so the flame lights up the front of your Santa Muerte image.
- Pray and ask for Santa Muerte to ensure your health.
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If you reside in an area where Santa Muerte is worshipped, consider visiting a temple or altar dedicated to her to pay your respects.
The suggestions in this section come from the real-life experiences of Mytour readers like you. If you have a valuable tip to contribute, please share it in the form below on Mytour.
- Always approach prayer with pure intentions when connecting with her. If your request is solely focused on your own needs without consideration for others in your community, you may want to seek help from other sources.
