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Santísima Muerte
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Image of Santa Muerte with a golden crown, an embroidered red mantle, a scythe and a globe, surrounded by candles, red roses and marigolds

White Girl · Most Holy · Godmother

Santa Muerte: history, novena and prayers

Learn the history of Santa Muerte, how her devotion began and why her devotees say that death is love. Pray the novena day by day and her most beloved prayers.

Start the novenaRead her history

Who is Santa Muerte

Santa Muerte (Holy Death) is a folk devotion born in Mexico: death depicted as a robed skeleton, whom her devotees treat as a protective mother. People pray to her for protection, health, work and love, and thank her with candles, flowers and offerings.

It is one of the fastest-growing devotions in Mexico, Central America and the United States. On this site you will find her history told with sources, without exaggerating or inventing anything, and the prayers to draw closer to her.

Learn her history

Altar with papel picado, marigolds, candles and offeringsHistorySanta Muerte historyFrom Mictlán and New Spain to the Tepito altar. Hand-painted ceramic skulls in many colorsMexica rootsMictlantecuhtli and MictecacíhuatlThe lords of Mictlán and the journey of the dead. Cemetery lit with candles at nightOriginHow the devotion beganFrom home altars to the street, in 2001. Face painted as a skull with a crown of red rosesFaithWhy death is loveWhat her devotees feel when they call her mother.
Hands joined in prayer in front of a white dress with red flowers

Nine days

The Santa Muerte novena

A novena is nine days of prayer in a row. Each day has its own theme: forgiveness, health, truth, justice, protection, work, home and, at the end, love and gratitude.

  1. Day 1 The arrival
  2. Day 2 Forgiveness
  3. Day 3 Health
  4. Day 4 Truth
  5. Day 5 Justice
  6. Day 6 Protection
  7. Day 7 Work and livelihood
  8. Day 8 Home and family
  9. Day 9 Love and gratitude
How to pray the novena

Day of the Dead

The path of souls

From October 27 to November 3, a different group of souls arrives at the offering each day. See the calendar and download the image to share it.

See the calendar

Yes · No · Maybe

Ask Santa Muerte

Say the invocation, pray the Lord's Prayer and roll the die. The answer comes out at random: no one can influence it. You have three questions.

Ask my question

Santa Muerte prayers

Skull figure surrounded by lit candles at a night-time offeringPrayerProtectionThe Santa Muerte prayer for protection is one of the most widely prayed.Face painted as a skull with a crown of red rosesPrayerLoveThe Santa Muerte prayer for love does not try to force anyone to love you.Hands joined in prayer in front of a white dress with red flowersPrayerHealthThe Santa Muerte prayer for health is said for yourself or for a loved one who is ill.Altar with papel picado, marigolds, candles and offeringsPrayerWork and moneyThe Santa Muerte prayer for work and money is said to find a job, keep it or move a business forward.Costumed figure with a skull face and a golden halo holding a lit candlePrayerJusticeThe Santa Muerte prayer for justice is said when facing a legal problem, an injustice or a decision that lies in someone else's hands.

Prefer something short for each day? See the weekly prayers. If you are looking for more, read about the rituals and cleansings.

"Before death we are all worth the same. That is why, for those who revere her, death is love."
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