The cult of Santa Muerte is one of Mexico’s fastest growing religious movements. On 1 Nov thousands gather in Tepito, a tough area of Mexico City for the Santa Muerte Rosary. Worshipers crawl on their knees to her altar carrying her statue, offerings of flowers tobacco alcohol and marijuana. Depicted as a female skeleton, dressed as a bride Santa Muerte embodies death and protection. Often described as a patron saint of criminals, her association with illicit worlds is more complex. She is seen as a nonjudgmental inclusive saint, welcoming those who feel excluded from traditional institutions.
