The latest instalment of the James Bond franchise “Spectre” opens up in
Mexico City amidst the chaos of the revelry of the festival of Santa Muerte in
Mexico City. This massive and riotous celebration of this death cult is
something most people outside of Central America had never heard of before Bond
brought it to the big screen in all its debauchery.
It seems Pope Francis is going to try to do something about it in his
upcoming visit to Mexico. Santa Muerte became an unofficial “folk saint” (NOT
recognized by the church in the 1830’s when Spanish images of the Grim reaper
were adapted, and Santa Muerte became a craze among many Mexicans, who prayed to
her for intercession and favours, The Church reacted and stamped it out
quickly, destroying chaplets dedicated to her, as well as festivals. Santa
Muerte surfaced again in the 1940’s with a vengeance and has since become one of
the fastest growing cults in the Americas.
in 2001, a woman named Enriqueta Romero brought her Santa Muerte statue to
an Altar in the Tepito neighbourhood of Mexico City and since then people have
been coming daily to pray to her. Romero says she remains a devout Catholic. (Catholic Online) .
A quote from Sra. Romero will provide some insights into what can happen
when a heresy takes on a life of its own:
"On
one hand I have God, and on the other I have Death. And when I die, God will
tell the skinny one to take Dona Queta away. How great that the pope is coming.
Glory be to God. How great that he is coming to give us many blessings." (Catholic Online)
Sra. Romero appears to be in for a big surprise. While Pope Francis may be
coming to give blessings, he is expected call out and condemn the devotion to
the false “saint” whose very essence stands foursquare in opposition to
everything the Church teaches in it’s pro-life worldview, not to mention
scriptures many warnings about participating in necromancy (Communication with
the dead).
Here is another article which goes into some more detail as to the extent
that this false “saint”’s tentacles have penetrated into Mexican society. Some
parents have had their children baptised by a priestess of Santa Muerte right
after their Catholic baptism. Others pray to her for forgiveness, after
believing they have been punished by injuries by her for their sins. Her
appeal transcends all demographics in Mexican society, and is spreading
throughout Central and South America rapidly. Enriqueta Vargas, who erected a
72’ Fiberglass statue and temple to this abomination in 2007 has also officiated
over baptisms and weddings. (some disturbing images of this statue and some of the worship around it can be found here)
Most Mexicans who participate in this cultish false worship (an estimated
12 million people, making it the fastest growing cult in the Americas) also
remain(in their minds) devout Catholics. In fact one man asked Sra. Vargas
whether he could Worship both the “Our Lady of Guadalupe” Icon and that of Santa
Muerte, and she told him that was fine. The Vatican has declared Santa Muerte
to be blasphemous.
Santa Muerte is also reportedly very popular among the drug cartels
currently ravaging Mexico.
Among other things, part of Pope Francis’ trip to Mexico will involve
confronting Mexicans about the worship of this macabre figure who has been the
target of 4 condemnations by Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi in recent years.
No comments:
Post a Comment