Mexico has embarked on a campaign to tear down shrines dedicated to some rather different personal saints, Santa Muerte, The Saint of Death and Malverde, the Patron Saint of the narcotrafficantes. Santos are very important in latin america, with a strong etymological link to afro-caribbean nations as well.
I read recently that Jesus is the fifth most prayed to figure in catholicism, a fact I find astounding. Here is a link to an excellent article in yesterday's San Diego Union Tribune by Sandra Dibble and another from the Washington Post.
Kind of interesting when a government takes on religious mythology. The upshot can't be good.
A link to a wikipedia entry on Jesus Malverde.
From Wiki:
Saint Death (also known as La Santísima Muerte (Holy Death), and Doña Sebastiana (Lady Sebastianne), is a religious figure who receives petitions for love, luck, and protection. Saint Death is often depicted as a female figure. In some Mexican traditions, most notably among the descendants of Austrian immigrants, Saint Death is believed to be the wife of Krampus. She is sometimes referred to as Virgin Mary's twisted sister.
Although the Catholic Church has attacked the worship of Saint Death as a pagan tradition contrary to the Christian belief of Christ defeating death, many people insist on praying to this figure for miracles. Saint Death is venerated by a wide variety of people from many different backgrounds. Often, those who pray to this figure are seeking the recovery of health, stolen items, or kidnapped family members.
A recently uncovered scroll states that all followers of La Niña Blanca or 'saint death' should lead a virtuous life. Those who disregard moral law and take advantage of their fellow humans will feel real pain in death. Their souls will languish in pain long after their deaths. The pain they inflicted in life will be magnified and their souls will be tortured for eternity in death.
"Destroying these chapels is not going to do anything to diminish crime... someone who's going to commit a crime could just as easily go to a Catholic church as a Santa Muerte shrine, or go nowhere at all.” Jose Arce
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