This morning the book 'Devoted to Death: Santa Muerte, the Skeleton Saint' is in many of the news sites (I picked it up in our local paper). I guess they have a good press agent. But it IS published by UAP paperback.
Reading the article, I was somewhat non-plused. I guess we've managed to live in the Cloisters! Apparently it's quite popular along the southern Arizona / Texas border and in Mexico, more popular than some of the more traditional saints.
It caught my eye, studying 'Mot' in Ugarit, thense to large numbers of fertility objects in Judah in the 6-7th century, and thense to 2nd Temple judaism where the writings appear to really 'expand' (though our pastor does admit the possibility of Enoch).
And living in a New Age community (Sedona), we're well familiar with how they work (appeal, etc). But 'Santa Muerte' looks like a whole new world? Or a very old world?
For anyone curious: http://www.amazon.com/Devoted-Death-Santa-Muerte-Skeleton/dp/0199764654
I suspect our 'cloister-icity' is not going to be unusual on the forum; I'll be surprised.
