Ad: ![]() An altar can be any flat surface upon which religious or spiritual offerings can be made. It is generally considered the point of focus for religious or spiritual ceremonies, and many religions in the world use altars as a basic cornerstone of belief. In Santa Muerte magick, altars can be public or private, large or small, permanent or temporary. Erecting a permanent altar to the Santa Muerte in your home or place of business is the most direct way to invite the Santa Muerte to take an active role in your life, to petition the Santa Muerte, and to thank the Santa Muerte for wishes or miracles granted. The only element that's required for a successful Santa Muerte altar is an image of the Santa Muerte. This image can take the form of an elaborate statue of the Santa Muerte, or an image printed off from the internet. Feel free to decorate your altar with as many images of the Santa Muerte as you like. For example, many followers will place a primary image of the Santa Muerte atop their altar, and decorate the rest of the altar with smaller images they may pick up along the way, like prayer cards, medallions, or small figurines. While different devotees have different beliefs about various aspects of altar construction, many devotees of Holy Saint Death like to lay an altar cloth over the surface where their altar is placed, both as a sign of respect to symbolically lift the altar, and as a practical indication of where the altar begins and ends.
If your altar is permanent, you should try to make sure there is always some kind of offering on the altar. Saint Death is a woman of many vices, and popular offerings include cigarettes, cigars, booze, soda, money and candy. More traditional offerings include candles, incense, herbs, perfume, and flowers. Water is a common offering, as are apples and pieces of bread. If you place a perishable offering upon your altar, you should remove it as soon as it begins to show signs of going stale or bad. Remove flowers when they begin to wilt, candles when they've burned out, and incense when reduced to ashes. Your altar is a symbol of the relationship you have with Santa Muerte, so remember to keep it tidy and to remove offerings when they begin to go bad. Approaching your altar for any reason - to pay respect, to make a request, or to make an offering - is as easy as approaching a good friend. Simply stand or sit at your altar and begin talking, make your respectful request, or make your offering. Special words and rituals may be utilized, but are not necessary. All that's necessary to communicate with the Santa Muerte are an open mind and an honest heart. Ad:
73 Comments
Terry
5/30/2017 10:56:36 pm
My flaca has been in out lives for the past 5 years and she has blessed us she is awesome !
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China
7/17/2021 01:19:09 am
Is it okay if I have my Santa Muerte in my room if me and my partner are “getting busy” ? I have no where else to place her when I get her , what do I do ?
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I have heard some devotees say you should not do this, or even get naked in front of an altar. I don't think this is as big a deal as people make it out to be.
Anthony
8/16/2017 06:42:43 am
Does the alter cloth have to be blank? I obtained a alter cloth with a pattern on it. The cloth is associated with practitioners of theistic satanism. I own other dark images, but am not practising. Is this a issue?
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Fabio Cietto dos Santos
4/9/2022 11:58:37 pm
Hello Arnold, I was wondering I lived in the USA before but now I am in Brazil and in Brazil I can only find images of La Santa Muerte in male form. Would it be ok to use images of La Santa Muerte in male form or does it need to be in female form like her traditional statues? In Brazil there are 2 different saints La Santa Muerte e San La Muerte would you happen to know if La Santa Muerte is in anyway related to San La Muerte from Argentina? Or are they completely separate entities? They have the same form both of them are skeletons holding schythes @Fabio - I do not see a problem with using imagery of San La Muerte in place of La Santa Muerte. Remember that La Santa Muerte is death itself, and any representation of death can be used to form the foundation of an altar for La Santa Muerte. You can use a statue of La Santa Muerte, you can use a fake human skull, or a simple drawing of a skull and crossbones on a piece of paper. Since San La Muerte also represents death, there is no problem using an image of San La Muerte to build an altar to Holy Death. What matters above all is your intent. And if you intend to build an altar to death, then you are free to incorporate whatever symbols and imagery represent death for you. There is, after all, only one death - it's us humans who choose to view death through the lens of our own personal, cultural, environmental, and linguistic experiences.
Anita
8/27/2017 11:14:06 am
I would like to work with Santa Muerte. I have a madonna statue that I plan to repaint as Saint Death. I see the two as 'spirit sisters' so I don't see an issue with this. What are your thoughts?
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Bryan
12/20/2017 04:07:46 pm
If I am a practitioner of Hinduism can I add an image of santa muerte to my home shrine without insulting her by placing her on an shine with other spiritual entities?
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Jaden
12/30/2021 05:24:30 am
Many say not to do this, she deserves her own space and from what I’ve been told and seen online from people who have been doing it a lot longer, She likes her own space. You definitely should talk to her and ask if it is ok with her
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@Jaden - Thank you for sharing. I admit that I am probably in the minority on this issue, but I also think the minority is growing. Check out this video for more of my thoughts regarding "The Jealousy of Santa Muerte" - let me know what you think in the comments!
Dalia Rentas
3/13/2018 11:55:22 pm
Is it true that Santa Muerte like wines as a choice for her beverage.
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Giovanni M.
5/21/2018 08:37:30 pm
Hello can i place seperate altars. And have faith in both saints like ellegua and santa muerte.
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I don't see why not. Santa Muerte, to many devotees, is the energy of death itself. Death exists in all traditions - from Christian to Shamanism to Humanism. Even atheists can't refute death. How you choose to see the personification of death is up to you, and nobody can tell you how to build your relationship with her. She will not turn you away.
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Maria
6/20/2018 10:30:48 pm
My babydaddy has an alter of the flaca in my room is it ok to share the same alter in my room or do i have to have a seperate alter in my room
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Daniel Palacios
10/7/2018 05:54:40 pm
I have seen many people petition Santa Muerte by petitioning jesus first. I am not a christian but would like to keep my faith to Santa Muerte constant. Can I petition Lucifer in the same way other people petition jesus before praying to her or should I petition her directly? Can I place my Luciferian symbology on her altar since christians place their symbology on their altars?
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Jaden
1/1/2022 04:50:26 am
No this is absolutely cannot be done, number 1 the whole point of petitioning God first is to give reverence to the Most High( Honoring life just as we are death ), also asking permission of God first helps to keep away trickster spirits and low level entities. Number 2 satanism and luciferian symbology have nothing to do with Santa Muerte. Santa Muerte’s devotion is that of an indigenous Mexican origin, mixing dismantling her traditions and mixing them with the very demonic forces she protects us from is highly disrespectful to Santa Muerte and the devotion itself.
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@Jaden - Thank you for sharing your thoughts. Personally, I don't like to speak in terms of absolutes. To say that something "absolutely cannot be done" makes a lot of assumptions about things which you cannot possibly know, and also ignores the experiences of those who have found great success doing exactly what you said could not be done.
Jose
10/31/2019 03:25:09 pm
Hello, I am writing because I have a altar set up in my room and I'm still fairly new to our Santísima Muerte i was wondering if my altar is in my bedroom where she can see my bed is it disrespectful to have sexual intercourse, be naked, or engaging in anything sexual in front of her altar?
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I have heard that some devotees would say yes. If you feel it is disrespectful, then there's probably nothing I could say to change your mind. Personally, however, I don't think human sexuality is anything to be ashamed of - sex, after all, is what has helped our species survive for so long, and we all come into the world naked. Humans are the only animals ashamed by the fact that we have sex organs and engage in sexual intercourse. When a couple of animals have sex in nature, does it offend you? Do you feel disrespected? Probably not - if you don't want to see the act, you probably just turn away and get on with your life. I imagine if a force as powerful as Santa Muerte didn't want to see you naked or having sex, it just wouldn't look.
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Jeff
12/14/2019 07:08:57 pm
I have Her altar in my room right across from my bed and she is fine with it. Santa Muerte sees everything anyway, there is nothing to hide from a Her.
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Jaden
1/1/2022 04:45:50 am
Having sex in front of her altar has always been something that shouldn’t be done. Ask elders. Would you have sex in front of your mother or grandmother? It’s not that sex is shameful, it’s more about boundaries and there being a time and place for everything.
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@Jaden - thank you for your input.
Ismael Lopez
2/10/2020 10:45:41 pm
Hi This is Ishmael I got my Santisima Muerte For 10 years and someone gave me one today and can I put them together in the same altar
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Kevin
3/1/2020 08:29:44 pm
I would like to set up an alter and I’m new what would you recommend?
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I recommend that you make it your own. Each relationship with Santa Muerte is different, and altars can be as different as the devotees who venerate her. Don't be afraid to add your own personal touches, and to express your love for Santa Muerte in your own creative way. Welcome to the family.
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Tae kwasii
5/3/2020 01:46:05 am
Thank you for this post I actually had dreams about me praying to her and she was helping me from danger I’ve been researching and learning her. I work with the Orishas OShun, Yemaya & elegua & ArchAngel Michael so of I make an Altar for Santa Muerte can she be in the same room on a different space or separate room or shelf I don’t want to create problems or jealousy.
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Some devotees keep their traditions separate, and some don't. Here's what I know for sure - death is with us everywhere, death exists for all cultures, and death accepts us all. I personally don't see how a force as powerful as death would have any reason to be jealous. She has already won. Giving your attention to an Orisha or Archangel does not take anything away from Santa Muerte's power. If Santa Muerte accepts us all, then she also accepts those of us who pray to Orisha or Archangels. I encourage you to experiment and follow your heart. Every altar to Santa Muerte is unique, because we are all unique as devotees.
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I absoluetly love that you made this blog. It's short, simple and very direct. You leave room for variation, in the (blog, and replies), and customization (as it should be). I also tell people that spiritualitybis very personal and has no one size fits all approach.
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There is only one guarantee in Santa Muerte magick, and that is that the Santa Muerte will one day come for us all. Whether or not a petition will be granted is ultimately up to the Santa Muerte, so I cannot give you a definite answer to the first part of your question. As to the second part of your question, nobody can tell you what is a suitable offering. Big requests generally require big gestures, but what is "big" is entirely subjective. If you are poor, then a bouquet of fresh roses may seem like a big offering, but if you are wealthy, then the same bouquet may seem like a small offering. Your own intuition will also help guide you in this matter. If you are making an offering of prayers, then does one prayer a day seem like enough to get what you want? If you are a very busy person with lots of personal commitments, then it may seem like enough. If it does not seem like enough, then you should not need anybody else to tell you to put more effort into the offering.
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The Santa Muerte has been in your life since the moment you were born, because that was the instant you started to die. As long as you will one day die, then the Santa Muerte is with you, and moving closer to you with every breath that you take. Prayers and signs can come quickly or can come slowly, if they come at all. When I first started praying to Santa Muerte to bring clients to my writing business, I got little to no response for several months. Today, I own one of the most popular Santa Muerte blogs on the web, and I publish books for people interested in learning about Santa Muerte. For the Santa Muerte to ignore my original petitions was actually a blessing in disguise, because it created an opportunity for me to grow into a successful writer for the Santa Muerte and her growing community of devotees. There are no guarantees in Santa Muerte magick, but in my experience the longer you nurture your relationship with Santa Muerte, the more likely it will become for you to experience her blessings.
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Armando J.
7/8/2020 01:48:15 pm
Can you make your own Santa Muerte statue?
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Maura Velasco
7/14/2020 02:17:14 pm
I have a question so if I want to ask her for different favors do I need to have more then one statue like if I want a favor with love and money do I need separate statues for that or can I use one statue for the favors I want???
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All images of Santa Muerte represent the same Santa Muerte. Changing the color on a statue is more for us, to help our subconscious minds tune into the energies associated with the color in question, or to attract a certain type of general energy into our lives, but it is not actually required. What many people do is select a single color as a patron saint - so a business owner may have a gold Santa Muerte, and a writer may have a blue Santa Muerte, and a nurse may have a yellow Santa Muerte - and then send all requests through that one patron. Ultimately, the power of Santa Muerte is derived from your relationship with her, not from any color that you dress her in. Again, the colors are more for us, to help us focus our intent, but if you are clear on exactly what it is that you want, then you can ask any version of Santa Muerte to fulfill the request.
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Crystal Castillo
8/9/2020 10:37:27 pm
Hi , so my mom is a devotee of la Santa muerte she introduce me to her. I’m having an issue and I’ve been debating wether I should ask her for help my problem is me and my baby daddy aren’t together I love him and I don’t see myself nor him with anybody else I want him to return to me so we can be a happy family and for him to change for me and his kids what do u recommend me to offer her , pray to her or do ?
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This is an option you can try for encouraging the lover to return: https://www.santamuertemagick.com/blog/lover-return-santa-muerte-magick
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Marlena
9/4/2020 11:05:42 am
I often see statues of Santa Muerte with what appears to be seeds within some type of resin. What are these and why are they there?
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They are usually seeds, grains of rice, and wheat kernels. You may also see small trinkets like coins and keys. These are all symbols of prosperity, abundance, and good luck. I consider them to represent, and to function like, regular offerings and talismans that you might place at a regular altar. By attaching these items to the statues, we are essentially giving them as offerings to Santa Muerte, and conveying our intent for the type of energy that we want to attract into our lives.
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Kylie
9/14/2020 09:22:49 am
is it ok to build her altar next to another altar I use for crystals? I know she needs her own space and I'm worried about the proximity. Thanks!
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My short answer is yes, I think it would be okay to place a Santa Muerte altar next to your crystal altar. Also, I do not think Santa Muerte needs her own space.
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10/14/2020 04:30:48 am
Good Day,
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I have personally never heard this before.
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Oscar
11/19/2020 12:07:16 am
I have two floating shelves and decided to make one my alter. I was wondering if it’s ok to put stuff underneath it
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I do not think this is a problem, especially if you feel comfortable with this setup. Every relationship with Santa Muerte is unique, and nobody can tell you how to express your relationship, or how to build your altar. If you like the way everything comes together, then I encourage you to keep it.
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Reyna
1/11/2021 11:54:04 am
Hi ! First time here. New to all of this. I wanted to ask, if its necessary to have candles on my altar? I actually was thinking of giving her a altar full of flowers, maybe fake ones & paper ones i'll make..but i wanted to know if that's okay because i have cats and they wander everywhere. & of course have my offerings in the center? Can you guide me? also in your opinion, should i ask her for protection against a abusive ex i had ? I haven't heard from him, but i'd like to keep it that way? also ask for her to keep him away from other females so he won't hurt anyone else the way he did me. Your advice is much appreciated & valued.
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Jeff
1/17/2021 09:51:13 pm
I use led candles and She doesn’t seem to mind. I think, like most things, it’s your intent.
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At the foundation of devotion to Santa Muerte is your relationship with Santa Muerte, not any one type of offering. The offerings are extras, which you can make based on your abilities and circumstances. The Santa Muerte accepts us all, even people with no access to candles, so candles are not required to express your devotion. If candles pose a hazard for your circumstances, then I encourage you to keep them away from your altar. If the symbolism of the candle is important, then you could invest in an LED candle, but this is your decision.
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Nayeli
1/18/2021 06:24:25 pm
I am trying to make an alter for la Santa muerte and I don’t have much space in my apartment. Is it okay to put her altar on my dresser in one corner and have like my personal stuff still on that’s same dresser. Or does she need her own area with nothing else around?
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The Santa Muerte accepts us all, even those of us who do not have a lot of space to spare. As long as you are working within your means, I think the Santa Muerte would appreciate any effort that you can make.
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Fernando cisneros
1/21/2021 06:28:49 pm
I have an altar in my room is it ok to have it I'm my room were me and my wife sleep or should I move here to the living room with my other santa muerte
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I do not think there is anything wrong with this. Sleeping, and having romantic relationships, are very human habits. Since the Santa Muerte accepts all of us humans, then she must also accept our human habits. If anything, I think a Santa Muerte altar in your bedroom would be good for your relationship. Let it serve as a reminder that life is too short to argue, that life is too short to go to sleep angry, that love is one of the things that makes life worth living, and that every day you wake up is a gift, not a guarantee.
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James Padilla
4/5/2021 10:36:58 pm
Thank you for this blog. It’s so informative. Today I just started my path with Santa Muerte. I am a Catholic witch. My wife and I both practice. Santa Muerte is my patron Saint. What I would like to know is that I set up her Altar with candles, silver tray. Salt, chalice, incense, my tarot deck and my pendulums as well as her statue and a couldron for my incense and my petitions. My items placed on her altar are my tools for practice. Should these items be placed somewhere else? I also have chocolate and water for her. I heard anything you place on her altar are hers. So am I allowed to use these items as I have been using them before or are they hers once they touch her altar? I want to use her guidance when I practice and use these tools. I was reading that anything you place on her altar is hers. I’m so new to Santa Muerte and want to make sure I’m doing things right but at the same time doing things my way with her.
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Thank you for the kind words - I'm glad the blog has been of some help to you!
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4/9/2021 12:29:03 pm
I have been a devotee to the Santisima since 2015. I have practiced magick all my life and have taken many roads, but she entered my life in my dream in 2015. I got a statue of her, in the money robe as the white one was sold out, but she kept coming to me in black. I got her in black. After 3 to 4 months of honoring her on a daily basis, she finally opened up to me. She def wanted to see if I was true at heart or using her for just what I needed. I will say I have never looked back at any prior practices. I practice black magick but I never went back into Palo or Santeria. I have now 16 statues of her. An entire altar room dedicated to her for which all my work for my clients are performed. She is the best and when she wraps her arms around you, you will never look further. Many blessings to each and everyone on this board.
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Denise
5/17/2021 04:45:07 pm
Hello, I recently became a devotee to La Santa Muerte and have read many articles and even a book to try and get myself accustomed and not disrespect her. The things I've learned always warm my heart and I feel very close to her. However, I keep seeing mixed things about this one thing... The statue I purchased of La Santa Muerte is 36" tall but I also have a 10" St Jude and a 12" St Cyprian, can I put these smaller statues in her altar? Thank you.
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My short answer is yes, you can put the statues on your Santa Muerte altar.
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Stephanie
8/10/2021 01:59:20 am
hi! I’m learning more about la santísima muerte, and I have a couple questions I can’t seem to find the answer to. I’m afraid of disrespecting her and really don’t want to come off as insensitive towards her. Would it be sacrilegious to wear jewelry in her likeness as a way of honoring her? and another question, if a loved one of mine has died, am I able to put a picture of them with her? I’d like to think that they are in her care now but I’m wondering if this would upset her as she deserves her own space. Thanks!
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My short answer is no, it would not be sacrilegious to wear jewelry in her likeness, and yes, you are able to put a picture of your loved one with Santa Muerte. In both cases, Santa Muerte accepts us all. If this is true, then she must also accept those of us who choose to express our devotion to death in the two ways that you described.
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Paul
1/6/2022 09:36:40 am
Thank you for your info and blessings to you. Is it ok to have one Santa Muerta statue on my altar? I have the 7 colors one.
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Yes, it is okay to have just one statue. There is no rule that says you need to have a certain number. There is, after all, only one death.
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Paul
1/10/2022 08:15:36 am
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