Devoted to Death: Santa Muerte, the Skeleton Saint - Brossura

Chesnut, R. Andrew

Brossura

ISBN 10: 0199764654 ISBN 13: 9780199764655

Casa editrice: OUP USA, 2012

Riassunto

R. Andrew Chesnut offers a fascinating portrayal of Santa Muerte, a skeleton saint whose cult has attracted millions of devotees over the past decade. Although condemned by mainstream churches, this folk saint's supernatural powers appeal to millions of Latin Americans and immigrants in the U.S. Devotees believe the Bony Lady (as she is affectionately called) to be the fastest and most effective miracle worker, and as such, her statuettes and paraphernalia now outsell those of the Virgin of Guadalupe and Saint Jude, two other giants of Mexican religiosity. In particular, Chesnut shows Santa Muerte has become the patron saint of drug traffickers, playing an important role as protector of peddlers of crystal meth and marijuana; DEA agents and Mexican police often find her altars in the safe houses of drug smugglers. Yet Saint Death plays other important roles: she is a supernatural healer, love doctor, money-maker, lawyer, and angel of death. She has become without doubt one of the most popular and powerful saints on both the Mexican and American religious landscapes.

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Recensione:

[Chesnut] provides fascinating glimpses into Saint Death devotional practices ... Chesnut's book is readable and accessible (Wendy Call, Wilson Quarterly)

To Andrew Chesnut's great credit, he eschews sensational claims in his very well-written and historically informed study ... One of the many merits of Devoted to Death os Chesnut's sense of wider context. (Professor Philip Jenkins)

Devoted to Death is fascinating, and a continuous revelation. (Scott McLemee, Inside Higher Ed)

Andrew Chesnut's comprehensive survey of Mexican folk saint Santa Muerte is a detailed and highly entertaining read ... I found this book strongly appealing and an informative, engaging text. (Caroline McNabb, Journal of Folklore Research)

Readers are sure to find some valuable information in this book (Stanley Brandesa, Folklore)

L'autore:

R. Andrew Chesnut is Bishop Walter F. Sullivan Endowed Chair in Catholic Studies and Professor of Religious Studies at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Su questa edizione

• Editore: OUP USA
• Data di pubblicazione: 2012
• ISBN 10: 0199764654
• ISBN 13: 9780199764655
• Rilegatura: Copertina flessibile
• Numero di pagine: 232