Mexican priest warns Church does not approve of devotion to “St. Death”

Aug 16, 2007 / 09:07 am

Father Jose de Jesus Aguilar, director of Radio and Television for the Archdiocese of Mexico, warned this week that the Catholic Church does not approve of the devotion some Mexicans have to “St. Death,” saying it goes against Catholic teachings and Sacred Scripture.

Some Mexicans celebrate the “feast day” of St. Death on August 15, coinciding with the Solemnity of the Assumption of Mary. 

Father Aguilar said that this false devotion opens the door to the demonic, as was explained at a recent exorcism congress in Mexico. “To adore death is idolatry,” he noted, “but many people do so above all out of ignorance.”

Drug traffickers, criminals, ex-convicts and kidnappers are among those who “pray” to St. Death to grant success to their crimes.  One group has even asked the Mexican government to grant approval to the devotion. Father Aguilar noted that while there is freedom of religion in Mexico, the government “should stress the difference between what should be considered faith and what should be considered some other kind of charlatanism, because that is a very sensitive point.”

There are some who at one point had a devotion to “St. Death” but realized that “what is behind this devotion is the occult,” which has led many to “seek out counsel from the Catholic Church,” Father Aguilar said.