In Mexico town, icon of death inspires worship and worry
Monday June 2, 2008 Santa Muerte
While a similar shrine to a Catholic saint would likely be a source of pride, many residents are appalled at a 75-foot-tall statue of a skeleton shrouded in black, Santa Muerte (Saint Death).
Although the Santa Muerte icon has existed for decades in working-class Mexican neighborhoods, never has it towered so ominously.