Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, president of the Pontifical Council for Culture and of the Pontifical Commission for Sacred Archaeology, has said that one of the images worshiped by thousands of people, the Mexican "La Santa Muerte" (Holy Death) to be exact, is a symbol of blasphemy and should not be part of any religion in the world.

"La Santa Muerte" is the skeleton of a woman covered in a blanket and holding a scythe. Those who worship her say it is very miraculous and protective and receives petitions for love, luck, money, but also malicious requests are made to it that may cause harm to others.

Therefore, various churches reject and condemn the worship of this so called saint, considering it as something diabolical, whose cult has been linked to criminal groups and drug traffickers, thieves or people who engage in street vending, piracy and informal trade. However, the cult of death in Hispanic cultures is not new.

On Wednesday in Mexico City, Cardinal Ravasi went so far as to say that idolizing La Santa Muerte is demeaning.

Joy.Ruvalcaba@Sandiegored.com

Omar.Martinez@Sandiegored.com