To La Santa Muerte Verde, the Conclusion of My Public Novena

Tonight is Christmas Eve for the Eastern Orthodox faithful whose churches adhere to the older Julian Calendar of reckoning the liturgical year. For my Serbian parents, the Advent fast is still being observed on this curiously named Badnjak Veće (the Night of the Oak Yule Log), and while there’s a sense of anticipation for the Nativity feast, tonight marks one more night of deprivation and meditation. Similarly, the offerings I am planning to give to La Santa Muerte Verde for tonight’s conclusion of my nine-night public devotional series of prayers to Her (I just know She’s going to love Serbian-style roast pork and our signature alcoholic beverage of heated rakija!) are going to have to wait until the morning light. The items are assembled, but shrouded with a white veil before my main altar to all aspects/robes of La Santísima. It’s a fitting way to contemplate the Mystery of the Bony Lady: Her energies and blessings on Her devotees are omnipresent, but only revealed at the proper time.

To La Santa Muerte Verde, an 8th Night of Praise

La Santa Muerte Verde can be petitioned for matters of justice both personal and collective, from winning a court case or settling other legal disputes to upholding Cosmic Order. In that sense, She is very much on the same frequency as the Egyptian Goddess Ma’at. Matters of social justice in this country that have been brought to the forefront of public consciousness (events from last year in particular) are definitely worthy petitions to bring before the feet of La Santísima. She is ever and always the Champion of the downtrodden and marginalized—those who in some way or another would find themselves drowning in the mainstream without Her aid. Let us pray.

To La Santa Muerte Verde, a 7th Night of Praise

Night time is the right time to literally sing the praises of my beloved La Santísima in my home temple space. With fresh flowers on the altar and jasmine flower incense burning, with a shot glass filled with top-shelf tequila, tasty dark chocolates, and sweet red apples before Her feet, I stand before La Santa Muerte Verde and publicly offer Her this prayer of praise on this, my seventh night of my novena in Her honor.

To La Santa Muerte Verde, a 6th Night of Praise

It’s night 6 in my public novena honoring La Santa Muerte Verde. As I rest and refresh myself, gearing up for the new week ahead, I give thanks and praise to the Bony Lady. Let us pray.

To La Santa Muerte Verde, a 5th Night of Praise

To the Glorious La Santa Muerte Verde, on this fifth night of my novena to Her, publicly thanking Her for granting me victory, I offer the following prayer:

To La Santa Muerte Verde, a 4th Night of Praise

Cheers to the year 2021! This is my fourth night of publicly praising La Santa Muerte Verde. I give thanks to Mi Flaquita for the blessings that are already on their way.

Novena to La Santa Muerte: Day 9

The ninth and final day of the Novena to La Santa Muerte should occur on a Wednesday. The third of the three-day white glass candles burned in Her honor should be close to burning itself out. Take time for quiet contemplation of the entire Novena experience: How did your devotional relationship with La Santísima deepen? In what ways have you changed–perhaps your attitude towards your own mortality? Or your understanding of the nature of prayer in general, or its contextualization in Mexican folk magic and religion in particular? Have any portents presented themselves at any time during the Novena, assuring you that La Flaquíta has in fact been listening to you? Did you feel Her bony fingers steering your ship of destiny in the past nine days in any way? Synchronicities often abound, in my experience. And it has always been my experience that my prayers manifested pretty quickly, especially if I was seeking payback against an enemy. And somewhere in the darkness, La Santa Muerte Negra grins Her skeletal grin broadly…

Novena to La Santa Muerte: Day 8

The eighth day of the Novena to La Santa Muerte should take place on a Tuesday. Check to see how the three-day candle you lit yesterday is faring. Is the flame burning steadily and cleanly? Is the glass clear? Or has a dark layer of soot, representing an obstacle to the fulfillment of your prayers, formed at the lip of the glass? Overall, what sort of vibration does your shrine to La Santísima exude? How content does She seem to be with your offerings?

Novena to La Santa Muerte: Day 7

The seventh day of the Novena to La Santa Muerte should occur on a Monday. Today is the day to light the third of the three white, three-day glass candles that were required for the perpetual flame. Again, if at all possible, transfer, using a stick of incense or the head of a match, the flame from the second candle before it expires to the third one. As you do so, say:

“Flame to flame, the purity of my intentions is ignited.”

If the second candle has already burned out, don’t worry about it. Dress the third candle with any essential oils or herbs that would correspond with your intentions. Light your incense first—again, copal is traditional.

Monday is the day traditionally assigned to offering La Santa Muerte Her offerings on a weekly basis, so go all out and splurge on delectable offerings for Her shrine(s), especially as this is the last third of the Novena. Procure pretty flowers. Offer fresh water in Her clear chalice. Give Her fine chocolates. Pour some primo tequila in a shot glass. Get a decent cigar, if you’re not adverse to offering tobacco, and blow some smoke in Her face before you begin your prayers. 

Novena to La Santa Muerte: Day 6

The sixth day of the Novena to La Santa Muerte should fall on a Sunday. As it’s the start of a new week, the emphasis is on purification and on cleanliness. On this day of the Novena, it’s best to approach La Santa Muerte after you’ve had a cleansing spiritual bath, which can be as simple as adding epsom salts and either dried jasmine flowers or drops of jasmine essential oil to your hot bath water. If you’re in need of healing, add hyssop as well. If you’re looking to bolster your spiritual protection/psychic hygiene, rue and bergamot are good choices.