The Catholic Church condemned Santa Muerte. TikTokers gave her a makeover

On the eighth day of her journey across the Sonoran desert in the summer of 2004, Jessica Maribel Morales collapsed. She was trying to make it from Mexico to the U.S. to find better economic opportunities. As Morales struggled to regain consciousness, her eyes half-closed, she saw a figure.

“I couldn’t see her face, but I knew it was the silhouette of Santa Muerte because she had her scythe,” Morales told Rest of World , referring to the Mexican deity of death.

In a desperate plea, she vowed to worship Santa Muerte if she reached New York. For years, she shared her pledge privately, until 2022, when she began using TikTok to spread the word about the folk saint. Since then, Morales has amassed over 400,000 followers, joining a growing community of tech-savvy content creators intent on spreading Santa Muerte’s message.

Far from a casual endeavor, her online work might be considered sacrilegious: In 2013, the Vatican condemned the veneration of Santa Muerte, calling it “blasphemous.” Despite this, the cult’s popularity has exploded beyond Mexico since then, fueled in large part by social media. In recent years, hundreds of Santa Muerte’s devotees have taken to TikTok and Facebook to debunk myths about the movement, change her stern image, and replace it with that of a vibrant, beautiful, and approachable figure.

“The cult has experienced exponential growth,” Claudia Reyes, an anthropologist who wrote a book about Santa Muerte worshippers, told Rest of World . She said the deity has become so mainstream that Mexican-American musical groups in the U.S. sing about her to become more popular. “Social media has definitely fueled it.”

While devotees of Santa Muerte find solace in the deity’s promise of judgment-free protection, many Mexicans still find her intimidating: The deity is typically depicted as a dark skeleton and is often linked to demonic devotion.

To soften Santa Muerte’s image, some creators have turned to artificial intelligence tools to make her appear more approachable. Morales, a factory cook, uses the AI-powered art generator Artguru to portray Santa Muerte in shimmering, colorful robes amid vibrant settings that emphasize her soothing powers. She often includes Jesus in her content, bringing him and Santa Muerte together through a friendly game of chess or pool . Morales cloaks the devotees in her videos in urban, edgy styles that are a nod to the working class. “The more realistic, the better,” she said.

Content creators working to transform Santa Muerte’s image say devotees include people who haven’t found solace in the Catholic faith, the predominant religion in Mexico.

David Felix, a 32-year-old business development and innovation engineer in central Mexico, was raised Catholic. He eventually stopped attending church, however, as he found its followers to be “too hypocritical.” Soon after, he discovered Santa Muerte.

Initially intimidated by the ominous myths and legends associated with the deity, Felix found testimonies of how Santa Muerte had helped people overcome similar situations, inspiring him to start creating content that conveyed the peace he found in his new religious fervor. He created the Facebook page Santa Muerte Mexico last year, in order to combat online misinformation about the movement and share prayers and guides for creating altars to the deity.

Santa Muerte devotees often face online harassment from Christians or Catholics who consider the cult’s portrayal of faith immoral. Felix’s page is frequently flagged for removal by social platforms after users report it as hate speech, forcing him to create backups . Morales said she has received threats, and had two of her TikTok accounts suspended for violation of community guidelines, including shocking and explicit content, hateful behavior, and harassment.

Some creators complain that the proliferation of social media pages dedicated to Santa Muerte exploits the deity’s image for personal gain, with exorbitant amounts charged for spells and witchcraft. In response, they have created educational content on Santa Muerte and distanced themselves from pages offering witchcraft services.

In one of his videos , Felix offers practical advice on how to begin connecting with Santa Muerte. He suggests creating a peaceful and respectful space to talk to her directly — without the need for special rituals or locations — and providing simple offerings like apples, bread, or water. Felix often reminds his followers that honesty and directness are key when praying, meditating, or simply talking to her.

Isabel Martinez, a 20-year-old from Houston, Texas, began creating TikTok content last year to dispel misconceptions about Santa Muerte. “People assume she is evil or connected to the devil but she isn’t,” Martinez told Rest of World. “[Those are] merely lies spread by the Catholic Church. She is actually a saint and protector of her followers.”

Martinez said she has encountered clients who claim to have been scammed, having spent hundreds of dollars on false promises. She offers tarot readings and spell services, but emphasized that she works within people’s budgets and keeps her prices low at $10–$20.

“I get clients through the TikTok algorithm — they see my posts and trust me to help them achieve their goals,” said Martinez. “I have helped hundreds of people become devotees, and educate them for free.”

Content creators working to demystify Santa Muerte say they are attracting a new kind of devotee. In one of Morales’ recent AI-powered TikTok videos , a young man wearing bejeweled necklaces is seen holding a statue of Santa Muerte, with a song by Mexican rapper El Makabelico — known for its lyrics about organized crime — playing in the background.

“Worshiping death is not synonymous with being a bad person,” the video’s caption says. ▰

Chantal Flores is a freelance journalist based in Monterrey, Mexico.