Road Scholar Lecture: Santa Muerte & The Day of the Dead

Join us for a free one-hour lecture to learn about Santa Muerte and the Day of the Dead.

Location: Upper-level conference room

Intended audience: Adults and older teens

Santa Muerte has been called the “fastest-growing religion in the Americas.” Join religion scholar Brian Carwana for an introduction to this devotion centered on Saint Death — or the “Bony Lady” — a female figure often likened to the Grim Reaper. Her devotees in Mexico and elsewhere have grown rapidly in recent decades, much to the dismay of Catholic and Pentecostal churches. This lecture also explores the Day of the Dead, a tradition that is unrelated to Santa Muerte but also features skeletons in an event that mixes mourning with festivity. Together, these practices offer insight into how death is understood, commemorated and given meaning in Mexico and other Latin American cultures.

Community event in North Wilkesboro, Wilkes County, NC 28659.