Bulldozers used to bring down more than 30 chapels devoted to 'Saint Death'
The image of the saint is a skeleton dressed and adorned as a woman, and is not based on any particular Roman Catholic saint. Many criminals, but also people without a criminal record and even police officers, have taken it as their patron saint. Bulldozers used to bring down more than 30 chapels devoted to 'Saint Death' - a figure that is worshipped by drug traffickers - in the northern city of Nuevo Laredo, the daily Reforma reported Wednesday. Although the figure is venerated by people from many walks of life, the saint has been adopted by drug gangs. In recent years, there has been a proliferation around Mexico in the construction of such chapels - varying in size from small shrines to larger buildings - from materials including brick, marble, iron and tiles. They use Roman Catholic symbolism and ceremonies, although the formal church rejects worship of 'Saint Death' as a pagan tradition and the authorities have long removed the tradition from the list of the countr...