Spirituality: Santeria & Santa Muerte (Lp10262012)

Spirituality and religion are at the heart of "Latin Pulse" this week. The program discusses the rise of Santeria, tracing the religion from its Afro-Cuban roots to the variety of countries in Latin America that find it appealing. The program also discusses the popularity of the Mexican folk saint known as Santa Muerte, and traces her history back through the Spanish Inquisition up to modern times and the Drug War. The news segment of the program has an update on the destructive Hurricane Sandy. In-depth interviews include: Michael Atwood Mason of the Smithsonian Institution and author of "Living Santeria;" and Prof. R. Andrew Chesnut of Virginia Commonwealth University and author of "Devoted to Death." Executive Producer: Rick Rockwell Associate Producer: Curt Devine Writer: Jordan D'eri and Colin Campbell. The photo is from Oxford University Press for promotional reasons for "Devoted to Death" and is used with permission. (www.amazon.com/Devoted-Death-Santa-Muerte-Skeleton/dp/0199764654/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1351290404&sr=8-1) (Michael Atwood Mason also authors the blog "Baba Who? Babalú!" at: http://baba-who-babalu-santeria.blogspot.com/ )