La Santa Muerte tarot

La Santa Muerte Tarot - Mexican folk religion in tarot imagery

Santa Muerte is not Día de los Muertos folklore. It is a folk religious veneration rising from Mexico that addresses the saint of death herself. Whoever buys this deck steps into that worldview.

Fabio Listrani draws these 78 cards with skeletons in colourful robes, flowers, flames and attributes you find on Santa Muerte altars. Each card follows the tarot structure but carries the symbolism of a current that centres death and transformation.

What you see on the cards

The figures are skeletons in red, white, black and gold. Those are the four main colours from Santa Muerte veneration, each with its own meaning. Red for love and passion, white for cleansing, black for protection, gold for abundance.

Listrani's style is digital and graphic, with sharp contrasts and clear contours. The images are direct, sometimes confrontational. There is no attempt to soften death beyond what it is.

The Minor Arcana follow standard tarot structure. Wands, Cups, Swords and Pentacles are recognisable, but every card carries the skeleton figure as central motif. It remains tarot, but through a lens of death as constant companion.

Who this works for

This deck is not for those who see transformation as abstract concept. It works for those willing to take death, loss and renewal as part of the practice. No soft guidance, but clear mirroring.

The guidebook is compact and multilingual. It gives basic interpretations per card but expects you to make the connection between Santa Muerte symbolism and your own question yourself. No extended essays, just starting points.

Draw a card when you get stuck in fear of change. The skeletons confront, but that confrontation gives room to move forward.

About Fabio Listrani

Fabio Listrani is an Italian illustrator who translates esoteric and spiritual themes into contemporary imagery. His work for Lo Scarabeo includes several tarot decks, each with a sharp visual identity.

For La Santa Muerte Tarot he immersed himself in the Mexican folk religion surrounding the saint of death. This is visible in the details: the scythe, the globe, the owl and other attributes that traditionally accompany Santa Muerte.

Specifications

• Number of cards: 78 (22 Major Arcana, 56 Minor Arcana)
• Card size: 66 x 120 mm
• Guidebook language: English, French, German, Italian, Spanish
• Card language: no text on cards, only numbering and traditional tarot names
• Publisher: Lo Scarabeo
• Illustrator: Fabio Listrani
• Cardstock quality: sturdy, coated
• Packaging: sturdy cardboard box

Questions we often get

Is the guidebook available in English?
Yes. The guidebook contains English, French, German, Italian and Spanish. The cards themselves carry no text, only traditional tarot names and numbering.

How intense are the images compared to a classic tarot deck?
The skeletons are prominent on every card. Where a Rider-Waite-Smith deck shows human figures, this deck shows skeletons exclusively. That makes the confrontation with mortality direct and constantly visible.