Let’s be real — if you grew up in a Latino household, your abuela has definitely warned you about this kind of thing.
But what if we told you that you’ve probably done it anyway… and maybe even more than once?
We all know how it goes: a candle here, a prayer there, a little “please, Virgencita, help me get that job” — and boom, you’ve just stepped into something people online are now calling Catholic Witchcraft.
Wait, what even is Catholic Witchcraft?
Sounds dramatic, right? But “Catholic Witchcraft” is basically the idea that those little rituals we grew up doing — lighting a veladora for San Judas, praying to La Virgencita for your cousin’s visa, leaving a flower offering after a promise — are actually spells in disguise.
It’s not about summoning demons or anything wild like that. It’s just that these acts mix intention, faith, and ritual — which is literally the recipe for magic in most cultures.
In Mexico (and honestly across Latin America), most of us grew up surrounded by Catholicism. INEGI once estimated there are almost 98 million Catholics in Mexico alone — so yeah, chances are you’ve done a few “witchy” prayers without even realizing.
So when does it cross into witchcraft territory?
Technically, anytime you light a candle for a saint asking for something specific — protection, love, money, revenge (no judgment) — you’re performing a kind of ritual.
You might think you’re just praying… but you’re also channeling energy, setting intention, and calling on a higher force. Sounds a little brujita, doesn’t it?
There’s even a church in San Juan Chamula, Chiapas, where this blend of faith and ritual is taken to another level. Inside, there are no pews — just pine needles on the floor, saints on every wall, and local spiritual leaders performing cleanses and ceremonies that mix Maya traditions with Catholic icons.
Yes, you read that right. People go there to pray, light candles, and even (brace yourself) sacrifice chickens to complete certain rituals. It’s a space where two worlds — the ancient and the Catholic — meet.
Before you freak out, here’s the real question: Are you asking for something that harms others… or something that helps you grow?
Because at the end of the day, intention is everything — whether you call it prayer, energy, or brujería.
So next time your tía lights a candle and whispers a little “que se le quite lo presumido a la vecina,” just know: she’s practicing the oldest kind of magic there is.
This article was originally published in Spanish by Cultura Colectiva.
