Jesus Malverde Altar, Prayer, & Offering Service - Begins May 3rd 2023

Have a vigil light set and worked on my Jesus Malverde altar in a community altar work service beginning on Wednesday, May 3rd, which serves as the feast day of this folk saint. There is some wiggle room and you can join up after the work starts as long as you see that there are still spots left and it doesn't say "sold out."

Jesus Malverde, also known as the Angel of the Poor or the Generous Bandit, is a folk saint who is said to have lived and died in late 19th/early 20th century Sinaloa, Mexico. His reputation as a sort of Robin Hood figure began before his death, as the legend has it; he targeted the rich, redistributed the money and goods he stole to the poor, and basically spent his life on the wrong side of the law but by all accounts on the right side of morality.

While many details of his life and death are the stuff of legend and as such unverifiable (and certainly prone to dramatic embroidery), what's undisputable is that he has a solid reputation for responding to the prayers and petitions of his devotees, especially those who find themselves running afoul of the law due to poverty and corruption. 

Since the 1970s, he's gained greater notoriety in the public eye as a narco saint -- the patron saint of drug dealers and smugglers -- and that is how many folks beyond the borders of Mexico who hear of him categorize him, increasingly so since the 1990s. But to dismiss him as merely a narco saint and his devotees as drug kingpins and criminals is to ignore the lived realities of the faithful in a complex world where things aren't always so black and white - where sometimes breaking the law is the right thing (or the only thing) to do, where justice isn't blind, where the distribution of wealth is immoral, where there is government corruption and the police aren't always on the right side of the law (humanity's or God's).

His devotees petition him to have enough food for their children, for safety in dangerous lines of work (including but definitely not limited to smuggling), and to get them out of legal difficulties, as you might expect from a bandit folk saint. But they also tell of how he miraculously cured their illnesses, returned lost or stolen property, even helped them get *off* drugs and get their lives on firmer footing. 

His reputation as a narco saint has blossomed only over the last 40 or so years and not without a good bit of help from the media. His reputation as the Angel of the Poor and the Generous Bandit, however, long predates the sensationalist "narco saint" appellation, and as a folk saint, there's a lot more to him than this. So it would be appropriate to petition him for pretty much anything related to living a life that is in some way "on the margins" or precarious or dangerous. It would also be suitable to use this service as an opportunity to "introduce yourself" to Jesus Malverde if you've been thinking you wanted to learn more about him but haven't begun working with him yet.

"Paying" the Saint

Remember, when Jesus Malverde answers your prayers and grants your petitions, you should "pay" the saint by making a donation to the poor. Don't protest that you are the poor and therefore you're exempt from this duty - there's *always* someone poorer than you. You must participate in the spiritual economy, which with Jesus Malverde is always already a financial one as well, and approach him with open rather than closed hands. Make sure you keep your side of the bargain! 

Pro Bono Work

I've been doing some sort of pro bono or reduced rate/pay what you can service every month since COVID began to help those who need spiritual help but can't afford to book private services. And I'm happy to present your petitions and pray for you as part of my own thanks to Jesus Malverde. If you can't afford to book a service but want me to include your petition in my prayers, just submit your petition via this intake form. For service order number, just write "Jesus Malverde prayers only."

Note

Please note that community altar work services do not come with individual readings/reports, though I will post at least one photo of the work to the Discord "forum" for clients.

Options

• Vigil light setting service - Have a fixed, dressed, blessed vigil light candle set with your petition/intention along with other community members' candles to burn for the week on my Jesus Malverde altar. I need the date of birth and full name of the person who the light is being set for along with a one- or two-sentence petition or intention.

• Prayers only - If you can't book a vigil light service but want your petition/intention included in my prayers, you can simply submit your name, DOB, and petition using the intake form but typing "jesus malverde prayers only" in the box for the service/order #. There is zero cost for this option. You will not do anything from this listing page except click the link to the intake form, since you aren't checking out to book a service.

• Donation - If you'd like to make a donation to help offset the cost of pro bono and reduced rate services that I provide for folks experiencing income instability and career challenges, you can do so here. (Offsite PayPal link)

READ THIS!

Your booking of this service indicates your understanding of the Client Agreement and acceptance of the Terms of Service, which you can read in the expandable menu below. Please read them so you know what you're signing up for.