Marie Laveau Catholic Voodoo Queen

Marie’s obituary praised her good works as a Catholic, but made no mention of her involvement with Voodoo.

I learned of Marie Laveau years ago. I was fascinated by this woman who, while not a Voodoo mambo (priestess), was the Voodoo Queen of New Orleans who presided over the secret ceremonies held at Lake Pontchartrain and the Sunday ones in Congo Square and the power she had. I learned that there were two Maries, mother and daughter. While the daughter held some of the power her mother had, she lacked her compassion.

Marie I was an interesting study. She was raised in the Catholic faith and, as an adult, she was devout in this religion. She also made gris-gris bags, some to bring about dire results. Quite a dichotomy!

Her obituary praised her as a saintly lady who nursed sick people, tended to prisoners and prayed with the ill and those prisoners who were condemned to die. She lived in the godliness of her Catholic faith. There was no mention of her involvement with Voodoo. I wonder what her contemporary followers thought of this.

Although Marie II followed her mother’s path, another daughter, Madame Legendre, claimed Marie I never practiced Voodoo and abhorred the cult. Those who knew Marie I and historical records contradict this.

My articles, Marie Laveau I: Rise to Power and St. John's Day & the Marie Laveaus are about Marie Laveau, the woman who was the supreme Voodoo Queen above all others who vied for this honor. Vooduon, Voodoo, Hoodoo and Gris-gris, Resquardo & Gurunfinda are about the religion and the practice of making bags, filled with different items for positive purposes and, the downside, to cause others misfortune and ill luck.

A future article will be about Marie’s practice of Voodoo.