Marie Laveau’s Tomb: Visit the Tomb of a Celebrated Voodoo Priestess in New Orleans

In the 1800s, New Orleans, Louisiana was home to a revered Voodoo priestess named Marie Laveau who used herbs, charms, and magic rituals to heal the sick, sway the courts during high stakes legal battles, and help heartbroken clients rekindle old flames or attract new love. Voodoo is a Caribbean religion that fuses African spiritualism and Catholic ritual. Marie Laveau—who was of Creole descent—is one of the most celebrated Voodoo practitioners to live and work in New Orleans.

In addition to practicing Voodoo, Marie Laveau was a skilled hairstylist who operated a salon that served some of New Orleans’ most elite residents. The gossip that Laveau heard while cutting hair offered an endless stream of insider information that was conductive to crafting charms and rituals that solidified her reputation as one of the most powerful Voodoo practitioners of her day.

Marie Laveau’s legendary power to grant wishes and reverse bad luck is rumored to have persisted into the afterlife. Ever since Laveau passed away in the late 1800s, admirers have flocked to her grave in a cemetery has been in existence for over 200 years known as Saint Louis Cemetery No. 1 to leave offerings such as candles, coins, and charms. Some visitors even petition Marie Laveau for good luck by marking her grave with X’s, although this practice is discouraged by a hefty fine because the aging tomb has become increasingly fragile and prone to damage over time.

Ever since a rogue vandal snuck into Saint Louis Cemetery No, 1 in 2013 and painted Marine Laveau’s tomb pink in the middle of the night, the Archdiocese of New Orleans has required people who do not have family members buried in the cemetery to be part of a guided tour to explore the grounds.

Visitors can choose from several modestly priced cemetery tours that highlight the history of Saint Louis Cemetery No, 1—which was famously featured in the film Easy Rider—and offer tour participants the chance to visit Marie Laveau’s tomb, petition the Voodoo priestess for love, luck, or money, and leave an offering.

New Orleans is home to some of the most gorgeous cemeteries in the known world. No trip to the Big Easy is complete without an afternoon spent exploring rows of ornate tombs at Saint Louis Cemetery No. 1. Even the most hardened skeptics have reported eerie dreams, auspicious happenings,…