Often, depicting and using any symbols, many do not think about where they came from, what they mean. Below is a transcript of some symbols and signs related to the sphere of Satanism. We advise you to get acquainted, as wearing and depicting such things can be very dangerous...
An inverted pictogram forming a goat's head. This emblem can be found on the cover of The Satanic Bible. Present in the symbolism of such metal bands as Slayer, Venom, etc. This is a very serious sign, which almost always indicates involvement in Satanism.
The word "Pentagram" comes from two Greek words - "five" and "line". And in fact, it is a regular pentagon, on each side of which are built isosceles triangles, equal in height. The pentagram is one of the oldest religious symbols known to mankind. The first images were found on objects belonging to the Sumerian civilization. It was used by the ancient Egyptians, Persians, Greeks, Babylonians, Chinese and Celts. For all peoples, the image of the pentagram was associated with magic. According to the main theories, the pentagram is graphic image or a formula for the correct interaction of the magician and the elements.
The pentagram as a graphic figure has a rather large set of properties - this is the possession of five-beam symmetry, and construction according to the rules of the golden section. And, of course, the fact that the pentagram is the simplest form of a star, which can be depicted without once lifting the pen from the paper and at the same time never drawing a line twice. There are 10 different ways to draw a pentagram. In the practice of magic, the way the pentagram is drawn is very important and affects the type of magical effect. If the lines began to be drawn clockwise, then this is creative magic, if it is against, then this is destructive.
Along with the direction of the lines, the direction of the beam, symbolizing the "spirit", is also important. If the beam is directed upwards, then this implies the subordination of the spirit to the elements and participation in the life of the surrounding world. Directing the beam down is an attempt to direct all the elements towards the “spirit”, as if to gather them into a fist in order to change the current world.
Initially, the inverted pentagram was not a symbol of evil. In the ancient works of Kabbalah, the inverted pentagram is the so-called "Small Face" of the Lord. And the Roman emperor Constantine has an inverted pentagram on his seal.
But over time, this powerful occult symbol began to take on a negative connotation and is more often used in the practice of black magic. From the Pythagorean tradition came the image of the head of a goat or a ram inscribed in a pentagram. This was a reference to the Goat of Mendes, the symbol of the Egyptian god Neter Amun (Set). Set was described as a hidden force that permeates all nature and the essence of its phenomena.
The well-known occultist Eliphas Levi assigned the meaning of the symbol of Satan to the inverted pentagram. In his book The Doctrine and Ritual of Higher Magic, he wrote: "A pentagram with two ascending ends represents Satan in the form of a goat at the Sabbath."
And it was possible to finally form the image of the symbol of Satanism relatively recently. In 1966, Anton LaVey registered the Church of Satan. And the Sigil of Baphomet was chosen as the main symbol. Currently, this symbol is already a registered trademark for Satanism. It is used in the rites of black magic in order to enhance the ritual and / or benefit from higher demons. Strong black magic is impossible without the use of the symbol of the inverted pentagram in its original form,
INVERTED CROSS
It denotes mockery and hatred of the cross of Jesus Christ. Many Satanists walk with this symbol. Featured on the covers of Danzid Ozzy and Osborne albums. It is also a serious symbol denoting belief in Satan.
The Cross of St. Peter (also known as the inverted cross) is an ordinary Latin cross (depicted in accordance with the Roman Catholic tradition), inverted 180 degrees. The cross of St. Peter from the 4th century is one of the symbols of St. Peter, who, according to church tradition, was crucified head down in 67 AD. during the reign of Emperor Nero in Rome. The origin of this symbol is associated with church tradition that the Apostle Peter was crucified on the cross upside down at his own request, because he considered himself unworthy to die the same death that Jesus Christ died. Due to the fact that Peter is considered the founder of the Catholic Church, this symbol is depicted on the throne of the Pope. For example, during his visit to Israel, Pope John Paul II sat on a throne with a cross carved into the back.
The upside down Christian cross can be understood as an anti-Christian symbol. Because of this, the inverted cross has become widespread in modern popular culture as a symbol of Satanism. In popular culture, including such films as The Six Demons of Emily Rose, The Omen, Supernatural, the upside down cross is often shown as a symbol of Satan. Along with the inverted pentagram, the inverted cross is sometimes used by black metal musicians.
In any case, in Roman Catholicism, the cross of St. Peter is not regarded as a satanic symbol. However, the inverted crucifix carries a sense of extreme disrespect for the Christian religion and can be used to represent the forces of Satan. The differences between the cross of St. Peter and the inverted crucifix are sometimes obscured, leading to confusion about the acceptability of each symbol. A similar confusion arose after the aforementioned visit of the pope to Israel. A photo of the pope seated on a throne with the cross of St. Peter has been circulating the internet and used in attempts to "prove" that the Catholic Church is linked to Satanism
The number of the beast is a special number mentioned in the Bible, under which the name of the apocalyptic beast is hidden; numerological embodiment of the protege of Satan. The number of the beast is 666. The number 666 is a very commonly used element of satanic paraphernalia, along with an inverted cross and an inverted pentagram.
It was often believed that under the guise of an apocalyptic beast, the Antichrist is depicted in the Bible. Since the Revelation of St. John says: “He who has a mind, count the number of the beast, for this is the number of a man,” therefore, in the name or appearance of every person in whom they saw the Antichrist, they tried to find the number 666. These searches continue actively to this day.
In studies related to the “number of the beast”, a mistake is often made: the number is decomposed into decimal places and presented as three digits 6, with which it is identified. However, at the time of the writing of the Apocalypse, there was no decimal positional number system, which arose in India only in the 6th century AD. e. The original Greek notation consists of three words "six hundred", "sixty" and "six" and does not allow for the decomposition described. Another common consequence of misidentifying a number with its decimal positional notation is the association of the digits "666" with the infinite decimal 0.6666…, equal to two-thirds. In the Bible, the number "666" is used four times. Of these, it is mentioned once in the New Testament as a number under which the name of the apocalyptic beast is hidden:
Here is wisdom. Whoever has a mind, count the number of the beast, for the number is human; his number is six hundred sixty-six.
original text(Other Greek) [show]
John the Evangelist, Rev. 13:18, 15:2
In addition to the fact that the numbers: 666 and 13 - fall on the 13th chapter of the Revelation of the Bible (John the Theologian), which describes the number 666 (= 18) in verse 18, which will already surprise the uninitiated, these numbers have a literal relationship. We always pronounce numbers in sounds, the symbol of which are the letters that form the Word.
So in Numberology the number of Words is: THIRTEEN = 144 and SIX HUNDRED (156) + SIXTY (184) + SIX (101) = 441.
These are the numbers: 18 and 45, i.e. nine.
Words: LADDER 108 OF THE TRUTH 45. TRUE 45 PERSON 81.
We have a special relationship with these numbers, which we have heard from many people who are in the mood to expect something bad from these numbers.
Can numbers from 1 to 9 be good or bad? Can letters from "A" to "Z" be one better than the other. We can only like some number or letter, we may not like it ... But this does not mean at all that what we don’t like is bad, and what we like is good. Each character just has its own meaning.
Someone did not like the number made up of two digits - 13, someone from three - 666. Let's try to understand these numbers in order to have at least some certainty and our attitude towards them.
The number 13 \u003d 4, and the number 666 (18) \u003d 9. Two "root" numbers were obtained: 4 and 9, which in total is still the number 13, because the number 9 = 0 and does not change any number. Nine can hide in any number. The number 6 (similar to the number 9) taken three times also gives the sum - 9.
The resulting two numbers are distinguished from all numbers by the fact that when one digit is increased to two of all numbers from 1 to 9, substituting Zero (0), only two of these numbers do not remain the same when pronouncing: 4, like “Forty” and 9, like “ Ninety".
After pronouncing single-digit numbers, we pronounce: "Ten", keeping this number at the end of the pronunciation of numbers in sound, like "Ten" (10) and "Twenty" - "Two-Twenty" (20), "Three-Twenty" (30 ), “…” (40), “Five-Ten” (50), “Six-Ten” (60), “Seven-Ten” (70), “Eight-Ten” (80) and “…” (90 ).
"..." - the sound of numbers in the words: "Forty" and "Ninety" fall under the pass. Where did "Twenty" or "Ten" go?
The numerology of the word Ninety in the name itself hides this number - NINETY (DE I ST) - TEN, and the remaining letters (in but o) - “new”, indicate something new.
This means that the Old is over, to which the End has come, the END - TERM, FORTY.
These numbers mean the end of any period, which means that changes are coming. People are afraid of these numbers, because changes are not always pleasing - it is better to let it be as it is, so calmer. And if these people are esoteric...? How do they feel about these numbers, if, according to the laws of the Cosmos, they are ready to leave the Cycle of births and deaths, for which this change is needed. They will be happy with these numbers, they will attract them, and not shy away and be afraid, like the townsfolk.
Number 666 \u003d 9. The nines in the number 666 repeat nine times the number 74, and this word is TIME. This means that the FUTURE 88 = 16 = 7 has already taken place and should go to the PAST 112, which is the number 13 = 4. Therefore, very SOON (Forty, Deadline) we must wait for what will be the END 73 after the lived LIFE 72, when everything will be measured out - TIME 74. The end is not necessarily a human life, but an event: either bad or good. And if we want to get rid of a boring disease, then the number 666 will be beneficial for us. It leads after TIME 74 to CROSS 75 (the next number after 74) so that you can "disown" some event. Then there is OUTPUT 76 so that you can get SOURCE 77 of another, new event (for example, recovery, if there was a disease).
So, it turns out: 70 or 79 - BASE or ROOT.
71 - BEGINNING (of life).
72 - LIFE.
73 - THE END (of life).
74 - TIME (everything, the time has been measured).
75 - CROSS.
76 - EXIT.
77 - SOURCE.
78 - FATE.
= 666.
7 (sevens) - number 9, sum (7 x 9) = 63 = 9.
Numbers from 1 to 8 (9 = 0) total = 36 = 9.
Numbers 63 and 36 ---> 6336 = 666.
Three 3 sixes 6 –––> 666. Words with number 36: MIND 63, MOVEMENT 63, FACE 63, INSIDE 63, EVOLUTION 162 (LIFE 72) = 36, HISTORY 126, Celebration 126 = 36.
From the numbers: 77 and 78 - the SOURCE of a new DESTINY begins.
Something about the number 666 can be read on the website in article No. 13 "NAME" (catalogue of articles).
One story.
Two people got married in such a way that their parents (or one of the parties) did not know about it. They carefully concealed their passports so that the seal was not noticeable, but lived apart, meeting at one or the other in the apartment (apparently, the parents were against this union). In the summer we lived weekends at his dacha. She was not opposed to revealing everything, but He insisted on this, whose desire She did not violate. So some time passed, and in the third year of their secret marriage, and seven years of communication, the secret was revealed.
Suddenly, He, being with her at the dacha, remembers that he left his passport at home ...
Going home, They go on the road. On the way, they were constantly overtaken by cars with different numbers, but three times they came across numbers with three sixes - 666. Having heard about this number, they understood that something was about to happen, especially since the passport was forgotten. Maybe they would not have met this number or paid attention if they were not afraid of exposing the secret?!
And, indeed, His mother found an entry with a seal of marriage in her passport ...
Further, the development of events is no longer so important, the main thing is that they received the Sign of the events already taking place. There was an END to the concealment of secrets and a new BEGINNING was “born” - reality.
Anything can end, because Different people live with different concerns and fears. And someone, on the contrary, wants to start something ...
It can be assumed that the mother, before finding her passport, could have a sign in the number 13, because. it is a sign of CHANGE (DEATH is the 13th Major Arcana in the Tarot cards). She could not notice him because of her lack of observation. The Mystery was revealed to her, becoming Yavu.
CHURCH OF SATAN
This is a symbol of the Satanic Church in San Francisco. It is also found in the "Satanic Bible" in the "Ninth Satanic Commandment". This sign is found on several rock and metal albums, such as "Seven and the Ragged Tigen" by the band Duran Duran. This emblem always speaks of reckoning with Satan.
The Church of Satan is a countercultural group founded in the United States by Anton LaVey and which "proclaims itself a conscious bearer of evil and the antipode of Christianity." The first officially registered organization that declared Satanism as its ideology. The Great Encyclopedia Terra notes that the Church of Satan is "chronologically the first of the satanic sects." At the same time, the current leader of the organization, Peter Gilmour, says that "atheism is primary, and Satanism is secondary"
The official symbol of the Church of Satan is the Seal of Baphomet.
The Church of Satan was founded on Walpurgis Night (April 30), 1966, in San Francisco by Anton Szandor LaVey, later author of The Satanic Bible (1969). 1966 was named by him as the first year of the satanic era. LaVey served as High Priest of the Church of Satan until his death (1966-1997).
Anton Szandor LaVey, founder of the Church of Satan.
From the background: in the 1950s, Anton LaVey organized the Trapezoid Order community, which later became the governing body of the Church of Satan. Among those who participated in LaVey's activities were "Baroness" Karine de Plessen, who grew up in the royal palace in Denmark, Dr. Cecil Nixon, an eccentric magician and inventor, Kenneth Anger, an underground filmmaker, Russell Walden, city legal adviser, Donald Werby, one of the most influential private owners of San Francisco, anthropologist Michael Harner, writer Shana Alexander and others. Also LaVey's companions during this time period included science fiction and horror writers Anthony Boucher, August Derleth, Robert Barbour Johnson, Reginald Bretnor, Emile Petaya, Stuart Palmer, Clark Ashton Smith, Forrest J. Ackerman, and Fritz Leiber.
On February 1, 1967, Anton LaVey held an open satanic wedding ceremony for radical journalist John Raymond and Judith Case, which brought the Church of Satan considerable media attention. The ceremony was photographed by the San Francisco Chronicle's Joe Rosenthal, who took the iconic photograph of US troops raising the flag on Mount Suribachi during World War II. Photos of the satanic wedding have been published in several reputable publications.
In May of the same year, the ceremony of "satanic baptism" of LaVey's three-year-old daughter Zina Galatea takes place. The journalists, who arrived long before the start of the ceremony, were fascinated by the angelic smile of the girl who was to be dedicated to the devil. "Satanic Baptism" was designed to please the child.
Another important event (December 1967) was the open satanic funeral of a member of the Church of Satan, naval officer Edward Olson, at the request of his wife, while Satanism was soon included in the register of officially recognized religions in the United States.
In June 1967, Jayne Mansfield died in a car accident, according to LaVey, who had a close relationship with LaVey and was a priestess of the Church of Satan. Although these claims were false, the tabloid press claimed the actress's death was a side effect of a curse LaVey allegedly placed on Mansfield's partner Sam Brody.
The Church of Satan was mentioned in many books, magazines and newspapers in the 1960s and 1970s. Also in 1970, a full-length documentary Satanis. Anton LaVey starred in Kenneth Anger's Invocation of my Demon Brother and was a technical consultant on The Devil's Rain, which starred Ernest Borgnine, William Shatner and (for the first time) John Travolta. It has also been claimed that LaVey unofficially played the part of the Devil in Rosemary's Baby, but this claim was later refuted. The Church of Satan also featured in Luigi Scatini's film Angeli Blanca, Angeli Negra (known as Witchcraft '70 in the US).
In 1975, LaVey began to modify the "grotto" system of the Church of Satan, getting rid of people who, he believed, sought to succeed in the organization only to compensate for their failures in the outside world. Subsequently, real success in life became one of the criteria for advancement within the Church of Satan. During the same period, Anton LaVey became more selective in his interviews. This transition to a "closed" activity caused rumors about the collapse of the organization and even about the death of LaVey.
In the 1980s, a new wave of mass hysteria, criminal conspiracy theories and fear of Satanism swept through, started by Protestant fundamentalists, some medical professionals and the media. During this period, members of the Church of Satan such as Peter Gilmour, Peggy Nadramia, Boyd Rice, Adam Parfrey, Diabolos Rex, and rock musician King Diamond were active in the media to refute the false accusations of criminal activities of the Church of Satan made by Christian evangelicals. Subsequently, the FBI released an official report refuting all the criminal conspiracy theories of that period. This social phenomenon has been called the "Satanic Panic".
During the 1980s and 1990s, the Church of Satan and its members were very active in producing films, music, and magazines dedicated to Satanism. Among the most significant are Adam Parfrey's publishing house Feral House, music by Boyd Rice, films by Nick Bugas (including the documentary Speak of the Devil: The Canon of Anton LaVey). The Church of Satan and Anton LaVey featured in many magazines and news articles of the day.
In 1997, after the death of Anton Szandor LaVey, Blanche Barton, his civil wife, became the head of the Church of Satan. Although Barton is still involved in the activities of the Church of Satan, in 2001 she lost her post to Peter Gilmour and Peggy Nadramia, who today are the high priest and priestess of this organization and publish The Black Flame, the official magazine of the Church of Satan. The central office of the Church of Satan has also moved from San Francisco to New York, where they reside.
In autumn 2004 British armed forces officially register the first Satanist - technical sergeant Chris Cranmer, serving on the frigate "Cumberland" Admiral John "Sandy" Woodward on this occasion said that
My first words when I heard about this case were: “God, what the hell is going on here? When I served in the Navy, some colleagues were Anglicans, others were Catholics, I never heard of any Satanists. I think it's in the highest degree strange"
Every year in the Mexican state of Veracruz there is an action that many consider shockingly disgusting, but it still attracts tourists. People from all over the world gather to watch the black mass for a variety of reasons.
Some are driven here by idle curiosity, others are looking for thrills, and there are those who hope that participation in the devilish ritual will help them change something in their lives. But when, after the mass, journalists interview the audience, the majority admits that the only impressions from what is happening are shock and disgust.
This is quite natural, because they had to watch how chickens and goats were slaughtered in the most cruel way and how blood from torn arteries flows like a river onto the heads of Satanists dancing in front of burning pentagrams.
(Total 20 photos)
1. Worship Ritual: Participants in the black mass dance in front of a flaming pentagram before finally offering their souls to Satan.
2. Sacrifices are accompanied by terrible cries of suffering animals, whose throats are cut in the most painful way.
3. Witnesses claim that before the final slaughter, sacrificial animals have to endure real torture.
4. Rite of sacrifice: the blood of sacrificial chickens and goats is collected in a bronze vessel, and then poured onto the participants in the black mass.
Tourist Randall Sullivan was literally shaking from the spectacle he had to witness: “They didn’t just sacrifice animals, but first they tortured them. It seems that pain and suffering are an indispensable part of these rituals, and in this, no doubt, some kind of dark power is manifested.
Shocked tourist Michelle Gomez described what she saw: “It was disgusting. What they are doing to defenseless animals is nauseating, and I am truly horrified when I think how far they are willing to go in their quest to see the devil.”
Michelle traveled to Veracruz from Austin, Texas in the hope that attending the ceremony would allow her to improve her own psychic powers, which she claims had already helped her locate the souls of more than a hundred abduction victims.
“Because of what I had to see, I am now afraid for myself. It is necessary to ban such rituals, ”she said with tears in her eyes, standing next to the burning pentagram that Satanists use to summon Beelzebub.
“If they kill animals like this for the sake of ritual purification, then what other horrors can you expect from them?”
5. Chief shaman Enrique Verdon, whose head is adorned with a stuffed anteater, says: “Our black mass is rooted in the traditional culture of the Olmec Indians, and we are real experts in summoning the devil and his dark forces.”
6. Shocked tourists: Randall Sullivan (left) and Michelle Gomez (right). They are horrified by what they see.
7. The shaman pours the still warm blood of the sacrificial rooster on the head of the devil worshiper.
In the city of Catemaco on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico, many "pilgrims" gather in search of unusual experiences.
8. Enrique Verdon holds a black mass every year in the sanctuary on the mountain of the White Monkey, located east of the city. During an interview with MailOnline, the shaman said, "People come to our black mass when they want change." The conversation took place in the shaman's official office, decorated with skeletal sculptures, pentagrams, and exotic animal skins.
9. “Our marriage is bursting at the seams, and we are trying to save it,” Alejandro Montes said before smearing his face with sacrificial blood. He and his wife came to Catemaco from Monterrey in the hope of obtaining happiness in marriage in exchange for souls given to Satan. Alejandro admitted: "This is our last chance - we have already tried everything."
Eight people took part in the ritual last week. There were many more spectators. These are foreign tourists who specially came to Mexico for the black mass.
Randall Sullivan, a tourist from Portland, Oregon, learned about this ritual at a séance and decided to take a look at it. Before the ceremony, he said: “I want to know how shamans perform their miracles. I heard that only they can mix black and white magic. It's like confusing God and the Devil."
10. According to tradition, eight Satanic priests came from all over Mexico to have a ceremony on the full moon.
11. Costumes of the ceremony participants.
12. Tourist from Italy Samuel Casella before the start of the ritual said: "I think that today I will see something really incredible."
Servant of the devil Juri Ra, adorned with a necklace of bones of human fingers, says: “We have powerful forces. Some of us are healers, others are destroyers. Today we are going to open a portal to another dimension so that those who want to talk to Satan will be heard."
13. The ceremony was opened by teenage girls in black lingerie. They walked along the candle-lit path and carried eerie sacred offerings to the main altar. The altar was a font filled with burning coals, where the shamans constantly threw handfuls of rotting grass.
14. Roselia Veli said: "All girls should be virgins and be pure spiritually and physically." Roselia Veli is a black witch who uses strong tobacco and piercing screams in her exorcism sessions, for which she charges clients £200 an hour.
Those who had come to beg Satan to grant their wishes were called forward and told to kneel before the shamans. The shamans tore off the heads of the sacrificial roosters and poured their blood on the heads of the kneeling supplicants.
“Blood from a beating heart is the purest energy,” chief shaman Enrique Verdon told a crowd of shocked spectators. “These animals must die so that we can continue our work.”
"Their blood will be an offering to the dark powers," he said, standing in the dense puffs of smoke rising from a fiery altar over which decapitated birds were held until all blood had drained from them.
"We call on Satan, the prince of the Earth, to come before us."
The state of Veracruz has banned the sacrifice of animals, but in the countryside no one pays attention to this ban.
State Police Chief Arturo Bermudez Zaruta told MailOnline, “There is little we can do to stop this. If these people decide to put on a cruel animal killing show, they'll do it anyway, whether it's forbidden or not."
“This sacred blood will give us the spiritual strength and energy needed for black magic,” said Enrique Verdon, finally cutting the throat of a goat squealing in pain. The blood was collected in a bronze vessel and passed on.
"Our guests must rub this blood into their skin to cleanse themselves."
15. Having made sacrifices, the shamans lined up in front of the burning pentagram and sang hymns invoking the devil.
16. The ceremony of taking an oath: eight shamans approached each of the worshipers, and they swore that they would give their souls to the devil.
17. In total, eight animals were sacrificed during the ritual.
After the sacrifice and chants, the shamans, along with the new followers of the black mass, entered an underground cave adorned with inverted crosses, animal skeletons, and a large statue of Satan.
Eight shamans again approached each of the worshipers and demanded to repeat the oath that their soul now belongs to the devil.
18. Then all the shamans shouted: "Glory to Lucifer!" - once again swore an oath, prostrated themselves before the statue and sprinkled it with the remaining sacrificial blood.
19. “If you do not fulfill what you promised Satan, he will take everything from you,” said Juri Ra, sweeping the sacred blood from the statue onto the forehead of Alejandro Montes. "A terrible dark curse will fall on you."
20. “I was trembling with horror throughout the ceremony,” said Alejandro, who pledged his soul to the devil in front of the statue and swore an oath not to cheat on his wife again. “But now that it's over, I've gained strength. I believe everything will be fine now.”
His wife, Gloria Espina, did not want to be interviewed.
Black masses dedicated to the devil have been held here since 1970. They are held on the first Friday of March, and the popularity of this action has been constantly growing for all 45 years.
12.2 Satan in the visual arts: terrible and charming
All images of Satan correspond new biography, interpreting the Devil as a disgraceful, punished angel, a scenario that became firmly established after the 4th century. In this context, it was quite natural to portray the Devil as an inferior angel - so if angels had wings, then so did the Devil.
An example of this is the illustrations for the first two episodes in the Old Testament, which we considered at the beginning of our history - namely, the story of Balaam and his donkey and the trial of Job. In the first episode, the "satanic character" of the Angel Yahweh, who, according to the Hebrew text, "comes like Satan" before Balaam, is "lost in translation": the Latin Vulgate simply says: "...the Angel of the Lord stood on the road to hinder him [Balaam ],” telling him, “I went out to hinder [you]” (LVB Numbers 22:22, 32). King James version: "The angel of the Lord stood in his way like an adversary (enemy)", "I came out to confront [you]" [ Hebrew.: "to be your adversary"] (KJV Num. 22:22, 32 and footnotes).
The illustrations for this scene always show the angel in all his heavenly glory (see ill. 1).
The illustrations in the book of Job, on the contrary, deprive Satan of all his heavenly regalia, even though the text suggests that Satan is “one of the circle” of God: “And there was a day when the Sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord; Satan also came among them Hebrew. "adversary"]" (KJV Job 1:6 and footnotes). We see, for example, in William Blake's famous illustration that Satan is depicted as a muscular man with dark skin (see ill. 2a); in another version (see ill. 2b) it is somewhat lighter, but has large bat-like wings. We see a similar contrast in Gustave Dore's illustrations of the scene with Balaam and the temptation of Jesus (see ill. 3 and 4).
The only concrete description of the appearance of the Devil in the Bible is presented in the "imaginary" vision of John the Theologian in Revelation (12:3): there he is a giant red serpent (dragon). This may mean that all of it consists only of a head and tail - remember that in those days dragons were considered legless (see 6.2). But, according to John's highly symbolic vision, here the Devil has seven heads and ten horns somehow distributed between these heads.
Early illustrators of Revelation strove to follow exactly as indicated. Albrecht Dürer's illustrations for the 1498 edition of Revelation are a late example of literal following of the biblical texts (see plate 5). However, the Apocalypse from Saint-Sever (mid-11th century) contains a different depiction of Satan based on another chapter of Revelation, namely chapter 9, which deals with locusts. According to the biblical text, Avadon is the king of the locusts (see 6.2), but here he is clearly marked with letters SATAN written on his shoulders. He looks like a tall man with dark wings, chasing locusts with a long staff (see ill. 6).
The devil was also associated with Leviathan, a huge sea monster, most likely having only one head. Hell was depicted as a similar monster, but located in the ground, so that only the head and a huge open mouth were visible on the surface.
The idea of Satan chained in hell and feeding on the souls of the damned can be traced in Italian frescoes, which may have inspired Dante's description of him. This idea was partly based on earlier "literary journeys" into the underworld. But many motives were probably borrowed from the artistic images of the last pages of the Apocalypse: the Devil, cast into the lake of fire, like the Beast, the False Prophet; Death, Hades and all who were not written in the Book of Life (Rev. 20:10-15).
When the Serpent of Eden began to be associated or even identified with Satan, another version of its image appeared in the form of a reptile, namely a snake with legs, or at least capable of moving vertically; earlier, the Serpent was depicted as an ordinary snake, which can only crawl along the ground or wrap itself around the trunks and branches of trees. The Biblical Curse of the Serpent can be clearly seen in the strange artistic evolution described above, which gave all snakes, including dragons, a pair or two pairs of legs (not to mention a dog's head, as well as bird wings and feathers). The tradition relating specifically to the Serpent of Eden assumed that he was depicted with human features, usually with a female head and often with a female torso and chest (for example, see ill. 9).
In the Lives of the Saints, as the chapters of the Golden Legend show, this biblical information is further developed. The Devil and his demons can appear in any form they choose, either as frightening monsters (usually reptiles) or as ordinary people (including as beautiful and seductive women). But when the demons appear in their own form, they are usually characterized as "Ethiopians", that is, black Africans. In the legend of St. In Matthew, we noted one particularly grotesque description of the demon that dwelt in the idol, and in the legend of the Finding of the Cross, a description of Satan, where he looks like a huge Ethiopian (see 6.2). There is a marked tendency to depict demons (especially the lower ones - tempting and punishing) as black and hairy humanoid creatures, often with clawed bird legs, with additional faces on the chest, abdomen, genitals, buttocks, knees and / or with a tail.
As an example of the variety of depictions of diabolical forces in the Middle Ages, let's look at the famous "Magnificent Book of Hours", a wonderful manuscript, originally created by the Limburg brothers in 1415 and completed in 1485 by Jean Colombe.
There is a magnificent illustration of the fall of the angels, still with golden wings and clad in sky blue. All of them, together with the first falling Lucifer, have crowns on their heads. Good angels diligently push the fallen, henceforth evil angels (see ill. 7).
We see Satan, still in the crown, but already without wings, with huge horns and big ears, naked, with hairy thighs and large testicles, lying on a hot grill, heated by furs that other demons inflate. Satan swallows the damned souls and then spits them out in fiery streams. He seems to be having a good time, and his suffering from the heat is invisible. He is not tied to the bars, and we get the impression that he can interrupt this entertainment at any moment and go on other business after death or create disasters on earth - at any time he wants (see ill. 8).
The scene in the Garden of Eden shows the Serpent coiled around a tree; it has a female torso and head (remarkably similar to Eve's torso and head) and a snake body with a pair of "crocodile legs" (see ill. 9). Michael's battle with Satan the Dragon is depicted as a single combat; the dragon is not red, but golden in color, very modest in size (compared to Michael) and with a single head. The battle takes place over Mount Saint-Michel, located in northern France (see ill. 10). Elsewhere in the book, a small scene of the Last Judgment is depicted, where the damned fall into the open mouth of hell (see ill. 11). However, when Jean Colomb depicts the gates of hell, he only shows a fiery landscape (see pi. 12). In this illustration (see ill. 13) there are no demons, but only souls punished in purgatory and released from there. Finally, I must mention the Colomb miniature, which takes up the whole page and depicts the dead coming to the rescue (see pi. 14); she was often mistaken for the image of the fourth horseman of the Apocalypse - Death (see 2.3, 6.2 and 10.3). But it's more of an illustration. known history about the Grateful Dead (yes, the same story that gave the famous rock band its name). A version of this story is detailed in The Golden Legend ( GL 163). A man who prayed for the dead every time he walked through the cemetery was once persecuted by his enemies - and suddenly all the dead rose from their graves (while each was armed with his lifetime tools) and stood up as a strong and intimidating army against the persecutors.
Far from being demons of hell or servants of the Devil, these skeletal figures represent the souls of the dead undergoing redemptive cleansing. Such a cleansing, as Yakov Voraginsky tells us in the corresponding chapter of the Golden Legend, takes place in a certain place, that is, in purgatory, or in specially designated places on earth.
The fallen angels are in charge of punishments in purgatory, but, Yakov notes, sometimes good angels visit these suffering souls and strengthen them in enduring suffering humbly and patiently.
The image of the Devil in the form of a goat "comes into fashion" as a clear illustration of exactly how sorcerers worship Satan - Malefici And Maleficae.
The goatish appearance of the Devil, often combined with a human face and torso, was strongly influenced by the classical image of a satyr - half-goat, half-man. The Devil began to look like an incubus, that is, a demon raping women. Church Fathers, including St. Augustine, believed that demons were able to have sexual intercourse with humans (see: Augustine. About the City of God, 15.23; NPNF1, vol. 2), which, of course, looked like some kind of mockery of an older interpretation of the text of the Book of Genesis (6:1-4), where angels ("sons of God") gave birth to titans from earthly women (see 2.1, 2.2, 5.4, 8.1).
However, for some time now it has become a common belief that fallen angels, like good angels, are "purely spiritual", so that such connections are impossible. But, as St. Thomas, a demon can make a woman pregnant using "artificial insemination". To do this, he must first have sex with a man, appearing as a succubus (which is achieved by reviving a female corpse or forming a female body for himself from the four elements), and then, transforming into an incubus, enter into a relationship with a woman and pass on to her the previously received sperm ( Sum. Theol. 1.51.3; response to objection 6).
Common modern depictions of Satan dressed in a dinner jacket (or, better yet, a tailcoat with a white tie), with small horns and a narrow pointed tail, undoubtedly appeared under the influence of the appearance of Mephistopheles in the operas of Berlioz, Boiteau and Gounod about Faust.
But now we are in a world of pure imagination, and it is time to turn to the modern world.
This text is an introductory piece.
A terrible answer for every inner movement of a monk. For in such a soul germinate the seeds of sinfulness, the ears of love for the world and the properties of lawlessness: fornication, adultery, murder, theft, aversion to vows, even their rejection, hatred of Christ, hatred of the fatherly
In art, wisdom is missing The desire for the active development of ancient and Byzantine education is a characteristic feature of Russian medieval culture. The thinking people of Ancient Russia were well aware that without education, without inheriting the cultural traditions of antiquity
On the Art of Dying Well It is not difficult, beloved in Christ Jesus, to prove to a person that he is going to die, because, among other things, the most daily experience shows this. But it is very difficult to incline a person to the thought of death, so that he
I went to a sect and was baptized there. If I repent, will this terrible sin be forgiven? Priest Afanasy Gumerov, resident of the Sretensky MonasteryThe Holy Fathers call repentance a second baptism. The sincere penitent receives full remission of sins. Your sin is very
The Terrible God Shiva In parallel with the worship of Vishnu, Hinduism practices the worship of the god Shiva, who occupies the third place in the Hindu triad. Shiva is more formidable and complex than Vishnu. He plays many roles and is characterized as creator and destroyer, ascetic, god of fertility, insane
Charming hero-sufferer? (according to E. Renan) In the second half of the last century, the image of Christ in the public opinion of the European intelligentsia was refracted through the prism of the image given by the French scientist and writer Ernest Renan in his book "The Life of Jesus",
The image of St. Ignatius in fiction and fine arts 956. Leskov N. S. Unmercenary engineers // Rus. thought. - 1887. - No. 11. Dr. ed.: Leskov N. S. Selected: In 2 vols. L., 1977. T. 2. S. 390–445; On the edge of the world. L., 1985. S. 323–376; Sobr. cit.: In 12 t. M., 1989. T. 2. S. 136–188; To the light. 1994.
Coincidentally, today is Catholic... you know what. And this is mine 666 fast. So, as they say, boh himself ordered to write something about the Horned Prince... :-) At first I wanted to post one article, but it's somehow not very satanic (it will be later), then I thought just to put various pictures of the Devil and Satan and came across this wonderful post.
Original taken from marini in The Devil and His Pranks. Vintage engravings
The devil and his tricks. Ancient engravings of the 15th-17th centuries.
The devil and devils lay in wait for a person at every step, and many artists of those times could not ignore this topic. Priests especially got it, there are many images and caricatures of them (apparently, there were reasons for this :).
Dante's "Inferno"
Ilustration for Dante's "Inferno", dated c.1460-70.
The Tribulations of St. Anthony
The saint is in mid-air, tormented by eight devils.
Engraving made by Martin Schongauer, Germany, 1469 - 1473.
St Antony standing on the demon with a staff in both hands
Van Meckenem engraved St Antony and St Quirinus on the one plate, but the only known examples are from the plate cut vertically in two halves.
Quirinus is the patron saint of Neuss near Düsseldorf and Antony was a popular saint who in the same region was called upon in times of need. In 1474/5, Neuss was attacked by troops of Charles the Bold. This print might well have been produced in response to that event, to invoke the protection of these saints. 
The Saint is Lifted into the Air by Several Demons
The Saint is lifted into the air by several demons; to the right a tree with the two Saxon shields hanging in the boughs; buildings in the left background; second state; with fractures, touched in with black ink; trimmed below.
woodcut made by the great German artist Lucas Cranach the Elder, Signed "LC", dated 1506 in the block in lower l corner. 
Seven heads of Lucifer.
Luther with seven heads; identifying Luther as a doctor, a monk, a Turk, a preacher, a fanatic, a church visitor and a wild man with a club. Title-page to Cochlaeus, "Septiceps Lutherus", Leipzig: Valentin Schumann, 1529. 
The life of antichrist is sinners.
Marvelous woodcut made by the German artist Matthias Gerung, c.1544-1558.
Catholic clergy revelling; clerics and prostitutes drinking and playing games at a table, a flying devil holding the papal tiara above a priest on l. 
A flayed personification of Fury who rides a monster holding a skull aloft in his left hand above which is a serpent
Disturbing engraving made by the Italian print artist Jacopo Caraglio, probably between 1520 to 1539. 
The destruction of the Catholic Church
Print made by Matthias Gerung
German 1547 
Such Musicians suit such Dances
Devils lead a group of naked men and women in a dance amid flames; above, two monstrous winged creatures, one playing a violin, the other a trumpet.
Engraving made by John Drapentier, 1674-1700, probably a book-illustration 
Diabolici Spiritus Delineatio
An engraved emblem by Theodoor Galle in Jan David's "Veridicus Christianus".An unillustrated version of the text, in Dutch, had previously been printed in Brussels, in 1597. 
A Murdered child, a pig, devil and three jews
An engraving showing two images, on the top a altar-like platform with a murdered child, underneath a "Judensau", a pig on which a Jew is riding backwards, from which another Jew is sucking, and with a third Jew, assisted by the devil, eating the pig's excrement.
Engraved title and text:
Anno 1476 Ward das Kindlein von Trient...von den Juden umbgebracht...
Saug du die Milch, Fris du den Treck...
The dating of the print follows Paas.
The print records an anti-Semitic wall painting, which was until 1801 on the Old Bridge Tower in Frankfurt am Main.
The print refers to the alleged ritual murder of Simon of Trent in 1475, here wrongly given as 1476.
A Christian on his deathbed - a Christian on his deathbed.
Proof impression of an illustration to "Hortulus anime Teuwtsch ...", Nuremberg: Friedrich Peypus for Johann Koberger, 1518.
Death of a Just Man
Engraving made by Carel van Mallery, After Jan van der Straet, Published by Philips Galle, Flemish school, 1596 (or after).
The Devill's Tryumph over Romes Idoll
Inscription Content Lettered above the image with the title, within the image with speech in captions numbered 1 to 8, sixteen lines of verse "This hawhty Prelat, who disdayneth Kings, ... That trust in him; him selge he cannot save" and "Now Devill Looke you too" t for be you shure; If popish plotts can doo"t you"r not secure.".
Etching made by Francis Barlow, England, 1680. 15. Aprill. 
The clergy feasting in the jaws of a devil
Woodcut Attributed to Matthias Gerung, Formerly attributed to Hans Weiditz, Germany, 1520-1560.
The Devil and the Malefactor
The Devil carrying a bag on his back at right, a man at left kneeling in fear front of him, a bell on a cord lying on the floor, a lamp hanging from a cord and a table with a jug and several pipes in left background , a wall with an arched doorway in background; large empty lower margin.
Etching made by Dirk Stoop, illustrated to John Ogilby's "The Fables of Aesop", London, Engalnd, 1665.
Three Haggard-looking Old Women, Possibly Witches, Beating the Devil to the Ground
Etching made by Daniel Hopfer, Germany, 1505-1536. 
The Rich Man in Hell
A man lying at centre, surrounded and tormented by demons, water being poured over his head, Abraham with the same man on his lap on clouds in top left corner.
Engraving made by Aegidius Sadeler II, after Palma Vecchio. Published by Marco Sadeler, Belgium, 1595.
Marriage for Wealth Officiated by Satan
Satan, with a female breast and a goat legs, stands between a finely attired couple who face each other and hold hands.
Engraving made by Jan Saenredam after Hendrik Goltzius, Holland, 1595 (circa).
The Devil trying to unravel the peasants spun thread
Etching made by Pieter Jansz. Quast & Published by Claes Jansz Visscher, Holland, 1634-1640 (published 1652). Formerly attributed to Pieter Nolpe. 
A woman seated at a table and weighing coins while two demonic creatures appear at left & a personification of Death holding an hour-glass and looking through a window
Mezzotint made by Jan van der Bruggen After David Teniers the Younger, Belgium, 1665-1690.
The young Weisskunig instructed in the Black Arts - training in black magic.
The young Weisskunig instructed in the Black Arts; Maximilian and his tutor standing at centre, to left an old witch with a devil, on right a monk with an angel. Above two books containing the secrets of astrology suspended from two stars. Early proof for an illustration to "Der Weisskunig".
Made by Hans Burgkmair the Elder in 1516. based on Der Weisskunig.
Three demons come out of the woman.
Three demons coming out of the body of a woman lying in a bed and held by several figures
Representation of the Annunciation in top left corner; illustration to "Scelta d" alcuni miracoli e grazie della santissima nunziata di Firenze" (Florence: Pietro Cecconcelli, 1619).
Flagellation is also the exorcism of the devil.
Interior of a monastery with a monk tied to a column and being flagellated by several nuns holding whips
Mezzotint made by Jacob Gole After Cornelis Dusart, 1684-1724.
Inscription Content: Lettered in lower center of impression: "Broer Cornelis".
Depart pour le Sabat
Made in 1755 by Jean Jacques Aliamet After David Teniers the Younger
Ritual in an interior during the night; in the foreground on the left, a witch sitting at a table with demons and preparing a potion; in the background, a witch kneeling in front of a fireplace and pushing a naked woman towards the fire.
Merry --- 
A drunken child chained by the devil - a drunken(!) child is chained.(!)
Illustration to Johann von Schwartzenberg, "Ain buchle wider das zutrincken", Woodcut made by Jörg Breu I, Printed by Heinrich Steiner and published as part of "Der Teütsch Cicero", Augsburg, Germany, 1535.
especially loved jokes about priests and devils. 
Priests are driven to hell.
Devils chasing monks and clerics into the mouth of Hell
Woodcut Attributed to Erhard Schön; the hunt with nets and dogs towards the mouth of a large boar at left; printed from four blocks.
Germany, 1525.
The Descent of the Pope into Hell - The priests are taken to hell.
The pope on horseback on r, behind him a carriage filled with cardinals and bishops. In front two devilish creatures attacking a monk, the devil on the left carrying a bishop in a sling basket on his back. Behind the carriage a tree from which papal bulls and insignia are hanging. On right a building on fire filled with clerics.
Print made by the wonderful artist Sebald Beham, Germany, 1524.
In the center Lucifer torturing several damned souls, some of whom are named (eg. "BRUTO, TOLOMEO, ANTENOR, CHASSIO"); around this other sinners are being tortured by devils; various cardinal sins are also indicated (eg. "LUSURIA, AVARICIA, Ghalf length, INVIDIA").
This is the upright version of another print of the same subject derived from the "Last Judgment" fresco formerly attributed to Andrea di Cione -called Orcagna- in the Campo Santo, Pisa; the fresco is now believed to be by the Pisan painter and illuminator Francesco Traini and is dated from the mid-1330s 
Devil and Priest.
c.1530
Print made by Erhard Schön
devil playing the bagpipes; perched on the shoulders of a monk whose head forms the bagpipe
Satan is the master of hell and the main adversary of God. He represents all the dark forces. In his submission is a huge number of demons and various other evil spirits. Adherents turn to him for help. Many are interested in what kind of Satan he really is and whether it is possible to see him during his lifetime. Some sources agree that the Devil can change his images, reincarnating into different people, animals and creatures.
What does Satan look like?
The description of the Devil can be found in the Bible. It says that originally Satan was an angel, distinguished by his beauty, wisdom and perfection. When he decided that he deserved to be equal to God, he was expelled from paradise. For the first time, Satan is mentioned on the first pages of the Bible, when he tempted Eve in the form of a serpent. He also meets in the form of Leviathan - a huge sea creature that can fly like a dragon. Numerous images and incarnations make it impossible to determine and understand what kind of Satan. In a new guise, the Devil appears in the Apocalypse and there he appears as a red dragon with seven heads and ten horns.
It is impossible to say exactly what color Satan is, since there are completely conflicting opinions, so someone claims that he is black, while others indicate red. There is even an opinion offered by Satanists that the color of demons is not in the human. Thanks to modern technologies there is an opportunity to determine the intended color. To do this, you should use hexadecimal codes. Scientists have long assigned a specific number to each color, used in web design, for example. If using a program, for example, Photoshop, enter the number of the devil - 666666, then you can get a specific color.
What does the sign of Satan look like?
People who know the power of various symbols claim that some satanic signs have tremendous power and, if used incorrectly, can cause Negative consequences. To prevent this from happening, it is important to understand what this or that sign means:
