How to summon up the Devil

A two thousand year history of those who sold their souls to Satan

Greetings Gold and Silver Level Templar Knights! For two thousand years, many have been interested to appalled at at the thought of summoning up the devil. So - is it all hokum or can it be done - and should it be done? With increased interest in exorcism, it seems a good time to take a close look at this topic.

How does one summon up the Devil? There is no one definitive method of going about meeting Lucifer in your bedroom. But there's equally no shortage of advice going back over two thousand years.

The 1970s was a decade obsessed with horror, the occult, and Satanism. In 1975, when I was a 12-year-old at secondary school, an art teacher took time during class to tell us exactly how to summon up the devil. The use of a pentagram, the right chants, and what to expect. Could you imagine what would have happened to that teacher now?

In essence, what you need is some candles and a piece of chalk. Plus being aware of which demon you wish to call forth - there are several to choose from. Satanists don't agree on the names and details of the demons so be prepared for some confusion. The demon of choice might be Asmodeus - the demon of lust - or Belphegor, who is usually associated with the sin of sloth, but more accurately, gives the power to enable inventions that bring untold wealth to the inventor. But there are plenty of other demons to go for!

Begin by drawing a chalk circle around you, within which you must remain or face the consequences. You may also create a barrier of salt for added protection. Then light candles at points around the circle. After that, simply shout out the name of the desired demon. Others claim that running three times in an anti-clockwise direction around a church at night will do the trick. It also helps to paint the demon's picture and recite the Lord's Prayer backwards.

Theophilus summons up the Devil

One of the earliest accounts of summoning up the devil is that of a disgraced sixth century CE priest in Cicilia (modern Turkey) called Theophilus. There are many variations on the story but basically he was offered a bishopric, which he declined. This went down badly with a sitting bishop who decided this decision constituted a display of arrogance by Theophilus and he was therefore not fit to be a priest. Defrocked, the now ex-priest consulted a Jewish magician who took Theophilus to a secret spot in the forest, at night, where he met Satan, surrounded by adoring worshippers.

Theophilus begged Satan to get him back his priesthood. The evil one agreed on condition that Theophilus set aside his obedience to God and embraced the sins of lust and pride. A contract was signed and Theophilus kissed Satan, in an act of total submission. He regained his position but as death approached, Satan sent out his sentinels to drag the soul of Theophilus to hell. Terrified, the priest prayed to the Virgin Mary who descended into hell on his behalf, seized the contract, and destroyed it. She then interceded with God to secure forgiveness for the sinful priest.

This story undoubtedly influenced later accounts of those like Faust - see below - who also engaged in rituals to summon up the devil. The Theophilus story also stoked antisemitism with its featuring of a Jewish magician. This association of Jews and black magic fed bigotry and hatred in the medieval period.

Using the Devil to gain more knowledge

There is a self-serving refrain from the Roman Catholic church down the centuries that those who try to know too much are clearly in league with Satan. Like Eve, in the Garden of Eden, these unprincipled people cannot resist the lure of wisdom without limits - to be as powerful as God. But of course this comes at a terrible price.

The subtext of this is that the church should be the repository of all knowledge and all of us should simply bow to its wisdom. Priests, bishops, and popes understand the nature of the universe and we should defer to them blindly. This is why - until relatively modern times - the bible was not permitted to be translated into commonly spoken languages and the Catholic mass was said in Latin until the 1960s. The church was ensuring that their congregations were kept in the dark. Those hyper-intelligent types who strive to understand the world without the aid of priests, monks, and popes, are clearly in league with the evil one.

Showing cleverness is proof you've been consorting with demons!

Even in the Protestant world - those hungry for knowledge in the past were taking a huge risk. Take for example, Queen Elizabeth the First of England's brainy court astrologer, Doctor John Dee. His casting of horoscopes and spells provoked a great deal of malicious gossip.

It was widely believed that he had summoned up the devil and proof was provided by a table once owned by him that bore a circular scorch mark. This was said to have been left by the hoof of Satan as he appeared before the doctor. Stories like this proved to be very damaging. Dee had enjoyed the favour of the later Tudor monarchs but fell out with King James I - who succeeded Elizabeth. James was a staunch believer in witchcraft and Dee's activities smelt of sorcery. As a result, the doctor was forced into retirement and sank into obscurity.

Then there are more unusual stories closer to our own time such as the tale about the American blues musician Robert Johnson (1911-1938) whose musical career had stalled but suddenly skyrocketed in the mid-30s. It was claimed, with zero evidence, that he had sold his soul to Satan at a local crossroads in exchange for success as a recording artist. He certainly achieved fame but it was short-lived as he died aged only 27. Clearly the devil had struck a hard bargain.

Plays and movies showing how to summon up the Devil

The 1922 Swedish silent movie Häxan gives a lurid and detailed account of how to summon up the devil. The title translates as 'Witches' - you can make out the word 'hex' there in the Swedish. The director, Benjamin Christensen (1879-1959) studied a notorious 15th century document, the Malleus Maleficarum, that was a kind of instruction manual for inquisitors rooting out and executing witches across Europe in the late Middle Ages. One of the still terrifying scenes is of a horned devil suddenly appearing leaving a monk scared out of his wits. Predictably, the movie ran into many problems with the censors in different countries.

The most well-known play about summoning up the devil is Faust - based on a real-life alchemist, Johann Georg Faust (c.1480-c.1541). The real Faust seems to have been a combination of magician, astrologer, and fraudster. After his death, the legends grew about his pacts with the devil. A German account of his life in 1587 established the storyline that in his boundless quest for knowledge, Faust had done a deal with Satan - who styled himself Mephistopheles. In exchange for twenty-four years of an incredible life - meeting the leading figures of his day - Faust surrendered his soul.

When his time was up, Faust had a meal with his friends - a last supper. He then retired to another room where an explosion was heard. The walls and ceiling splattered with his blood and brains, while his eyes were found on the floor. Faust was definitely dead. His body eviscerated while his soul was dragged down to hell. This story was retold in the 16th century by the English playwright, Christopher Marlowe, and in the early 19th century by the German writer, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.

It was believed that the real Faust was the son of the printer, Johann Fust or Faust (c. 1400 – October 30, 1466). He was a contemporary of Johannes Gutenberg, who is normally credited with the invention of printing. However, the two became bitter rivals. It's hard to grasp now but printing was so revolutionary - putting monks used to painstakingly illustrating bibles out of business - that it was denounced as witchcraft. The idea that so many bibles could be produced so quickly seemed like black magic. Plus, the use of red ink for chapter headings was assumed to involve human blood. Fortunately, these daft accusations went nowhere.

Murders allegedly inspired by the devil

Several serial killers have claimed to be directed by powers from another realm. Just a year after the Manson murders, in 1970, an eye doctor - Victor M. Ohta - his wife, children, and personal assistant were shot dead at the Ohta residence in Santa Cruz county, California. The killer, John Linley Frazier, believed he was saving the environment on behalf of the People of the Free Universe. Quite how an ophthalmologist posed a threat is anybody's guess. His main crime seems to have been ownership of a swanky, hilltop villa.

A clearly deranged Frazier was convinced he was the author of the Book of Revelation - in another life presumably - and signed his note to police with reference to the Tarot cards: Knight of Wands, Knight of Cups, Knight of Pentacles, Knight of Swords. The knights are the four suits of the 78-card deck used to tell fortunes. Police withheld the note from the public in case it spread panic that a Satanic killer was on the loose.

Between 1998 and 2004, a group of young Italians went on a homicidal rampage calling themselves the Beasts of Satan or, in Italian, the Bestie di Satana. Two victims, known to the group, were murdered in a Satanic ritual accompanied by sex, drugs, and heavy metal - by all accounts. The two bodies were thrown into a hastily dug grave with one of the gang screaming: "Now you're both zombies! Try to get out of this hole, if you dare!"

The diary of one of the Beasts of Satan related how they "bathed" in the blood of their victims: "We are wicked individuals. We plague the people and we play with their lives. We know no pity. Pitiless we will eliminate and cleanse, donating the ash of our enemies to he who sits on the throne."

During their trial in early 2005, most commentators assumed this activity was the darker side of teen rebellious life. But the Vatican took a very different view. It began offering special training sessions on Satanism, black magic, and exorcism at Rome's Regina Apostolorum - a papal university. The growth of the internet was feared by the church as a transmission belt for Satanic ideas to millions of young people. If priests didn't wise up to this - then all was lost.

However, a Vatican spokesperson urged calm: "It would be a mistake to see the devil everywhere. There is no reason to panic." Exactly the kind of statement guaranteed to induce...panic.