The Devil's Bible is the most sinister book. "The Satanic Bible" by Anton Szandor Lavey, The Church of Satan and the biography of the founder of the Devil's Bible read online in Russian

satanic bible

Cover of the English edition " satanic bible»

Satanism LaVey

Associated organizations
Church of Satan First Satanic Church
Notable figures
Anton LaVey · Peter H. Gilmour Diana Hegarty Karla LaVey
Concepts
Left hand path Pentagonal revisionism Suitheism Power is right Lex talionis Theistic Satanism
Publications
satanic bible Satanic rituals Satanic Witch · Devil's Notebook Satan speaks! · Black flame Church of Satan The Secret Life of a Satanist Satanic Scriptures

Story

The Satanic Bible was first published in 1969 by Avon Books and has been reprinted many times since. The main text has always remained the same, but the acknowledgments section has been changed from the very first edition (the first edition contained the famous extended acknowledgments section, later shortened), and the introduction has been replaced and supplemented several times. Burton Wolf ( Burton Wolfe), a journalist and member of the Church of Satan from its early days, is the author of the introduction that has been published in the book for many years. Peter Gilmour, now High Priest of the Church of Satan, wrote a new introduction that replaced Burton Wolfe's text and is now included in The Satanic Bible, beginning with . University Press published The Satanic Bible and Satanic Rituals in hardcover, but these editions have been out of print for a long time and have become second-hand books (some copies on eBay sell for over $1,000).

Sections of The Satanic Bible

The Satanic Bible, in addition to an introduction written by other authors, is divided into four sections under the following titles:

Book of Satan

In this section, LaVey also coined for the first time the term psychic or spiritual vampire, which refers to people who "drain the life force from other people." Now this term, which can be considered a synonym for the phrase "energy vampire" (probably more commonly used in Russian), is included in the active vocabulary of many people. The author suggests avoiding any kind of relationship with psychic vampires who are trying to play on human guilt. At the conclusion of The Book of Lucifer, LaVey warns of "pseudo-Satanists."

Book of Belial

Table of Contents of The Satanic Bible

Chapter	Chapter
	Foreword
	Prologue
	The Nine Foundations of Satanism
(THE FIRE) THE BOOK OF SATAN - Infernal diatribe -	I
	II
	III
	IV
	V
(AIR) THE BOOK OF LUCIFER - Enlightenment -	I. Wanted!: God - dead or alive
	II. The god you worship can be you
	III. Some Signs of a New Satanic Age
	IV. Hell, the Devil and how to sell your soul
	V. Love and hate
	VI. satanic sex
	VII. Not all vampires suck blood
	VIII. Indulgence...but not coercion
	IX. On the issue of human sacrifice
	X. Life after death through ego satisfaction
	XI. Religious holidays
	XII. Black mass
(EARTH) THE BOOK OF BELIAL - Power over the earth -	I. Theory and Practice of Satanic Magic
	II. Three Types of Satanic Ritual
	III. Ritual room, or room of intellectual emancipation
	IV. Ingredients of Practicing Satanic Magic
	1. Desire
	2. Timing
	3. Image
	4. Direction
	5. Balancing factor
	V. Satanic Ritual
	1. Some notes to consider before starting the ritual
	2. Thirteen steps
	3. Devices used in satanic rituals
(WATER) THE BOOK OF LEVIATHAN - Raging Sea -	I. Appeal to Satan
	II. devilish names
	III. Appeal aimed at challenging lust
	IV. An Appeal for Destruction
	V. An Appeal for Compassion
	VI. Enochian Keys and the Enochian Language
	First key
	Second Key
	Third key
	Fourth Key
	Fifth key
	sixth key
	seventh key
	Eighth Key
	ninth key
	tenth key
	Eleventh Key
	Twelfth Key
	Thirteenth key
	Fourteenth Key
	Fifteenth Key
	sixteenth key
	seventeenth key
	eighteenth key
	nineteenth key

Bibliography

LaVey, Anton Szandor. The Satanic Bible(Avon, 1969, ISBN 0-380-01539-0).
LaVey A. Sh. Satanic bible. Moscow: Unholy Words, Inc. (RCS), .

The Satanic Bible by Anton Szandor LaVey is interesting, even though the book was written about forty years ago. The biography of the founder of the Church of Satan and a world-famous Satanist is shrouded in speculation.

In the article:

"The Satanic Bible" by Anton Szandor LaVey - the best-selling literature on Satanism

"The Satanic Bible".

The Satanic Bible by LaVey was written in 1967. Among adherents of Satanism, this is the most popular spiritual source. The books of Anton Szandor LaVey remain popular today: in the last century, The Satanic Bible was a bestseller among similar literature.

The introduction to the book was made by other authors, in particular, a journalist who wrote articles about the Church of Satan, the author of The Satanic Bible. The publication consists of four sections devoted to Satan, Lucifer, Belial and Leviathan- the four crowned princes of hell. The principles proposed by LaVey are considered authorial Satanism: there are no common features with the main postulates of devil worship, which have come down from ancient times.

The reason for this book is that, with a few exceptions, all treatises and books, all "secret" grimoires, all great writings on the subject of magic, are nothing more than sanctimonious fraud, sinful mumbling, and esoteric gibberish of chroniclers of magical knowledge, unable or unwilling to provide an objective point of view on this issue.
Writer after writer, trying to signify the principles of “black and white magic”, succeeded only in clouding the object of consideration so much that a person who studies magic on his own conducts classes by stupidly standing in a pentagram, waiting for the appearance of a demon, shuffling a deck of cards for prediction, losing in cards any sense, and attendance at seminars that guarantee only the flattening of his Ego (and along with his wallet); and, in the end, exposes himself as a complete idiot in the eyes of those who know the truth!

The Satanic Bible encourages the reader not to believe in the existence of Paradise and the afterlife. Instead of trying to win a ticket to Heaven, a person should enjoy earthly pleasures. The author connects Satanism and the cult of hedonism and condescension to the desire to satisfy carnal desires.

Anton LaVey exposes Satan as a symbol of the proposed worldview. The author promotes freedom, individualism, healthy egoism, the desire for self-development, rejection of injustice and interest in the study of the occult.

Culturologist E. V. Belousova noted that Anton LaVey’s book allows us to understand the image of a modern Satanist. The Bible is able to dispel the stereotypes associated with the representation of Satanists by society. The culturologist called LaVey's Satanism an expression of the materialism and hedonism inherent in the modern West. Belousova is sure that it is worth reading The Satanic Bible to get an idea of the religion popular among young people. LaVey's Satanism has millions of followers.

The Satanic Bible is not LaVey's only book. Two more are widely known - "The Perfect Witch", which changed its name to "Satanic Witch" and "Satanic Rituals". LaVey distinguishes three satanic holidays - Walpurgis Night, Halloween and the Day of initiation into the mysteries of the cult of Satan with five stages.

Anton LaVey - what is known about the author of The Satanic Bible

Anton Szandor LaVey is the pseudonym of the founder of a modern version of Satanism and the first officially recognized Church of Satanists. In the documents of the man it was written Howard Stanton Levy. Born in Chicago, in the family of a booze seller, in 1930.

The last partner of the Satanist's widow was Blanche Barton, the chief priestess of the Church. The marriage produced a child named Satan Xerxes by Karnaki LaVey. The woman has written several books, including The Secret Life of a Satanist, dedicated to the biography of Anton Szandor LaVey, modern Satanism and the role of the church in the life of their family.

Satan Xerxes Karnaki is not Anton's only child. The Satanist has two more daughters, from his first and second marriages. One of the daughters, Zina, openly feuded with her father, and after the death of her father, she repeatedly gave interviews that were recognized by the society of Satanists as a lie and fiction. Much of the evidence from Zeena and her husband Nicholas Schreck was exposed as a forgery by Blanche Barton.

The Shrek couple claimed that the girl's father was repeatedly reported for sexual perversion and domestic violence (no evidence). Blanche and other followers of LaVey note the intensity and irrelevance of Zeena's and Nicholas's efforts to undermine the authority of the creator of The Satanic Bible.

Anton LaVey spent most of his life in San Francisco. The man appreciated classical music, had a perfect ear for music and was fond of playing keyboard instruments (he attracted the organ). Since childhood, the boy was fond of dark literature (horror and mysticism), German impressionism. Historical Figures LaVey Admired From Childhood: Rasputin Covered in Legends.

Anton LaVey dropped out of school during his high school years and left town with a circus troupe. He toured first as a laborer, then as a musician. He worked as an organist in cafes and disco clubs. According to the Satanist, at that time there was a brief affair with Marilyn Monroe, but this moment of the Black Pope's biography is in great doubt. Zina LaVey also refuted her father's acquaintance with the popular actress, who claimed that her mother forged proof of the connection (Marilyn's autograph and signature).

After a while, Anton LaVey returned home and became a photographer for the police department, while also doing paranormal research. According to some sources, LaVey was a member of banned Zionist groups.

In 1952, Anton LaVey married Carol Lansing, who became the mother of their first daughter, Carla Maritza LaVey. In 1960, the man became interested in another woman - Diana Hegarty, mother of Zina Galatea LaVey, baptized in the Church of Satan at the age of three. Perhaps a bad relationship with her daughter was the result of a family breakup due to the appearance of Blanche Barton in LaVey's life.

Even before the opening of the Church of Satan, Anton gained fame in the area as a researcher of the paranormal and a popular organist. On Fridays, LaVey arranged lectures for people who were interested in Satanism and the occult sciences. The meetings were called the Magic Circle and prompted the man to create the Church of Satan.

Anton Szandor LaVey died on October 29, 1997 from pulmonary edema in a Catholic hospital. The followers of the founder of a separate branch of Satanism gave birth to the myth that the Black Pope died on Halloween night. The funeral was held in secret in the small town of Colma, California. The body is cremated and the ashes are preserved by the followers.

Anton Szandor LaVey and the Church of Satan

The idea of creating the Church of Satan came about unexpectedly: after one of the Friday Magic Circle lectures, one of the members told Anton that there was enough room to develop a new religion. Anton LaVey ritually shaved his head and declared 1966 the beginning of the era of Satan and the founding of the church dedicated to the Devil.

The Church of Satan offered baptisms, weddings, and funerals according to Satanic rites. The media ignored the temple for a long time, but after the high-profile wedding of a scandalous journalist and socialite, the Church of Satan became the topic of American newspapers, and then mentions of the parish appeared in world-class publications. In printed publications, the founder was called Black Pope. Anton was the high priest of the Church of Satan until his death.

As his following grew, Anton LaVey began to publish books, three of which gained popularity. The man wrote pictures and music (he released several records). Many celebrities are associated with the Church of Satan: Marilyn Manson was an honorary member of the cult, King Diamond, Chris Cooper and many others were members of the Church of Satan.

The Church of Satan is associated with a high-profile event - the death of actress Jayne Mansfield, who, according to LaVey, was for some time his mistress and priestess of the cult. The press announced the death of a sex symbol as a side effect sent by a satanist to the wife of a film star.

Today, the Church of Satan exists as an officially recognized religious institution. Thanks to the activities of the parish, Satanism in the United States has become an officially recognized religion. The church does not provide information about the number of followers. The position of high priest is held by Peter Gilmour, and the priestess is Peggy Nadramia, who replaced Blanche Barton. The official symbol of the Church of Satan is the Seal of Baphomet.

The "Satanic Bible" by Anton Szandor LaVey can be considered an excellent source for a person who has decided to take the path of worshiping the dark forces. The Church of Satan has a lot of developments on this topic, and the biography of the founder of the parish is fraught with many mysteries.

In contact with

Believers read a lot of religious literature, or communicate in a circle of like-minded people, from where they learn something about God, angels, virtue and positive qualities of people. They also know about sins, that not all angels were saints. And someone becomes especially interested in the topic of sinfulness not only of the human race, but also of divine creatures. This book, "The Devil's Bible", according to scientists, was written around the 13th century, although then there was a different attitude towards religion, and one could lose one's life because of faith. But even then there were those who wanted to know the truth, and there were those who believed otherwise. The book has received mixed reviews, as many believe it denies the existence of God. However, those who understand that everything is created by God study it too.

In this book there are passages devoted to the origin of the world from a different angle. There are prayers to the Devil and poems dedicated to him. It is worth being prepared for the fact that the content of the book may cause not entirely pleasant emotions. Only those who are fond of Satanism, the occult and similar topics will be interested in the book. Those who perceive everything religious too sharply, see it as a mockery of God, it is better to refrain from reading the book.

The work belongs to the horror and mystic genre. On our site you can download the book "Devil's Bible" in fb2, rtf, epub, pdf, txt format or read online. The rating of the book is 4.4 out of 5. Here, before reading, you can also refer to the reviews of readers who are already familiar with the book and find out their opinion. In the online store of our partner you can buy and read the book in paper form.

22.10.2015 26.08.2019 - admin

Devil's Bible also known as the Codex Gigas or The Satanic Bible, is a unique medieval manuscript whose history is surrounded by legends. The Latin name of the manuscript translates as "Giant Book", and it is quite reasonable: today the Devil's Bible is the largest handwritten book in the world. Its weight is about 75 kilograms, and the binding measures 92x50 centimeters.

Of course, this manuscript is unusual not only for its size. The Devil's Bible got its name from the page on which the image of Satan is located, which attracted attention throughout the existence of the book and gave rise to legends. The devil has attributes traditional for medieval symbols: forked tongue, horns, clawed paws. The ermine skin in which he is dressed can symbolize the highest power. On the pages adjacent to the image of the devil, there are strange shadows resembling traces of a flame. Many considered them a symbol of obsession with evil.

The famous depiction of Satan in the Codex Gigas.

There are images of Satan in other medieval books, but none of them is so huge and detailed. Unusually, the author of the manuscript depicted him in a closed cell, while usually the Devil was depicted in hell.

Another notable feature of Codex Gigas is its composition. The book includes the Old and New Testaments, historical and natural science writings, as well as spells designed to exorcise the Devil. Although medieval manuscripts were often heterogeneous in composition, there is no such set of texts in any other manuscript of this period.

The unusual nature of the book gave rise to a legend about its creation. According to legend, a certain monk violated the charter of the monastery and, as punishment for this, he was to be immured alive. To avoid death, he asked to postpone the execution for one night, promising to create a manuscript by morning, which would include all the knowledge known to mankind, and thereby glorify the monastery. When the monk realized that he would not be able to complete the work on time, he turned to Lucifer with a prayer. The devil magically completed the manuscript, but in payment for the work he took the soul of a monk, and added a "devil's page" to the book itself.

History of the manuscript

Indirect evidence, such as mentions in the memorial lists included in the manuscript, of famous historical figures, suggest that the work on the book was completed around 1230. It is believed that the Devil's Bible was created in a monastery in Podlajice (Czech Republic). Some researchers believe that this is unlikely, since no other manuscript has survived from this small and poor monastery.

During the religious wars of the XV century, this monastery was destroyed. In the following decades, the place of storage of the Codex Gigas changed several times, until at the end of the 16th century it became part of the collection of Emperor Rudolf II. After the end of the Thirty Years' War, the book came to Sweden as a war trophy. She remains in this country to this day. In 1697 there was a fire that nearly destroyed the book. She was saved by being thrown out of the window, but several pages were lost forever. In addition, a person who was under the window suffered from a fallen book.

Over the past three centuries, the Devil's Bible has only once left the vaults of the Royal Library in Stockholm. From September 2009 to January 2008 it was put on display in Prague at the Czech National Library.

Modern research

At the beginning of the 2000s, a group of researchers from different countries studied the manuscript in order to establish the true history of its creation. They used the methods of paleography and forensics, studied the author's handwriting, determined the composition of the ink and the characteristics of the material from which the pages were made.

As a rule, scribes themselves prepared ink using one of the technologies known at that time. To establish the composition of the ink, the pages were viewed under the light of an ultraviolet lamp. As a result, it was found that the entire book was written with approximately the same composition of ink.

The design features of the book, including the manner in which the famous image of the Devil is executed, suggest that the author was self-taught and not a professional scribe. Manuscript researcher Christopher de Hamel describes the hypothetical author of the Codex Gigas as being obsessed with an idea: while working on the illustrations, he tried to make them as impressive as possible. He had a certain artistic talent, but was not trained in illustrating books, unlike professional scribes who followed certain canons.

Manuscript page.

Decorative elements on the pages of the manuscript.

According to the researcher, the same impression is created by the handwriting in which the book is written. The fact that the handwriting is the same on all pages of the manuscript is another important argument in favor of the Codex Gigas being the work of one man.

The researchers estimated that it took about an hour to complete one page. It could take about five years to write a book, but only if the scribe worked on it almost around the clock. In addition, preparatory work, for example, lined sheets, took some time. It could take several days to write one decorative letter. At the same time, the author of the book could not help but follow the daily routine established in the monastery. Taking into account these factors, the time required to create a unique manuscript is estimated at 25-30 years.

It is possible that this work was entrusted to the monk as a punishment for some misconduct. In the Middle Ages, there was a belief that a person can cleanse his soul from sins by rewriting sacred books. This may be the reason for the unusual set of texts included in the manuscript. The author of the book wrote the “instructions” for his own salvation, and that is why spells appeared next to the Bible, and the image of Satan itself is adjacent to the page on which the kingdom of heaven is depicted. It is also possible that the Devil is depicted inside a certain building in order to demonstrate the opposition between the "city of God" and the "city of the devil."

Spread of Codex Gigas. Photo: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/)

The “shadows of the flame” were also explained on several pages. Researcher Michael Gullick concluded that the pages adjacent to the image of the Devil attracted more attention from book owners, they were opened more often, and as a result, the parchment darkened when exposed to sunlight. Thus, these "shadows" testify not to the "obsession with evil" of the author of the book, but to the interest that the page with the image of the Devil aroused in its subsequent owners.

The legend about the creation of the book could have arisen from a misreading of one word. Throughout the existence of the book, the word "inclusus" in the name of its author (Hermanus Inclusus) was interpreted as imprisonment, imprisonment, immuring alive as a punishment for some sins. But it also has another meaning - seclusion, hermitage. Then it may testify to the voluntary decision of the monk to leave the world in order to devote himself to working on the manuscript.

Composition of the manuscript

Along with the biblical texts, a significant place in the codex is occupied by historical texts, which contain about 100 sheets. It is noteworthy that these are not only works about world history (“Jewish Antiquities” and “Jewish War” by Josephus Flavius), but also texts dedicated to local realities - “Czech Chronicle” written by Kozma of Prague, a list of the names of the brethren of the monastery, a calendar with a memorial list .

Another 40 sheets are occupied by "Etymologies" by Isidore of Seville. The main purpose of this work is to answer the question of the origin of all human activities and everything that exists in the Universe, through the study of the origin of words. "Etymologies" include a description of many significant events of the secular and.

The texts included in the Devil's Bible are arranged in such a way that they form a single narrative covering the entire world history known at that time - from the Old Testament times to the era in which the author of the book lived. The Old Testament, which tells about the history of the Jewish people, is supplemented by "Jewish Antiquities" and "History of the Jewish War." These books are followed by the "Etymologies" of Isidore of Seville, marking the transition to the history of Christianity. Also included in this part of the book are natural science and medical works. The exposition of sacred history ends with the full text of the New Testament.

After that, the author proceeds to describe the history of specific people - the inhabitants of Bohemia, which is set out in the "Czech Chronicle", starting with the story of the Christianization of the country. The calendar at the end of the book reflects the history of the Catholic Church in general and the local church. It contains the names of the benefactors of the monastery, the deceased monks, as well as famous historical figures of that era. The memorial list was written by the same scribe who wrote the rest of the manuscript. In this it differs significantly from the memorial calendars in other manuscripts, which were created by many scribes over a long period of time.

The Codex Gigas was not just a manuscript that staggered the imagination with its size and unique design, but also a book of extreme importance for the religious life of the monastery. The fact that it was read many times is evidenced by marginal notes made in various handwritings. The medical treatises included in the book could also be of practical value.

Despite the fact that the legendary features of the Devil's Bible received a completely rational explanation, this book remains a unique historical monument. Codex Gigas has no analogues among medieval manuscripts: it is the result of the work of one monk, reflecting the worldview of an entire era.

Anton Sandor LaVey

satanic bible

Publishers Preface

We are pleased to finally present the second, revised and expanded edition of Anton Szandor LaVey's immortal creation. We admit that it comes out not only because the first without any promotion became a bestseller, but also because we consider ourselves obliged to correct the mistakes made both through our own and through no fault of ours. Unfortunately, the first edition was done in a terrible hurry, so the translation of individual chapters was entrusted to a person who is far from black magic and the concepts that LaVey operates in his worldview. This resulted in glaring errors, which, unfortunately, were noticed by us only after the publication of the book. We apologize for the unfortunate shortcomings of the first edition and assure you that in the second edition we have done everything in our power to convey to you in an undistorted form the philosophy of the Black Pope. We hope that this will serve to attract even more true followers of the Left Path Movement into our ranks. Simultaneously with the founding work of modern Satanism, we are releasing The Satanic Rituals, the book our magicians have been waiting for. Together with The Devil's Notebook, they form a trilogy of sorts, the legacy of thirty years of experience in the application of Satanic principles. Now this legacy is available to the Russian reader. It remains for him to put it into practice. Good luck in your work. World without end. Ave Satanas!

July XXXII Anno Satanas

One winter evening in 1967, I was driving across San Francisco to hear Anton Szandor LaVey lecture at an open meeting of the Sexual Liberties League. I was intrigued by newspaper articles that referred to him as the "Black Pope" of the Satanic Church, in which baptisms, weddings, and funerals are dedicated to the Devil. I was a freelance journalist and felt that LaVey and his pagans could make a good article; in the words of the editors, the Devil "gave circulation."

I decided that the main topic of the article should not be the practice of black arts, since there is nothing new in this world for a long time. Devil-worshipping sects and voodoo cults existed long before Christianity. In 18th century England, the Hellfire Club, which through Benjamin Franklin had connections even in the American colonies, gained fleeting fame. In the early twentieth century, the press covered the deeds of Aleister Crowley, "the most unclean man in the world", and in the 20s and 30s, hints of a certain "black order" could be traced in Germany.

To this relatively old story, LaVey and his organization of modern Faustians have added two entirely new chapters. First, in contrast to the traditional Satanic assembly of witchcraft folklore, they blasphemously presented themselves as the Church, a term previously applied only to branches of Christianity. Secondly, they came out of the underground, engaging in the practice of black magic in the open.

Instead of arranging beforehand with LaVey to discuss his heretical innovations, which was usually the first step in my research, I decided to watch and listen to him as an unintroduced member of the public. In some newspapers, he was presented as a former circus and carnival lion tamer and magician, in which the Devil himself was embodied on earth, and therefore, to begin with, I wanted to determine whether he was a real Satanist, a mummer or a charlatan. I have already met people under the footlight of the occult business; Incidentally, I once rented an apartment from Jean Dixon and took the opportunity to write about her before Ruth Montgomery did. But, mindful of all the occult crooks, hypocrites, and charlatans, I wouldn't waste five minutes describing the various forms of their tricks.

All the occultists I have met up to this point, or heard of, have been white-lighters: ostensible clairvoyants, soothsayers and witches, with their supposedly mystical powers rooted in god-oriented spiritualism. LaVey, who seemed to scoff at them, if not to say spit with contempt, appeared between the lines of newspaper stories as a real black magician who based his art on the dark side of nature and the carnal side of human life. There seemed to be nothing spiritual in his "church".

As soon as I heard LaVey speak, I realized that there was nothing in common between him and the occult business. He could not even be called a metaphysician. The cruel revelations in his mouth were pragmatic, relativistic, and, moreover, rational. It is safe to add that they were unorthodox; they were a blow to generally recognized spiritual principles, to the suppression of the carnal nature of man, to the feigned piety of being, based on material principles like "man is a wolf to man." His speech was full of sardonic sneers at human thoughtlessness, but, most importantly, it was logical. LaVey offered his audience no charlatan magic. It was a philosophy of common sense, based on the realities of life. Once I was convinced of LaVey's sincerity, I had to convince him of my intentions to conduct serious research, and not add my mite to the pile of articles describing the Church of Satan as a new freak show. I studied Satanism, discussed its history and rationale with LaVey, attended midnight rituals at the famous Victorian mansion that was then the headquarters of the Church of Satan. Then I wrote a serious article, but found that it was not at all what "respectable" magazines wanted to see on their pages. Finally, one publication from the “strawberry” or “male” category was found - Knight (Knight), which in September 68 published the first completed article on the Church of Satan, LaVey and his synthesis of ancient legends about the Devil and the folklore of black magic into modern philosophy and the practice of Satanism, which all followers and imitators now use as a model, guide, and even Bible. My article was only the beginning, not the end (as was often the case with other subjects of my attention) of a long and intimate relationship with LaVey. Their fruit was my biography of LaVey, The Devil's Avenger, published by Pyramida Publishing House in 1974. After the publication of this book, I became first an official member and then a priest of the Church of Satan; I proudly bear this title along with many famous personalities. The late-night philosophical discussions I began with LaVey in '67 continue today, a decade later, in a strange cabaret populated by LaVey's surreal humanoids; our meetings are accompanied either by a witty witch, or by music in our own performance: LaVey - on the organ, I - on the drums.

LaVey's entire previous life seemed to prepare him for his current role. Among his ancestors were Georgians, Romanians and Alsatians, including a grandmother of gypsy blood, who told him legends about vampires and sorcerers from her native Transylvania. From the age of five, young LaVey read magazines such as Weird Tales (Mysterious stories) and books such as Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and Bram Stoker's Dracula. Despite the fact that Anton was different from other children, they always chose him