Terror in Paris. Next October, a Satanist church could well be installed in the heart of the capital, and more precisely in the 16th arrondissement. At least that’s what many people on Twitter and TikTok claim. The information was also relayed by the “Secret news” site. “Until now, Satanists in France had only a few forums and discussion groups to exchange their faith and beliefs,” explains the article which also relay a petition. The page “No to the opening of a satanic “church” in France”, has since collected more than 16,000 signatures. “Don’t come and bring the devil into our world,” they ask.
The article also quotes Jean-Louis Ludwig – founder of the FCOL (French church of Lucifer) who would have spoken before the Commission for the evaluation and control of religions in France (CECRF). “Satanism is non-deistic. His followers do not bow to any deity, not even the devil.” “Secret News” would even have collected some additional information about the future building. “Figures of horned creatures, fallen angels, upturned crucifixes, a Baphomet” would be displayed, the article lists.
On TikTok, the information was also relayed in early April and shared almost 6,000 times since. The Internet user explains that the place chosen was not selected at random. It would have been the place of executions of twelve people accused of witchcraft in the 6th century. But all this information has many inconsistencies. 20 minutes explains to you.
FAKE OFF
Let’s go back to the “Secret News” article. On the site, it does not display any date of publication. A strange detail for a site that wants to be informative. Looking a little further, a similar link to the same article was added as a footnote to a book titled The Ritual of the Unknown Agent by Thierry Rodmacq. But this time, the link indicates a publication date, March 10, 2017. Moreover, it is possible to find the same information on catholic forums, published a few days after the article, on March 17, 2017. The information that the Satanist Church would be installed in October is therefore much older. The information announced for next October therefore seems unfounded.
In the article, always, “Secret News” cites the “Commission for the Evaluation and Control of Religions in France (CECRF)” which does not exist in France. The country being secular, the State has no control as such over religions.
No Church Among Satanists
Beyond the content of the article, the Satanist Church has in no way decided to settle in Paris. Neither in 2017 nor today. For the knowledge, 20 minutes contacted “Church of satan”, the main organization in the United States. “The Church of Satan is an international organization, and has been since our founding in 1966. We have had members in France and around the world for decades,” explains Peter H. Gilmore, writer and “High Priest” of the Church of Satan.
Moreover, still according to our interlocutor, the Satanist Church does not force itself to have buildings to gather its faithful. “We are not a congregational religion. It is not a religious requirement for us,” he recalls. “Some members choose to meet other members in person, while others choose not to,” adds our second contact, Bill M., also a Satanist priest.
Both remind that it actually depends on the followers to create spaces dedicated to rituals. “This is in line with our individualistic philosophy. The idea that we would install a “church” anywhere demonstrates a lack of understanding of our philosophy by whoever made this video”, regrets the organization. The only really physical place remains the headquarters of the Satanist Church, which is located in the State of New York, in the United States.
A temple in Colombia
But then where do the details published on the various platforms come from showing “figures of horned creatures, fallen angels, toppled crucifixes, a Baphomet”? They could well be inspired by the house of one of our interlocutors, Peter H. Gillmor. On his site, the man explains that he decided to build a black house in the 2010s – in homage to the “Black House” of San Francisco, house of the founder of the Satanist Church Anton Szandor LaVey, demolished in 2001.
On the “Secret News” site, another photograph also shows a man in a white suit and pink t-shirt in the center of a room with white walls and red details. Several Satanist symbols appear around the man: an upside down cross, a devil and a star on the ground. But this temple is in Colombia, where Victor Damián Rozo, a man who claims to be the son of Lucifer founded a temple. In 2017, Vice journalists had met him in the city of Quimbaya. These are the images shot by Vice that appear in the viral video on TikTok.
Thus, Parisians can therefore be reassured, it is very unlikely that a Satanist church will set up tomorrow next to their home.