Halloween is a favorite holiday for many who call themselves Satanists, a time for viewing monster films, wearing outfits of a macabre nature, and evoking the thrill of “fun fear.” Children (of all ages) may choose to indulge cherished fantasies by donning costumes that allow for intense role-playing and the release of aspects of their personalities often hidden from their friends, co-workers and families. We applaud this attempt by others to explore their “inner darkness,” which for us is a daily mode of existence—a form of civilized lycanthropy.
Though there are traditions making this an occasion for recalling the dead, it has been popularized as a time to play with what historically had been fears directed towards what were thought to be the unquiet spirits of the departed. Satanists embrace what this holiday has become, and do not feel the need to be tied to ancient practices. The customary chant of “Trick or treat?” automatically earns the latter, while the former threatened behavior never need be invoked. It is thus a fun time, wherein one may head out under cover of darkness to visit nearby dwellings and receive tokens of good cheer, enveloped by the prevailing atmosphere of spooky fantasy.
On this night, many will come to our block in the haunted Hudson Valley, where my wife Peggy and I inhabit a Victorian home painted black, purple and red, surrounded by a fence that would be proper for a fog-shrouded cemetery. We carry on the tradition of giving out candy, and those garbed in a more monstrous manner get extra. We were married on Halloween and tonight celebrate the 33rd anniversary of that formal joining of our lives. Back then, a Halloween wedding was most unusual and it took some effort to prepare for our costumed ball. Now it has become an acceptable time for couples to wed, and our clergy is celebrating Satanic nuptials in Switzerland, The United Kingdom and the United States. The High Priestess and I offer our blessings to these and other couples who have shared this night—may your passions be unparalleled!
There are now others who adore the Samhain season with a similar infernal fervor to we diabolists. They decorate their homes—often an elaborate undertaking—to chill, terrify and delight their nocturnal visitors who’ll surely enjoy the frisson of fear as much as the treats they’ll receive. And some might even realize that their costumes and masks reflect inner truths that they want to touch, daring to do so only on one chilly October evening. We Satanists enthusiastically encourage them in that quest!
—Magus Peter H. Gilmore