Black Baptism
This is the ritual I did last night. I adapted it from the description of supposed witch initiations in Compendium Maleficarum.
There is some language in here which is specific to trans people who want to use the black baptism as an opportunity to finally cleanse themselves of dead names. Feel free to alter that part, and any part of this really, to suit your individual needs.
I really recommend taking your time with this ritual. Pause to pray or meditate whenever you feel the need. Get creative within the structure and do what feels right in the moment.
You’ll notice that this ritual calls for a secret, magical name. So you’ll need to pick out your “true name” ahead of time. Do this carefully. I consider my true name to be the name of my Inner God. It was not chosen lightly.
You can omit this if you want, and just use the name you prefer to be known by–but taking a new name in Satan is part of the alleged ritual this is based on, and it’s arguably the most important part.
Re: water for the baptism– you could just use plain water but why not make it special! Mine was water mixed with ash from incense burned to Lucifer, with a dash of eclipse water thrown in and a Satanic rosary submerged in it. But that’s just because that was what felt right to me and what I had on hand. You do you. Go crazy.
MATERIALS
Crucifix and/or image of Christ, rosary, other symbols of Christian faith
Bible
Candles
Incense
Fruit
Baptismal water
Incense ash from incense burned on your altar to Satan
Chalk or whatever you are using to make your circle
Bonfire
Piece of old clothing as offering
OPTIONAL MATERIALS
Altar
Wand or athame for signing of name in air (I used a pretty quill)
RITUAL
This ritual is to be performed at 3am on the morning of a day of personal significance.
Before the stroke of 3, start bonfire. Draw the magic circle. Have materials ready. It took me at least a two hours to get everything in place how I wanted, but my set up was a little more complicated than the basic one described here. (I set up a whole altar and elaborately decorated my circle with roses, rosemary, and candles.) Give yourself time.
At 3am, step into circle. Visualize it being filled with your own Darklight. Use this to construct a ward. From here on in, nothing comes into the circle except you and Satan.
Say:
This night, in the sight of Satan, I shall be born again.
Light candles and incense, and say:
Hail to thee, Lucifer, Lord of this world! Prince of the Powers of Air! Son of the Morning! Liberator of humanity! Witness me as I pledge my faith to thee, and help me make myself anew!
Throw crucifix on the ground. Say:
I deny the tyrant above. I deny his sycophant son. I deny the holy ghost. I deny the so-called virgin mother, and all of the angels, and all of the saints. They have no power over me.
Trample the crucifix. Spit on it. Do whatever feels right to defile it. When you are done, fling it as far out of the circle as you can.
Pick up the Bible. Say:
I renounce this noxious book. The Tyrant Above is the true Father of Lies. I denounce his teachings, and I deny everyone who tried to tutor me in them.
Defile Bible. Cast it from the circle.
Get Baptismal water. Say:
I cast off, finally and forever, the false name I was given at birth, ________. I assume my new name, ______, openly before the world. I take into my soul my true and secret name, the name of my God, never to be uttered aloud where others may hear it and use it for power over me.
(Say the true/magical name aloud if you want, but only if nobody can hear you. Like, for damn sure.)
Baptize self with water.
Remove an article of clothing and cast it from the circle. Say:
As the snake sheds its skin, so I shed mine. I cast off the old on this day, and profess, now and forever, this creed:
I believe in the cause of the Fallen Angels. I believe in the Serpent of Eden. I believe in the Kingdom that is below. I believe in the God within me.
Eat fruit, and say:
By virtue of the forbidden fruit, I am free. I am a sovereign soul on the path to divinity. Knowingly and of my own volition, I chose to walk this path with thee, O Satan.
May I be stricken from the Tyrant’s book! May my true name be writ large in thine!
Visualize a book before you. Raise your finger (or wand, or athame, if you prefer) and write your true magical name in that invisible book.
Say:
I promise to make my life’s work an offering to thee, and to the God within me! I vow to burn thy incense, to light thy candles, to speak thy name with love forever. Speak thou my name, with love, in return!
Never will I make confession to the Tyrant’s priests. Never will I take the Tyrant’s communion. Instead shall I remember thy Sabbath, I shall gather with thine other children, and I shall learn to fly to thee.
Make now thy mark on me!
Draw an inverted cross on your brow with incense ash to represent the mark. Visualize that mark being made permanent on your astral body. (If something else happens now—cool!)
Say:
Morning Star, be thou my light. Lord of this world, make me Lord of mine. Raise me up, and I will stand, forever and ever, by thee.
Be it so!
After speaking these words, you may leave the circle. Collect the discarded items, such as crucifixes and Bible and piece of clothing, to be thrown into the bonfire.
Celebrate!
