Luciferians

A sect of the fourth to/sixth century, who refused to hold any communion with the Arians, who had renounced their “errors” and been re-admitted into the Church. So called from Lucifer, Bishop of Cagliari, in Sardinia, their leader.

Luciferians were a fourteenth century Gnostic sect who worshipped Lucifer, believing him to be the brother of God and wrongly cast out of heaven. The sect seemed to originated in Austria, spreading to Brandenburg, Bohemia, and Switzerland. Fourteen men and women, in 1336, were burned by the Inquisition at Magdelburg for their heretical beliefs about Lucifer. In 1386, a Prenzlau priest accused his whole congregation of believing Lucifer was God, or the brother of God. It is said that some sect members desecrated Eucharistic wafers in the presence of a figure of Lucifer.
Luciferianism can be understood best as a belief system that venerates the essential characteristics that are affixed to Lucifer.
Luciferianism is often identified as an auxiliary of Satanism, due to the canonical identification of Lucifer with Satan. Some Luciferians accept this identification or consider Lucifer as the light bearer aspect of Satan, and thus could properly be called Satanists. Others reject it, arguing that Lucifer is a more positive ideal than Satan. They are inspired by the ancient myths of Egypt, Rome and Greece, Gnosticism and traditional Western occultism.
Lucifer The name Lucifer is commonly tied to the biblical Satan. However, the name Lucifer does not appear in most translations of the Hebrew Bible. Lucifer does appear once in the King James version in Isaiah 14:12, in which the King of Babylon is referenced as "Son of the Morning" (translated from the Hebrew "Helel ben Shahar [Praise! Son of the Dawn"]), due to the original use of Lucifer as Latin for the planet Venus, also known as the morning star. The designation of Satan as Lucifer has its origins in the Book of Revelations. Christian tradition and Scripture assert that Lucifer was the most beautiful of the angels (hence his title of Light-bearer) but was condemned to Hell, along with the angels who supported him, as punishment for the attempted usurpation of God's throne. There are several different viewpoints on how Luciferianism is defined. These include: * Religious/Traditional Luciferianism * Spiritual/Gnostic Luciferianism * Philosophic Luciferianism * Modern Luciferianism Traditional Luciferianism A pantheistic thirteenth-century German sect which held that Lucifer should be worshiped as the ruler of the material world. This concept of the material world as Lucifer's domain was, most likely, taken from Catholic doctrine
Followers of Lucifer Calaritanus
Luciferian orders The Church of Lucifer, which views Lucifer as both a symbol of the never-ending quest for wisdom and a force of and behind particular aspects of nature, has been active for over twenty years with United States and international membership. Founded by the late Rev. Robert Stills and passed on to Frederick Nagash, the Church of Lucifer is currently administered by Rev. Frederick Nagash, Rev. Satrinah Nagash and Rev. Maskim Xul. The organization encourages the study of several ancient cultures to learn its wisdom and incorporate that into the Luciferian's own repertoire.
The Children of the Black Rose are a long-time Luciferian order who view Lucifer as a Supreme being encompassing all; "everything and nothing.""LUCIFERIANS Medieval sects of occultists who mutilated Eucharistic wafers before an idol of Lucifer. The practice of witchcraft may have been initiated by a Luciferian sect in Milan. It was against this sect that Konrad of Marburg, the first German inquisitor, moved zealously in the first part of the thirteenth century. He extorted confessions from them 'proving' that they were out-and-out Satanists who worshiped the Devil as creator and ruler of the world." _Dictionary of Satanism_, by Wade Baskin, Philosophical Library, 1972; pp. 202-3. ______________________________________________________________________ Below they are referred to as 'Luciferans'. Strange variations. "In 1227 Pope Gregory VII sent Conrad of Marburg on a mission to Germany with unlimited powers to bring to the stake a sect of Satanists. This is the first instance of a fully organized witchhunt in Europe and it set patterns that later generations were to follow. There had been rumours of Luciferans who worshipped Satan, kissed the backsides of toads and cats, and indulged in indescriminate orgies.... "As for the Luciferans they present the kind of problem that confronts us over and over again in trying to distinguish between fact and fantasy in witchcraft. It seems probable that there were sects practising Satanism, but fanatics like Conrad were all too quick to believe that they were fighting in a struggle where all mankind had gone over to the devil, and if the Archbishop of Mayence is to be believed he created what he set out to destroy." _Modern Witchcraft_, by Frank Smyth, Castle Books, 1970; pp. 52-5. __________________________________________________________________ "Early in the [13th] century rumours circulated of the hideous Satanic rites practised by a sect in Germany called Luciferans, and in 1227 the Pope sent Conrad of Marburg to root out the heresy and reform the Church in Germany. Conrad was a sadistic fanatic who had been spiritual director of St. Elizabeth of Thuringia and had delighted in beating and humiliating her. He descended on the Luciferans in the fierce conviction that he was called to do battle with Satan himself. The confessions he extracted were apparently made without torture, but under the threat of death if the victim did not confess. If these confes- sions were accurate, the Luciferans were full-blown Satanists. They worshipped the Devil as creator and ruler of this world, complained that he had been unjustly and treacherously banished from heaven, and believed that he would overthrow the God of the Christians and return to heaven, when they would enjoy eternal happiness with him. They revelled in whatever displeased the Christian God and hated whatever pleased him. At Easter they would go to Mass, keep the consecrated hosts in their mouths and spit them out into a cesspool to show their contempt for Christ. "When a man was initiated as a Luciferan he was taken to one of their meetings and made to kiss a toad on its backside or mouth. Or sometimes the thing he kissed looked like a duck or a goose and was the size of an oven. Then there came to him a man with black eyes who was pale, emaciated and icy cold. Possibly, he represented the Devil or lord of death. The initiate kissed him and lost his Catholic faith in that instant. Then everyone sat down to a feast and a large black cat appeared, emerging from a statue which was always present. The initiate, the leader of the group and any other members who were worthy of the honour, kissed the cat's backside. The leader said, 'What does this teach?' A member answered, 'the highest peace', and another added, 'And that we must obey.' The candles were put out and there was indiscrim- inate heterosexual and homosexual orgy. Afterwards the candles were relit and the figure of a man appeared from a dark corner. The upper part of his body shone like the sun, but from the hips down he was black like the cat. The leader cut off a piece of the initiate's clothing and gave it to the shining man, saying, 'Master, I give this to you which has been given to me.' The shining man answered, 'You have served me well, you will serve me more and better. I leave to your care what you have given to me.' Then he disappeared. "This account of an initiation carries a certain conviction and it could have been stage-managed without too much difficulty. There are traces, in modern times, of a tradition among witches that Lucifer, 'the light-bearer', was the sun, an identification which could easily be made when the Devil was regarded as the ruler of life on earth. The shining man may perhaps have been intended to represent the Devil as both the sun of day-time -- the shining upper half of the figure -- and the sun of night, the black lower parts standing for the black sun, passing under the earth through the regions of darkness before the next sunrise. The black sun can be imagined as the leader of the stars, which follow his course towards the western horizon and disappear beyond it -- the stars fallen from heaven. "The obscene kiss on the backside of an animal or person representing Satan became a stock charge in allegations of devil-worship, but where it originally came from is not known. It was evidently a symbol of utter submission and perhaps also of the reversal of conventional values." _The Black Arts_, by Richard Cavendish, G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1967; pp. 324-5. _________________________________________________________________ "In 1453 a sect of Brethren of the Cross was discovered in Thuringia. They practised flagellation and believed that Satan would regain his lost power and place, and would expel Christ from heaven. They celebrated orgies in secret by night. "Early in the following century it was said that Bohemia was infested with thousands of Luciferans. In Italy, Pope Julius II ordered an inquisitor to proceed against 'a certain sect', which renounced the Christian faith, trampled on and dishonoured crosses, abused the sacraments, especially the Eucharist, and took the Devil as their lord and master, offering him obedience and reverence. "By this time the searchlights of persecution were being turned away from the Luciferans and similar heretical sects to be trained on the witches. Many of the sects had been accused of holding secret meetings at night and worshipping the Devil, usually in the form of a man, cat or goat. Some were specifically charged with believing that the Devil rules this world and will eventually overthrow God. Even when these accusations were lacking, other heretical practices were classed as Satanist because they reversed Christian values -- renunciation of Christianity and hostility to the church; condemnation of marriage and procreation; slaughtering of children and cannibalism; orgiastic sexual practices and homosexuality. Most of this pattern of Satanism reappears in the witch trials." Ibid, p. 327. ______________ "Witches existed from very early times and were always thought to be in touch with evil spirits and the powers of the underworld. In medieval Europe the prince of the underworld and the master of demons was Satan and it is probable that the god of the witches was not the supposed 'horned god' of the hypothetical 'Old Religion' but the Devil of Christianity. The principal beliefs and rituals of medieval witches seem to have come from the Cathars, Luciferans and other sects accused of worshipping the Devil, though the witch religion drew on many other sources -- magic and sorcery, classical traditions, the Bible, pagan customs and beliefs, and accepted popular notions about the behaviour of witches. "It is also likely that the persecution of Satanist sects and the witch trials themselves stimulated activities they were intended to suppress." Ibid, p. 330. _____________Lucifer and Satan

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Neither the attributes nor personification of Lucifer or Satan play any role in the beliefs or rituals of Freemasonry. The topic is only of interest insofar as anti-masonic attacks have accused Freemasonry of worshiping Lucifer. The confusion stems from such 19th century masonic authors as Albert Pike and Albert G. Mackey who have used the term "luciferian" in its classical or literary sense to refer to a search for knowledge. John Robinson notes "The emphasis here should be on intent. When Albert Pike and other Masonic scholars spoke over a century ago about the "Luciferian path," or the "energies of Lucifer," they were referring to the morning star, the light bearer, the search for light; the very antithesis of dark, satanic evil."

LUCIFER, also called Lucifer Calaritanus (d. c.370), bishop of Cagliari, Sardinia, was a fierce opponent of the heresy of Arianism (first proposed early in the 4th century by the Alexandrian presbyter Arius, who taught that Christ is not truly divine but a created being). To further his rigorously orthodox views, Lucifer Calaritanus founded the Luciferians, a sect that survived in scattered remnants into the early 5th century. 8 It was attacked by St. Jerome in his polemic Altercatio Luciferiani et orthodoxi ("The Dispute of the Luciferian and the Orthodox"). References to these Luciferians, without further explanation, has perhaps lead subsequent writers such as Nesta H. Webster to erroneously assume that they were satanic.

"Lucifer" is the Latin term originally used by the Romans to refer to the planet Venus when that planet was west of the sun and hence rose before the sun in the morning, thereby being the morning star. The same planet was called Hesperus, Cesperugo, Vesper, Noctifer, or Nocturnus, when it appeared in the heavens after sunset. Although 19th and 20th century occultists would equate other goddesses such as Astarte, Ashtoreth, Lilith, Isis, Cemeramis, Mari, and Ishtar with Venus, links between the cultures and attributes represented are not historically clear. Lucifer as a personification is called a son of Astraeus and Aurora or Eos, of Cephalus and Aurora, or of Atlas. He is called the father of Ceyx, Daedalion, and of the Hesperides. Lucifer is also a surname of several goddesses of light, such as Artemis, Aurora, and Hecate. ¹. The word appears to have entered the religious lexicon when the Hebrew expression in Isaiah 14:12, "HeYLeL BeN-ShaCHaR." (meaning "bright son of the morning/dawn," "bright [and] morning star," "glowing morning star," or "shining one, son of the dawn.")². was translated to "Phosphorus" (the Greek word for Venus as the morning star) in the Septuagint, and then translated into "Lucifer" in the Vulgate (from the Greek Septuagint). Isaiah 14, taken as a whole, is a parable, or prophecy of denunciation against the Kings of Babylon, specifically Tiglath-pileser III ³ In verse 12, the prophet characterizes the arrogance of Tiglath-pileser III as if the king had thought himself fit to appear in the sky as the morning star, but has fallen to earth, being brought low by the vengeance of the Lord against those who would exalt themselves and persecute the Lord’s people (i.e., the Israelites). Origenes Adamantius (185 CE - 254 CE), an important Christian scholar of the early Greek Church, and Augustine of Canterbury (d. May 26 604/605 CE), founder of the Christian Church in southern England, both interpreted the use of the term Lucifer as a reference to the Devil. The name Lucifer was applied to Satan by St. Jerome and later to the demon of sinful pride by Milton in Paradise Lost. Lucifer is the title and principal character of the epic poem by the Dutch playwright, Vondel (who uses Lucifer in lieu of Satan), and a principal character in the mystery play by Imre Madach, "The Tragedy of Man". Blake pictured Lucifer in his illustrations to Dante. George Meredith’s sonnet Lucifer in Starlight addresses the "fiend" as Prince Lucifer. To Spenser in An Hymne of Heavenly Love, Lucifer is "the brightest angel, even the Child of Light." In Ovid’s Metamorphosis, Lucifer is the morning star and father of Ceyx. He is described as riding a white horse (clarus equo, book XV.189) and his face is characterized by a bright gladness (see XI.270 ff. Lucifero genitore satus patriumque nitorem ore ferens Ceyx). Also see Books II.115 and 723, IV.629,665.

LUCIFER shining one, i.e. the morning star, as explained by the following words ’son of dawn,' Is 14:12). - The word is applied by the writer of the prophecy to the King of Babylon, partly in reference to the astrology for which Chaldaea was famous in ancient times, partly to the prevailing belief in the deification of heroes. The king of Babylon had complacently looked forward to the time when he would ascend into heaven and exalt his throne above the stars of God. But in reality his dead body would be treated with the utmost contempt. ''a carcass trodden under foot', while his soul would descend into Sheol, and there receive but an empty honour from the shades, astounded that the great and mighty king could become like one of themselves. 4

The word "satan" is from a Hebrew word, "sathane", meaning adversary or calumniator; in original Jewish usage (see the book of Job), the satan is the adversary, not of God, but of mankind; i.e., the angel charged by God with the task of proving that mankind is an unworthy creation. ⁵ Note though, that Balaam’s satan (Numbers 22:23-33) protects him from harm. Later, as Judaism absorbed such ideas as Zoroastrian dualism and concepts about angels during the Exile, and then as Christianity echoed various concepts from earlier religions, the concept of an evil power ruling an underground domain of punishment for the wicked became fixed in Christian doctrine. In such a doctrine, elements of the Graeco-Roman god Pluto/ Vulcan/ Hephaestus, the Underworld, and various aspects of Nordic/Teutonic mythology may be traced. The Latin name of Phosphorus, Venus as the morning star, is the light bringer which heralds the dawn. The name is sometimes applied to the planet as the evening star as well, although Hesperus is properly its name then. By a curious chain of reference, the passage in Luke 10:18 was thought to refer to Isaiah 14:12, in which the star is used metaphorically for the monarch of Babylon. Thus Lucifer became the chief of the fallen angels, the name borned by Satan before his rebellion. ⁶ "From a supposed reference to this passage in our Lord’s words. 'I beheld Satan fallen as lightning from heaven' (Lk 10:18), in connexion with Rev 9:1-11 (the language of 9:1 being in part probably derived from this passage), Lucifer came in the Middle Ages to be a common appellation of Satan. The star of Rev 9:1-11 is a fallen angel who has given to him the key of the abyss, from which he sets loose upon the earth horribly formed locusts with scorpions' tails, who have, however, power to hurt only such men as have not the seal of God on their foreheads. But this angel is not actually identified with Satan by the writer of the Apocalypse. The imagery in Is was no doubt suggested by a meteor, and possibly it was so in Rev also." ⁷. While some authors referred to Lucifer as Satan’s name before his expulsion from Heaven, others referred to Lucifer and Satan as two distinct entities. ¹⁰. Both as a literary convention and as Christian teachings or belief, historically there would appear to be little consensus. Regardless, it should be clear that an author may use the terms Lucifer or luciferian and not be referring to Satan. 1.Sir William Smith, Smaller Classical Dictionary.
2.E. Theodore Mullen, Jr. The Assembly of the Gods: The Divine Council in Canaanite and Early Hebrew Literature. Harvard Semitic Monograph Series No. 24, Scholar’s Press: 1980, ISSN 0073-0637.
3.There is no consensus on which king is referred to in Isaiah. There are four main contenders: Tiglath-pileser III (c.774 - 727 BC) who is referred to as "Pul" in II Kings 15:19). [Cf. An Introduction to the Old Testament Prophetic Books, Chapter 6, C. Hassell Bullock. Moody Press: Chicago, 1986 Edition.]; Nebuchadrezzer, afterwards corrupted into Nebuchadnezzer, who reigned 604-561 BCE; his grandson, Belshazzar.(d. c. 539); and Sennacherib (705-681 BCE) [See Bible Knowledge Commentary, "Isaiah," John Martin. p. 1061.].
4.F.H. Woods, A Dictionary of the Bible Vol III. ed. James Hastings. New York. Charles Scribner’s Sons: 1908. p. 159. Cf. : Numbers 24:17 "...there shall come a Star out of Jacob...."; 2 Peter 1:19 "...until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:"; Revelation 22:16: "I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star."
5.Owen C. Whitehouse, A Dictionary of the Bible Vol IV. ed. James Hastings. New York. Charles Scribner’s Sons: 1908. pp. 407-12. Cf. The Origin of Satan, Elaine Pagels. Random House, New York: 1995.
6.Funk & Wagnall Standard Dictionary of Folklore, Mythology & Legend.
7. F.H. Woods, loco citato
8.The New Encyclopædia Britannica, Chicago: 1989. 15th edition. vol. 7, p. 542.
9. Detail from Tiglath-pileser III Receiving Homage 745-27 B.C.; Mesopotamian, Neo-Assyrian period; Limestone; height 1.2 m (48 in.)
10. See Livre de la Deablerie, title page. Paris : printed by Michel Le Noir, 1568. Reproduced in Devils, Demons, and Witchcraft, Ernst and Johanna Lehner. New York : Dover Publications Inc., 1971. p. 52. Also see "The pact with the infernal powers allegedly signed by Father Urbain Grandier and countersigned by Lucifer, Beelzebub, Satan, Elmi, Leviathan, Asteroth and Baalbarith. Loudun, 1634." Devils, Demons, and Witchcraft, p. 80. .......