In today’s post, we will be discussing satanic symbols, their meanings and origins, how and by whom they are used. Let us get right into it and start with the most obvious one.
The Upside-down Cross/Satan’s Cross
The upside-down cross also known as the inverted cross and the satanic cross is one of the most common Satanic symbols around the world. But what is the story behind it?
The truth is that this symbol was not originally created by Satanists. It is an inverted version of the Latin cross, the most prominent symbol of Christianity and it was first known as Saint Peter’s cross.
According to the story, when he was about to be executed according to the orders of Roman Emperor Nero, Saint Peter asked to be crucified on an inverted cross instead of a regular one.
It is believed that he wanted to be crucified in such a way since he did not consider himself worthy to be put to death the same way Jesus Christ died and sacrificed himself for all mankind. That is why this symbol is widely known as Saint Peter’s cross.
Later on, the symbol was adopted by Satanists and turned into a sign of anti-Christianity sentiments. With its use by some popular heavy metal bands, it even became more popular and it is still used commonly within Satanic circles to represent the faith.
Leviathan Cross/Brimstone Cross/Sulfur Symbol
The next item on our list of Satanic symbols is just another cross. Just like the upside-down cross we mentioned above, the Leviathan cross symbol, which is also known as the brimstone cross, Satan’s cross and sulfur symbol, was also not a satanic symbol originally.
Comprising an infinity sign at the bottom with a two-barred cross (a cross of Lorraine) on top of it, the symbol below has been known as the symbol for sulfur in alchemy before it was adopted by Satanists.
When he made 9 Satanic Statements in the Satanic Bible he published in 1969, the founder of Satanism, Anton LaVey placed a Leviathan cross above these statements. After this, the Leviathan cross became one of the most common elements of satanic symbolism.
The symbol is believed to represent the fact that humans are the center of the universe, we all are gods and we do not need another mythical being to worship. This is one of the core tenets of LaVey’s satanism. The infinity symbol below is believed to represent the entire universe.
It is also important to note that sulfur in alchemy was considered to be the symbol representing the human soul. So, it is only fitting that LaVey used the alchemical sulfur symbol for his faith that is centered around human beings, their individuality and freedom of choice.
If you would like to read more about the Leviathan cross, here is a very detailed article explaining the symbol in detail.
Baphomet
Originally a pagan deity, Baphomet is an important figure of satanism and occultism closely associated with Satan.
In history, he is known as one of the reasons the Order of the Knights Templar was suppressed as it was suggested by some people during the trials in the 14th century that the knights worshipped Baphomet.
Baphomet was kind of ‘revived’ by Eliphas Levi in his book titled Dogme et Rituel (1854) where a depiction of him was featured. After this, Baphomet became a common symbol of Satanism. While it is a metaphorical symbol for atheist satanists, it is believed to be a deity or a demon by theological satanists.
The Sigil of Baphomet, One of the Most Prominent Satanic Symbols
Also known as “the goat pentagram” and “the material pentagram”, the Sigil of Baphomet is the official insignia of the Church of Satan founded by Anton LaVey in 1966.
The symbol features a goat’s head placed on an inverted pentagram within two circles with the word ‘Leviathan’ in Hebrew letters surrounding it.
That said, the original version of the symbol was a bit different. Although the symbol is probably older than this book, in his book titled La Clef de la Magie Noire (1897), the French occultist Stanislas de Guaita depicted the sigil of Baphomet for the first time but with one difference than the symbol we know today.
Stanislas de Guaita’s version of the sigil of Baphomet featured the words ‘Samael’ and ‘Lilith’ in Latin in addition to Hebrew letters for ‘Leviathan’. Here is how it looked like:
The Black Sun
A variation of the sun wheel, the Black Sun symbol made of 12 sig runes, first appeared on the floor of the Wewelsburg Castle in Germany. The symbol was used on the order of Heimrich Himmler and this is how it became a satanist symbol later.
Nazi occultists used the symbols and it was later adopted by Satanists. Today, the symbol is believed to be used by both satanists and neo-Nazi groups in occult practices.
The Septenary Sigil of the Order of the Nine Angles
The septenary sigil is one of the main symbols of the Order of the Nine Angles, a Satanic Left Hand Path occult group established in the 1960s.
The group known for its neo-Nazi activism describes itself as believers of traditional satanism that rejects the glamour of being satanists like groups like the Church of Satan and the Temple of Set.
The Sigil of Lucifer/The Seal of Satan
The Sigil of Lucifer, also known as “the seal of Satan”, is another common Satanic symbol which is believed to date back to the 1400s. That said, the first documented use of the symbol was in Grimorium Verum (“the Grimoire of Truth” or “the True Grimoire”), a grimoire that was believed to be compiled in either the 16th or the 18th century.
It is believed that the sigil of Lucifer can be used to call forth or communicate with Lucifer.
The symbol might be interpreted in different ways. While some believe that it represents the core values of Satanism like the freedom of choice and individualism, it might also be considered a symbol of wisdom as satanists believe that seeking knowledge was important for Satan.
Since Lucifer is known as “the light bringer” (which is, indeed, the literal English translation of the Latin word ‘lucifer’), this symbol can be considered a symbol of light.
It can also be considered a symbol of rebellion as Lucifer rebelled against God. If you would like to read more about the sigil of Lucifer, please click here to check out our detailed article on the symbol.
On the other hand, if you would like to read more about demon sigils and the 72 demons in Ars Goetia, please click here.
These are the most common satanic symbols known around the world. If you would like to read more about ‘occult’ symbols, you should probably check out our articles here.
15 Satanic Symbols List In a Single Sheet?
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Thank you! Very helpful
You are most welcome Heather 🙂
I recently visited a “haunted” location & was burned on my wrist by -? Something? There was a team of supernatural investigators at the home during this time & said the name ( of what burned me) was “ Beelzebub” …. I am very worried…There are other shocking possible coincidences (?) such as the demon (?) knowing my birthday 😳 ect. The burn is a circle about 2 inches in diameter . I really can’t find anything conclusive about the symbolism of a circle other than : the eye , protection , wholeness ect . I am very concerned , a completely sane person & “ beelzebub” was (to me ) just a lyric in a Queen song . Please , if you know about these types of things – what does it mean ?
The Baphomet as depicted by Eliphas Levi is no satanic symbol, is an avatar built over the principles of Quabbalah and natural law, and the upright pointing pentagram on his forehead should be a pretty be clue for anyone willing to see things as they are instead of how they’d like them to be. What confuses people and drives the uninitiated to think Baphomet is Satan, is its goat head, which in actuality represents the animal kingdom, and carrying on, it’s upper body the human one, its wings the volatile ones, the fish scales on his abdomen the watery, and, quite obviously i hope, the flame on top of his head the fiery, while the circle around the scales the airy and the globe at lts feet is indeed earth and the earthly elements. There is more to it than just this, but to begin with we can leave it at that. Continuing, the position of its arms stands for “As Above So Below”, the rod of Mercury is his fallus, standing for the masculine, where its fat tits for the feminine, so standing for the duality of gender, a basic notion sadly lost these days. To finish, although there is a lot more symbolism embedded in it and so many more lines of text I don’t feel like filling, Baphomet is the father of the temple, it is an universal symbol of initiation into the sacred mysteries, its name being an acronim spelled backwards of Tem Ohp Ab, or “Temple Omnium Hominum Pads Abba”, which roughly translated means “Father of the Temple of all Men” . Or so the story goes..
Be aware, Satanism is a creation of modern occultism, and there are probably hundreds of different interpretations of it, many of which concocted by complete quacks, and all its symbols and sygils are appropriated from older practices, which isn’t a problem, just a fact. Anyway, if you’re intrested in black magick, learn the basics first, such as Quabbalah, maybe Enochian magick, and so on, I don’t particularly suggest it otherwise as it’s like driving a dragster as your first, daily driven car.
Sorry, by proof reading I realized I made an error, while the wings indeed depict the sky and airy elements, the circle (the atmosphere), stands for the aether.
Well, to start with it would be helpful to learn the dynamics of the incident in detail, but one thing I can tell you is not to worry about Beelzebub, as it’s an entity made up by Christianity, which turned an ancient God of the Phoenician and Caananite people into a demon. It originally was Baal, and you could still have visited the ruins of his temple in Syria until 2015, when Isis sadly destroyed it. It is believed that Beelzebub comes from “Baal-zebul”, meaning “Lord of the Divine Abode”, which etimologically makes perfect sense. See, Christianity is not an original religion, the same way as the new testament is not an original book, it is the conversion of various pagan cults of the BC era into a new, all encompassing single cult, made up to better control the masses, so where Jesus took the place of all major solar deities, to solve the problem created by the “existence of the old gods”, where they couldn’t “erase them” they simply turned them into demons. It was an huge PR operation that caused horrible persecutions, not too diffrent from what Isis is doing these days to be fair.