Tonight! Join us live in the chat room at 8 PM EST. We’ll be talking some more about yoga, and possibly cultural appropriation and other topics related to Emergent Magick. What would you like us to talk about? Who would you like to hear as a guest on the show? Do you think you would be a good guest? Let us know.
I don’t think you shouldn’t study those things. In fact, I absolutely think you should. But I don’t think you should be saying that you practice Vodoun or Lukumi or Palo without being initiated. I also think that those who are seeking initiation in those traditions when they are not of that culture really need to ask themselves why. Because many of the same practices and beliefs can be found in your own culture. You may even find that it resonates even better for you. Would you entertain the notion that spirits are local? Do you not think there is something “in the blood” as so many magical traditions profess?
I have mixed feelings about the work of Jake Stratton-Kent, but he’s right about one thing. Goetia is the continuation of the spirit centered practice in the West. You don’t need to go appropriating cultures. While the African traditions can fill in the gaps of the knowledge we have lost, there are perfectly viable spirit and ancestor traditions in many European cultures. Do your research. Follow your bloodline. If necessary, St. Cyprian is a fall back.
There are two saints known as Cyprian and there has been much confusion between these two martyrs as it is said that both bishops were born in Carthage sometime in the 3rd century, one was an orator and teacher, the other, a pagan necromancer that traveled around the Mediterranean in order to expand his occult knowledge who now bears the image of the other. He is known and prayed to as Saint Cyprian of Antioch.
Very little is known about this ‘saint’ who is sometimes petitioned for love, luck, money, etc., but one thing is for certain, those are not the characteristics of his mythic nature, as most do not know of his dark and sinister past.
It is said that Cyprian of Antioch was born in Carthage as a pagan child dedicated to the service of Apollo, Greek God of light, youth, healing, and prophecy. He entered the mysteries of Mithras at the age of seven, carried the torch of Demeter, wore the white garments of Kore, and served the serpent of Pallas. He was then sent off to Mount Olympus to be initiated into communion of dæmons who are born from the echoes of the heavenly voices, feeding only on fruits and acorns after sunset for twenty-nine days.
At the age of ten he learned divination from the movement of animals, the sound of trees, and from the whispers of the dead. At the age of fifteen he lived in Argos and served the goddess Juno. He then lived in Icara where he served the goddess Diana, and then Sparta where he learned incantations on how to commune with the dead.
He moved to Memphis, Egypt at the age of twenty where he learned the ways of possession and demonology, meeting the dæmons the Great Solomon once had. It is also said that this is where Cyprian learned how to magically induce natural disasters.
At thirty years old, he set out to learn from the Chaldeans, astrology, herbology, as well as the motion of ether, fire, and light. This is where Cyprian met and honored the Devil, thus, he was entrusted with an infantry of dæmons.
“His form was like a golden flower adorned with precious stones, and he crowned his head with stones that were twined together—the energies of which illuminated that plain, and his garment was no different—and when he enwreathed himself, he shook the land.” —Confession of Cyprian of Antioch
He then moved to Antioch where he became a famous philosopher and a powerful sorcerer. One day a young man named Aglaïdas came to seek his services to win the love of a virgin named Justina. He sent out several dæmons who were unsuccessful in turning her will. Justina’s god was more powerful and through prayer, no dæmon could harm her. And after several attempts, Cyprian’s magic was extinguished. Seeing this, the Devil himself tried to carry on the mission, but after Justina made the sign of the cross, his attempts were also unsuccessful.
The powerless Cyprian renounced his pagan practices and went to Justina to plea for his live, turned away, he approached the Christian god, where he was shown mercy. After converting to Christianity, he eventually worked his way through the hierarchy and became the Bishop of Antioch. He was then turned over by the people to the Roman governor of the region, where he would be judged for shaming their gods and turning people away from them. Both Justina and Cyprian we tortured by being thrown in a boiling cauldron, but no harm came to them, fearing their sorcery, they were sent to Nicomedia were they were both beheaded.
During his confession prior to his death, he recounted the acts he committed, killing people physically and magically, decapitating dark-skinned youth to Hekate, burying young adults to Pluto, giving the blood of virgins to Pallas and the blood of full grown men to Kronos.
It was in Portugal during the 19th century, that a book bearing his name appeared, The Great Book of Saint Cyprian, in which the legend tells us that this book was written by the saint himself, and contains spells and incantations that terrifies anyone who possess it. Legend also says that if read in its entirety it will attract the devil himself. This book was later taken to Brazil where its practices were infused with the Afro-Caribbean religions of Umbanda and Candomble, where he is venerated alongside the Pombagiras of Kimbanda.
Today, his image is that of a bishop wearing a white alb, a purple cope, a mitre, a golden crozier, while holding a bible. But what most people do not know is that this particular image is a variation of the image of Saint Cyprian of Carthage as there have been no images found of a Cyprian of Antioch .
Unfortunately, Cyprian has now been deemed a fictional character as historians found no evidence of his existence and his confession was classified as a borrowed literally work, which eventually lead the Vatican to remove him from the list of saints in 1968. But, whatever spirit has taken on the name, it carries it proudly and effectively, and so, he shall remain as such, Cyprian of Antioch, Patron Saint of Necromancers.
How I honor, serve, and work with Cyprian:
He is called upon to aid in any workings when dealing directly with the dead. His statue was placed inside a cauldron filled with graveyard dirt and surrounded by the ashes of the dead. He was given seven gold coins, seven acorns, seven nails, a dagger, a skull of a black dog, and a purple candle which is lit on Fridays, the day I observe the dead. He was also given a second cauldron filled with liquids for divination. On his feast day, September 26, I light for him seven candles after sunset and feed him with fruits.
Personal Prayer to Cyprian:
In the name of Cipriano and his seven candles, on behalf of his black dog and his seven gold coins. In the name of Cipriano and his silver dagger. In the name of Cipriano and his holy mountain. In the name of the tree of the zephyrs and the great oak. I ask and shall be answered, by the 7 churches of Rome, the seven lamps of Jerusalem, the seven golden candles of Egypt. Amen.
Personal Prayer to Cyprian against an enemy:
Mighty Cipriano, sorcerer of shadows and occult powers, to you whom nothing is impossible, through your conjure, by your Holy Dagger, cut the tongue of my enemies, the wicked and the malicious who want to bring their evil to my home. Return twice as much what was sent to me, sheltering and protecting me at all times. Amen.
_______________________________ Sources: The Chaldean Oracles Picatrix Greek Mysteries, 2003 Greek and Roman Necromancy, 2004 The Confession of Cyprian of Antioch, 2009 El Gran Libro de San Cipriano, 2005 Orthodox Christian Information Center
_______________________________ For more information and ways to serve him, you can purchase my booklet on St. Cyprian at: www.vodoustore.com
For those researching ancestral veneration or necromantic communication here is something to add to your grimoire. This Saint can also do double duty for necromantic duties that may require dubious souls.
Tomorrow at 8 PM EST! Join us in the Google Hangouts chat to make comments and ask questions. You can also leave questions for us here via Ask, chat, Fan Mail, or comments, and we will answer on the show.
