Litanies of the Sabbat

views updated

Litanies of the Sabbat

According to one account, on Wednesdays and Saturdays it was the custom to sing at the witches' sabbat the following litanies:

" Lucifer, Beelzebub, Leviathan, have pity on us. Baal, prince of the seraphim; Baalberith, prince of the cherubim; Astaroth, prince of the thrones; Rosier, prince of denominations; Carreau, prince of the powers; Belial, prince of the vertues; Perrier, prince of the principalities; Oliver, prince of the arch angels; Junier, prince of the angels; Sarcueil, Fume-bouche, Pierre-le-Feu, Carniveau, Terrier, Contellier, Candelier, Behemoth, Oilette, Belphegor, Sabathan, Garandier, Dolers, PierreFort, Axaphat, Prisier, Kakos, Lucesme, pray for us."

Satan was evoked in these litanies only in company with a crowd of other demons. Accounts of different sabbats vary and many litanies appear to have been merely anti-Christian parodies. This particular litany sounds more like an evocation of demons for a magical ritual than a celebration of a witchcraft sabbat.

More From encyclopedia.com