Artist: Felicien Rops (1833-1898)
Artist:
Felicien Rops (1833-1898)
Introduction
The text of the Missa Niger (Black Mass) presented here, is directly intertwined with three traditional Roman Catholic writings: the Latin Mass, the Latin Vulgate, and various related Latin writings used by the Roman Catholic Church. The unique selection of Latin phrases suggests a French, even Parisian, background. Almost each and every phrase throughout the Missa Niger, is taken verbatim from the already existing three Latin texts mentioned (albeit with modifications to reflect a Satanic viewpoint). The bulk of the Missa Niger is directly taken from: I, The Missale Romanum, and II, verses from many chapters of the Latin Vulgate, especially from chapters in Psalms. Remaining sections are taken from other common Latin liturgies (some of which seem to have originated in France). The creators of the text chose their verses and selections very carefully, to express in the best way possible the Satanic meanings hidden within a slight reworking of the Latin phrases.
It goes without saying that the Missa Niger only has meaning to someone who was well versed in Roman Catholic tradition, and who is immersed in the world of the Latin writings and liturgy of the Church. In a certain sense, it can be said that the people who performed the Missa Niger were Roman Catholics, or at least were practicing a ritual which would only have meaning to one who was either Roman Catholic, or who was so deeply involved with the Roman Catholic rituals that it would be difficult to refer to them as something other than Roman Catholic. The fact that they were expressing hatred of Christ and of Christian doctrines, does not preclude the possibility that the rite of the Missa Niger sprang forth purely and naturally from within the Roman Catholic Church itself.
The methods for obtaining a consecrated host are especially significant. In order to obtain a consecrated host, the Satanic practitioner would have to somehow trick the Church into believing that they were sincere in their acceptance of the Sacrament - the body of Christ. When they were given the consecrated host by the priest, instead of swallowing it, they secretly smuggled it out of the Church and took it to use as the central focus of the Missa Niger. With the body of Jesus Christ, in the form of the consecrated host, being successfully "kidnapped" from the protection of the Church, there was nothing to prevent it from being subjected to the rites of the Black Mass and the will of the Devil.
Missa Niger - The Black Mass
The text of the Black Mass presented here is based directly on the text published by Aubrey Melech. Corrections to the text have been made only where the errors in the Latin text are obvious - as in grammatical errors or misspelled and missing words, which can be easily corrected when comparing the text with the original Latin of the Roman Missal and the Vulgate.
Missa Niger PDF
Red Letter Version
(The text in white is what is found in traditional Roman Catholic sources; the text in red reflects the changes made in these sources to create the Black Mass. Note that words that were intentionally omitted in order to alter the meaning of a verse, are not marked here. For example, gladius non transibit terminos vestros (Lev. 26:6), is changed to gladius transebit terminos vestros. The word non is left out to give a new meaning to the verse. Bible verses - from the Latin Vulgate - are noted in parenthesis.)
Original Latin Texts
(These are the original portions of the Roman Mass, Vulgate, and other Liturgical writings, from which the creator of the Missa Niger drew to write their Black Mass).
A Note on the Usage of "Satanus":
Melech's Black Mass uses the unusual form "Satanus". Perhaps this form was chosen because the ending is the same as "Dominus" and "Deus", which it replaces. LaVey's Black Mass (see below), uses the standard nominative and vocative form, "Satanas". Neither of the two Black Masses declines these words, which, to be gramatically correct, should have been declined - as Dominus is declined in the original Roman Mass. Church Latin, including the Latin of the Vulgate, has two different approaches to declining Satan: In the Old Testament Vulgate, Satan is not declined, it is simply left as "Satan". In the New Testament Vulgate, Satan is declined as a non-Latin loan word:
Nominative: Satanas "serpens antiquus qui vocatur Diabolus et Satanas", Apoc. 12:9.
Genative: Satanae "sed sunt synagoga Satanae", Apoc. 2:9.
Dative: Satanae "ex quibus est Hymeneus et Alexander quos tradidi Satanae", 1 Tim. 1:20.
Accusative: Satanan "Et si Satanas Satanan eicit", Matt. 12:26.
Ablative: Satana "temptabatur a Satana", Marc. 1:13.
Vocative: Satanas "Vade, Satanas", Matt. 4:10.
The only variation of this unusual declension, is that in non-Vulgate Latin, the accusative "Satanan" may sometimes appear as the more Latinized "Satanam", and the vocative "Satanas" may occasionally appear as "Satana". (Satan is spoken to directly only once in the entire New Testament, in Matthew 4:10, where Jesus says to him, "Vade Satanas". This, apparently, later turned into the common 60s phrase, "Ave Satanas").
Sources:
The only sources known to me for the Latin Black Mass are those contained in these two books:
Anton Szandor LaVey, The Satanic Rituals, Avon Books, New York, 1972.
Aubrey Melech, Missa Niger: La Messe Noire, Sut Anubis Books, Northampton, 1986.
The texts of Melech and LaVey as they appear on the Internet (see below), have numerous additional errors not found in the printed versions. Here is the original Latin text of Melech's Black Mass, as it was published in the book mentioned above. Accompanying it are those portions of LaVey's Black Mass which are in Latin. Also noted are a few phrases which appear in Melech's text in Latin, but which appear in LaVey's text only in English translation:
Comparative text of the Black Masses of LaVey and Melech
(Melech's text is in white, LaVey's Latin text is in red. Latin sections which appear in LaVey's text in English translation only, are in blue).
There is less Latin in LaVey's text, than in the complete Latin version printed by Melech. It is clear, however, that both Latin texts go back to the same source, as the Latin sections LaVey brings are almost identical to the corresponding sections found in the complete text printed by Melech. The question remains: From where did LaVey and Melech get their texts? LaVey tells us:
The Black Mass which follows is the version performed by the Societé des Luciferiens in late nineteenth and early twentieth century France. Obviously taken from prior Messes Noir, it also derives from the texts of the Holy Bible, the Missale Romanum, the work of Charles Baudelaire and Charles Marie-George Huysmans, and the records of Georges Legué. It is the most consistently Satanic version this author has encountered. (p. 34).
("Georges Legué" is apparently Dr. Gabriel Legué, author of La Messe Noire, Paris, 1903). This is the only information LaVey gives on the source of his Latin text. Melech gives even less information, merely hinting at possible sources:
In order to produce as full and complete a version of the Black Mass as is possible we have found it necessary to bypass many of its less precise and accurate historical manifestations. (p. 18).
It is thus to the Satanism of the nineteenth century which we look for details of the ritual of the Black Mass... (p20).
That there should be no overtly sexual usage attached to her presence is perhaps more due to the restraint of the C19th Satanic ritual than to anything else. (p. 62).
C19th Luciferans would possibly employ the image of a beautiful youth, ... (p. 64).
Aside from these vague references to his possible sources, Melech also mentions a number of times in his book an "anonymous French author". This author wrote a book listed in Melech's bibliography, entitled L'Amour et la Magie (Anon, Paris, 1926). However, Melech gives no reason to believe that this French author is the source for his Black Mass. From the quotes listed above, we may conclude that both the Latin text of the Missa Niger, and the instructions for its use, were drawn by Melech from 19th century French Luciferans. Any more information as to the true source and date of the text, remains a mystery - simply because both Melech and LaVey choose not to reveal the precise sources of their texts.
Melech has one last piece of information, in his commentary on LaVey's text:
This is not the first time that a version of the Black Mass has been published in English. At least one other edition is known to the author, though it has never seen print in Great Britain. It was one of the rites given by the modern American Satanist Anton LaVey in his book The Satanic Rituals, and an examination shows that it was culled from a similar source to that used herein... (p. 67).
We learn from this, that while Melech knows of only two Black Mass texts published in English (his and LaVey's), there could very well have been a text of the Black Mass published in a language other than English - presumably French. However, if there was such a book published, apparently it is not mentioned in Melech's bibliography.
At any rate, there doesn't seem to be any doubt that the text published by LaVey in "The Satanic Rituals", was copied directly from a handwritten manuscript. Proof of this is found in the unique typographical errors in the printed text - errors which would only occur if the words were being copied from a handwritten original. The words in question are "laetificat" and "dignum". In LaVey's text, they appear as "laefificat" and "clignum". The handwritten letter "t" in "laetificat", was misread as an "f", producing "laefificat" in the printed version. (Note that this would also imply that the handwritten text was written in block letters, and not in cursive). The second word is even more obvious proof of a handwritten source: the letter "d" in "dignum", was misread as "cl", producing "clignum" in the printed version.
As we have seen, the Latin sections in LaVey's Messe Noir are almost identical to the corresponding Latin portions in Melech's Missa Niger. Additionally, the English directions given in LaVey's Messe Noir and Melech's Missa Niger are also very similar, and in fact they parallel each other in most cases. This raises the question: if the practical English instructions of LaVey and Melech are almost the same, then why does the English wording of the instructions differ between the two? The obvious answer would be that both LaVey and Melech were translating their instructions from a French original, and each translated in his own manner. This answer will work if we take Melech's work at face value. If, on the other hand, we assume that Melech merely took LaVey's Messe Noir and reworked it in order to make a more complete Latin Black Mass, then we can only explain Melech's rewording of LaVey's instructions as being part of a clever forgery.
English Instructions
Lavey's text is in white, Melech's in red.
Both Melech's and LaVey's texts have been made available on the Internet. Melech's text was first published on the Usenet in 1997 (with no English translation), and then re-published again, on a webpage (which no longer exists), this time with Melech's English translation added. (We have already noted that the transcribers of these two Internet versions, added further typographical errors to those already present in the printed versions.):
Version published by Anton LaVey (Usenet)
Version published by Aubrey Melech (Usenet)
Version published by Aubrey Melech (Webpage)
Possible Earlier Sources:
It appears that the origins of the modern Latin Black Mass (at least, as it has come down to us) began in the time around 1968. In those years, two forms of "Satanic Masses" were made available to the public, as recordings. One recording was made by Anton LaVey in the Church of Satan (which was founded in 1966), and released on a 1968 record album entitled The Satanic Mass. The other recording, entitled Satanic Mass, was made by a 1968 rock band from Indiana named Coven, and appeared on their 1969 album Witchcraft Destroys Minds and Reaps Souls. Also appearing in 1969, was LaVey's Satanic Bible. Only a few Latin phrases appear in these two early works of LaVey - Rege Satanas, Ave Satanas, and In nomine Dei nostri Satanas Luciferi Excelsi. In the album by Coven, on the other hand, these phrases have been amplified to create the beginnings of a Latin Black Mass. (See the link below for the Latin originals).
The next development of the modern Black Mass seems to have been the Missa Solemnis created for Anton LaVey by Wayne West, some time before June 1970. The complete text of this Mass is found in Appendix 7 of Michael Aquino's The Church of Satan (5th edition, 2002, available on the Internet). Wayne West was apparently an ex-Roman Catholic who had been studying for the priesthood for a number of years, before he had a change of heart. He, together with John Ferro, another Roman Catholic (and also an instructor at the Catholic University of San Francisco), were two of the most prominent members of the early Church of Satan, after Anton LaVey himself. West, however, was excommunicated from the Church of Satan in September 1971.
Latin portions of the early Satanic Masses and of the Missa Solemnis
While in the first Satanic Masses from 1968, there are only a few phrases of Latin, added on to a largely English text, in the Missa Solemnis of West there is substantially more Latin, although it is still overshadowed by English. Additionally, there seems to have been an effort to directly follow parts of the Black Mass published in Huysmans' La-Bas. A complete series of paragraphs from La-Bas is present in West's Missa Solemnis - in English translation. In LaVey's 1972 book, The Satanic Rituals, this same section from La-Bas is present in his Messe Noir, but this time together with the original French. After the French section from La-Bas (three paragraphs), there are another three paragraphs of French from another, unknown source. These six paragraphs in French also appear in English translation in LaVey's Messe Noir. These exact same six paragraphs appear in the Missa Solemnis of West, in English only, with a few additional expressions and some rewording.
Original French, and English translations, of the Messe Noire and of the Missa Solemnis
(The first three paragraphs are from La-Bas, the second three are from an unknown French source. LaVey's text is in white, West's text is in red.)
Aside from this section imitating La-Bas, there is
very little else in common between the Messe Noir published by LaVey in 1972,
and the Missa Solemnis of West published in 1970 (with a few exceptions, such as
a part of the ritual requiring a nun to urinate into a chamber pot). And
so it turns out that the Latin portions of LaVey's Messe Noir are completely
different from the Latin portions in West's Missa Solemnis - implying that a
different author may have been involved in the writing of the Latin sections found in
LaVey's Messe Noir.
Historical Development of the Black Mass:
Throughout the Middle Ages, there was sufficient evidence of fairly widespread use of the traditional Latin Mass for magical purposes - for example, saying a Mass for the Dead for someone who was still living, accompanied by burying an image of the person, in order to kill a person; or performing masses which, slightly modified, were intended to obtain the love of a person. There was no shortage of priests who were willing to perform such masses, for a certain fee.
Although the picture of the historical development of the Black Mass is shady and vague, the following personalities stand out as providing highlights over recent centuries, of any details of the Black Mass which may have come down to us:
Catherine de Medici, Queen of France - 1519-1589
Involved with poisonings at the highest levels of the aristocracy. Connected with the spread of professional poisoning from Italy to France. Took part in an Italian version of a Black Mass near the end of the 16th century, which provided influence for a French version, soon to follow. In the Medici Mass as we know it, the use of a naked woman as an altar was not present.
Catherine Deshayes Monvoisin - "La Voisin" - Executed 1680
Took over the professional art of poisoning developed in Italy during the previous century, in addition to providing abortions, fortune telling, and other services. Organized Black Masses at her house in Paris, for the aristocracy, starting in 1666. The most notable of these were those performed by the Abbe Guibourg on the naked body of the mistress of Louis XIV, King of France. The Guibourg Mass clearly followed traditions already developing in France during the previous century. During the Black Mass, offerings were made to two demons - Astaroth and Asmodeus.
Marquis de Sade - 1740-1814
Although not necessarily connected with supernatural practices or the worship of Satan, the writings of de Sade are filled with descriptions of the Host and rituals of the Catholic Church being subjected to sexual settings, such as Mass being performed by a priest upon the naked body of a girl. There is no doubt that such ideas were widespread and commonplace in the France of de Sade's time. Perhaps the most descriptive example is found in de Sade's novel Juliette (1797), parts four and five, which describe a meeting between the heroine, Juliette, and Pope Pius VI in the Vatican.
Joris-Karl Huysmans - 1848-1907
Author of the French novel La Bas (1891), which contains the lengthy description of a Black Mass in Paris. This description of the Black Mass (in chapter 19), was apparently based upon actual events going on in Paris in those years. The description of the Black Mass by Huysmans, differs in many ways from the others mentioned above, especially in that Satan is explicitly worshipped, and hatred is openly expressed against Christian symbols (such as Jesus).
Note that none of these manifestations of the Black Mass described above, can completely account for the appearance of the Missa Niger presented here. The text presented here has unique elements, and must be seen as a phenomenon in and of itself, whose source remains unknown.
Bibliography:
Baissac, Jules, Les grands jours de la Sorcellerie, Paris (1890).
Barne, Francis, Prière à Satan - Messes noires d'hier et d'aujourd'hui, Paris (1957).
Bois, Jules ,Le Satanisme et la Magie - avec une étude de J.-K. Huysmans, Paris (1895).
Brévannes, Roland, L'orgie satanique à travers les siècles, Paris (1904).
Bricaud, Joanny, La Messe Noire ancienne et moderne, Paris (1904).
Caufeynon et Jaf, Docteurs (pseudonyms), Les Messes Noires, le culte de Satan-Dieu, Paris (1905).
Legué, Gabriel, La Messe noire, Paris (1903).
Michelet, Jules, La sorcière, Paris (1862).
Murray, Margaret Alice, The God of the Witches, London (1953).
Przybyszewski, Stanislaw, Die Synagoge des Satan - Ihre Entstehung, Einrichtung und jetzige Bedeutung. Ein Versuch, Berlin (1897).
Rhodes, Henry Taylor Fowkes, The Satanic Mass, London (1954).
Sylvius, Jehan, Messes Noires. Satanisme et Luciférisme, Paris (1929).
Villeneuve, Roland, Le Diable. Érotologie de Satan, Paris (1963).
Zacharias, Gerhard, Der dunkle Gott: Satanskult und Schwarze Messe, München (1964).