the first church of satan

Founded on April 30, 1966 c.e. by Anton Szandor LaVey, we are the first above-ground organization in history openly dedicated to the acceptance of Man’s true nature—that of a carnal beast, living in a cosmos which is permeated and motivated by the Dark Force which we call Satan. Over the course of time, Man has called this Force by many names, and it has been reviled by those whose very nature causes them to be separate from this fountainhead of existence. They live in obsessive envy of we who exist by flowing naturally with the dread Prince of Darkness. It is for this reason that individuals who resonate with Satan have always been an alien elite, often outsiders in cultures whose masses pursue solace in an external deity. We Satanists are our own Gods, and we are the explorers of the Left-Hand Path. We do not bow down before the myths and fictions of the desiccated spiritual followers of the Right-Hand Path.

Today, we continue to uphold our legacy by building on the solid foundation created by Anton LaVey, and set forth in his writings, recordings, and videos. Since we were the first organization dedicated to Satan, we have had extensive media coverage and been referred to by several names over the course of over four decades: The First Church of Satan, The Satanic Church, as well as The Satanic Church of America, yet we maintain the simplest and boldest moniker, embodied in the words Church of Satan.

There are others who would try to mislead you into thinking that they are in some way connected to us, have “evolved” from us, or are in some way taking our place. They are liars. At the time of his death on 29 October, 1997 c.e., Anton LaVey left the Church of Satan under the command of Magistra Blanche Barton—his consort, mother of his third child, Satan Xerxes Carnacki LaVey, and chief administrative officer of the Church for the preceding 15 years and, at that time, the officially appointed High Priestess. Anton LaVey took the preservation of his Church seriously, and thus appointed many individuals to the Priesthood of Mendes to be his Devil’s Advocates, and this Priesthood—along with the Order of the Trapezoid and the Council of Nine—continued working with Magistra Barton to forward the iconoclastic philosophy synthesized by LaVey. On Walpurgisnacht of XXXVI, High Priestess Barton appointed Peter H. Gilmore as High Priest, and Peggy Nadramia as Grand Mistress of the Temple—Magistra Templi Rex. On Walpurgisnacht of XXXVII, Blanche Barton and Peggy Nadramia exchanged positions, so that Magistra Nadramia is the new High Priestess, and Magistra Barton is Magistra Templi Rex, the chairmistress of the Council of Nine.

This site serves as a gateway into our philosophy, a resource for further exploration, a celebration of our past achievements, and a forum for ground-breaking new developments by Satanists who move with fury and grace through this current culture of rampant mediocrity.

At left you will find a guide to navigate you through our labyrinth. Herein you will find both wonder and mystery, as well as the bedrock of fact. You might also come across some hidden links—treasures for the diligent.

Please begin with the welcoming statement from Magistra Templi Rex Blanche Barton, which will prime you for your journey into our realm of magic and logic, mystery and wisdom.

Enjoy your time here, and if you find that you are one of our tribe, then it is a simple matter to affiliate and begin your journey with others who share your clarity.

We ask that you read our basic texts before asking questions, and there is much information here as well as directions to the detailed writings which will give you a full account of our philosophy and practices. If you do reach a point of misunderstanding, you may encounter some of our officials on the web, or you may contact our online representative, Magistra Peggy Nadramia at HPNadramia@churchofsatan.com.

Journalists seeking media representation may also contact Magistra Nadramia, and we will consider your project.

The adamantine Gates of Hell are hereby thrown open—boldly stride within and learn about the “Feared Religion,” or slink away in fear and ignorance. The choice is yours—let the games begin!



Our eternal thanks to:
Magister Herbert Paulis for German translations
Tomas Lindahl—Church of Satan member, for Swedish translations
“Tezcat” for Spanish translations
Master Steeve Lamonde, Pascal Gauthier, and “Baron of A” for French translations
Rafael Mores for Portuguese translations
Matt Chan for Chinese translations
laksefisker for Norwegian translations



NOTE: The Church of Satan does not send out postal mail or e-mail to individuals who have not previously contacted us themselves. If you receive any postal mail with our New York City return address but a postmark showing it was not sent from New York City or e-mail which by studying the headers clearly has not come from the Central Office in New York City, then you are the victim of someone committing fraud. Please inform us as well as your local postal authorities and action will be taken.

There are no branches of the Church of Satan. All official correspondence and membership procedures go through our headquarters in New York City. If someone claims that they are a local branch or a certain country’s office of the Church of Satan, they are liars. Do not be fooled!