Here's What It's Like To Attend The Satanic Temple's Black Mass

On Saturday, the Satanic Temple of Los Angeles held their biggest event ever: a massive satanic mass, complete with a live bloodletting ritual. The purpose of the mass, according to the Satanic Temple's website, was "to inspire personal and societal liberation." The event, which was held in partnership with Das Bunker, doubled as a fundraiser for a number of causes including the women’s reproductive rights campaign, lawsuits concerning violations of the First Amendment, and providing education and assistance to individuals incarcerated in our for-profit prison system. Once attendees made it past the massive line to get in, there was live painting, and first-come-first-serve tattooing.

The event was essentially a goth/industrial show, with many attendees dressed in costume. There was a mosh pit and crowd surfing. There was a demonic cat lecture by Paul Koudounaris, and a destruction ritual, along with an invocation ritual. The invocation included a statement of principals of the Satanic Temple (aka the Seven Tenets), including a call to question everything and standing up to racial and gender inequality, and ending with chants of "Hail Satan." Coven of Ashes performed a bloodletting ritual, and the bands Lumerians, Author + Punisher, and 3Teeth performed.