Satanic Black House
Encyclopedia
The Black House is a building that formerly stood at 6114 California St. in San Francisco, California
, in the United States
. Though the building is sometimes referred to as a mansion,photographs of the building taken just before its destruction show that it was a moderately sized single family home, considerably smaller than the two small apartment buildings on either side of the property. According to public records, it was listed at 2205 square feet (204.9 m²) and constructed in the year 1905.
The house was used by Anton LaVey
as the headquarters of his Church of Satan
from 1966 until his death in 1997. LaVey conducted Satanic seminar
s and rituals at the house; one of the most notorious such rituals was the Satanic baptism
of his daughter Zeena Schreck in 1967, punctuated by LaVey speaking the words "Hail Satan
!" over the nude body of a female acting as the 'Satanic Altar'.
Public ceremonies were performed at the house until 1972. LaVey lost ownership of the house in 1991 as the result of a court settlement resulting from his separation from Diane Hegarty, but LaVey was allowed to reside at the Black House until his death.
Following LaVey's death, members of the Church of Satan
unsuccessfully attempted to raise funds to repurchase the house, and it was demolished on October 17, 2001. A duplex now stands in its place.
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
, in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Though the building is sometimes referred to as a mansion,photographs of the building taken just before its destruction show that it was a moderately sized single family home, considerably smaller than the two small apartment buildings on either side of the property. According to public records, it was listed at 2205 square feet (204.9 m²) and constructed in the year 1905.
The house was used by Anton LaVey
Anton LaVey
Anton Szandor LaVey , born Howard Stanton Levey, was the founder of the Church of Satan as well as a writer, occultist, and musician...
as the headquarters of his Church of Satan
Church of Satan
The Church of Satan is an organization dedicated to the acceptance of the carnal self, as articulated in The Satanic Bible, written in 1969 by Anton Szandor LaVey.- History :...
from 1966 until his death in 1997. LaVey conducted Satanic seminar
Seminar
Seminar is, generally, a form of academic instruction, either at an academic institution or offered by a commercial or professional organization. It has the function of bringing together small groups for recurring meetings, focusing each time on some particular subject, in which everyone present is...
s and rituals at the house; one of the most notorious such rituals was the Satanic baptism
Baptism
In Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
of his daughter Zeena Schreck in 1967, punctuated by LaVey speaking the words "Hail Satan
Hail Satan
"Hail Satan", sometimes expressed in a Latinized version as Ave Satanas is an expression used by some Satanists to show their dedication to Satan, but has also been used for the purpose of comedy or satire. Believers in backmasking think they can hear "Hail Satan" and other messages to Satan in...
!" over the nude body of a female acting as the 'Satanic Altar'.
Public ceremonies were performed at the house until 1972. LaVey lost ownership of the house in 1991 as the result of a court settlement resulting from his separation from Diane Hegarty, but LaVey was allowed to reside at the Black House until his death.
Following LaVey's death, members of the Church of Satan
Church of Satan
The Church of Satan is an organization dedicated to the acceptance of the carnal self, as articulated in The Satanic Bible, written in 1969 by Anton Szandor LaVey.- History :...
unsuccessfully attempted to raise funds to repurchase the house, and it was demolished on October 17, 2001. A duplex now stands in its place.
External links
- A letter penned by Blanche BartonBlanche BartonBlanche Barton is an American religious leader who is Magistra Templi Rex within the Church of Satan, and is addressed by Satanists as Magistra Barton.-Biography:...
in 1999 soliciting donations from Satanists to save the house - A 1999 article describing the legal battles over the house between LaVey's survivors.