Satanic group defies Kansas officials, plans 'black mass' at state Capitol

A group of self-described Satanists plans to stage a "black mass" inside the Kansas State Capitol, despite recent attempts by the governor and a group of bipartisan lawmakers to block it. 

The Satanic Grotto, a registered nonprofit that describes itself as an "independent and non-denominational Satanic church," intends to hold its demonstration at the state Capitol on March 28. According to founder Michael Stewart, the event initially drew little attention, until allegations surfaced that he stole consecrated bread from a local Catholic church for use in the "black mass" ceremony.

Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly, a Democrat, issued an order on March 12 barring The Satanic Grotto from entering the State House for its planned March 28 demonstration. That order was subsequently followed up by a modification of the State House's building and grounds policies, led by a group of bipartisan state legislators.

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"There are more constructive ways to protest and express disagreements without insulting or denigrating sacred religious symbols," Kelly said in an announcement about The Satanic Grotto's "black mass" event. 

In Satanist traditions, a "black mass" ceremony sometimes involves the desecration of the consecrated Eucharist, as was recounted online by Monsignor Roger J. Landry, a priest of the Diocese of Fall River, Massachusetts, in 2014. Landry pointed out that, at the time, the New York Satanic Temple's website described the black mass as a "perversion of the Catholic Mass" and posited that a consecrated host gets "corrupted by sexual fluids" during the ritual. 

A lawsuit brought by the bishop of the Archdiocese of Kansas City, Joseph Naumann, alleged Stewart admitted on social media to stealing the consecrated Eucharist. The lawsuit also alleged members of The Satanic Grotto sent threatening letters to lawmakers. 

"The First Amendment does not protect criminal conduct," Senate President Ty Masterson told the Kansas Reflector this week. "Recent statements from an organization – which pledged to engage in such conduct – necessitated a thoughtful review of policies to ensure the safety of all those visiting our State Capitol." 

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Stewart, in an interview with Fox News Digital, did not deny the accusations that he was the owner of a social media account that admitted to taking the host. Stewart said that while he and his group may have sent rude letters to lawmakers in the past, none of them were threatening. An evidentiary hearing in the case took place Thursday, and it was ultimately dismissed after Stewart denied the allegations, he said.

Stewart promised to proceed with his demonstration at the Capitol on March 28, despite orders attempting to block it, even if it leads to his arrest. He expects to be joined by two or three other members of The Satanic Grotto but has urged unaffiliated supporters looking to confront public officials or law enforcement to stay back.

"It's come up a lot lately that we're going to storm the Capitol. And because [critics] see that one of our specific laws of the grotto speaks to violence, that we're a violent organization. Neither one of those things are true," Stewart said. "We're going to the Capitol non-violently. This is not going to be January 6th. This is going to be a 1960s civil rights act. We're not going to be literally slinging fecal matter on the walls."

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Stewart said that the idea of the "black mass" demonstration in Topeka stemmed from the group wanting "to build a church that matches how Kansans define Satanism."

"Part of that is activism," Stewart said. "We started following different groups and counterprotests, and inevitably they all ended up at the Capitol, one way or another." 

However, Stewart noted, the groups making use of their First Amendment rights by protesting at the Capitol were mostly all Christian groups "holding pictures of mutilated babies inside of our Capitol, holding prayers, holding praise and worship sessions, very openly, very boldly, consistently."

"I've rarely, if ever, seen anybody else do anything. And it just occurred to me, I was like, ‘Man, these guys are the only ones taking advantage of their rights.’"

Kelly's office declined to comment on the situation when reached for comment, pointing Fox News Digital to a March 12 statement about the event.