'SatanCon': Archdiocese of Boston reacts to 'largest satanic gathering in history'
WASHINGTON (TND) — The tenth annual "SatanCon" is slated to take place at the Boston Marriott Copley Place on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday and a major religious leader is speaking out about the event.
The Archdiocese of Boston is inviting the public to join them in adoration and prayer, as a satanic conference will be held in Massachusetts this weekend.
The event is sold out, according to The Satanic Temple, which organized the conference.
The convention organizers are billing it as 'the largest satanic gathering in history' and state that the event is sold out," theArchdiocese of Boston noted in a news release. "People across the Archdiocese of Boston are appropriately concerned by such an event taking place in Boston. We ask Catholics not to organize or encourage others to go to the event to protest. It will only make it more prominent and give the organizers the attention they seek."
The Archdiocese shared a list of sites that will be open for people to gather in prayer and adoration, adding that "rather than protesting in person, we hope to storm the Heavens with prayer from our shrines, monasteries, and parishes."
"SatanCon2023" will feature a variety of satanic rituals, discussion panels, a marketplace, as well as presentations.
The Satanic Temple posted a program schedule that includes an opening ceremony, along with topics such as "Deconstructing Your Religious Upbringing," Reclaiming the Trans Body: A/theistic Strategies," "Sins of the Flesh: Satanism and Self-Pleasure," and "Re-imaging Lilith as an Archetype for Reproductive Justice," just to name a few.
The "Satan Ball" is also set for opening night. It also includes a closing ceremony.
A full list of presentations and events is included below:
In an event flyer, the Satanic Temple thanked Boston Mayor Michelle Wu "for inspiring SatanCon to come to Boston through her repeated unconstitutional efforts to keep TST out of public spaces. Wu invokes this dedication as a result of her commitment to championing religious discrimination in Boston."
The Satanic Temple's website notes that it "is the only Satanic religious organization recognized as a church by the IRS and the Federal Court System." It also notes thatits mission is to "encourage benevolence and empathy, reject tyrannical authority, advocate practical common sense, oppose injustice, and undertake noble pursuits."
In February, the group announced the launch of a telehealth abortion clinic that mocks a Catholic judge who serves on the U.S. Supreme Court.
The facility, which is located in New Mexico, was named “The Samuel Alito’s Mom’s Satanic Abortion Clinic.”
In 1950, Samuel Alito’s mother did not have options, and look what happened,” Malcolm Jarry, who is the cofounder of the Satanic Temple, said in a news release on Wednesday. “Prior to 1973, doctors who performed abortions could lose their licenses and go to jail. The clinic’s name serves to remind people just how important it is to have the right to control one’s body and the potential ramifications of losing that right.”
The Archdiocese of Boston said CatholicTV will be airing "The Prayer of Saint Michael" throughout the weekend. It is also offering parishes prayer cards and encouraging the recitation of the prayer.
Our shrines and most of our monasteries have agreed to participate in this effort," according to the website. "Our men and women religious have been invited to more intense prayer during that weekend. In addition, many of our parishes will be open during the three days for prayer, adoration and Masses."
