All you should learn about ‘Satanic church’ devoted to Lucifer drawing crowds

Need to know

The complex features creepy statues and separate ritual areas, with one section reserved for ceremonies that centre on “knowledge and spiritual balance”

Need to know: Brazil’s First ‘Satanic Church’ Stirs Controversy and Curiosity

• Brazil’s first ‘Satanic church’ dedicated to Lucifer has spooked locals with its eerie castle-style structure painted in black and red.
• The controversial temple was founded by 32-year-old priest Jonathan Oliveira Ribeiro, known as Mestre Jonan, who blends Afro-Brazilian spiritual traditions with Luciferian beliefs. The complex features creepy statues and separate ritual areas, with one section reserved for ceremonies that Jonan says centre on “knowledge and spiritual balance”.
• Located in Itatiaia, Rio de Janeiro state, the site has become a roadside spectacle for motorists on the busy Via Dutra route. Videos of the unusual “castle” have racked up millions of views online, fuelling heated debate about religion and freedom of belief in Brazil.
• Despite drawing crowds of followers, local authorities have battled to keep the temple shut due to unresolved documentation issues. The property spans three plots of land but lacks proper permits and approved building plans, with courts backing the city’s stance to keep it closed.
• Jonan insists he’s been trying to legalise the church for nearly a decade, blaming bureaucratic complications from previous administrations. He briefly secured a court injunction last year allowing limited activities, though this could be overturned as legal proceedings continue.
• The founder describes Luciferianism not as devil worship but as a belief system centred on balance between opposing forces, adding that followers believe in God and value respect and honesty.
• READ THE FULL STORY: Worshippers flock to spooky ‘Satanic church’ dedicated to Lucifer as followers surge