The first ‘Satanic church’ in Brazil dedicated to Lucifer and with a striking castle-style structure has spooked locals as worshippers flock to the site claiming it is focused on “knowledge and spiritual balance.”
The eerie building was founded by 32-year-old priest Jonathan Oliveira Ribeiro – known to his followers as Mestre Jonan. Painted in black and red and split into separate ritual areas, the complex blends practices linked to quimbanda, an Afro-Brazilian spiritual tradition, with Luciferian beliefs.
The Brazilian churchm which boasts creepy statues, has been drawing crowds of people even though the local council are battling to stop followers from gathering there.
The controversial site, located in Itatiaia in Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro state, has become a roadside spectacle for motorists travelling along the busy Via Dutra, one of the country’s main routes between Rio and Sao Paulo. But despite its growing notoriety online, the temple remains officially shut.
One section is reserved for ceremonies focused on Lucifer, which Jonan says centre on “knowledge and spiritual balance”. The grounds also feature a sanctuary with animals and symbolic elements including a fig tree, which the founder says represents protection and a connection to spiritual forces.
Despite appearing ready to welcome worshippers, the temple has never been granted an operating licence. Local authorities say the property– which spans three plots of land – is plagued by unresolved documentation issues, including irregular land registration and a lack of approved building plans.
Under municipal rules, any construction – including places of worship – must receive prior authorisation, something officials say did not happen in this case. A court has since backed the city’s stance, with judges ordering the site to remain closed after finding it was built without proper permits or technical approval.
Jonan insists he has been trying to legalise the church for nearly a decade and blames bureaucratic complications inherited from previous administrations.
He also claims he briefly secured a court injunction last year (2025) allowing limited activities to continue – though that decision could soon 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 followers believe in God and value principles such as respect and honesty.
While the site remains largely closed to the public, it has exploded in popularity online, with videos of the unusual roadside “castle” racking up millions of views and fuelling heated debate over religion and freedom of belief in Brazil.
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