![Edw[ar]d Kelly, a Magician. in the Act of invoking the Spirit of a Deceased Person.](https://satansheaven.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/summoning-spirit-from-tomb.jpg)
Necromancy – often called the art of summoning spirits or communicating with the dead – has fascinated and terrified humanity for centuries. From medieval churchyards to secret occult chambers, practitioners of this forbidden craft sought hidden knowledge, power, or answers from beyond the grave. Yet, historical accounts warn of grave dangers: the wrath of the dead, spiritual corruption, and even demonic deception.
What Is Necromancy?
Necromancy refers to rituals and magical practices designed to summon the dead. Under normal circumstances, spirits do not return. But when a living person attempts to force communication with the departed, elaborate magical protections are required. Otherwise, the necromancer risks becoming a victim of the spirit’s anger—or worse, mistaking a demon in disguise for the ghost they sought.
Some occultists even suggest that what is summoned is not the true soul of the deceased, but rather an astral corpse, a lingering fragment of spiritual energy.
The Ritual of Churchyard Necromancy
One of the most notorious branches of necromancy involves midnight rituals in churchyards. After completing preliminary rites, the magician calls out in a sepulchral voice:
“The dead rise and come to me!”
As he scatters graveyard earth, he cries:
“Ego sum te peto et uidere queo!”
To dismiss the spirit, the necromancer commands:
“Return to the Kingdom of the Chosen!”
Historical accounts describe how magicians protected themselves within magic circles inscribed with the names of protective angels, ensuring safety against hostile forces from the underworld.
Necromancy in History
Necromancy has been practiced across cultures and eras. The Witch of Endor, described in the Bible, is said to have summoned the spirit of Samuel at King Saul’s request. In Renaissance Europe, scholars like John Dee and Edward Kelley engaged in necromantic rituals, invoking spirits within churchyards illuminated by torches, with corpses said to rise from their graves.
During the Middle Ages, necromancy thrived despite condemnation by the Church. Pope Silvester II was even accused of making a pact with the Devil.
The Use of Human Remains in Rituals
One of the darkest aspects of necromancy was the use of human remains as magical ingredients. Sorcerers believed that corpses—especially those who died violently or in shame—retained fragments of unspent vitality. Hair, nails, teeth, bones, and even flesh were incorporated into charms and potions.
The Irish witch Alice Kyteler was famously accused of using the skull of a thief and corpse hair in her magical formulas. A particularly prized substance was moss growing on the skull of a hanged man, thought to contain powerful occult properties.
Necromancy Today – Dead or Alive?
To say that necromancy has completely vanished would be premature. Even in modern times, reports of occult rituals surface across the world. Whether practiced as a symbolic spiritual rite or in darker, clandestine forms, necromancy remains a subject of fascination, fear, and mystery.
Key Takeaways
- Necromancy is the practice of summoning spirits or communicating with the dead.
- Churchyard rituals and protective magic circles were central to historical practices.
- John Dee, Edward Kelley, and Alice Kyteler are among the best-known figures associated with necromancy.
- Human remains were once widely used in magical formulas.
- Interest in necromancy has never fully disappeared, and echoes of this ancient art still linger today.