Who was Saint Cyprian: a holy bishop, a legendary sorcerer, or both? In this video, I explore the enigmatic figure of Saint Cyprian through the lens of history, folk magic, and grimoire traditions. Drawing on academic sources and rare magical texts, we trace the evolution of his legend from early Christian writings to the Black Books of Norway, the Clavis Inferni, and Latin American necromantic practices. Discover how this patron saint of cunning folk became a master of crossroads magic, feared and venerated by magicians across the centuries.
Based on peer-reviewed research and archival sources, this episode delves into the living tradition of Cyprianic magic, its dangers, ethics, and the enduring power of his mysterious book.
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RECOMMENDED READINGS
REFERENCES
ConjureMan Ali. (2012). Saint Cyprian: Saint of Necromancers. Hadean Press.
Dendrinos, M., & Griva, A. (2023). Neoplatonic and Gnostic resonances in the Martyrdom of Cyprian of Athenais Eudocia. Dianoesis: A Journal of Philosophy, 14, 19–38. https://doi.org/10.12681/dia.37767
Fasholé-Luke, E. W. (1972). [Review of the book Cyprian: De Lapsis and De Ecclesiae Catholicae Unitate, Text and Translation, by M. Bévenot]. Scottish Journal of Theology, 25(4), 480–482. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0036930600028726
Davies, O. (2009). Grimoires: A history of magic books. Oxford University Press.
Frisvold, N. de M. (2013). St. Cyprian & the sorcerous transmutation. Scarlet Imprint.
Leitão, J. (2014). The Book of St. Cyprian: The sorcerer’s treasure (Hardcover). Hadean Press.
Londoño Rendón, A. M. (2014). La condena de la oración supersticiosa en el siglo XVI: El ejemplo de San Cipriano. In C. Esteve Mestre (Ed.), El texto infinito: tradición y reescritura en la Edad Media y el Renacimiento (pp. 683–694). Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona.
Maggi, H. (n.d.). The new world of Saint Cyprian [PDF file]. Academia.edu. Retrieved June 17, 2025, from https://www.academia.edu/31403998/The_New_World_of_Saint_Cyprian
Ohrvik, A. (2018). Medicine, magic and art in early modern Norway: Conceptualizing knowledge. Palgrave Macmillan.
Ohrvik, A. (2021). When ritual texts become legendary: Practice and fiction in Nordic folklore. In B.-C. Otto & D. Johannsen (Eds.), Fictional practice: Magic, narration, and the power of imagination (pp. 111–129). Brill. https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004466005_007
Rustad, M. S. (2009). The Black books of Elverum (translation & facsimile). Troy Books.
Skinner, S., & Rankine, D. (Eds.). (2017). The grimoire of Saint Cyprian: Clavis inferni sive magia alba et nigra approbata Metatrona (revised paperback ed.; Sourceworks of Ceremonial Magic, Vol. 5). Golden Hoard Press.
Smid, B. (2019). The magic of Saint Cyprian: Individual crisis and historicity in recent online prayer texts. In É. Pócs & Á. Hesz (Eds.), Present and past in the study of religion and magic (Religious Anthropological Studies in Central Eastern Europe, Vol. 7, pp. 341–360). Balassi Kiadó.
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00:00 Who is Saint Cyprian?
3:37 Saint and Sorcerer
8:52 2 Support
10:52 Grimoires of Saint Cyprian
13:30 Afro-Brazilian Spirituality
18:26 Magic and Ritual Practice in the Cyprianic Corpus
22:10 The Dual Role of Saint Cyprian’s Rituals in Spiritual Protection and Necromancy
26:21 Cyprianic Magic and the Politics of Orthodoxy: Superstition, Heresy, and Control
29:33 Cyprian’s Legacy: From Church Defender to Folk-Magic Figure
33:05 The Grimoire of Saint Cyprian in the Modern Western Esoteric Revival
35:43 Cyprianic Traditions in Contemporary Occultism
39:43 Living Texts and Magical Practice: From Norway’s Black Books to Digital Cyprianism
43:33 The Enchanting Rituals of Cyprianic Books
46:25 Cyprian as a Living Tradition in Contemporary Esotericism
47:45 The Role of Grimoires in Magical Practices and Authority
51:25 Support Angela’s Symposium
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Published on August 10, 2025
