Grotto (Satanism)

Within the Church of Satan, a Grotto (from Italian grotta, a type of cave) is a clandestine association or gathering of Satanists within geographical proximity for means of social, ritual, and special interest activities.[1] The Black House, the founding place and headquarters of the Church of Satan from 1966 to 1997, was effectively the first grotto, and was for a time referred to as the "Central Grotto".[2][3] Grottos existed for a time in various parts of the United States; these included the Babylon Grotto in Detroit, the Stygian Grotto in Dayton, and the Lilith Grotto in New York.[4] In 1975, LaVey disbanded all grottos,[5] then reinstated them in the 1980s.[6] The Church of Satan no longer formally recognizes or charters grottos.[7]

See also

• Cell group – an association or gathering of Christians
• Coven – an association or gathering of witches

References

1. The Church of Satan Website Archived 2012-07-01 at the Wayback Machine, under Affiliation: The Grotto System Retrieved December 3, 2010
2. Religious Requirements and Practices: A Handbook for Chaplains & U. S. Department of the Army 1978. sfn error: no target: CITEREFReligious_Requirements_and_Practices:_A_Handbook_for_ChaplainsU._S._Department_of_the_Army1978 (help)
3. World Religions & Warren Matthews 2007, p. 380. sfn error: no target: CITEREFWorld_ReligionsWarren_Matthews2007 (help)
4. Baddeley 2010, p. 74. sfn error: no target: CITEREFBaddeley2010 (help)
5. Lewis 2002, p. 7 sfnm error: no target: CITEREFLewis2002 (help); Lap 2013, p. 84 sfnm error: no target: CITEREFLap2013 (help).
6. Walter Martin, Jill Martin Rische, Van Gorden Kurt & The Kingdom of the Occult sfnm error: no target: CITEREFWalter_Martin,_Jill_Martin_Rische,_Van_Gorden_KurtThe_Kingdom_of_the_Occult (help); 2013 sfnm error: no target: CITEREF2013 (help).
7. High Priest, Magus Peter H. Gilmore. "The Grotto System". churchofsatan.com.