Satanic holidays are dates given religious, philosophical, or commemorative meaning by particular Satanists and organizations. There is no single calendar supplied by the word Satanism. The Church of Satan and The Satanic Temple, for example, publish different accounts of the dates they observe.[1][2]

The Church of Satan#

The Church of Satan places the individual's birthday foremost in its account of holidays. Its explanation connects the celebration with the significance of one's own life, rather than with the anniversary of a deity or religious founder.[1]

It also names Walpurgisnacht, on 30 April, and Halloween, on 31 October. Walpurgisnacht marks the organization's founding anniversary. Halloween offers a setting for the darker imagery and enjoyment associated with the season. The Church's FAQ also discusses the solstices and equinoxes, while leaving celebration to the individual.[1]

This is a description of priorities, not an obligation to perform the same ceremony on each date. A private birthday meal and a public anniversary event need not have an identical religious form.

The Satanic Temple#

The Satanic Temple's published calendar names five holidays and gives each an organizational interpretation:[2]

  • Lupercalia, 15 February: a celebration associated with bodily autonomy and affection.
  • Hexennacht, 30 April: remembrance of people harmed through superstition and accusations of witchcraft.
  • Unveiling Day, 25 July: a commemoration of the 2015 unveiling of the Temple's Baphomet monument, connected with religious plurality and the challenge to arbitrary authority.
  • Halloween, 31 October: a celebration of indulgence and the aesthetics associated with the season.
  • Sol Invictus, 25 December: an observance emphasizing knowledge and resistance to superstition.

These meanings come from the Temple's account. Their use of older names does not make the organization's calendar identical to an ancient Roman calendar or a modern Pagan one.[2]

A shared date can have different purposes#

Both organizations discuss 30 April and 31 October, but explain their place in the year differently.[1][2] The calendar date alone is therefore insufficient to identify a ceremony or its theology.

The same applies to a Satanist who adopts a personal seasonal observance. An individual's practice should be attributed to that person, rather than automatically assigned to all Satanists. A calendar entry is clearest when it names the community, the date, and the reason for observance.

The cover photograph shows a Swedish Walpurgis celebration. It supplies cultural context for the date and is not presented as a photograph of a Satanist ritual.

References

  1. Church of Satan, Frequently Asked Questions: Holidays · Official account of birthdays, Walpurgisnacht, Halloween, and individual choice about observance. (accessed 2026-10-01) ↩
  2. The Satanic Temple, Holidays · Official calendar with the organization's explanations of Lupercalia, Hexennacht, Unveiling Day, Halloween, and Sol Invictus. (accessed 2026-10-01) ↩
satanic holidaysholidayschurch of satanthe satanic templehalloween

This encyclopedia covers traditions beyond the High Satanic Church. Church doctrine is identified as such when it appears.