Saint Cyprian of Antioch

Martyrdom of Cyprian and Justina

St. Cyprian incorruptable hand

The Grimoire of St. Cyprian, English Ed., 2019

Sts. Cyprian & Justina

Martyrdom of Cyprian and Justina, 11th c., Menologion of Basil II.

St. Cyprian incorruptable hand, arm

Known by the title of “the Magician” and considered one of the most famous of the ancient Christian magicians, Cyprian of Antioch was educated early in his youth, applied himself and traveled abroad. Cyprian was well-known as a magician and sorcerer in Antioch, so much that many stories were written about him in books of the occidental (countries of the west) and oriental Christian traditions (e.g. Flos Sanctorum).

During his childhood, his parents dedicated him to the service of Apollo and given over to magicians at the age of 7 to study sorcery and demonic wisdom. At the age of 10, his parents sent him to Mount Olympus where he studied the diabolical arts to prepare him for a career in sorcery by mastering demonic transformations, learned how to change the nature of air by bring up winds, produce thunder & rain, disturb the waves of the sea, damage the landscape, send diseases and plagues upon people - ruinous wisdom.

There on the mountain, he engaged in a strict 40-day fast of only acorns from oak trees after the sun had set and nothing more; allowing him to learn the invocation and witness numberless legion of demons, the prince of darkness at their head, some standing before him, others who served him, others cried out in praise and the others were sent into the world to corrupt people. At 15, he began to receive lessons from 7 great sorcerers of whom he learned many demonic secrets. In Argos, Greece (oldest in city in Europe), he served Juno and learned practices of deception; in Taurapolis, Greece, he served Diana; in Sparta, Cyprian learned to call forth the dead from graves and force them to speak. At 20, he went to Memphis, Egypt and learned greater incantations and charms. Finally at 30, Cyprian went to the Chaldeans and learned astrology and finished with his studies.

Following decades of study, Cyprian goes to Antioch and becomes a renowned sorcerer, magician, destroyer of souls and great friend of the prince of hell, whom he conversed with face to face as he would later testify. Cyprian also claimed that the prince of darkness praised him before everyone and said he gave him a legion of demons to serve him.

What we know of Cyprian the Magician and later Saint Cyprian comes from 3 different authors and 3 various texts like The Acts of Saint Cyprian and Justina, originally written in Greek in 3 parts - Conversion, Confession and Martyrdom during the latter part of the 4th century (300’s CE) as well as texts from Russian Orthodoxy (1904). During the reign of Decius (249-251 CE), the renowned sorcerer and philosopher Cyprian lived in Antioch (Pisidia) who was a native of Carthage - not to be confused with Cyprian, Bishop Saint Cyprian of Carthage. Three versions together during the middle of 5th century, translated into a metric paraphrase and published as 3 collective books: (1)Cyprian’s conversion to Christianity; focuses on Justina and her spiritual powers granted to her by her strict piety, (2)Centered on Cyprian’s repentance; begins with a remorseful mage speech and turns into a 1st-person account of his story and (3)Describes the famous martyrdom that both Cyprian and Justina underwent, which is not mentioned in the other 2 legends.

The legend of this literary tradition is originally based on 3 different versions by 3 different authors, generally based on the story of a pagan lawyer/rich man named Aglaidas, a wanting-suitor, employed the services of Cyprian and his magic to seduce a woman by the name of Justina into marrying him. First attempt - Cyprian’s first attempt was sending Justina a demon to torment/arouse carnal passions within her. However, because Justina was practicing strict piety - chastity, prayer and fasting - the charms and spells Cyprian cast had no effect on her. Second attempt - Cyprian, decides he needs a stronger demon, sends “the chief of demons” to Justina and that demon was conquered by a certain “sign of Christ.” Brought to despair, Cyprian then also made the sign himself and was then freed from the toils/snare of Satan. It would be at this point that Cyprian burned all his spells and sorcery books in front of a bishop of the Church and was made preeminent by miraculous gifts. He became in succession a deacon, priest, a bishop, succeeding Anthimus, bishop of Antioch.

Cyprian had then since converted and climbed the ranks within The Church. Then, during the Great Persecution, or Diocletian Persecution, both Cyprian and Justina were arrested and taken to Damascus and tortured. Never wavering in faith, both were taken before emperor Diocletian in Nicomedia where they were beheaded on the bank of the Gallus River (tributary of Sangarius River) at the command of the emperor where their bodies would lay unburied for 6 days. It is said that by the seventh day, their bodies were collected and taken by Christian sailors to Rome to be buried on the estate of Lady Rufina. Many claims of healing were said to have occurred at the site of their graves. Later the bodies of Cyprian and Justina were entombed in Constantine's basilica with Constantinople delivering a sermon in honor of their newly assigned feast day on September 26, 379.

During the Great Persecution, or Diocletian Persecution, which was one of the last and most severe persecution of Christians by the Roman Empire, Galerius urged Diocletian to begin general persecution of Christians. It is said that Diocletian consulted the oracle at Didyma and the general persecution would subsequently called on February 23, 303 (02.23.303). Emperors Diocletian, Maximian, Galerius and Constantius, c. 303, issued edicts rescinding Christians’ legal rights, demanding compliance and ordering universal sacrifice of all to the gods. Persecution against violators varied in intensity across the empire, with the weakest in Gaul, Britain and strongest in the Eastern provinces. Persecution laws were nullified by Galerius in 311 and by Constantine in 313.

Cyprian became recognized as a powerful saint, in Russian Orthodoxy and Roman Catholic countries, as someone who could break magic spells and enchantments. In a sort of paradox, Cyprian also became regarded as the patron saint of magicians and sorcerers in more modern times, with numerous magical writings being attributed to his name and an infamous reputation that would precede him in death. In the Biserica Zlatari (Church of Goldsmiths) in Bucharest, Romania, it is claimed that the incorrupt right hand of Cyprian is on display in a reliquary. The belief states that touching it will remove spells and enchantments - attracting those believers concerning magic.

Saint Cyprian of Antioch’s feast day (and Justina’s) first appeared in the General Roman calendar of the Roman Rite from the 13th century until it was deleted in 1969, with the only reason given that it lacked historical evidence of their existence. Saint Cyprian and Justina’s names were also removed from the 2011 revision of Roman Martyrology list recognized by the Roman Catholic Church.

Many grimoires have been written under the name St. Cyprian and while they cannot be attributed to him, these texts utilize his name as a method of adding legitimacy due to his status of not only a Saint recognized within the Catholic faith but also as a patron saint of necromancers and divinators.

Several definitions or descriptions exist for the term ‘Cyprianus’: (1)Scandinavian tradition of folk magic to the “black book”; (2)Grimoire/manuscript of spells and the magical tradition these spells form a part of which was the general name or label given to a collection of spells. It was the common opinion at that time that these manuscripts referring to Cyprianus were associated with devoting oneself to Satan and that it was a standard grimoire for summoning demons and spirits. If ministers’ obtained a copy, it was alleged to have been obtained from a university, yet, ironically most of the wives of these men were also folk healers. Lore stated that these texts were similar to other grimoires in that they were bound to its owner, hard to get rid of, not destroyed by fire of water and discarding it would only result in their return to their owner; and (3)Name given to the editor or author of the spells contained within the tradition. Saint Cyprian of Antioch practiced magic, authored magical textbooks and was considered a sorcerer.

Additional legends alleged that Cyprianus was a Dane/Norwegian man who learned how to practice magic through his dealings with the demons, with a version stating that Cyprianus was so wicked that even the Devil kicked him out of Hell, so thus his written work was in revenge to this expulsion. Another version was that Cyprianus discovered he had been duped into studying/attending a “black school” and in retribution wrote his texts to undo the witchcraft he learned there.

In Cyprianus tradition, the spells are typical of Germanic folk magic, folk remedies, prayers, and literal magic; with most resembling those spells of the old Germanic language Braucherei. Methods of contagion and transference are utilized, performance of divination by pouring molten lead thru a hole into a piece of flatbread in cold water (Molybdomancy) and the resulting shape directly interpreted as an for-telling omen, or rotated in candlelight, creating shadows and the shapes it cast read. The practices often led to be the driving the cause of rickets , but were often believed to be merely a side effect of a changeling.

The books of St. Cyprian consists of those different grimoires attributed to 3rd century St. Cyprian of Antioch. They are considered a collection of magic spells, invocations and rituals attributed to him. It has also been referred to as “Liber Sancti Cypriani” in Latin.

Iberian Cyprian - is series of texts written in Spanish and Portuguese with the subtitle of “The Sorcerer’s Treasure” containing text that is both Catholic and rooted in Bruxaria (Latin American witchcraft), which is found to be particularly popular in Brazil today. In the Iberian peninsula, many traditions existed about him for centuries. Papers sold with prayers to St. Cyprian against evilness, enchantments and the evil eye. Conversely, many books were written that contained spells and finding treasure with a tradition that stated that Cyprian had put all the spells he learned in a book prior to his conversion.

The Portuguese Cyprian - set within a Catholic framework, The Sorcerer’s Treasure draws upon oral traditions for divination, healing spells, prayers to guardian angel, exorcisms, love magic, locations of buried treasure and animal magnetism.

A majority of editions begin with Cyprian legend followed by chapters on alchemy, astrology, cartomancy (fortune-telling via playing cards/tarot), conjuring, divination, exorcisms, ghosts, hidden treasures, love magic, omens, oneiromancy (divination based on dreams/using dreams to predict the future), palmistry and prayers.

Portuguese Cyprianic literature combines Iberian magical beliefs with traditional African religious beliefs. There is a focus on Crypto-Judaism (instead of witchcraft) within these texts, making it easier for magical practitioners to Christianize both traditional Iberian magical beliefs and (imported) African religious beliefs. Portuguese Cyprianic literature developed in 3 phases: (1)Diverse oral traditions, (2)These oral traditions were collected into a “standard” Book of Cyprian which still gave rise to additional oral traditions about the book itself and (3)Book was standardized, rearranged, expanded and redacted especially after South American syncretism, culture and religion intertwined.

The Spanish Cyprian - Majority of Spanish versions are similar to the Key of Solomon and considered a rehash of the Grand Grimoire. The most complete version, called Libro Infernal is the Grand Grimoire + the Key of Solomon + the Grand et Petit Albert.

Later editions added animal magnetism, cartomancy, hypnotism, spiritualism and The Black Pullet (teaching grimoire on the science of magical talisman & rings, necromancy, and Kabbalah; otherwise known as the Hen that lays Golden Eggs). A few books of St. Cyprian existed in Spanish and of those were found quoted in the Spanish Inquisition Tribunals (earliest in 1610) with most of them on the nature of finding treasure; but it is said they did not survive in the inquisitional archives.

In Spain, Cueva de Salamanca also called Cueva de San Ciprian is a cave that served as a sacristy located below St. Cyprian Church. Lore stated that the devil taught black magic to the students of Salamanca and with the urging of the concerned, Queen Isabella ordered it closed in the 1500’s (definitively destroyed in 1580) - part of the sacristy survived and still there today. Salamanca and Toledo were some of the most famous magical centers in Europe with foundations that spread all over the word. In South America, the word Salamanca means cave where magic is practiced.

Wellcome Cyprian - is the Latin manuscript attributed to Magistri Ludi Cypriani (teacher Cypriani) entitled Clavis Inferni sive magia alba et nigra approbata Metratona or “The Key of Hell with White and Black Magic Proven by Metatron”. It is not related to the Iberian Cyprian texts but shows correlation to the following literature: d’Alano’s Heptameron, Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa’s literature, the Sixth and Seventh Books of Moses, Das Kloster’s Faustbuchen, Liber Lunae, Trithemius’s Polygraphie and the Magical Calendar. Clavis Inferni sive magia alba et nigra approbata Metratona or “The Key of Hell with White and Black Magic Proven by Metatron” is a unique grimoire that discusses summoning and utilizing the four Archangels: Michael, Raphael, Gabriel and Uriel as well as their opposites numbers and the four Demon Kings: Paymon, Maimon, Egyn and Oriens. The texts contain a mixture of magical scripts in Greek, Hebrew, cipher, Latin, reverse Latin - all made plain by the editors.

It is said that Cyprian was a mediator between Paganism v. Christianity, devils v. angels, with legends stating his story is for the purpose tof convey man's potential in magick.

Side Note - Reasons for a lack of books during this era could be three-fold:

The long influence of the Spanish Inquisition and the censure of the political and power of the church was effective. If such books existed, they didn’t survive; unlike in Scandinavia where books did survive.
The Spanish War and Franco’s dictatorship (1936-1939, 1939-1978) saw the re-emergence of censorship from the Catholic Church and subsequent burning of books, of which many were magical and occult texts.
Weather of northwest Spain, especially Galician, is damp, wet and rainy and therefore conservation of books would have been difficult. Most of the books were sold or purchased by people who lived in rural communities and their style of homes would have also contributed to deterioration of texts.

Several mentions from various authors and analysts indicated that there were numerous reprintings of this work in Spain at the end of the 19th century but always with supposed places and false dates.

Galician Inquisition during the last half of the 16th century and into the mid 17th century.

Benicinana Rabina, author of the Grand Grimoire of 1845, stated that the original edition of Ciprianllo had still remained un-located.