On March 28, 2025, a dramatic confrontation unfolded at the Kansas State Capitol in Topeka, where a self-proclaimed Satanist leader, Michael Stewart, was arrested following a "black mass" ritual that sparked outrage among Christians. The event, organized by the Satanic Grotto, was intended as a provocative protest against what the group sees as religious oppression in Kansas politics. However, the ritual quickly escalated into physical altercations, arrests, and a deeper reflection on the spiritual significance of the Eucharist—a sacred element in Catholic tradition that even some Satanists, through their actions, seem to acknowledge as holding real power.
The Black Mass and Its Fallout
The Satanic Grotto, a Kansas-based group describing itself as an "independent and non-denominational Satanic church," planned the black mass to "dedicate the grounds and our legislature to the glory of Satan," according to their own statements. The event was held on the east steps of the Capitol, while hundreds of Catholics and other Christians gathered in counter-protests, praying and singing on the south steps. Tensions were high from the start, with some Christians vocally confronting the Satanists, leading to a charged atmosphere.
Inside the Capitol rotunda, Michael Stewart, the founder of Satanic Grotto, attempted to continue the ritual. According to reports, Stewart raised his arms and made a dedication to Satan, prompting immediate pushback from counter-protesters. One man, Marcus Schroeder, confronted Stewart, leading to a physical altercation where Stewart punched him. Kansas Capitol Police swiftly arrested Stewart, along with others involved in the scuffle, including Jocelyn Krysteen Frazee, who was charged with suspicion of unlawful assembly. Another protester was arrested after attempting to stop Stewart from stomping on unconsecrated communion wafers—crackers meant to mock the Catholic Eucharist—during the ritual on the Capitol steps.
The event was not without prior controversy. In the weeks leading up to the black mass, Kansas City Archbishop Joseph Naumann filed a lawsuit against the Satanic Grotto, alleging they had stolen a consecrated host to desecrate during the ritual. The lawsuit was settled after Stewart provided proof that the 300 communion wafers he used were purchased unconsecrated from Amazon for $11.83, as reported in posts on X and confirmed by news outlets. Despite this, the Catholic community remained deeply offended, viewing the black mass as a deliberate attack on their faith.
Catholic Response: Consuming the Host in Reparation
Across Kansas, Catholics responded with fervent prayer and acts of reparation. Special masses and holy hours were held in churches statewide, with thousands gathering on the Capitol grounds to pray peacefully. At Assumption Church, directly across from the Kansas State Capitol, Catholics packed the pews, guarded by the Knights of Columbus and county sheriff deputies. Archbishop Naumann led a Eucharistic Holy Hour, emphasizing the need to "draw closer to Jesus through prayer" to counter the sacrilege.
Central to the Catholic response was the consumption of the Eucharist—the consecrated host, which Catholics believe becomes the body, blood, soul, and divinity of Jesus Christ during Mass. This act of consuming the host is not merely symbolic; it is a profound affirmation of faith in the real presence of Christ. During these masses, Catholics consumed the host as an act of reparation, seeking to honor what they believe was being mocked by the Satanists. The Catholic News Agency reported that Archbishop Naumann and other leaders called for peaceful resistance, urging the faithful to pray for the conversion of those involved in the black mass, with Naumann stating, “Let us pray that the Lord of Life can penetrate and change the hearts of the Satanists of our time with his merciful love.”
Why Even Satanists Acknowledge the Power of the Host
What’s striking about this event is the implicit acknowledgment by the Satanists of the spiritual power they believe the Eucharist holds. While the Satanic Grotto claimed the hosts they used were unconsecrated, their choice to target the Eucharist in their ritual reveals a deeper recognition of its significance. Historically, black masses have been designed as a direct inversion of the Catholic Mass, often involving the desecration of a consecrated host. The Catholic Church teaches that the Eucharist is truly the presence of Jesus Christ, a belief that has been a cornerstone of the faith for centuries.
Interestingly, the Satanists’ focus on the Eucharist suggests they, too, believe it holds a unique power—otherwise, why target it so specifically? Riaan Swiegelaar, a former Satanist who converted to Christianity after an encounter with Jesus, shared in a CBN News interview that many Satanists engage in black masses and other rituals to directly oppose Christian symbols like the Eucharist. While some Satanists, like those in the Satanic Temple, publicly claim to be atheists and deny the supernatural, Swiegelaar noted that this stance is often a tactic or misconception among newer members. He explained that rituals like the black mass are steeped in a belief that these Christian symbols, particularly the Eucharist, carry a spiritual weight worth opposing.
This perspective aligns with the actions of the Satanic Grotto. Stewart’s boast to the Kansas Catholic Conference that he intended to “kill Jesus” during the black mass, as reported by the Catholic News Agency, further underscores this point. By targeting the Eucharist, even in a symbolic form, the Satanists implicitly acknowledge that they believe it represents something real and powerful—something they feel compelled to challenge. If they truly believed the Eucharist was just a piece of bread, as some atheists might argue, there would be little reason to center their ritual around its desecration.
A Clash of Worldviews
The events in Kansas highlight a profound clash of worldviews. For Catholics, the Eucharist is the source and summit of their faith, a sacred mystery that embodies Christ’s presence. For the Satanists, the black mass is a form of protest, a way to assert their presence in the public square and challenge what they see as the overreach of religious influence in politics. Yet, in their attempt to mock, they inadvertently affirm the very belief they seek to undermine: that the Eucharist holds a power worth confronting.
The arrest of Michael Stewart and the peaceful response of thousands of Christians demonstrate the resilience of faith in the face of provocation. While the Satanists sought to inflame, they instead inspired a renewed devotion among Catholics, who turned to prayer and the Eucharist to counter the sacrilege. As Tommy Valentine of CatholicVote noted in a Breitbart interview, the event galvanized Christians with “the fire of the Holy Spirit,” leading to more prayer and unity than the Satanists likely anticipated.
Conclusion: The Enduring Power of Faith
The black mass at the Kansas State Capitol may have ended in arrests and chaos for the Satanists, but for Catholics, it became an opportunity to reaffirm their belief in the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. The act of consuming the host in reparation was a powerful statement of faith, one that stood in stark contrast to the hostility of the black mass. And in a strange twist, the Satanists’ own actions—targeting the Eucharist as the focal point of their ritual—suggest that even they recognize its spiritual significance, whether they admit it or not.
This event serves as a reminder of the enduring power of faith and the deep divisions that still exist in how people understand the sacred. For those who believe, the Eucharist remains a source of strength and unity, capable of withstanding even the most brazen attacks.
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| Hero who saved the Host |
Sources:
- Breitbart: "Exclusive — Tommy Valentine: Thousands of Christians Counter Satanist ‘Black Mass’ at the Kansas State Capitol" (March 28, 2025)
- Catholic News Agency: "Leader of ‘black mass’ arrested at Kansas Capitol after punching protester" (March 28, 2025)
- Kansas City Star: "Satanist leader arrested after physical clash inside Kansas Statehouse during Black Mass" (March 28, 2025)
- CBN News: "Ex-Satanist, Witch and Psychic Embroiled in Darkness Abandons It All After Jesus Appears to Him" (March 24, 2025)
- Posts on X regarding the Satanic Grotto’s purchase of unconsecrated hosts from Amazon (March 28, 2025)
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