diabolism

Diabolism refers to the worship, invocation, or control of demonic beings, or to the practice of magical arts believed to summon demons for power, knowledge, or influence. The word comes from the Latin diabolus, from Greek diabolos, traditionally translated as “devil” or “accuser.” In historical and scholarly contexts, diabolism is used to describe a body of beliefs and rituals centered on contact with demonic entities rather than an organized religious system.

In Europe from late antiquity through the early modern period, diabolism figured prominently in demonological writings and prosecutions. Treatises associated with the witch-hunt era described pacts with demons, ritual invocations, and the organization of infernal hierarchies. The term appeared in condemnation and legal procedures, where alleged practitioners were accused of selling their souls or performing ceremonies to gain magical power, wealth, or to harm others.

Practices attributed to diabolism typically involved ritual workings, names and sigils of demons, and supposed access to otherworldly aid. Accounts vary by culture and era, and many claims reflect moral, theological, or political anxieties of the writers rather than verifiable phenomena. As a result, modern scholars treat diabolism primarily as a historical category used to analyze demonology, witchcraft accusations, and the cultural construction of evil rather than as a record of a single, continuous practice.

Today the term is rarely used as a self-description by adherents; when used, it often designates historical or fictional depictions of demon worship. In religious studies, diabolism is studied alongside demonology, magic, and witchcraft to understand how societies imagined and regulated demonic powers.