An event billed “the largest satanic gathering in history” will take place in Boston this weekend — after the city had a devil of a time keeping the group away.
SatanCon2023, hosted by the Satanic Temple, will feature a “satanic marketplace” along with entertainment, rituals and discussion panels at the Marriott in Copley Place, according to organizers.
The hell-raisers dedicated the sold-out convention to Boston Mayor Michelle Wu as a snub because “she denied the group from delivering a satanic invocation” at City Hall and has used “unconstitutional efforts” to keep them out of public spaces, a Satanic Temple rep told Masslive.com.
The event’s theme is “Hexennacht in Boston” — meaning “Witches’ Night in Boston” — and marks the Pagan springtime holiday of May Eve with a “weekend of blasphemy and remembrance,” organizers said.
The Salem, Mass.-based devil worshipers will also hold discussions on “Reclaiming the Trans Body,” “Deconstructing Your Religious Upbringing” and “Satanism and the BIPOC Experience.”
The group says it worships Satan not as an evil beast from hell, but rather a symbol of the importance of questioning authority and separating church from state.
A city spokesperson said the mayor does not decide who gives invocations at City Hall.
“The Boston City Council extends any invitation to give invocations prior to their meetings. The mayor does not have a role in that process,” the spokesperson wrote in an email. “Neither Mayor Wu nor the City of Boston are sponsoring or affiliated with SatanCon 2023.”
The Satanic temple didn’t immediately respond to a request for projected attendance numbers.