Our Lady of Endor, also known as Ophite Cultus Satanas, was started in 1948 by Herbert Arthur Sloane in Toledo, Ohio. Sloane believes that when he was a child, Satan appeared to him in the woods as a horned-god.
The group's name is thought to be derived from the biblical character Saul's visit to a medium at a place named Endor. 1 Samuel 28:6-13 records the story:
"6 And when Saul enquired of the LORD, the LORD answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets. 7 Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and enquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at Endor. 8 And Saul disguised himself, and put on other raiment, and he went, and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night: and he said, I pray thee, divine unto me by the familiar spirit, and bring me him up, whom I shall name unto thee. 9 And the woman said unto him, Behold, thou knowest what Saul hath done, how he hath cut off those that have familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land: wherefore then layest thou a snare for my life, to cause me to die? 10 And Saul sware to her by the LORD, saying, As the LORD liveth, there shall no punishment happen to thee for this thing. 11 Then said the woman, Whom shall I bring up unto thee? And he said, Bring me up Samuel. 12 And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice: and the woman spake to Saul, saying, Why hast thou deceived me? for thou art Saul. 13 And the king said unto her, Be not afraid: for what sawest thou? And the woman said unto Saul, I saw gods ascending out of the earth." (KJV)
Members of Our Lady of Endor worship Satan, who they call Satanas, which is a Latin-to-English transliteration of the name. Adherents perceive Satan through the lens of Gnosticism and recommend the book The Gnostic Religion by Hans Jonas. Like the ancient Ophites, members of Our Lady of Endor hold that the serpent in the Garden of Eden, written of in Genesis 3:1-14, possessed unique knowledge.
Sources
www.satanservice.org
