Cyprian of Antioch was a renowned sorcerer in the Hellenistic world during the late third century. Famous for his skill in potion-making and summoning infernal entities, he was known to offer his magical services for hire. According to legend, he attempted to use his dark arts to win the love of a Christian virgin named Justina. However, when his demons attacked her, she repelled them with the sign of the cross. Impressed by her faith, Cyprian abandoned his sorcery, converted to Christianity, and later became the Bishop of Antioch. Both he and Justina were martyred during Emperor Diocletian’s persecution and were eventually canonized.
Saint Cyprian’s legend extends beyond his religious life. Despite his conversion, some stories claim he continued practicing magic, using it to aid the church. He is even credited with authoring prayers and exorcisms still associated with Christian ritual. Over time, he became a bridge between Christian traditions and occult practices, inspiring various texts attributed to him. In Scandinavia, the *Cyprianus* emerged as a cornerstone of folk magic, while in Spain and Portugal, *The Book of Saint Cyprian* became a key text for witches and sorcerers. These books, ranging from folk magic to exorcism guides to sinister black rites, solidified his dual legacy as a sorcerer and saint. He is associated magically with all works of sorcery and necromancy and is often worked on Saturdays, the day of the week associated with Saturn.
These pendants were modeled after the traditional bishop’s crook, also known as a crozier or pastoral staff, a classic element of Saint Cyprian’s iconography. I was inspired to create these crooks while performing a novena during the days between the feast days of Saint Cyprian of Carthage and Saint Cyprian of Antioch, a period that has become colloquially knows as “the days of the Cyprians” among modern devotees. I chose to have the crooks hang upside down to reference to his dual nature. The crooks were hand-scultped in jeweler’s wax during the period leading up to his feast on September 26, 2024. Nine total crooks were then cast in solid sterling silver. The crooks were then placed in a cauldron consecrated to Saint Cyprian where they sat for 9 days. Each day the crooks were prayed over and anointed with my own personally blended and consecrated Cyprian oil. They have sat on his altar since that time.
These crooks can be worn to deepen one’s connection with the wondrous sorcerous saint, invoking his protection and guidance. They can also serve as adornments for his shrine, as pendulums to communicate with him, or as devotional pieces. Each crook is approximately 2.5″ tall and comes on your choice of a black satin cord or a 20″ sterling silver chain.