News
FestivalsHalloween and Day of the Dead come together at Salinas’ Paper Tacos.FestivalsCelebrate Day of the Dead at Alebrijes in Downtown Las VegasFestivalsDay of the Dead FestivalFestivalsDay Of The Dead Festival Hispanic HeritageDivination"Divining with the Elements: A Conversation about Astrology" with KL Mays and Alice Sparkly KatStage magicWhat Was Halloween Like 100 Years Ago?DivinationThe GPT Oracle: 1 in 10 Americans are reviving the pagan practice of prophecyLiving traditionsVoodoo and the School System in HaitiFestivalsFour Delightful Children’s Books About Día de los Muertos/Day of the DeadFestivalsCasa de México in Madrid unveils 2026 Day of the Dead altar inspired by Michoacán and Agustín LaraFestivalsHalloween and Day of the Dead come together at Salinas’ Paper Tacos.FestivalsCelebrate Day of the Dead at Alebrijes in Downtown Las VegasFestivalsDay of the Dead FestivalFestivalsDay Of The Dead Festival Hispanic HeritageDivination"Divining with the Elements: A Conversation about Astrology" with KL Mays and Alice Sparkly KatStage magicWhat Was Halloween Like 100 Years Ago?DivinationThe GPT Oracle: 1 in 10 Americans are reviving the pagan practice of prophecyLiving traditionsVoodoo and the School System in HaitiFestivalsFour Delightful Children’s Books About Día de los Muertos/Day of the DeadFestivalsCasa de México in Madrid unveils 2026 Day of the Dead altar inspired by Michoacán and Agustín Lara
EveryJaadu
Scan of engraving with caption by Gustave Doré illustrating Canto XXXIV of Divine Comedy , Inferno, by Dante Alighieri. Caption: Lucifer, King of Hell

Lucifer

from Latin lux (light) and ferre (to bring)

A Latin name for the planet Venus that became an epithet for the Devil in Christian tradition

Historical

Photo: Gustave Doré, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Lucifer was originally the Roman name for the morning star, the planet Venus. In Christian mythology, it became an epithet for the Devil and a fallen angel who attempted to overthrow God.

Share on WhatsApp

  • Lucifer means light-bringer in Latin
  • Originally the name for the planet Venus
  • Associated with the sin of pride
  • Linked to Isaiah 14:12 in Christian tradition

What it is

Lucifer is a figure from Christian mythology known as the Devil or a fallen angel. The name originally referred to the planet Venus as the morning star. It is connected to the deadly sin of pride. The figure is said to have attempted to overthrow God and was banished to Earth. Some Satanist sects venerate these characteristics as symbols of freedom and enlightenment.

Where it comes from

The concept parallels Canaanite stories of the god ʿAṯtar attempting to replace Baal. This story is alluded to in the Book of Isaiah. Early medieval Christianity distinguished between Lucifer and Satan. Augustine of Hippo later shaped Western demonology by linking the rebellion to pride and free will.

Lucifer, drawn and placed

Emblem With the hand shape. Drawn from this page, not a photograph.
  1. Living
  2. Revived
  3. Fading
  4. Historical
  5. Legendary
  6. Performed
Standing: Historical Documented in the past; no continuous living tradition today. This says whether people still do it, not whether it works.
An open hand with an eye: the hamsa, or hand of Fatima, a protective sign in Jewish, Muslim and wider North African and Middle Eastern custom.
Lineage
Christian demonology
Where it sits The tradition it belongs to, and when it is done.

What it is for

The figure represents the antagonist of God in Christian beliefs. It serves as a template for the devil in popular literature and theology. Modern translations often render the original Hebrew term as 'morning star' rather than using the name Lucifer.

Who does it

Scholars study the etymology and theological development of the name. Christian church fathers like Jerome and Origen interpreted the passages. Rabbinic Judaism generally rejects the belief in rebel angels.

Peoples and places

The name appears in Roman folklore as a personified male figure bearing a torch. It is linked to Greek names Phosphoros and Heosphoros. The concept spread through Christian writings and Jewish pseudepigrapha.

At a glance: who, where and when

Belief worlds

ChristianJewish
Lucifer [the morning star]. Engraving by G.H. Frezza, 1704, after P. de Petris after F. Albani. Iconographic Collections
Lucifer [the morning star]. Engraving by G.H. Frezza, 1704, after P. de Petris after F. Albani. Iconographic Collections. Photo: Unknown author, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Identificatie Titel(s): Lucifer. Lvcifer (titel op object) Objecttype: prent Objectnummer: RP-P-1985-40 Catalogusreferentie: Hollstein Dutch 277 Opschriften / Merken: verzamelaarsmerk, verso, gestempeld: Lugt 2228; verza
Identificatie Titel(s): Lucifer. Lvcifer (titel op object) Objecttype: prent Objectnummer: RP-P-1985-40 Catalogusreferen. Photo: Rijksmuseum, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
Alexandre Cabanel --- Fallen Angel --- 121 x 190 cm --- 1847
Alexandre Cabanel --- Fallen Angel --- 121 x 190 cm --- 1847. Photo: Alexandre Cabanel, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
A conjunction of Mercury and Venus , aligned above the Moon , as seen from the Paranal Observatory .
A conjunction of Mercury and Venus , aligned above the Moon , as seen from the Paranal Observatory .. Photo: ESO/Y. Beletsky, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

What people believe

Christian tradition holds that Lucifer fell from heaven due to pride. Augustine argued that evil entered existence through Satan's free will. The figure is associated with the 'War in Heaven' described in Revelation.

How scholars and sceptics see it

Modern biblical translations often avoid the name Lucifer. Scholars note that the original Hebrew refers to the king of Babylon. The association with the Devil developed outside mainstream Rabbinic Judaism.

Compare and confuse

The name is confused with Hesperus, the evening star. Both refer to the planet Venus at different times. The Greek Phosphoros corresponds to the Latin Lucifer.

Today

Freemasons have been accused by anti-masonic literature of worshipping Lucifer. Conspiracy theories continue to link the figure to secret societies.

Questions people ask about Lucifer

What does the name Lucifer mean?

It comes from Latin words meaning light-bringer. It was the Roman name for the morning star, Venus.

Where does the name come from?

It originates in Roman folklore for Venus. Christian writers later applied it to the Devil based on Isaiah 14:12.

Is Lucifer the same as Satan?

Early Christianity distinguished them. Later tradition merged them, making Lucifer the fallen angel who became Satan.

Good reading and sources

Where this page comes from

The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Lucifer", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). EveryJaadu rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.

It may contain mistakes. Names and customs differ from one community to the next, and some knowledge is closed to outsiders and left out here. This page describes belief and practice. It does not say that any of it works, it is not a how-to, and it is not medical advice. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-05.

More from Egypt

All the entries from Egypt
🇪🇬 Egypt and 1 moreLilithלִילִית A feminine figure from Mesopotamian and Jewish mythology, often depicted as a night demon or spirit.Being · Cursing and harm Legendary 🇪🇬 EgyptCurse A spoken wish for misfortune to befall a person or placeBelief · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Historical 🇪🇬 EgyptAncient Egyptian afterlife beliefs A system of rituals and texts guiding the soul through the underworld to eternal rebirthTradition · Protection · Speaking with spirits and the dead Historical 🇪🇬 EgyptCurse of the pharaohs A belief that disturbing ancient Egyptian tombs brings illness or death to the living.Belief · Cursing and harm Historical

Related elsewhere

All figure
🇷🇸 Serbia and 5 moreVampire An undead creature from folklore that feeds on the blood or life force of the livingBeing · Cursing and harm · Luck and prosperity Legendary 🇫🇷 France and 5 moreWerewolf A mythical shapeshifter that turns into a wolf, central to European witch-hunts and Gothic horror.Being · Cursing and harm · Wonder and entertainment Legendary 🇮🇳 India and 5 moreHoliहोली A Hindu spring festival marked by coloured powders and bonfires to celebrate love and virtue.Tradition · Love and attraction · Cursing and harm Living 🇮🇩 IndonesiaNyi Roro KidulRatu Laut Selatan The spirit queen of Java's southern coast and guardian of the Indian OceanBeing · Protection · Cursing and harm Living

Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

The weekly digest

Every Monday: seven entries you may not know, what is on the calendar this week, and one rite drawn step by step.