The Satanic Temple, a New-York-based religious group, is to build its first chapter house in Detroit, where it will perform services such as marriages, including same-sex, and funerals. It says the sacrificing of people or animals will not take place.
Detroit was picked as a location for the flagship chapter house because of its “underdog” reputation and history of nurturing rebellious underground artistic communities, Satanic Temple founder Doug Mesner, aka “Lucien Greaves,” told the Detroit Metro Times.
The chapter house’s location, as well as the opening day, are still to be decided, said Mesner, who was born and raised in Detroit.
A 32-year-old woman known as “Jex Blackmore” will be heading operations at the Detroit premises. Mesner explained that members are encouraged to use pseudonyms rather than their real names, as they get “a lot in the way of death threats and that kind of thing.”
Blackmore said the temple is considering several properties, and preference will be given to the place where everyone feels safe and comfortable.
“If it doesn’t meet the needs of our members to be public, then we might make a decision to make a private location. We would prefer not to do that, though,” she said.
staff