The Black Mass

The publicity stunt is not a tool used only by wily pr’s but has been taken on board by certain weird religious groups to further their following. For example, in 1967, Anton LaVey, the founder of the Church of Satan baptized his daughter Zeena at the Black House. 

This was a Victorian mansion that stood at 6114 California Street in San Francisco, which Anton LaVey used as his headquarters for the Church of Satan.  He conducted many satanic seminars and rituals at the Black House, but the most famous was the Baptism of his daughter which was widely publicised at the time hitting The Washington Post, The San Francisco Chronicle and San Francisco Weekly amongst others. Born of the common law marriage between LaVey and Dianne Hegarty, Zeena was only three years old when she was baptised. 

The liturgy featured a naked 30 year old priestess draped over the altar, breathing heavily while Anton LaVey intoned “Hail Satan”.  It was then recorded and sold as part of the The Black Mass.