There are two legends of San Cipriano....the first legend says that....San Cipriano (St Cyprian of Antioch) was born in Carthage (249-251). As a child his parents dedicated him to the service of Apollo and when Cyprian was only seven years old his parents gave him to magicians where he would study sorcery and pagan ways. During his youth he traveled to many places learning the occult from some of the best known masters. His travels took him to Mount Olympus, there he learned to control weather conditions. At age ten he went to Argos and served the Goddess Juno where he learned the art of deception. During another voyage he went to Sparta, there he learned the rites of Necromancy. When Cyprian was twenty he traveled to Egypt where he stayed for ten years studying to cast powerful spells and incantations. By the time he was thirty he went to the Chaldeans to master the science of astrology, and it was there that he completed his study.
He eventually took the career as a professional sorcerer and did very well in the business. Soon after opening shop Cyprian met Justina, a young Christian woman, and fell madly in love with her. He tried to gain her love through sorcery and even conjured powerful spirits for assistance but nothing worked. Every day Justina prayed and marked herself with the sign of the cross which protected her. Every time one of Cyprian’s magical attempts failed he tried stronger and more powerful ones...each one failing. Cyprian was so impressed with the power of the Cross and Justina beliefs of prayer the he eventually gave up his pagan ways and became a Christian.
....the second legend is that....
Cyprian never renounce sorcery, he secretly practiced it alongside of his Christian front. It’s believed that
Cyprian and Justina became a magical dynamic duo. Legend tells that Cyprian recorded much of his occult knowledge in a secret book which is still circulating today.
Working with San Cipriano
Feast day: September 16
Day of the week: Saturday
Color: Purple
Number 9
Altar cloths can be purple. To incorporate the number 9 you can either place 9 objects on his altar, give him 9 different offerings or give him the same offering 9 times, recite nine prayers, or light 9 candles. Saturdays are most powerful for spellwork.
Taking On the Essence of a Spirit
When I’m working with a powerful spirit whom I feel a strong connection with I like to perform a simple daily ritual to ask for his/her assistance in daily life. I also like to ask that they (he/she) accept me as follower and a student and grant that they pass their knowledge and abilities to me. In other words, I like to take on their essence. Here is how I go about this.....
Get an image of San Cipriano....a statue, a prayer card, or a printed photo and a photo of yourself. The image gets placed on a surface of its own (shared with nothing else)....to the right side. Your photo is placed in front of the image, facing outwards. A white candle is placed towards the left of the image. Next take a clear glass with no markings, no designs....just a simple clear drinking glass. Fill the glass with filtered tap water and place it in between the image and the candle, and a crucifix is placed on top of the glass. Light the candle and recite this prayer.....
In the name of Jesus,
I invoke San Cipriano through this prayer and charge it with my devotion.
San Cipriano, take me as your loyal and humble follower.
Grant me your protection and liberate me of any danger and harm from my enemies.
Move away all dangers and harm that surround me.
I call on the powerful spirit of San Cipriano,
and ask that you bless this water I place before you.
Empower it with your wisdom and knowledge.
Grant that when I drink this water dedicated to you,
that I take into my body your wisdoms, secrets, and spiritual power.
Grant that it contains the necessary secrets to give strength to all me goals.
I offer this light with love. amen
Allow the glass to remain for 24 hours. When you wake up the next morning take three sips of the water and pour the rest out. Refill the glass for drinking the next morning. The prayer should be recited once a week.
1 comment:
Thanks for the clarification. I can only speak as to what I know. As far as the traditions I am familiar with go, San Cipriano is one guy. And yes, you do not see his name very often. In Mexico he is popular, but I have never heard of a church named after him. In PR he is regarded as the author of his grimoire and one of the worst storms of the last century was named after him. Aside from that, you do not see him much, except in the Cruz de Caravaca which contains three prayers to him and some spells that IMO could only have come from a sorceror, not a catholic priest.
In Lydia Cabrera's "El Monte" in the entries for marjoram and cypress, Lydia Cabrera there is a description of how highly regarded was the book of San Cipriano among Afro-Cuban Paleros.
The only "work" I am aware of involving San Cipriano is use of his grimoire. My sense is that he is approached with some trepidation (and rightfully so, I don't consider him one of the more [for lack of a better term] "user-friendly" saints, viz a viz St. Anthony, for example) in many parts of the Caribbean.
As I mentioned before, I am not too familiar with this area of magic. I have not read the book of San Cipriano cover to cover (I have read the Greater Key of Solomon) so I cannot amplify on what Cabrera was being told by her informants. But I hope this helps.
Paco
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