History of The Witches’ Sabbath

Journey with us into the dark imagination of medieval Europe as we explore the birth of the witches’ sabbath. These weren’t just stories—they were detailed testimonies that religious authorities believed revealed an existential threat to Christendom itself. From the inlands of  Switzerland to the remote mountaintops of France, discover how ancient fears and folklore about nighttime spirits coalesced into a conspiracy theory so powerful it would color centuries of witch hunts.

But the sabbath’s influence didn’t end in medieval Europe. Follow its dark legacy across the Atlantic to the Salem witch trials, where Puritan New England became gripped by visions of devilish sacraments in village pastures. How did these European fantasies of organized devil worship take root in American soil, and what does their evolution tell us about the fears that drive societies to see enemies lurking in their midst?

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Listen and subscribe wherever you enjoy podcasts:

⁠⁠Buy the book: Origins of the Witches Sabbath by Michael D. Bailey⁠

⁠Salem Witch Trials Documentary Archive and Transcription Project⁠

⁠The Thing About Salem Website⁠

⁠⁠The Thing About Salem YouTube⁠

⁠⁠The Thing About Salem Patreon⁠

⁠⁠The Thing About Witch Hunts YouTube⁠⁠

⁠⁠The Thing About Witch Hunts Website


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