Supernatural Cefalù: the ‘black magic’ of Aleister Crowley
Radiant on the North coast of Sicily, Cefalù is known for its breathtaking beaches and timeless charm. However, behind its idyllic facade it lies a dark chapter in the history of Western mysticism. A chapter written by the extraordinary Aleister Crowley, known as the ‘Wickedest Man in the World’, who left an indelible mark on the city with his Abbey of Thélema. Here is the most mysterious aspect of this destination, steeped in the occult and black magic: are you ready to uncover this enigmatic figure and the legacy he left in town? Sicilian Secrets will guide you…
When we say ‘Cefalù’, everyone surely knows what we’re talking about: a beautiful Sicilian town, a highly popular destination in summer, and fascinating in every season. But if we instead mention ‘Aleister Crowley’…does anything come to mind? Probably not, but this man and this renowned place in the province of Palermo have something in common, much more than you might think! To tell this story painted with black magic and occultism, we must take a leap back into the past…let’s jump on a time machine, and it’s immediately 1920. In that year, after several trips around the world, Aleister Crowley chose to settle in Cefalù. Why?
This famous occultist, writer, and magician was attracted by this place because of its aura of mystery and its isolation. He decided to establish himself here to create a community dedicated to the practice of his esoteric doctrines, based on the philosophy of Thélema, which he himself had developed. Crowley chose an ancient villa on the hills above Cefalù to make his ambitious project real, which is known as the Abbey of Thélema (or Villa Santa Barbara), but his person remains highly controversial to this day.
His nicknames are not so supportive: he used to call himself as ‘the Beast 666,’ and for many people he was even considered the inspiration behind Satanism. Yet, despite his ‘dark’ reputation, most scholars who have delved into the life of Aleister Crowley agree that he did not practice violent rites…nothing more than some animal sacrifice, although unfortunately, we cannot be entirely sure as some evidences tell of something decidedly more gruesome. So, ultimately, is he just the protagonist of a grim ‘legend’?
Who was Aleister Crowley?
Aleister Crowley is closely connected with the history of new magical movements, so much so that his aim was to create a magical religion by developing his own community of followers in Cefalù. The Abbey of Thélema was founded drawing inspiration from its namesake, which in the 16th century, the writer François Rabelais had imagined as built by the giant Gargantua with a specific rule: “Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law, Love is the law, love under will because free and educated people, by nature, feel an instinct and inclination that drives them to virtuous acts, keeping them away from vice, understood as religion”.
Huge was his interest – sometimes even obsessive – in sexuality in all its forms, but also in tarot and Qabalah. And for Cefalù, such a strong love that made him desire to be buried on the Rock, not far from the Temple of Diana. A wish that never came true since Crowley, having attracted the attention of local authorities with his practices and being reported as dangerous, was accused of anti-fascism and expelled from Italy in 1923.
The Connection with Cefalù
The years in Cefalù, albeit brief and fleeting, were essential for Aleister Crowley’s life. It is said that occult ceremonies, magical rituals, and alchemical experiments took place within the walls of the Abbey of Thélema, fueling speculation about the presence of dark forces and supernatural influences. Although the abbey was abandoned by Crowley in 1923, his passage left an indelible mark on the city’s history and imagination with a legacy still visible today. There was curiosity about this character, something that has never faded and has attracted journalists like Kenneth Anger, photographers and writers such as Fosco Maraini and Emilio Servadio, as well as esotericism proponents who came on a sort of ‘pilgrimage’.
Until the late 1960s, it happened that someone asked the inhabitants of Cefalù about Crowley, and the appellation with which someone remembered him was simply ‘u magu’ (the wizard).
Inside the Abbey, oil-painted frescoes with erotic scenes were found, covered with lime by the will of the Church of the time, as well as a magic circle on a floor – hidden by concrete – in the room of rituals.
What remains: Crowley’s legacy
Probably, at this point, you might be wondering if it’s possible to visit the Abbey of Thélema while in Cefalù. Unfortunately, the answer is no. Or rather, the building still stands but in dilapidated conditions and therefore inaccessible, there on the hills above the town. In solitude. Anyone who wants to observe the wall decorations made by Crowley must be content with photographs taken years and years ago, that continue to arouse interest and debate among scholars of occultism and enthusiasts of mystical history. Aleister Crowley is quoted in the writings of Umberto Eco and Leonardo Sciascia, is central to two novels by Vincenzo Consolo and W. S. Maugham, and still features on the cover of the Beatles album ‘Sgt. Pepper’. Can you spot him?
And lastly, it must be remembered – since we’re talking about music – that in 1974, even Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin, the world’s largest collector of Crowleyan relics, visited for the first time the home of the one who called himself ‘the wickedest man in the world’.
