As Halloween approaches, former South African Satanic Church co-founder Riaan Swiegelaar is issuing a severe warning to Christians. In an interview with Charisma Media, he said what many consider a night of fun and costumes is, in fact, a spiritually dangerous celebration rooted in occult practice.
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“Halloween is one of the high days on the satanic calendar,” Swiegelaar said. “It’s a time when groups gather for rituals and blood sacrifices.” According to him, this night has always carried deep spiritual significance for those in Satanism, and it is anything but harmless.
“Sweetening the Blood” — The Dark Meaning Behind Candy
Swiegelaar revealed that even the innocent tradition of handing out candy is steeped in spiritual symbolism within satanic circles. “The whole thing about candy and children connected to Halloween is about sweetening their blood,” he said. “That is literally what that practice is about.”
He explained that the connection between children and candy is not accidental. “People never question why the holiday focuses so much attention on children,” he said. “I can do a whole day seminar just on adrenochrome and the sweetening of children’s blood, but people can do their own research on why this is specifically connected to children.”
According to Swiegelaar, this practice was designed to desensitize families to spiritual darkness and open their homes to demonic influence. What the culture treats as harmless entertainment, he warned, is in reality a modern echo of ancient occult rituals.
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The Power of Blood in the Spirit World
Swiegelaar said that blood is not just a physical substance but a powerful spiritual force. “Blood is the thing in the physical world that has a currency in the spirit world,” he explained. “If you are a cult practitioner or a satanist, you can do certain rituals and bring that blood as an offering to negotiate.”
He clarified that the purer the blood, the more spiritually potent it is. “The purer the blood is, in other words, let’s say you’re using the blood of a baby, for instance, it has a higher currency,” he said.
Yet, he made it clear that no demonic ritual can rival the power of Jesus’ sacrifice. “The blood of Christ is the highest currency in the spirit world,” he declared. “It literally covers all of it.”
How Darkness Masquerades as Fun
Swiegelaar emphasized that what looks like a playful celebration can actually serve as an invitation to evil. “Anything to do with death, anything to do with the demonic, ghosts, carving pumpkins and lighting candles inside them serves as a little lighthouse, a magnet for the demonic,” he said.
He directly challenged Christians who see Halloween as harmless. “If you are bought with the blood of Christ, which is the highest price that you were bought at, why would you act like you are still for sale?” he asked.
Christians cannot afford to participate in traditions that glorify darkness, even under the guise of fun.
A Call to Spiritual Discernment
For Swiegelaar, who once led rituals and oversaw satanic gatherings, this issue is not theoretical—it is personal. After his encounter with Jesus, he devoted his life to exposing the reality of spiritual warfare and warning the church to stay vigilant.
“Eighty percent of Christians don’t have discernment,” he said. “They seek the benefits of Christ, but they’re not seeking the healer. They’re seeking deliverance, but they’re not seeking the deliverer.”
He believes this lack of discernment has made the church vulnerable to spiritual deception, especially during times like Halloween.
Pray, Don’t Play
Swiegelaar urges Christians to respond with prayer and worship rather than participation. “Worship as much as possible during that time,” he said. “The devil cannot stand worship.”
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He insists that Halloween is not simply cultural or innocent but an open door to spiritual oppression. Having once stood on the other side of that darkness, Swiegelaar speaks with authority and urgency: believers must close that door for good and cover their homes, children and communities with the blood of Christ.
James Lasher, a seasoned writer and editor at Charisma Media, combines faith and storytelling with a background in journalism from Otterbein University and ministry experience in Guatemala and the LA Dream Center. A Marine Corps and Air Force veteran, he is the author of The Revelation of Jesus: A Common Man’s Commentary and a contributor to Charisma magazine.
As a Christian scholar and activist among new religions who has researched Halloween and Paganism extensively, this is a lotta bunk, theologically speaking. We are drawn to alleged ex-occultists as people who supposedly speak with authority, and then they offer this misinformed and conspiracy theory perspective at this time of year. There are many better resources, such as those by the late Phil Wyman who ministered for years among Pagans in Salem. Christians, we need to build bridges to Pagan neighbors, not fences through misinformation.