Star in a circle: what does this symbol mean? where did he come from? All the meanings and history of the creation of the pentagram

Drawings consisting of figures and signs have been used since time immemorial. It is unknown who first invented the pentagram depicting an equilateral five-pointed star. This sign is found in the tombs of the pharaohs and on Sumerian clay tablets dating back to the 4th millennium BC. Tracing the path of the pentagram from those ancient years to the present day is not easy. She then went into the shadows, then loudly declared herself again. Now this sign is at the peak of popularity. The inverted pentagram of the devil is used by Satanists for their dark deeds, and the correct one is used by Christians for protection from these same Satanists. What is the essence and attractiveness of this sign?

What does a pentagram mean?

The word "pentagram" has Greek roots. "Pente" (πέντε) in Greek means five, and "grammi" (γραμμή) means line. This sign came to Hellas from Mesopotamia. There, the five-rayed star was a powerful protective amulet. They believed in her power so much that they even painted them on the doors of houses and shops. The rulers of ancient Babylon associated the star with strength and power and depicted it on their seals. However, there is a version that the pentagram originally belonged not to the Sumerians, but to the goddess Kore. Its sacred fruit was an apple, which contained the Great Secret of the Universe, and which should not become the property of man. It was this forbidden fruit that the cunning devil slipped to Eve. Cut the apple crosswise and you will see a small five-pointed star there. Who knows, perhaps this legend about the pentagram is the most reliable? It is not without reason that as long as humanity has existed, it has been searching for this “apple of knowledge.”

What does a star mean in Orthodoxy?

For the Jews, the star means the Pentateuch given by the Lord to Moses. These are books in which the basic laws are concentrated and the very rhythm of Jewish life is determined: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy. They contain the essence of the Old Testament faith.

The pentagram is used in the interior of the Cathedral of the Nativity in Bethlehem

But the pentagram embodies all the main tenets of Christianity, and is also their visible designation:

Pentagram and "divine section"

The famous Pythagoras was captivated by the pentagram with the ideality of its proportions, corresponding to the golden, or divine, section, which has a lot of mathematical and magical properties. According to it, Egyptian pyramids, tombs of pharaohs, figures of gods and goddesses were built. Pythagoras saw mathematical perfection in this sign. There is an opinion that it was he who called it a pentagram. The scientist and his brotherhood of Pythagoreans associated the angles of the pentagram with the five elements. Earth, physical strength and stability (bottom left corner), fire, courage and bravery (bottom right corner), air, mind, talents (top left corner), water, emotions, foresight (top right corner), ether, spirit and its higher purpose (upper corner). In their inverted form, the star meant the universal chaos from which our world arose. Darkness was then located in five refuges (corners) and was considered the source of wisdom. This inverted image, now called the “Satanic pentagram”, is considered the most ancient.

Celtic star

The pentagram amulet is represented in the form of a star with five corners, which, in general, is exactly how it is translated from Latin. For clarity, here is a photo depicting a person symbolizing, first of all, health. The Celts believed that in addition to health, this sign brings incredible luck and wealth. In addition, the pentagram indicates a person’s connection with higher powers - the gods, who give all the listed gifts to the person wearing such a talisman. The star also expresses the best feelings inherent in people. Love for the soul, justice for the will, kindness for the heart, wisdom for the intellect, truth for the spirit. And importantly, the pentagram combines four more natural elements together with metal, forming five elements that are important, from the point of view of the Celts.

The meaning of the pentagram among other peoples

The Jews associated the pentagram with the Pentateuch given to Moses by God himself. Ancient philosophers, Orpheists, Egyptians - members of the “Keepers of the Secret” group, the Templars, ancient Gnostics, who had a special idea of \u200b\u200bthe world, are also associated with the five-pointed star. Their common symbol is the pentagram. They painted it on their coats of arms, shields and seals. Since almost all of these organizations were shrouded in secrecy, their signs and symbols acquired a certain element of mysticism. For example, the pentagram “star in a circle”. The meaning of this symbol was translated as the silence of the initiates. He was credited with not only protective powers, but also the ability to give power, invincibility, and power. Alexander the Great and Constantine I, the Roman Emperor, depicted the pentagram on their seals, and the nephew of the glorious King Arthur on his shield. For a knight, the star meant courage, nobility, piety, chastity and politeness.

Pentagram and Christianity

For European Christians, the five-pointed star has always been a symbol of goodness and health. They associated her with the five human senses, the five fingers on the hand, the five wounds of Christ, the five joys of St. Mary, which her divine son brought her. It was also the most important symbol of the fact that Christ is the Son of God, but has a human nature.

And only Torquemada, who laid the foundation for the most terrible Inquisition, unprecedented in scale and cruelty, saw something satanic in the five-pointed star. The Church banned this good sign. Now it was regarded as the devil's pentagram.

Seal of the legendary King Solomon

According to the Bible, a long time ago there lived the great and mystical King Solomon, who inexplicably managed to reconcile and unite into one two irreconcilable states - Israel and Judea. It is believed that God himself appointed Solomon to reign, endowing him with a mass of talents. From his father David he received a special sign - a six-pointed star made of two regular triangles superimposed on each other. Solomon placed this star on his seals and ring, which, according to legend, gave him power over spirits. Now some depict this seal with eight rays, and some with twelve. All these signs are called the “seal of Solomon” and are used in occultism. Thus, special symbols are inscribed in the center of the twelve-rayed star, due to which the pentacle enhances talents and capabilities. Medieval magicians were also very interested in the seal of Solomon, only they depicted a star not with six, but with five rays. Perhaps the use of the pentacle in magic prompted Torquemada to call it that way: “the devil’s pentagram”, or “witch’s foot”.

The meaning of Celtic patterns and ornaments

Of course, when talking about Ireland, many of us remember the ancient people - the Celts. Despite the fact that the Celts occupied a vast territory - in addition to Ireland, they also lived in the territory of modern Great Britain, France, Belgium, etc. - it is Ireland that is the direct heir to their distinctive culture and art.

The Celts seem to be a mysterious people - it seems that Ireland is imbued with the mystical secrets of the Celts. Suffice it to recall the mysterious Druids, runes possessing magical powers and complex, incredibly beautiful ornaments, to which the Celts attached no less importance than to runes.

Nowadays, few people think about the meaning of ornaments. It seems that they were carved on stones, painted on walls and embroidered on clothes with them just for beauty. But this, of course, is not true. The Celts were unique in that they attached great importance to everything. And I would like to remind readers of the meaning that the Celts put into their incredible patterns.

Celtic designs are composed of individual knots, each knot consisting of a continuous thread representing a person's life path. It was with these “braids” that the Celts denoted the lives of certain people.

Another important symbol was the “labyrinth” - it leads from the periphery to the center and denotes the spiritual concentration, continuity and coherence of all things in the universe.

The Celtic cross is a union of earthly and heavenly forces, feminine and masculine principles. The ends of the cross symbolize the spiritual expansion of consciousness, and the inner circle is the union of the forces of earth and heaven:

Spirals (or “triskele”) are a symbol of the elements, a symbol of the balance of earth, water and sky. It also denotes the threefold nature of the spirit, concentrated at one point and extending into infinity.

The “Tree of Life” is a sacred tree, drinking with its roots the waters of life from the heart of Mother Earth, opening the branches of its crown in the skies. Connects Heaven and Earth, providing a connection between the earthly and the heavenly. I think it now becomes clear why the Celts worshiped trees

The shamrock is a symbol of the unity of Earth, Sky and Fire, a symbol of good luck and the favor of the Gods. Yes, yes, this is a clover leaf!

Birds are heavenly messengers, symbols of the spirit freed from earthly ties, communicating with heavenly forces—messengers of the Gods.

Snakes are symbols of healing, protectors of health, symbols of wisdom, regeneration, rebirth, restoration of vital energy.

The dragon is a protective spirit, guardian of the gates to other worlds, protecting the inhabitants of the Earth from the invasion of hostile forces.

My article, of course, does not show all the Celtic symbols; there are many more of them. But these are the most famous and widespread.

The ancient Celts wrote entire stories with ornaments - chronicles of the events in the lives of individuals and entire nations, recorded myths, legends and depicted important events.

I hope that now, knowing the meanings of the ornaments (if you didn’t know them before, of course), it will be much more interesting to use them in your work.

PS: When compiling this article, pictures from Chris Down’s book “Celtic Patterns” were used.

Five-pointed star and the occult

Another symbolism of the pentagram was adopted by Renaissance occultists. They connected it with the microcosm. This word also has Greek roots. μικρός among the Greeks means “small”, and κόσμος means “people” or “Universe”. They began to inscribe a human figure into the star, linking it with the Pythagorean five elements. Now the pentacle has acquired material significance as a result of the work of the spiritual principle. The occultists depicted a pentagram “star in a circle.” The meaning of the circle was defined as the unity of all five elements, and also as a sacred mystical place where the spirit controls the other four elements. The connection between the pentagram and the microcosm was started by Cornelius Agrippa, the most famous magician of the 16th century. Therefore, some call this sign the “Pentacle of Agrippa.” Often above the tops of the rays the name IHShVH, the divine savior in occultism, and in particular in Kabbalah, is written.

The meaning of a five-pointed star

Together they mean eternity. The pentagram is also associated with 5 senses: sight, hearing, smell, touch, taste. Astrologically associated with 5 planets: Jupiter, Mars, Saturn, Mercury and Venus. Each ray of the symbol characterizes an element:

Each of the corners of the sign has a connection with a specific element.

fire, representing courage and boldness;
water - emotions and intuition;
earth - stability and physical strength;
air - intelligence and art;
spirit or spirit - Divine Deity and All That Is.

Ancient times and the Middle Ages

Ancient scientists endowed the star with power and authority, and it was believed that the symbol was capable of helping and protecting. Therefore, the sign was often applied to amulets and house doors. The medieval monks of Hildegard gave the pentagram a divine meaning, so they often placed a human figure inside. Later, in the work of K. Agrippa “Occult Philosophy,” the theory of “microcosm” was outlined, according to which the pentacle became a symbol of man’s spiritual work in the world around him. Subsequently, the interpretation of the sign was reduced more to magical and alchemical meaning.

In Christianity

The sharp end of the star, directed upward, symbolizes the transition of the material into the spiritual, and going downward - the embodiment of the spirit in the body. In early Christianity, the pentacle symbolized spiritual protection, and later began to characterize the 5 wounds of Christ. The name of Jesus was also put into the pentacle, in Hebrew - Yeshua. The sign was placed on coats of arms, robes of clergy, and used to decorate the walls and windows of temples. A striking example is the St. Petersburg Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood. But gradually the pentagram began to be criticized by fundamentalist Christians. The church eventually chose the cross as the more important symbol of Christianity, and the use of the pentagram as a Christian symbol was discontinued.

In occultism

The seal of Baphomet is a mandatory attribute of any satanic ritual.
Satanists officially use an inverted star, the seal of the goat-like idol of Baphomet, in their rituals. Such a pentagram means the underworld, where fallen angels live, and its rays symbolize chaos and do not contain spiritual power. The downward direction of the star indicates the predominance of dark forces over light ones, of evil over good.

Seal of Solomon

The first image looks like a star with a peak pointing upward and enclosed in a circle. There is a legend that a powerful magician presented it as a gift to the king, after which he successfully ruled the Israelites. With the power of the seal, Solomon bound 72 demons, imprisoned, and they served the king. The amulet attracts wealth, brings victory in battles, strengthens physical and mental health. The meaning of the symbol changes with the number of corners of the figure in the circle. The magic pentacle of Solomon pendant helps in trading and warns against unwise spending of money. The wearer of the seal will not be harmed by weapons or the darkness of dark forces, but the secrets of the worlds will be revealed.

When did the inverted pentagram first become a symbol of Satanism?

The five-pointed equilateral star has been used by many peoples, secret societies and movements for thousands of years. It was called so - “the devil’s pentagram” - in the 18th century with the light hand of the Frenchman Eliphas Levi. At first he was a clergyman. Subsequently, he became interested in the occult, left his abbey and devoted himself entirely to mysticism. He published several books on magic and ritual. He even spent time in prison for one of them. Answering the question what the pentagram means, Levi stated that it embodies the dominance of the spirit, helps to subjugate angels, demons and phantoms, you just need to know how to handle it. Whoever masters this knowledge will be able to see infinity. In a book of practical magic called The Doctrine and Ritual of High Magic, he wrote that an inverted pentagram frames the head of the goat of Mendes. I hate to disappoint Satan worshipers, but the unfortunate exiled goat Mendes existed only in the fantasies of the Roman Church. But there was the god of Mendes. This is the well-known Egyptian god Amon Ra with the head of a ram. Clever Levi, of course, knew this and, by inventing the satanic symbol of the pentagram, most likely created a trap for the uninitiated.

Symbol of modern Satanists

Levy's idea was supported by the American Anton LaVey. For many years he was a priest in the Church of Satan he created and promoted Satanism in every possible way, in particular, he held satanic weddings, funerals, and even baptized his daughter Zina according to satanic rites. He created his own teaching, combining the ideas of magic and the occult, wrote the Satanic Bible and many articles. The symbol of his church was the devil's pentagram. The photo clearly shows what this sign looks like, which Satanists call the seal of Baphomet. The Satanic god Baphomet is depicted as a goat with large horns and wings on his back. The troubadour Gavaudan first wrote about it in the 12th century. The inquisitors believed that Baphomet was worshiped by the Templars, for which many of them were burned. LaVey gave the sign worldwide fame by participating in television programs and starring in films about the devil. In one of them he played the high priest, in the other - Satan himself.

What does the secret meaning of the Triquetra symbol indicate?

In the modern world, the interpretation of the sign is strikingly different from the original one. Several centuries ago, the triquetra was widely used by the Celts, Vikings, English, and Germans. There is evidence that the Slavs did not ignore this symbol. Ancient artifacts haunt scientists today.

They cannot agree on a common opinion and disputes continue between them regarding the meaning of the triquetra. This sign appeared on various objects of world cultures. Norway's coins, minted during the Yngling dynasty, featured the triquetra.

In the 10th century, symbols began to be used in Rus'. The sign ran across clothing in the form of an ornament; it was applied to jewelry and household utensils. For Russian people, it was a sign of family ties, marriage, and protection of the home from evil forces. It is clear that the triquetra was created by ancient people, with thoughts about something global, about the universe. It has not yet been possible to reveal its original meaning.

Triquetra is an ancient sacred sign of Central and Northern Europe.

This sign symbolizes the phases of the movement of the Sun in the sky. Many peoples used it as an amulet, symbolizing rebirth and infinity.

But for the ancient Scandinavians, this sign personified the triad and was closely associated with the god of thunder and lightning (Thor). There is another interpretation of this sign. It is also called the Triquetra knot.

Pentagram - protection from dark forces

Satanists use their symbol to subjugate the forces of evil. Pentagrams protect everyone else from these forces. For the sign to work, you need to draw it with one continuous line clockwise. It is believed that there should not be a single break in the contour of the pentagram. Demons and evil spirits that penetrate such a gap will be very difficult to neutralize. An example of this is Mephistopheles from Goethe's Faust. In addition to hard surfaces, pentagrams for protection are drawn in the air, visually imagining this image and mentally, as if enclosing oneself inside. Only those who have a powerful imagination can do this correctly. Many people wear a pentagram-amulet like a medallion, either with one ray up or with two. Such pentagrams only became satanic at the instigation of Levi. Previously, they signified the descent of Christ onto our mortal earth. Confirmation of this is the icons of Andrei Rublev, stained glass windows and frescoes in many cathedrals.

Types of pentagrams

Currently, there are three types of pentagrams - personal, protective and with the signs of the planets. Personal ones are compiled taking into account the date of birth, the names of the guardian angels and the sign of the planets under which you were lucky enough to be born. Such a pentagram helps to establish a close connection with the guardian angel and patron angel.

Pentagrams with signs of planets help to achieve the fulfillment of any desire, to achieve a goal. These pentacles are also composed individually.

The pentacles of protection are the most ancient. Our ancestors made them as amulets. The protective pentagram helps in a specific situation, for example during travel or for recovery.

For any pentagram to start working, it must be activated by performing special rituals. That's what the white magicians say. Whether this is true or not, everyone can check it personally.