Christians Unite in Prayer After Kansas Capitol Satanists Clash
Hundreds of Christians gathered Saturday to spiritually reclaim the Kansas state Capitol through prayer and worship. The event follows a chaotic confrontation between Satanists and protesters that led to multiple arrests of the Satanists the day before.
The peaceful counter-ceremony, led by Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann of Kansas City, drew stark contrast to Friday’s violence. As previously reported by Metro Voice News, Catholic bishops had mobilized Christians of all denominations against the planned Satanic black mass, which ultimately ended in chaos when Satanic Grotto leader Michael Stewart was arrested after punching a counter-protester in the Capitol rotunda.
A black mass is a controversial ceremony that parodies the Catholic Mass, and came despite Governor Kelly’s explicit order restricting the ceremony to the Capitol’s exterior.
READ: Satanic Black Mass in Kansas Capitol Sparks Catholic Protest and Legal Action
But love ruled the day on Saturday as Christians showed unity in the aftermath.
“Today we gather not in anger, but in love and prayer, to reaffirm this Capitol as a place of service to all Kansans under God’s providence,” Archbishop Naumann told the assembled crowd of about 500 faithful including Catholics and protestants.
The archbishop’s message of reconciliation came less than 24 hours after Stewart’s attempted ceremony ended in a scuffle and his arrest, along with three others. Stewart had defied Governor Laura Kelly’s order restricting the Satanic ceremony to the Capitol’s exterior.
Video footage from WIBW television showed Stewart first desecrating what appeared to be a religious host on the Capitol steps before entering the building. Inside, he began an apparent invocation to Satan before counter-protester Marcus Schroeder attempted to grab papers from his hands, leading to the altercation and subsequent arrests.
“What happened yesterday was a sad day for Kansas,” said Chuck Weber, executive director of the Kansas Catholic Conference. “Today represents healing and unity.”
The rededication service included prayers, hymns, and a formal blessing of the Capitol building. Participants processed around the grounds, many carrying rosaries and religious images.
Capitol Police maintained a visible but low-key presence during Saturday’s ceremony, which proceeded without incident. The previous day’s events resulted in charges of disorderly conduct and unlawful assembly against Stewart and three others.
State officials are reviewing security protocols following Friday’s violence. Governor Kelly’s office declined to comment on specific security changes but emphasized the state’s commitment to both religious freedom and public safety.
“Our Capitol belongs to all Kansans,” said Archbishop Naumann. “Today we pray not just for our state, but for those who sought to bring darkness here. We respond to hatred with love, to chaos with peace.”
The archbishop’s message resonated with attendees like Mary Hathaway, 62, of Topeka: “After yesterday’s ugliness, we needed this healing. This is how people of faith respond to provocation – with prayer, not violence.”
Some local Christians who attended Friday’s event described a feeling of “heaviness” on their chests at what the Satanists were doing. Others also expressed disappointment and sadness about the display of anger, yelling, and demeaning words that some spectators professed, without offering anything about the love of God.
Eudora resident John More, a Christian who carried a call-to-heaven New England pine tree flag on Friday, said he was motivated to attend because he viewed the satanists’ criticism of Catholics as an assault on religion in general. He and Julie Britschge of Burlingame joined together for a “Jericho Walk,” circling the statehouse grounds seven times. Britschge said the walk was patterned after the biblical story of the Israelites’ march aimed at bringing spiritual change.
“We’re hoping that whatever evil there is today, that He will take care of it,” More said. “I was just planning to add a measure of divine protection.”
Francis Slobodnik, a Topeka representative of the American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family and Property, told hundreds of Christians gathered on the south side of the Capitol on Friday that public officials shouldn’t have allowed satanists to assemble on public property.
“Today’s horrific event, the first of its kind in the history of Kansas, is a sacrilege,” said Slobodnik, as he urged people to engage in a peaceful rally.
Rose Wolfgang, a student at Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas, attended Friday’s events with friends. She said she noticed a couple of things during the event that she had not thought of in a long time.
“First, while these are satanists trying to desecrate the Catholic Church and all that she stands for, they are also scared and frustrated human beings,” she said. “Humans, at their core, are weak beings who can only be made strong through God’s love. I noticed the absolute dedication and love that one side had for the other.”
–Lee Hartman | Metro Voice
