(ZENIT News / Kansas City, 03.31.2025).- A dramatic confrontation unfolded at the Kansas State Capitol as a planned “black mass” by the Satanic Grotto was disrupted, leading to the arrest of the group’s leader, Gavin Stewart. The event, which had already sparked backlash from Catholic leaders and faith-based organizations, escalated into physical altercations when Stewart struck a young man who interrupted his ritual.
According to eyewitness accounts, Stewart had entered the Capitol under the condition that no demonstrations would take place inside the building. However, upon reaching the rotunda, he raised his arms and made an offering to Satan. This prompted an immediate response from bystanders, with one woman confronting him verbally while a man approached, holding a religious medallion and praying.
Tensions reached a breaking point when an individual attempted to seize a piece of paper from Stewart’s hand during his ritualistic «dedication.» In response, Stewart lashed out, striking the young man in the face, an act that was caught on camera. Capitol law enforcement officers swiftly intervened, placing Stewart under arrest.
The Satanic Grotto had previously announced its intention to challenge an order from Kansas Governor Laura Kelly, which prohibited their ritual from taking place inside the Capitol. Catholic leaders, including Archbishop Joseph Naumann of Kansas City, had openly condemned the event, urging believers to resist not with anger but with prayer.
BREAKING: The leader of the Satanic Grotto gets arrested at Kansas State Capitol for assaulting a Catholic during a «Black Mass» attempt. pic.twitter.com/oo55sxO0SN
— CatholicVote (@CatholicVote) March 28, 2025
In direct response to the planned satanic ritual, the American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family, and Property (TFP) organized a public rosary rally outside the Capitol. Hundreds of Catholics gathered on the morning of March 28, praying in defiance of what they viewed as an act of desecration. Across the street, Archbishop Naumann presided over a Eucharistic adoration service and Mass at the Church of the Assumption, which reportedly drew around 400 attendees.
Naumann, who recently settled a legal dispute with the Satanic Grotto over allegations that the group had stolen a consecrated host, reiterated his call for a peaceful and prayerful response, emphasizing that anger and violence would only serve the forces they opposed.
As tensions continued outside the Capitol, another confrontation unfolded on the building’s steps. During the black mass, Stewart reportedly began stomping on unconsecrated communion wafers as part of the ritual. A Catholic protester attempted to intervene at which point Stewart allegedly punched him. Law enforcement intervened once again, removing Stewart from the scene.
Following Stewart’s arrest inside the Capitol, two other individuals associated with the Satanic Grotto attempted to continue the ritual but were also taken into custody. While charges have yet to be officially announced, the arrests have intensified the controversy surrounding the event.
The presence of Catholic protesters far outnumbered those supporting the satanic ritual. Local news outlet WIBW reported that only about 20 individuals participated in the Satanic Grotto’s event, in contrast to the 400 Catholics gathered in prayer.
For many, the stark contrast in attendance was seen as a testament to the power of faith in the face of provocation. While the Satanic Grotto sought to challenge religious institutions through their ritual, the response from the Catholic community was clear: prayer, not violence, would be their weapon of choice.
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