by Kaci

Created on: October 15, 2008   Last Updated: November 11, 2009

The pentagram, also called the pentacle, is a symbol of faith used most commonly by the Wiccans. However, throughout the years the pentagram has been desecrated by Hollywood movies. Time and time again, the pentagram has been used as a sign of devil worship and has been related to vampires and werewolves. With everyone believing Hollywood's depiction of this religious symbol how are people to know what the pentagram truly stands for.?

The Wiccans use the pentagram as many things. It is used to protect against evil, the five points of the star symbolizes "spikes" that protect the inside of the pentagram, or the "womb". The pentagram also represents the five elements, four of matter (the earth, air, fire and water) and spirit. Typically, spirit resides on the top point, air and water reside on the two middle points, and earth and fire complete the pentacle on the bottom points.

The way the pentagram is drawn is also an important factor for the Wiccans. For example, when the pentagram has one point up it represents spirit ruling matter and is a symbol for rightness. If the pentagram is flipped and earth and fire are facing up, the emphasis is put on the carnal nature of man. An important factor in rituals is which direction the pentagram is built. This simply means at which point you start to draw the pentagram. If it is started from the top and goes down it is used for invoking something. In contrast, if it's started from the bottom and drawn upwards it is used for banishing things.

While the Wiccans' pentagram is used purely for good, another religion also uses the pentagram. Satanism uses the inverted pentagram. It is often drawn in a double circle and the head of a goat is inside the pentagram. That pentagram symbolizes the rejection of the holy Trinity. The Wiccans also use an inverted pentagram but their meaning for it is completely different. If a Wiccan uses a pentagram with two points up it is associated with the Second Degree Initiation.

The pentagram is mainly associated with Wiccans and Satanism but Christians also used the pentagram. Christians used to believe the pentagram symbolized the five wounds of Christ and was believed to protect against witches and other demons. The pentagram also used to be believed to represent the five senses, five fingers, the five virtues of knighthood (noble generosity, fellowship, purity, compassion, and courtesy), and finally the five joys that Mary had of Jesus (Annunciation, Nativity, Resurrection, Ascension, and Assumption). Once the pentagram became associated with Satanism it was rejected by most of Christianity in the twentieth century.

So while a form of the pentagram can be used to represent "evil" and devil worshipping, it is generally used for good.

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