
Unsettling images of Satan followers wearing clown noses and long dark robes performing a night-time ceremony have been revealed in a series of photos.

The men, who appear made up like Pennywise the Dancing Clown from Stephen King’s horror book It, are pictured taking part in 'dark harlequin-style' ritual in the suburbs of Prague, Czech Republic.

The group, photographed by local photographer David Tesinsky, is said to believe in 'individualism' and worship the Czech-Slovakian temple of Satan.

The Church of Satan does not believe in the Devil, nor a Christian or Islamic notion of Satan. Satanists are atheists who consider themselves as being the most important person in their universe, and are thus sometimes said to worship themselves.

They do not perform sacrifices, but can take part in ritual practices, to 'purge' themselves of 'unwanted emotional baggage that might be hindering a daily pursuit of joy in life,' according to the church.

The group were believed to be taking part in a 'dark harlequin-style' ritual as they sit around a symbol drawn on the floor

Photographer David Tesinsky said that he 'documented them because I want to kill the stereotype. They are all about individualism and they want happy lives'

They do not perform sacrifices, but can take part in ritual practices, to 'purge' themselves of 'unwanted emotional baggage'

Tesinsky, 28, was invited into the house on the edge of Prague to document the group who have been practicing satanistic and hoo-doo rituals for the past 25 years.

He said the group had been contacted by many photographers over the last decade, but were always refused entry.

'This group practice Satanism because it makes their lives happy and successful. It was a very spiritual experience for them and they compare it to any other faith such as Christianity or Buddhism,' Tesinsky explained.

The Church of Satan was established at the Black House in San Francisco, California, in 1966, by Anton Szandor LaVey. He was born in Chicago in 1930, and was a talented musician who left school at the age of 16 to join the circus.

In the ritual that Tesinksy observed in Prague, the Satan followers were dressed up in ceremonial robes and big red clown noses, while some had white face paint and other markings drawn on them.

Looking like 'dark clowns' they apparently walked into public places after midnight, showing 'no emotions at all, didn't talk, and went to the nearest cemetery', Tesinsky said.

Unsettling images showing Satan followers wearing clown noses and long dark robes

The Satan worshippers made their way out and about onto the streets of Prague in their unusual attire

Taking a tipple ahead of the Dark Harlequin, Atlach-Nacha ceremony are these Satan worshippers, with faces covered in white paint and black markings

His pictures show the group appearing to wave wands and sitting around a strange symbol drawn on the floor.

Tesinsky was invited to observe them for 'Dark Harlequin, Atlach-Nacha'.

The ceremony ‘can be performed in deep caves or streets, forests and jungles', he explained. Eight new silver candles, which are placed in a circle, a silver cup, elixir and drums help set the scene.

There are three basic types of Satanic ritual outlined in the Satanic Bible: for compassion (for oneself and others), lust (to release unrequited sexual urges) and destruction, to 'cleanse oneself of anger towards someone who has done you an injustice', according to the Church of Satan.

Tesinsky said that he documented the group performing its ritual 'because I want to kill the stereotype. They are all about individualism and they want happy lives.

'There is nothing really dark as is the 'stereotype'. When they are finished, they hop in their cars and drive back to their families.'

The group worships the Czech-Slovakian temple of Satan and they do it because they believe in individualism

The Church of Satan does not believe in the Devil, nor a Christian or Islamic notion of Satan

Satanists are atheists who consider themselves as being the most important person in their universe, and are thus sometimes said to worship themselves

Looking like 'dark clowns' they apparently walked into public places after midnight, showing 'no emotions at all, didn't talk, and went to the nearest cemetery', photographer David Tesinsky said

The organisation was established at the Black House in San Francisco, California, in 1966, by Anton Szandor LaVey