Why Coffee Was Once Considered Satanic

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☕️ Satanic Coffee? How the Devil Nearly Got Credit for Your Morning Brew

Date: June 25, 2025
Category: History | Culture | Coffee Lore

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The Devil’s Brew: Why Coffee Was Once Considered Satanic

You may love your morning coffee—but if you lived in the 16th or 17th century, that cup of aromatic brew might’ve been called the “bitter invention of Satan.” Yes, seriously.

Coffee—today a global ritual of energy and comfort—was once considered so suspicious, so exotic, and so socially disruptive that priests, sultans, and even popes debated whether it was the work of the devil himself.

So, what gave coffee such a dark reputation?

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Coffee Arrives in Europe: A Suspicious Stimulant

Coffee originated in Ethiopia, where legend tells of a goatherd named Kaldi who noticed his goats acting wild after chewing on the berries of a certain bush. Those berries became the basis for early brews in Arabia, particularly in Yemen, where Sufi monks used it to stay awake during long nights of worship.

By the time coffee reached Venice in the late 1500s, it had already traveled through the Islamic world—from Mecca to Cairo to Istanbul. Europeans, especially conservative Christians, viewed it with deep suspicion.

Because coffee came from Muslim lands, many called it "the devil's drink" and worried that it would corrupt Christian minds and morals.

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The Church’s Dilemma: Is Coffee Evil or Divine?

Clerics and scholars warned that coffee was more than just a foreign beverage—it was a tool of temptation. Some claimed it stirred rebellious thoughts, excessive conversation, even lustful energy.

One 17th-century Italian priest allegedly declared:

“This infernal brew should be banned. It comes from the enemies of Christ and inflames the blood.”

But not everyone agreed. In fact, the drink’s growing popularity forced the Church to make a decision. The turning point came with Pope Clement VIII.

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Pope Clement VIII's Taste Test

By the early 1600s, coffee had become too popular to ignore. Desperate to settle the matter, Church officials brought the question to Pope Clement VIII, expecting a ban.

Instead, the Pope reportedly asked for a cup himself.

After tasting it, he declared:

“This Satan’s drink is so delicious… it would be a pity to let the infidels have exclusive use of it.”

And just like that, coffee was baptized into Christian Europe—and the notion of it being satanic began to fade. But the fear never truly disappeared.

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Coffeehouses: Breeding Grounds for Rebellion?

Even after gaining the Pope’s approval, coffee still stirred trouble. In England, France, and the Ottoman Empire, coffeehouses were seen as places of radical ideas, poetry, politics, and heresy.

Sultan Murad IV of the Ottoman Empire banned coffee and punished drinkers severely. In 1675, King Charles II of England issued a proclamation warning that coffeehouses were “seminaries of sedition.”

In other words, coffee gave people too many ideas—and that alone made it dangerous.

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Satan or Stimulus? Coffee in Modern Occult Culture

Even today, the “satanic” label occasionally resurfaces—though more in jest or aesthetic than real belief. Gothic cafes, dark roast blends with names like “Lucifer’s Latte” or “Hellbrew”, and occult-themed packaging nod to the old myth with a wink.

But for some religious communities, coffee is still controversial. Certain sects (like some in Mormonism) continue to discourage its use, seeing it as a stimulant that affects the body and spirit.

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Conclusion: A Devilishly Good Drink

The next time you sip your espresso or enjoy a cold brew, remember this: once upon a time, your favorite beverage was accused of being demonic.

But history proved that coffee wasn’t evil—it was just misunderstood.

Whether fueling Sufi mystics, rebellious poets, or sleepy commuters, coffee has always been a brew that awakens more than just the body. And if that feels a little powerful… well, maybe that’s why it scared the world in the first place.

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Key Figures and Moments

• Kaldi the Goatherd – Legendary discoverer of coffee’s power
• Pope Clement VIII – “Baptized” coffee into Christian Europe
• Sultan Murad IV – Banned coffee in the Ottoman Empire
• King Charles II – Tried to shut down England’s coffeehouses
• Sufi Monks – Used coffee to stay awake for spiritual rituals

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Tags:

#CoffeeHistory #SatanicCoffee #PopeAndCoffee #CoffeeLore #DevilsBrew #CoffeehouseRevolution