Enchiridion Leonis Papae Grimoire

5r Translated, edited and introduced by Paul Summers Young. Modern Reprint. ENGLISH

Notes

When Marie Bosse was arrested in Paris, in January 1679, among her possessions was a copy of an unusual magical text. The Enchiridion Leonis Papae — Pope Leo's Handbook — has since acquired notoriety as a work of 'black magic', largely due to its association with the subsequent 'Affair of the Poisons', and the aura it acquired among 19th-century occult revivalists. This new edition has been translated into Modern English from the French and Latin of the 1633 and includes new rubrics illuminating how the text would have been employed by a clerical or lay practitioner of the day.

The Enchiridion Leonis Papae (Handbook of Pope Leo) is a mystical and magical grimoire traditionally attributed to Pope Leo III, though its true authorship and origins are uncertain. First appearing in the 17th century, the text claims to have been given by Pope Leo to Charlemagne as a spiritual and protective manual. It contains prayers, invocations, and charms intended for protection, health, and success, often invoking Christian imagery alongside magical intentions. Despite its ecclesiastical veneer, the Enchiridion blends Christian devotion with folk magic, making it a curious example of how religious and occult traditions were often intertwined in early modern Europe. It was widely circulated and used as a talismanic book, sometimes carried or worn for its supposed protective powers.

Description

Hardcover bound in yellow Fedrigoni Imitlin. Printed on 115 g wood free, age resistant Cream paper. Sewn book block. Black ribbon marker and Headbands. Gilded on the front.