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() The president of a Kansas-based satanic group says it is going ahead with a planned “black Mass” inside the state’s capital building despite objections by the governor and Christian groups.

He’s calling it an act of defiance. 

“I’m hoping that our legislature remembers that Kansas is a diverse group of people with diverse needs and wants and stops placating to the largest demographic of religious people,” Michael Stewart, founder and president of “Satanic Grotto,” told Nexstar’s Rebekah Chung in an exclusive interview. 

Black Mass to be held outside of Kansas capitol building

Satanic Grotto describes itself as an organization for an “independent and nondenominational satanic church.” A black Mass is an intentionally blasphemous parody of a Catholic Mass, Stewart says.

After outrage, Gov. Laura Kelly said the March 28 event would be held outside the capitol building, according to the Topeka Capital-Journal.

But Stewart says the event will take place inside the capital even if it means being arrested by the police. He says the group will be protesting “oppression” and religious people imposing their faith on others. 

“What we’re going to do is heavily lean into the four blasphemies, kind of representing an alternate to the stations of the cross,” Stewart said. 

Christian groups upset over Black Mass

Christians are observing Lent, 40 days of prayer and fasting in preparation for Christ’s passion and death before Easter. 

Christian groups have expressed their outrage and concern over the satanic event.

“We don’t know exactly what this satanic worship event is going to look like, but from what we’ve read, it crosses a line of just expressing one’s opinion, and it crosses a line into inciting conflict,” said Chuck Weber, executive director of the Kansas Catholic Conference.

The event is set to take place March 28, the last day for Kansas lawmakers to wrap up the legislative session.