The Pentagram is one of the most recognizable figures in the Western magical tradition. In Abbé Julio's collection, it appears in two forms that must be clearly distinguished: a five-pointed star depicted on paper and a two-sided metal medallion whose design the author develops separately. The plate presented on this page belongs to the first category.
The letters of the sacred name and the inscription accompanying the star explain its place in a work of Christian pentacles. Geometry alone is not enough to define the sign's use: the note refers to an older protective medallion, but the instructions specific to that medallion cannot automatically be applied to a reproduction on paper.
Essential points
| Tradition | Five-pointed star and sacred name |
|---|---|
| Figure | Pentagram on paper in a stained-glass design |
| Application | Protection and strength in the face of adversity |
| Source | Abbé Julio, 1908, note no. 81 |
Reading the symbolism
The pentagram is a five-pointed star formed by intersecting line segments. Its presence in scholarly, philosophical, and occult traditions dates back long before Abbé Julio. In this engraving, the figure appears with sacred letters and a stained-glass composition that give it a specific Christian interpretation.
The plate retains the star, the letters of the sacred name, and the inscription surrounding it. Julio also presents a two-sided metal Pentagram, with the four-letter name on one side and the name of Michael on the other. These two supports must remain identifiable.
The pentagram must be distinguished from the double triangle of Adonai: one has five points, the other six. This distinction may seem elementary, but it becomes decisive when an old collection brings together divine names, letters, and talismanic forms. Changing the geometry would alter the identity of the plate.
History and traditions
Five-pointed stars have held a place in the history of symbols since Antiquity. In modern European occultism, they received elaborate meanings, particularly among 19th-century authors. Julio worked within this intellectual environment while retaining a strongly pronounced Christian religious orientation.
The Secret Book also explains a metal medallion of strength with two sides: one bears the four-letter divine name and the other the name of Michael. This variant has its own material specifications. It must not be presented as the physical object identical to the paper engraving reproduced here.
Attributed effects
The note on the sign on paper refers to the medallion of strength. Julio attributes to it protection against evil powers, persecutions, and slander. For the medallion, he develops an extensive commentary on the symbolic power of the pentagram.
Julio connects the Pentagram with defense against evil powers, persecutions, slander, and other attacks described in his religious language. He relates it to the medallion of strength, whose protective meaning he presents. Nevertheless, simply reproducing an isolated star is not enough to obtain all the applications mentioned in the book.
The value of the sign, in his system, lies in the complete figure, the names it contains, and the blessing of the support. The note should be read as part of this whole rather than as a universal rule applicable to every pentagram.
Usage according to Julio
The sign presented here is the paper version, integrated into the work's practices of blessing and consecration. The prescription of a gold medallion belongs to metal variant no. 60; it should not be transferred to this paper reproduction.
The plate in the third volume is a representation on paper. The recommendation of a gold medallion belongs to the metal variant described elsewhere in the work. This point is fundamental for avoiding confusion between the supports and conveying an erroneous instruction.
Reading the pantacle begins with the outline of the five points and the sacred characters accompanying them. Studying the variants then helps explain why the same generic name, « Pentagram », can designate several distinct objects in Julio's work.
Understanding related figures
Adonai is the best geometric comparison, since it shows two interlaced triangles with six points. The medal of Saint Benedict offers a material parallel with its two sides and protective formulas, but belongs to another tradition.
The Monogram of Christ finally provides another figure in which the sacred letters form the heart of the sign. These comparisons help in reading the work without merging distinct traditions.
The source and variants
Abbé Julio, The Secret Book of Great Exorcisms and Blessings, Vincennes, published by the author, 1908. Explanation and application no. 81, p. 459; reference pp. 445–448. Practical advice on blessed and consecrated supports: pp. 462–463.
Classical directory numbering: 27 of 44. This numbering differs from the inventory of engravings in the old volumes.
Read the note in the 1908 edition
Engraving taken from the copy digitized by the Divinity School Library, Duke University / Internet Archive, at 360 dpi. Composition, characters, and colors preserved.
