Journal of Vampirology - 1985 - Vol 1 No 5

Magazine Overview

Title: JOURNAL OF VAMPIROLOGY
Issue: VOL.I NO.5
Date: 1985
Publisher: John L. Vellutini
Country: USA
Price: $2.00 (single copy)

Editorial

The editorial welcomes readers to the latest issue of the Journal of Vampirology, highlighting its focus on the theological implications of vampirism. It features a critical analysis of Bram Stoker's *Dracula* within the context of the Revelation of St. John, alongside an article on the paranormal abilities of saints and vampires. The editor notes that issues #2-#4 are out of print, with only issue #1 still available. To manage expenses, future print runs will be limited, suggesting that current subscriptions are advisable. The next issue is slated to explore the extraterrestrial origins of vampirism. The editor extends holiday greetings and wishes readers a satisfying new year.

Dracula As Anti-Christ: A Reinterpretation Of Bram Stoker's Dracula Within The Context Of The Revelations Of St. John

This article posits that Bram Stoker's *Dracula* is not merely a horror story or a simple allegory but a conscious reworking of themes from the Book of Revelation, with Dracula symbolizing the Anti-Christ. The author argues against interpretations that view Stoker as an "unconscious" writer, asserting that the novel's profound use of Biblical parallels indicates deliberate intent. The name "Dracula" is etymologically linked to "drakul" (dragon) and "dracul" (devil), suggesting "the son of the Devil." This connection is reinforced by the historical figure Vlad Tepes, whose father, Vlad Dracul, was invested with the Order of the Dragon.

The article details how Renfield, an inmate in Dr. Seward's sanatorium, serves as a foil to the narrative, his manic ramblings and allusions to Biblical events mirroring the Count's influence. Renfield's uppercase "You" and "Your" when referring to Dracula highlight his subservience. The author draws parallels between Dracula's temptation of Renfield with promises of power and the temptation of Christ by Satan. Renfield is described as the "Anti-John the Baptist, the Great Beast," heralding the Anti-Christ.

Further analysis connects the four young men in Stoker's novel (Jonathan Harker, Quincey Morris, Arthur Godalming, and Dr. John Seward) to the four symbolic beasts described in Revelation, representing courage, patience, sympathy, and aspiration, respectively. Dr. Abraham Van Helsing is presented as the mediator, orchestrating their efforts against Dracula, fulfilling the role of "personal ministers of divine government."

Lucy Westenra is symbolically linked to the "Great Whore of Babylon" from Revelation, while Mina Harker is presented as a counterpart to the "woman clothed with the sun." Both women face persecution and the threat of vampirism, but their lives are ultimately preserved, culminating in the birth of a child, mirroring Biblical narratives.

The article also explores the "mark" of the beast (666) and its representation in the novel. Jonathan Harker's attempt to kill Dracula leaves a "red scar" on the Count's forehead, which Mina later recognizes. Mina receives her own "mark" when Van Helsing applies a fragment of the Sacred Wafer to her forehead, searing her flesh and causing her to cry out "Unclean! Unclean!" This is interpreted as a dark parody of Christian sacraments.

While attempts to numerically link "Dracula" to 666 using Hebrew or Greek alphabets proved inconclusive, the author maintains that Dracula embodies characteristics of the Great Beast, representing "false prophetism and belief" and acting as the "Messiah of Vampirism, the Anti-Religion." The novel's depiction of vampirism is seen as a dark parody of Christianity, promising eternal life and resurrection but with a "diabolic edge."

The article concludes by suggesting that Stoker intentionally exploited the parallels between vampirism and organized religion to add depth to his novel. The author posits that the critical neglect of these allegorical implications is due to their discomfort or distastefulness, and hopes this article will renew interest in this aspect of Stoker's work.

Other Content

• Contents: Lists the articles: Editorial (1), Dracula As Anti-Christ: A Reinterpretation Of Bram Stoker's Dracula (pages not specified but implied to be after editorial), The Physical Phenomena Of Vampirism (9-14), and Murder Exchange Supplement (15-32).
• Illustration: A sketch of Bram Stoker from 1885 is included.
• Subscription Information: Details subscription rates ($10.00 for five issues) and single copy price ($2.00), with contact information for John L. Vellutini in San Francisco, California.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The central theme of this issue is the theological and symbolic interpretation of vampirism, specifically through the lens of Bram Stoker's *Dracula* and its connection to Biblical prophecies, particularly the Book of Revelation. The editorial stance is one that encourages deeper, critical analysis of literary works for their symbolic and allegorical meanings, especially when they intersect with religious and philosophical concepts. The journal appears to advocate for a scholarly approach to the study of vampirism, exploring its cultural and historical significance beyond simple horror tropes.

This issue of the Journal of Vampirology, titled "The Physical Phenomena Of Vampirism," delves into the extraordinary abilities and characteristics associated with both vampires and saints throughout history. It explores the concept of miraculous properties, drawing extensive parallels between the supernatural gifts attributed to holy individuals and the powers ascribed to the undead.

Miraculous Properties of Saints

The article begins by listing numerous miraculous properties attributed to saintly individuals who achieved oneness with God. These include stigmata, ecstasies, raptures, trances, levitation, bilocation, luminous irradiance, inedia (absence of need for sleep), prophetic dreams, telekinesis, vision through opaque objects, infused knowledge, discernment of spirits, the gift of tongues and healing, supernatural empery over nature, incendium amoris, mystical unions, and incorruptibility. Other listed abilities are transverberation of organs, mysterious effusions of blood, bodily elongation, multiplication of food, clairvoyance and clairaudience, immunity to fire, and discernment of religious tokens.

The "Miracle" Workers of Satan: Witches

In contrast to divine gifts, the text describes Satan's "miracle" workers, medieval witches, who possessed similar abilities but perverted them for malevolent ends. They caused sickness and death, sowed barrenness, and devastated crops with mastery over the elements. Witches were also capable of flight and transforming into animal forms, notably rabid wolves. The persecution of witches by civil and church authorities resulted in millions of deaths.

The Rise of Vampirism

As the witch mania waned, a new threat emerged from Eastern Europe and Greece: vampirism. Outbreaks of vampirism reached epidemic proportions in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. Like medieval predecessors, vampires were believed to possess extraordinary powers, chief among them being incorruptibility – the ability to transcend the physical ravishments of death. This incorruptibility, ironically, was also seen as proof of an individual's sanctity during life, with church authorities still exhuming bodies to look for signs of it.

Examples of incorruptibility include St. Rita of Cascia (died 1490), whose remains are preserved, and St. Bernadette of Lourdes (died 1870).

Vampirism vs. Christianity

Both Christianity and vampirism offer promises of physical resurrection and eternal life, with vampirism appearing more expedient. Dr. Stephen Kaplan notes that vampires allegedly attain their undead status within 24 hours after death. Theologians like Augustin Calmet and Gioseppe Davanzati attempted to dismiss vampirism as mass hysteria or superstition, while others, like Leone Allacci and François Richard, were more ready to acknowledge its existence.

The Catholic Church's Ambivalent Stance

The Catholic Church had a dual perspective on vampirism. While officially condemning it as superstition, they also used it to discredit the Orthodox faith. In the Orthodox tradition, incorruptibility was a characteristic of both saints and those who died unrepentant or excommunicated. When a body remained incorrupt, it was believed the soul was denied final absolution and might return as a vampire. The Catholic Church exploited this by claiming only schismatics became vampires and no Catholics did.

Explaining Vampirism: Divine Providence or Demonic Influence?

For those who did not dismiss vampirism as superstition, the phenomenon presented a challenge, often explained as part of an unfathomable plan of divine providence. Most theologians believed the devil, or a demon under his command, reanimated corpses to sow doubt among the faithful. Demonologist Del Rio suggested the devil could perform "marvellous things" with dead bodies, making them appear alive and informed by intellect and soul, and keeping them whole and incorrupt.

Modern researchers often attribute the vampire's incorrupt state to soil conditions or premature burial.

Levitation

Levitation, the suspension of the body above ground, is another ability attributed to both saints and vampires. Saints like St. Joseph of Copertino and St. Peter de Alcantara experienced numerous acts of levitation. The text notes that vampires were also capable of levitation, though this ability is strangely lacking in accounts from the 16th and 17th centuries. It is suggested that vampires might have transformed into flying creatures like bats or owls, or even used their ears as wings.

Bilocation

Bilocation, the ability to be in two places at once, is an extraordinary gift seen in a few saintly individuals, such as St. Anthony of Padua and Blessed Maria Coronel de Agreda. Teresa Helena Higginson and Padre Pio are also mentioned as having experienced bilocations. The author questions whether this is a physical halving or a form of astral projection.

Vampire's Exit and Re-entry

The article poses the question of how vampires leave their coffins and graves. Bilocation is one potential explanation, though the author has reservations. The peasantry believed vampires could dematerialize their bodies into mist (ectoplasm) to filter through small openings. Another explanation, proposed by spiritualists, is that the vampire's astral form or etheric double leaves the body to feed, transmitting the results via an invisible cord. Adolphe D'Assier suggested that the blood consumed by the spectre instantly nourishes the corpse, maintaining its state and appearance.

The Odor of Corruption and Sainthood

The "odor of sanctity" is contrasted with the "noisome stench" of vampires, often described as a "charnel house" odor. This putrid smell is linked to greater tragedies, as vampire ravages are sometimes followed by outbreaks of plague. The text quotes Montague Summers on the fragrant exudations of saints like S. Herman Joseph and S. Joseph of Cupertino, contrasting this with the overwhelming stench associated with vampires.

Supernatural Empery Over Nature

This is another shared characteristic of saints and vampires. Saints could transmute objects, multiply food, and alter weather. They could also assert their wills over animals. Vampires, too, possessed this ability, particularly over nocturnal animals, as exemplified by Dracula's mastery over wolves and rats in Bram Stoker's novel.

Inedia and Blood Consumption

The ability of inedia, surviving without food or water, is discussed in relation to saints like St. Lidwina and Therese Neumann, who sustained themselves on the Holy Eucharist. Vampires, while dependent on blood, also exist without food and water. Blood is believed to possess rejuvenative properties for vampires, causing hair and nails to grow, forming new skin, and even promoting adipose tissue, making exhumed vampires appear plump and fleshy.

Saints Drinking Blood

Incredibly, there are accounts of saints drinking blood. St. Catherine of Siena had a particular devotion to the Precious Blood, experiencing ecstasies at its thought. She comforted Niccolò Tuldo during his execution, and her dress was saturated with his blood. She later described being bathed in the Blood of Christ. Blessed Osanna of Mantua also fell into ecstasies at the sight of blood.

Vampirism and Sainthood: Strange Bedfellows

The article concludes by noting the strange bedfellows vampirism and sainthood make. It suggests that the dissimilarity diminishes upon deeper examination, and poses a hypothetical scenario where vampirism might undermine human society, leading to a revision of history to accommodate beings like Bathory, Haigh, and Kürten, or a triumph of Dracula.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the uncanny parallels between the supernatural abilities attributed to saints and those ascribed to vampires. The editorial stance appears to be one of scholarly inquiry, exploring historical accounts, theological interpretations, and folkloric beliefs surrounding these phenomena without outright dismissal. The author seems to be building a case for a deeper, perhaps even interconnected, understanding of these seemingly disparate entities, suggesting that vampirism might be a dark reflection or perversion of sainthood. The concluding hypothetical scenario hints at a concern about the potential disruptive influence of such forces on human society.