VeltisBabylonian Demon
In the annals of Christian hagiography, the name of St. Margaret of Cortona stands out as a beacon of conversion and holiness. A once wayward soul, she turned from a life of sin to one of deep piety, eventually earning recognition as a saint after her death in 1297. Her life was marked by numerous spiritual battles, none more notable than her encounter with the demonic entity known as Veltis. This particular episode serves as a vivid reminder of the struggles between good and evil that saints often faced.
According to tradition, Veltis was no ordinary demon but one with a rather peculiar origin. When asked by St. Margaret who he was, Veltis revealed his dark history: “My name is Veltis, and I am one of those whom Solomon by virtue of his spells, confined in a copper cauldron at Babylon. But when the Babylonians, in the hope of finding treasure, dug up the cauldron and opened it, we all made our escape.” The reference to King Solomon harkens back to the biblical accounts of the wise king’s reputed ability to bind spirits through magical seals and incantations. Veltis, along with other demonic beings, had been imprisoned for centuries until their accidental release by treasure-seeking Babylonians.
Once freed, Veltis and his fellow demons set their sights on destroying righteous souls, a mission driven by malice and spite against those who walked the path of virtue. As Veltis admitted to St. Margaret, "Since that time, our efforts have been directed to the destruction of righteous persons, and I have long been striving to turn thee from the course thou hast embraced." The demon had been relentless in his attempts to dissuade Margaret from her newfound devotion to God, seeking to drag her back into the spiritual abyss from which she had escaped.
However, St. Margaret of Cortona was no ordinary target. Having once tasted the bitterness of sin, she now fully embraced a life of repentance and union with Christ. Veltis may have sought to undermine her resolve, but his efforts were ultimately in vain. Through her faith and the grace of God, Margaret was able to overcome the demonic assault, sending Veltis and his dark powers back into the shadows. Her victory over Veltis became another testament to the strength of faith in the face of evil, a triumph that solidified her place among the great saints of the Church.
The tale of Veltis, with its roots in ancient Judeo-Christian traditions, serves as a chilling reminder of the ever-present struggle between light and darkness. For St. Margaret of Cortona, this spiritual battle was but one of many trials in her journey toward sainthood. Her encounter with Veltis symbolizes the power of repentance and redemption, reminding the faithful that no soul is beyond the reach of God’s mercy, no matter how fierce the assaults of evil may be.
Demons
