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[[File:Christoph Haizmann.jpg|250px|left]]
[[File:Maria-Lionza-Tarot.jpg|250px|left]]
'''[[Christoph Haizmann]]''' (1647 - 1700) was a Bavarian painter active in Austria. He is remembered for signing a [[diabolical pact]] with [[Satan]] and the subsequent [[exorcist|exorcism]] to free him from the pact.
'''[[María Lionza]]''' is a folk [[saint]] and the central figure in one of the most widespread new religious movement in Venezuela. The cult of María Lionza is a blend of African, indigenous and [[Christianity|Catholic beliefs]]. She is revered as a goddess of nature, love, peace and harmony. She has followers throughout Venezuelan society, from small rural villages to Caracas, where a monumental statue stands in her honor. The Cerro María Lionza Natural Monument (also known as Sorte mountain) where an important pilgrimage takes place every October, was named after her.


In 1666, Christoph performed a ritual invocation to summon [[the Devil]] in an effort to find relief from his depression. Showing Christoph his true form and swearing to assume the role of his deceased father convinced the despondent man to sign a [[diabolical pact]]. Christoph wrote the pact in black ink in his native German language. It was short and simple: “I Christoph Haizmann, am writing to this Gentleman (the Devil) to be his son for the next nine years.” He found work as a painter in the Austrian city of Pottenbrunn and lived there for many years.
According to the main legend, María Lionza was born in the 15th–16th century as the daughter of an indigenous chief from the region of Yaracuy. Her father sent her to live in the Sorte mountain. One day, while she was by the river, an anaconda attacked and devoured her. From within the serpent, María Lionza begged the mountain for help. The mountain agreed, María Lionza thus disintegrated and merged with Sorte mountain. Sometimes the anaconda is said to have exploded and caused torrential rains, that are common in the region. María Lionza is sometimes portrayed as an indigenous woman and sometimes as pale-skinned with green eyes, usually surrounded by animals. She is often depicted naked riding a tapir.


Nine years after the signing of his first pact, Christoph again fell into a deep depression. He was remorseful for having turned to the Devil for assistance and wanted to find a way to break the pact before it came to term.
'''([[María Lionza|Full Article...]])'''
 
'''([[Christoph Haizmann|Full Article...]])'''