Witchy Wednesday: Church Grim

Liz Ramos, under the supervision of Anubis the cat, discusses the guardian of the churchyard…

Greetings witches! Before we get into this, I would like to issue a warning: While I do not go into any great detail and keep things extremely basic, this is a post about the sacrifice of both people and dogs. If you are someone who is sensitive to these topics, please feel free to skip this week and join us again next week.

As I was reflecting on our feline spirit guardians and visitors here at the Ramos house, I thought of another type of animal spirit guardian – the Church Grim. Popular across the United Kingdom and Scandinavia, the Church Grim is a story of death and sacrifice to serve both the dead and the living.

Prior to the 19th century, when erecting new churches and setting up the graveyard, townsfolk believed that the churchyard and surrounding grounds needed a guardian. When the first person was laid to rest on the property, it was believed that their soul was eternally guarding the property to keep the dead at rest, warn of impending threats, and keep demons, witches, and thieves at bay. In some cultures and beliefs, like the Scottish, the soul was not eternally tied as a guardian. Instead, the role passed to the next person buried in the churchyard grounds, and so on, and so on. Towards the 19th century, people were looking for a solution to their loved ones being unable to be at rest, and settled on the Church Grim.

What is a Church Grim? The Church Grim is a dog that was sacrificed to the newly erected church and grounds by being buried alive on the premises before any humans were buried in the churchyard. By the animal dying on the property, its soul was to be tied to the site and therefore take on the role of the churchyard guardian role the humans once held. Many people have claimed to see large, black, hellish dogs with red/glowing eyes on the grounds where the Church Grim is said to reside, making rounds of the property and keeping all who are not meant to be there out. Church Bells have been rung at midnight when impending doom or danger was on its way, warning the town to be prepared. Some stories do claim other animals like pigs, roosters, horses, rams, or ravens, but most notably the Church Grim is a large dog.

Whether you believe in the Church Grim or other churchyard guardian spirit, it’s important to pay respects to them and leave an offering for allowing entry into their domain. Cigarettes, coins, pinecones, small gems, candies, or other offerings may be left for the spirit. However you practicum visit with kindness and awareness. Blessed be!

Elizabeth Ramos is a magic practitioner who specializes in nature focused, healing, protective, and ancestral magics. She is a Reiki Master-Teacher and lives with her husband and their several Feline Leukemia Positive kitties in Upstate New York.

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