THERE has been a rise in the number of witches living in Colchester, according to the latest census figures.
The data shows there are a surprising number of people who identify as witches, pagans and Satanists across England and Wales.
In Colchester, 39 people selected Wicca as their religion in Census 2021.
The religion developed in England during the first half of the 20th century with its name deriving from the Old English “wicca” and “wicce”, the masculine and feminine term for witch.
The figures show five people selected Witchcraft as their religion in Colchester in 2021, while 285 said they were pagan.
Satanism is also on the rise across England and Wales, with almost 5,100 people identifying as Satanists in the recent census.
It represented an increase of more than 50 per cent from 1,900 a decade prior.
In Colchester 13 people said they were Satanists during the national survey.
But despite the name, not all Satanists believe in a literal Lucifer. Instead, it is often a metaphor for questioning authority and rejecting mainstream religion.
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