A digital icon depicting the legend of St. Susenyos, a God-fearing man, who slayed the vampiric demon, Werzelya.

Legend: Susenyos and Werzelya were siblings, one goes down a path of righteousness while the other embraces evil.

Werzelya was said to have dated the devil and bore him a child. She believed her child was a demigod carrying special powers, since it was also the child of the devil. After giving birth to a girl, she slays and drinks the blood of the child, absorbing all of the magical powers.

Susenyos learns of his sister’s actions and confronts her asking why she is fornicating with the Devil. She initially denied having relations with the Devil but then would eventually confess to both the relationship and to killing the child. Upon confessing, Susenyos immediately kills her. But hello!! She drank magic demonic baby blood, thus Werzelya returns as a shape-shifting vampire. Werzelya doesn’t just return, she has vengeance on her mind.

Werzelya wreaks havoc on the region, slaying children and drinking their blood which in turn revitalized her and gave her strength. The mothers and babies were terrified for quite a long time, afraid to leave the home after sundown out of fear of running into a demon vampire.

One day Werzelya learns her brother, Susenyos, has borne a son. Nothing is out of Werzelya’s wrath, going after her own nephew. Susenyos learns his sister murdered his son, falling to his knees asking God for the strength to rid the town of this demon.

He then hops onto his horse, spear in one hand, and goes out looking for her. Susenyos comes across Werzelya as she’s hanging with her entourage of demons. At this point, Susenyos is seeing red.

Through God’s strength and with His angels as witnesses, Susenyos slays Werzelya. The nearby evil spirits also perished trying to get away. In her dying breath, Werzelya says those who carry Susenyos’ insignia (or likeness) would be protected from her should she return.

I stumbled into this legend while reading about old practices within the Eritrean and Ethiopian Orthodox church. In Eritrea and Northern Ethiopia, mothers wore or hung up images of St. Susenyos drawn on ‘healing scrolls’ for centuries, believing the image was a magical talisman invoking him to protect them through a healthy pregnancy.

Eritrean/Ethiopian Orthodox influence. 3300 x 4200px.