While the Devil is occasionally used in church art to convey moral lessons and reinforce the consequences of sin, it’s unusual to find a combination of satanic imagery alongside local folklore within the context of sacred space. Though, one such exception can be observed on the exterior of Raus Church in southern Sweden, where a small stone face, believed to depict the devil, was strategically embedded above the main entrance to ward off trolls and malevolent beings. Legend has it that during the construction of this 12th-century sandstone church, a…
