WHO WAS BLOODY MARY?

It’s hard to come up with an answer to the question of who is Bloody Mary. “I mean, there’s like 50 versions of who she actually is. One story says she’s a witch, another says she’s a mutilated bride, there’s a lot more.” The avenging spirit goes by many names: Bloody Mary, Bloody Bones, Hell Mary, Mary Worthington, and Mary Jane - just to list a few. There are some versions that even state that the Mary of legends is the Virgin Mary herself- be it without the violence, of course. On the opposite end of the spectrum, others believe that either the Devil appears or that Bloody Marry is either Satan’s daughter, sister, or wife!

SUMMONING BLOODY MARY

The precise requirements for the ritual vary. The two most common elements in the ritual are the mirror in the darkened room and repeating a chant a certain number of times. Some versions state that Bloody Mary only comes on a specific day, whiles others may include splashing water on the mirror, rubbing your eyes or holding a knife. In some variations of the legend, it is said that if you walk by a mirror in total darkness, regardless of whether you are trying to summon her or not, Bloody Mary will get you.

There are many possible phrases that may be included in this chant: “Bloody Mary,” “Kathy come out,” “I (don’t) believe in Mary Worth,” “Bloody Mirror,” and “Bloody Mary I have your baby.” Sometimes the invocation is saying the Lord’s prayer backwards.

Some rituals often include the act of lighting candles, spinning around in circles, or holding hands. The act of lighting candles is often associated with magic. Spinning around in circles seems like both an aspect of certain old witchcraft spells and also a way to make you disoriented. And holding hands is common to seances and similar ghostly events.

THE BLOODY MIRROR

“Everywhere all over the country, kids will play Bloody Mary, and as far as we know, no one dies from it.” There are variations on what Bloody Marry does to the summoner/s. Some say that she scratches you with her fingernails and claws, sometimes Bloody Mary tears off your face with her teeth! In other variations of the legend, Bloody Mary uses a weapon to either attack you with, kill you with or to make you commit suicide! Sometimes she may even trap you in the mirror. Bloody Mary also is known to pull a person’s eyes out!

Sometimes there isn’t any violence involved in the encounter. It may be that you just see her reflection in the mirror. But, she may also be compelled to answer any questions you have for her.

Sometimes nobody shows up and the water in the bathtub will turn into blood, or you'll see scars on your body that aren't there, or you can see into the future, or sometimes you'll even get toys or candy.

MIRROR FOLKLORE

“There’s a lot of folklore about mirrors-that they reveal all your lies, all your secrets, that they’re a true reflection of your soul, which is why it’s bad luck to break them.”

There is a great deal of folklore associated with mirrors, including the belief that the soul projects out of the body and into mirrors in the form of reflection. This belief underlies the most widely known mirror superstition: that breaking a mirror brings seven years of bad luck. Many cultures believe that breaking a mirror also breaks the soul of the one who broke it. The soul, angered at being hurt, exacts seven years of bad luck in payment for such carelessness. The Romans attributed the bad luck to their belief that life renews itself every seven years. To break a mirror meant breaking one’s health and this could not be remedied for seven years.

In some cultures, breaking a mirror was thought to foretell a death in the family. This association with mirrors with death is common and stems from the belief that the soul can become trapped in the mirror. For this reason, children were often not allowed to look in a mirror until they were at least one year old. Mirrors were covered during sleep and illness so that the soul, in its wanderings, would not become trapped and unable to return to the body. After death, mirrors were also covered to prevent the soul of the newly departed from becoming caught in the mirror, delaying its journey to the afterlife.

By Dean5339