Truth about "Bloody Mary"
Ever heard of a game played at parties where you stand in front of a candlelit mirror while saying a name thirteen times in hopes of summoning a vengeful spirit? This game is played mostly at sleepovers with squealing girls but boys have been known to call upon her also. There are many variations of this game including total darkness instead of lit candles or instead of saying "Bloody Mary" you say "Hell Mary." But what is the history behind the game? How did it start? Above all, who is "Bloody Mary"?
Some say Mary was a witch that was executed about a hundred years ago for practicing black magic. She has also been confused with Mary I of England who was nicknamed "Bloody Mary" because of the number of Protestants she had put to death during her reign. Mary, Queen of Scots was also said to have been "Bloody Mary" but this Mary wasn't known for murdering her subjects although it said she had a hand in her husbands death. Of course, the question of 'who is "Bloody Mary"' is still left unanswered.
There are reports of this ritual being done all the way back to the 1970s. It has even been seen in movies such as The Candyman and The X-Files. It's possibly that these games were actual old time rituals concerning unmarried women and future husbands. It usually consists of standing in a darkened room chanting a rhyme on a special night and an image appears in the mirror. Some believe that mirrors are portals between this world and the spirit realm. It was common practice to cover mirrors when someone passed away. If a ghost of a dearly departed caught a glimpse of its reflection, their spirit would be trapped in the mirror.
So many questions with various or no answers at all. We may never know if "Bloody Mary" ever existed. It's possible that this is just a game invented by children to play at parties or possibly just a prank to scare someone. Do you dare to test your luck in front of the mirror?
More info: http://www.snopes.com/horrors/ghosts/bloody.htm
*Mikkelson, Barbara and David P. (April 27, 2001). Bloody Mary. Retrieved: June 25, 2005 from the Snopes websited located at: www.snopes.com.
Some say Mary was a witch that was executed about a hundred years ago for practicing black magic. She has also been confused with Mary I of England who was nicknamed "Bloody Mary" because of the number of Protestants she had put to death during her reign. Mary, Queen of Scots was also said to have been "Bloody Mary" but this Mary wasn't known for murdering her subjects although it said she had a hand in her husbands death. Of course, the question of 'who is "Bloody Mary"' is still left unanswered.
There are reports of this ritual being done all the way back to the 1970s. It has even been seen in movies such as The Candyman and The X-Files. It's possibly that these games were actual old time rituals concerning unmarried women and future husbands. It usually consists of standing in a darkened room chanting a rhyme on a special night and an image appears in the mirror. Some believe that mirrors are portals between this world and the spirit realm. It was common practice to cover mirrors when someone passed away. If a ghost of a dearly departed caught a glimpse of its reflection, their spirit would be trapped in the mirror.
So many questions with various or no answers at all. We may never know if "Bloody Mary" ever existed. It's possible that this is just a game invented by children to play at parties or possibly just a prank to scare someone. Do you dare to test your luck in front of the mirror?
More info: http://www.snopes.com/horrors/ghosts/bloody.htm
*Mikkelson, Barbara and David P. (April 27, 2001). Bloody Mary. Retrieved: June 25, 2005 from the Snopes websited located at: www.snopes.com.
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