during a "Black X-Mass" celebration in 2012|270x270px On
Walpurgisnacht, April 30, 1966, Anton LaVey founded the "Satanic Church" (which he would later rename the "
Church of Satan"). On October 29, 1997, Anton LaVey died of
pulmonary edema. On November 7, 1997, Karla held a press conference to announce Anton's death. It was at this time that
Blanche Barton and Karla LaVey announced that they would run the Church of Satan as co-High Priestesses. Several days later, Barton produced a hand written will claiming that LaVey had left all of his belongings, property, writings, and royalties, including the Church of Satan, to be put in a trust managed by Barton. Karla contested this will, which was later found to be invalid. A settlement was later reached in which Anton's belongings,
intellectual property and royalties would be split among his three children, Karla, Zeena and Xerxes, and that Barton would receive the “corporation known as Church of Satan.” After LaVey's death, Blanche Barton assumed the administrative leadership of the Church of Satan, although Karla LaVey had not abdicated her role as High Priestess. Shortly thereafter, Barton appointed
Peter H. Gilmore and his wife
Peggy Nadramia to the positions of High Priest and Priestess, and the Church's headquarters were subsequently moved to
New York City. Karla LaVey was critical of Barton's administration of the Church, as she felt the Church's move to New York to be a disservice to her father's legacy. Consequently, to carry on the legacy of her father, Karla LaVey founded the "First Satanic Church" and continues to run it out of San Francisco, California. ==Activities==