Lucifer facts for kids
Lucifer is a name that some people use for Satan. This idea comes from how they understand a part of the Bible in the Book of Isaiah.
The word "Lucifer" comes from Latin. It means "light-bringer." It's made from two Latin words: lux-lucis (which means light) and ferre (which means to bring).
In an old Latin version of the Bible called the Vulgate, the word Lucifer is used twice. One time, in 2 Peter 1:19, it refers to the "morning star." This is the planet Venus that you can see at dawn. The original Greek word used there was "Φωσφόρος" (Phosphoros), which also means "Light-Bringer."
The other time Lucifer is used in the Latin Vulgate is in Isaiah 14:12. Here, it translates a Hebrew word "הילל" (Hêlēl), which also means "Morning Star."
Lucifer: The Morning Star
For a long time, "Lucifer" was the Latin name for the "Morning Star." This is the bright planet Venus that appears in the sky just before the sun rises.
Many ancient Roman writers and poets used the word "Lucifer" to talk about the Morning Star. For example, Cicero, a famous Roman writer, explained that the star of Venus was called "Phosphoros" in Greek and "Lucifer" in Latin when it appeared before the sun. When it appeared after the sun, it was called "Hesperos."
Pliny the Elder, another Roman writer, also wrote about this. He said that the star called Venus gets the name "Lucifer" when it rises in the morning. But when it shines at sunset, it is called "Vesper."
Even famous poets like Ovid and Virgil wrote about "Lucifer" as the Morning Star in their poems. They described it appearing at dawn, bringing the new day.
Lucifer and the Devil
In the Christian religion, Lucifer is often seen as a symbol of evil. Some people believe that Lucifer was the name of Satan when he was still an angel in heaven.
However, it's important to remember that the word "Lucifer" itself is Latin for 'light bringer.' It was not originally in the Bible as a name for the Devil. The connection came from the Latin translation of Isaiah 14. In that part of the Bible, the original Hebrew text was talking about a king of Babylonia, not a fallen angel.
Images for kids
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Planet Venus in alignment with Mercury (above) and the Moon (below)
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An old drawing of Lucifer from Dante Alighieri's Divine Comedy. This picture is from a woodcut for Inferno, canto 33, made in Venice in 1491.
See also
In Spanish: Lucifer para niños
