Alpha and Omega are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. Together, they mean “the beginning and the end”. Jesus proclaimed himself to be Alpha and Omega (John 1:8 and 11, 21:6, 22:13). For this reason, in Christianity Alpha and Omega often signifies a title for Jesus Christ, but it also designates the comprehensiveness of God. Alpha and Omega signifies the deity as encompassing everything (Aion) just as those two letters embrace the entire Greek alphabet. Among the Jews, the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet were also used to express totality. Alpha and Omega is explained in details in The Sworn Book of Honorius. This book mentions it in its Shemhoph reminds that Alpha and Omega is “the beginning and the ending”, and then explains that it is also “the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, three persons and one God, the giver of life, and the destroyer of death”. This grimoire describes Alpha and Omega as the “most pious” name of God, and in this context proclaims that God is the destroyer of death, “for he destroyed our death and through his resurrection restored us again to life”. Finally, it also explains that Alpha and Omega is the Lord of All Living Creatures, “the administrator and increaser of all visible and invisible thing”.
A few important grimoires list Alpha and Omega as a name of God. For example, The Sworn Book of Honorius mentions it in its Shemhophorosh prayer and signifies it as the 30th of 100 names of God. It is the 23rd of 72 names of God from Grimoire of Honorius and it also appears in Ars Notoria. The Enchiridion of Leo III also lists it as one of the 72 sacred names of God.
Alpha and Omega is an important name in ceremonial magic. These two Greek letters are often used together in charms, amulets, and pentacles. A great variety of objects have been found with Alpha and Omega inscribed upon them. This name can be found on tombstones, coins , frescoes, cups, bricks, vases, mosaics, lamps, and rings. Those two words are written in many magical circles. The Secret Grimoire of Turiel instructs that his name of God should be mentioned in the prayer when you put on the lamen. This name is a great name to speak during the scrying. For example, The Necromancer’s Handbook instructs that Alpha and Omega should be mentioned for learning anything about any uncertain thing by gazing into a crystal. This name is also useful for obtaining information about a theft by gazing into a fingernail. It can also help with wealth. Grimoire of Honorius tells that it should be spoken in the Very powerful conjuration for treasures hidden by men or spirit. Alpha and Omega also gives protection at journey. The Enchiridion of Leo III tells that this name affords protection from enemies and dangers by travelling by land and sea. According to one magical ritual, if you want to understand any book, open and read it, and when you go to sleep, write Alpha and Omega, and afterwards sleep on the right side, putting the palm of the hand under you ear, and you shall see in a dream all things you desire.
Alpha and Omega is often used in evocations of spirits. This name is written in the Third Table of the Spirits of Water from The Seventh Book of Moses. It is also mentioned in a ceremony to conjure a fairy Elaby Gathen. Regarding planetary magic, Alpha and Omega is mentioned in the Sixth Table of Jupiter. The spirit Ofel is conjured by this name. When the magicians purposely or accidentally deal with dangerous spirits and demons, they then also tend to use Alpha and Omega. This mighty name has also been one of the first choices for the magicians to use in their necromancy work. A Book of the Offices of Spirits instructs that Alpha et Omega should be used in conjurations of any spirit of the earth or water or fire, and to make any spirit of any dead man appear and give answer. The Necromancer’s Handbook (Clm 849: Fols 3r-108v) gives the instruction to resuscitate a dead person by conjuring Brimer, Suburith, Tranauit in the Rite. Pseudomonarchia Daemonum and Black Dragon Grimoire tell that Alpha and Omega should be used in conjurations and evocations of spirits. They did not specify what spirits that had in mine, but that it is not difficult to guess. More explicit was Grimoire of Honorius with its instructs that Alpha and Omega should be spoken in the evocation of Lucifer. It was also recommended to be spoken in the evocation of Lilith.
By this name all hierarchies of spirits are evoked, including demons and fallen angels, but it is also used in exorcism, which further stresses out its importance and power. After all, according to The Lesser Key of Solomon’s second conjuration, Alpha and Omega is the name by which Daniel destroyed Bel and slew the Dragon. The True Petition of the Jesuits instructs that Alpha and Omega should be named in the exorcism. Joshua Stopford confirms in Pagano Papismus (1675) that this name should be used in exorcism of evil spirits.
