The day the ‘Prince of Darkness’ died

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By Rich Bitterman - Posted at Baptist Press:

Published July 23, 2025

I was 16 the first time I heard “Mr. Crowley.”

The way it began … haunting organ, crashing guitar … grabbed me by the throat. I didn’t know what the lyrics meant. I didn’t care. I was angry, curious, spiritually empty, and Ozzy Osbourne sounded like someone who had seen behind the curtain.

He felt untouchable. Immortal. A man who drank from the shadows and laughed.

But today, Ozzy died.

And I need to talk to you about that. Not about music. Not about controversy. Not even about Ozzy himself, really.

I need to talk to you about what happens when someone dies.

Because whatever else you believe about Ozzy, this is now true:

The man who called himself the Prince of Darkness has stepped into a kingdom he can no longer define.