Pagans of Platteville, a fairly new organization on campus, is a group devoted to clarifying and celebrating Paganism.

“Paganism is very broad, but ideally, it is any religion outside of Abrahamic religions,” Denis Zdanovsky, president of Pagans of Platteville, said.

Christianity is an example of an Abrahamic religion, Zdanovsky said. He pushed for Pagans of Platteville to become an organization on campus.

Adam Giacalone, secretary of Pagans of Platteville, said that just like other religions, Paganism has a variety of sectors. Giacalone is specifically a Norse Pagan, commonly known as a Viking.

In paganism, it is thought that everything has a spirit, including the earth, sea and animals, according to allaboutspirituality.org. Paganism started in the Neolithic era, and originated from religions of Greece and Rome. Some commonly known sects of paganism include Celtics, Native Americans, ancient Egyptian, Greco-Roman and Norse.

Pagans of Platteville’s mission is to create a comfortable environment for Pagans and anyone interested, Zdanovsky said. Because they are often misinterpreted, invitations to anyone, not just Pagans, are welcomed. Paganisim is not Satan worship, and members do not have blood rituals.

The founding of the organization was initially hindered, due to not having a church in which anyone regularly attended. Zdanovsky said they began meeting in a tattoo parlor in downtown Platteville.

It has taken them a year to finally become an official campus organization. The organization now has regular meetings in the Mississippi Room in the Pioneer Student Center on Thursdays at 8 p.m..

“Pagans of Platteville is Pagan friendly and wants to raise awareness of the religion, and if you want to take part in the worship activities, you’re welcome to do so,” Wendy Perkins, adviser of Pagans of Platteville, said.

Giacalone said it’s safe for them on campus, but at anytime they can get heckled for their beliefs.

“It’s important to remember everyone has different views and feelings,” Hanah Diebold, Student Senate member, said. “It is just another type of religion.”