An exorcism is a religious practice of removing spiritual entities or demons from a place or person that they are believed to possess by causing the entity to swear an oath in order to vacate the premises. This term and ritual became known in the early times of Christianity, and was most commonly called the casting out of demons. This is an ancient ritual and part of a belief of many cultures and religions. A lot of exorcisms are conducted through a ritual of oaths, sayings, and hymns to provoke the entity out of the body or place. Sometimes there are accessories used to ward off the demon such as crosses and bibles.
Exhibit One: Anneliese Michel
Anneliese Michel is the one that Emily Rose was based on for the movies. She was a deeply religious person in the German Catholic faith, and she told everyone that she was possessed by six or maybe more demons. Some of these demons included Hitler, Cain, and Nero. A local priest, Father Ernst Alt, who specialized in exorcisms, was the first one to notice that Anneliese might need an exorcism herself. They tried to control her symptoms using medication, when this failed an exorcism was then approved by the bishop and carried out by the nearby Pastor Arnold Renz.
Photo Credit|Katie Tegtmeyer;Flickr 2010
The day that Anneliese predicted she would be free of the demons that possessed her was also the day that she died- July 1, 1976. Those who were there during the exorcism stated that she was free from the demons moments before she died, but the official cause of death was listed as dehydration and malnutrition. She weighed only 68 pounds due to the treatment for the exorcism over 11 months.
Exhibit Two: Vatican Teenager
There was reportedly an exorcism performed at the Vatican in 2000 conducted by Pope John Paul II. It was performed on a 19 year old girl who believed she was possessed by demons. Father Gabriele Amorth who was the official exorcist for the Diocese of Rome, attempted to exorcise the girl the day before the second exorcism and failed to expel the demon. Her parents then brought her to Pope John Paul II’s on Wednesday during the showing in St. Peter’s Square hoping that one of the Papal blessings would do something to help.
This did not; apparently it just incensed her more than she was. The newspapers wrote that the girl screamed insults at the Pope in a ‘cavernous voice’ and struggled with the guards using super human strength. The Pope was then informed about her demons, and spent 30 minutes getting to know her. After the meeting, the Pope left and the girl stated in a voice not her own, ‘Not even the head of the church can send me away.’
Exhibit Three: Iowa Woman
This 40 year old woman was brought in the Franciscan convent by Father Theophilus Riesinger to undergo an exorcism that she believed she needed. She was a very religious woman, and stated that she was not able to attend church or pray since she was 14 years old. She spoke in many languages that she did not know, was abnormally strong, and couldn’t stand to be around anything that was blessed or holy water. When the woman arrived, she was given dinner that was blessed using holy water. The woman freaked out, and demanded a different plate of dinner that was not blessed.
The exorcism started the morning after, and continued through the next 23 days. The details of the exorcism were recorded. They stated that she would vomit unnatural amounts of foul smelling liquids, and that she barely ate anything for the weeks that passed. She was forced to vomit everything away, and some of the items coming up were not items that she had eaten. She only had a teaspoon of water or milk every once in awhile.
She told people the sins that they had committed in the past who were in the room, and spoke in many different languages. When the 23rd day approached, Father Theophilus sensed that the demons within her were weakening and blessed her. She started screaming the demons names, and when her eyes opened after she was able to speak Jesus’ name again for the first time in many years.
You may or may not believe in exorcisms. There are some of us out there who believe they do exist, and that there are powers out there stronger and more powerful than us. Collecting enough research and looking into these powerful forces will be able to give you more insight on exorcisms. There are many things left to be discovered. Exorcisms are just one of many.
- Exorcism: Information about Catholic exorcisms, and who is allowed to perform them while in the home.
- New Advent: What an exorcism is, how it might be performed normally, and what to expect during one.
- What is the Difference Between a Catholic Exorcism and Christian Exorcism?: Information to tell the difference between the two, and which is best.
- Demons and Exorcisms in Gospels: Information on demons and exorcisms in the gospels in Catholic faith.
- The Exorcism of Nicola Aubrey: Information on the direct exorcism of Nicola Aubrey.
Written by Michael S. Atwood