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Exorcist Who Fought the Devil Dies at 91

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A Catholic priest who served as chief exorcist for the Vatican and says he squared off with demons on more than 100 occasions has passed away at the age of 91.

Fr. Gabriele Amorth died in a Rome hospital this week having succumbed to a variety of respiratory and circulatory ailments, the Catholic Herald reports.

During his lifetime he published several books about Satan, demons, and evil in the world. Not long before his death he described the militant Islamic group ISIS as Satan. He also criticized Harry Potter books and movies.

In 2006, he told Vatican Radio, "Exorcism is something which you believe in because deeds happen that reason cannot explain," but which teaching in the Bible can help understand.

He described evil spirits as "angels, created as good by God, who rebelled, and due to hatred of God they tempt man toward evil."

In 2008, CBN News reporter George Thomas did a story on Fr. Amorth. Watch that story above or read it below.

ROME -- In this predominantly Catholic nation, the devil is gaining a foothold.

"There is a greater openness towards the devil," says Father Gabriele Amorth, the Vatican's Chief Exorcist.

In fact, Rome has been called the most satanized city in Italy.

"Satanism and the occult are in fashion," declares Father Pedro Barrajón, a Catholic priest who serves in Rome.

There are an estimated 800 satanic cults operating in the country, with more than 600,000 followers. And according to Silvano Lilli, an evangelical pastor in Rome, their numbers are growing.

"The devil's diabolical influence is growing in so many areas of our society," says Lilli."He needs to be driven out."

Leading the battle to drive the devil out of Italy is 82-year-old Father Gabriele Amorth.

"This is the room where I do my exorcisms," says Father Amorth pointing to a small room.

Not too far from the Vatican, Father Amorth uses the practice of exorcism to drive out the devil from possessed souls.

"If a person is not violent I let them sit in this armchair, and I do the exorcism here. If they are violent I lay them down and if necessary I also tie them down," says Father Amorth.

Amorth is the Vatican's Chief Exorcist and the driving force behind the Catholic Church's renewed campaign against the devil.

He shows us where he works but refuses to let us tape him confronting Satan.

"I also use oil, it's the oil used for mass, the same used in a baptism and I've seen that it works," exclaims Father Amorth.

Amorth says "exorcism is God's true miracle" to confronting the devil and his handmaidens.

"Medicine and science have cases they can't solve but which are instead solved by exorcism," he added.

The devil's growing influence has even gotten the attention of the Vatican. Last year it started offering courses to its bishops on exorcisms.

Pedro Barrajón, a professor of theology, is teaching some of the exorcism classes.

"Our bishops need to know how to confront the devil," says professor Barrajón. "They need to know how an exorcism is conducted and how to help set people free from the influence of the devil."

Beasts of Satan

Italians got a taste of the devil's influence a couple of years ago when two teenagers were stabbed, bludgeoned, and buried alive here in the woods northwest Milan.

Members of a heavy metal band named the Beasts of Satan were convicted in the double murder. One of the victims was allegedly killed because she resembled the Virgin Mary.

"Despite the fact that the presence of the satanic world is fairly widespread we only knew of rituals where animals were slaughtered," said Enzo Molinaro, a detective with the Italian police. "As to rituals involving human sacrifice this was the first case."

Since then, Italian authorities have been grappling with a string of murders linked to devil worship. The Vatican now has priests working alongside law enforcement officers to tackle a wave of satanic crimes.

"We invite the police to sit-in on the exorcism classes so that they can understand the spiritual and theological dimensions of this phenomenon," said Barrajón, who is also an ordained Catholic bishop.

Many Italians are forsaking priests for magicians, fortunetellers and faith healers. It's A multi-billion dollar industry that employs thousands of practitioners like Sensitive Mariano.

Sensitive Mariano, who's real name is Salvatore, claims he received the powers of healing and prophecy as a child.

Today he performs an exorcism on Esperanza, a troubled housewife whose life was falling apart until she saw Mariano on TV.

"In the name of Saint Benedict, any form of evil should leave the mind of this woman," exclaims Mariano as he places a crucifix over Esperanza's forehead. Preserve Esperanza! Come out from this woman."

But the Catholic Church insists that such freelancers are not welcome.

 

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