The Expansion of Satanism and Its Consequences
From your perspective, do you believe that Satanism is growing?
Without a doubt. Its growth is alarming. As faith diminishes, superstition rises. In biblical terms, one might say people are abandoning God to embrace the occult.
The loss of faith across traditionally Catholic Europe has driven many to seek answers from sorcerers and fortune-tellers. This has fueled the rise of satanic sects. Additionally, the worship of the devil is widely promoted through mediums such as satanic rock music and controversial figures like Marilyn Manson.
Even children are being influenced through magazines, comics, and content that glorify witchcraft and Satanism. Spiritism, once practiced by mediums, is now taught to be performed using computers, phones, and other devices. Automatic writing has become especially popular, enabling people to engage in spiritism without intermediaries.
Recent surveys indicate that 37% of students have participated in the “letter and glass game,” a form of spiritism. In one school where I was invited to speak, students admitted to playing this game during religion class, with the teacher’s tacit approval.
Do these practices actually work?
There is no distinction between white magic and black magic; when magic is effective, it is always the work of the devil. All forms of the occult, including Eastern religions with their esotericism, are open doors to the evil one. And the devil enters immediately.
In cases like the murder of a nun in Chiavenna or the crimes committed by Erika and Omar in Novi Ligure, I had no hesitation in affirming that there was diabolical intervention. These youths practiced Satanism, and the police found satanic books and evidence of their adherence to such ideologies.
What is the devil’s strategy for seducing mankind?
He always uses the same tactics. He makes people believe that hell doesn’t exist, that sin is irrelevant, and that he is merely another experience to explore. His most effective tools are lust, success, and power.
How many cases of demonic possession have you faced?
I have dealt with nearly one hundred cases. I stopped counting, but this figure is exceptionally high.
Isn’t that a large number? In your book, you state that cases of possession are rare.
And they are. Most exorcists only encounter minor demonic afflictions. However, I inherited many complex cases from Father Candido, a well-known exorcist, and I also receive difficult cases referred by other colleagues.
What has been the most challenging case you have faced?
One case I have been working on for over two years. It involves a young woman who was blessed—but not exorcized—by the Pope at the Vatican. This event garnered significant media attention. The young woman suffers constant torment 24 hours a day. Neither doctors nor psychiatrists can explain what is happening to her. She is completely lucid and highly intelligent. It is a profoundly heartbreaking case.
How can someone fall victim to the devil?
People can be attacked by the devil under four main circumstances:
- As a blessing, as in the case of many saints.
- Through irreversible persistence in sin.
- Due to a curse that invokes the name of the devil.
- By practicing the occult.
Phenomena During Exorcisms
During exorcisms, surprising phenomena occur. I recall an illiterate farmer who began speaking fluent English, which forced me to use an interpreter. Other cases include superhuman strength or levitation, where several people are unable to restrain the afflicted individual.
However, we identify the presence of the devil not only through these phenomena but also within the broader context in which they occur.
Has the devil ever hurt you?
No. When Cardinal Poletti entrusted me with this mission, I consecrated myself to the Virgin Mary: “Wrap me in your mantle, and I will be safe.” Although the devil has threatened me many times, he has never been able to harm me.
Do you fear the devil?
Fear? Not at all! It is the devil who should fear me because I act in the name of the Lord of the world. He is nothing more than a crude imitator of God.
Satanism and the Church
Father Amorth, with the rise of Satanism, the restrictions on exorcism, and the exclusion of exorcists from the papal audience, what is really happening?
The smoke of Satan has invaded all spaces, even the Church. Perhaps we were excluded from the Pope’s audience because they feared that so many exorcists together might expel the legions of demons entrenched in the Vatican.
Are you serious?
Though it may sound like a joke, I deeply believe it. I have no doubt that the devil especially tempts Church authorities, as well as political and industrial leaders.
The Devil’s Strategy in High Places
Are you suggesting that, like in any war, the devil seeks to conquer leaders?
Exactly. It is a standard strategy. Satan seeks to strike when defenses are weak. However, the Church is guided by the Holy Spirit, and “the gates of hell shall not prevail.”
Although the devil may win some significant battles, he will never triumph in the war. The Church has faced betrayals and defections since its inception. Judas Iscariot, one of Jesus’ closest apostles, was the first traitor. Yet, despite everything, the Church endures, upheld by the Holy Spirit.
Interview conducted in June 2001 by the Italian newspaper “30 Days”
