Belief in malevolent spirits inhabiting the human body has persisted across cultures for millennia. During the Middle Ages, exorcisms were commonplace to rid individuals of supposed demonic possession. In modern society, the view is that these practices are outdated, and possession is regarded as a manifestation of mental illness. Despite this, the Catholic Church has reported a surge in requests for exorcisms. Is this truly evidence of a revival in cases of demonic possession, or is it simply a media-fueled phenomenon?

While the practice of exorcism has a long history in many different religions, it is most commonly associated with the Christian faith. In the New Testament of the Christian Bible, Jesus is depicted as exorcising demons from possessed individuals. The early Christian church also believed in the reality of demonic possession and considered it a serious spiritual affliction. During the Middle Ages, exorcism became a formalized practice within the Catholic Church, with specific guidelines and rituals established for performing the ceremony.

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In 2013, the Roman Catholic Church announced that they were training up a new army of exorcists to meet the growing demand for experts to rid people of evil spirits. The Church claims that the “unprecedented rise” in requests for exorcism comes from more people dabbling in the ‘dark arts’ with the help of information found on the internet.

Read more: Ancient Origins