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Vatican to hold exorcist training course after ‘rise in possessions’

Vatican to hold exorcist training course after ‘rise in possessions’

The Guardian draws on the Theos report ‘Christianity and Mental Health’ in an article about exorcisms.

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The Vatican is to hold a training course for priests in exorcism next month amid claims that demands for deliverance from demonic possession have greatly increased across the the world.

The Vatican–backed International Association of Exorcists, which represents more than 200 Catholic, Anglican and Orthodox priests, said the increase represented a “pastoral emergency”.

According to a priest from Sicily, the number of people in Italy claiming to be possessed had tripled to 500,000 a year, and an Irish priest has said demand for exorcisms has “risen exponentially”.

Last year, the Christian thinktank Theos reported that exorcisms were a “booming industry” in the UK, particularly among Pentecostal churches.

 

Read the full article here.

 

 Image from the Guardian website.

Harriet Sherwood

Harriet Sherwood

Harriet Sherwood is the Guardian’s religion correspondent. She was previously Jerusalem correspondent, foreign editor and home editor

Watch, listen to or read more from Harriet Sherwood

Posted 9 April 2018

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