Pope Leo hosts exorcist summit at the Vatican over fears of worldwide surge in Satanism

Pope Leo XIV hosted the world’s most senior Catholic exorcists at the Vatican for a private high-level meeting this month.

The delegation from the International Association of Exorcists warned the Pontiff of a terrifying and accelerating global rise in occultism, esotericism, and Satanism.

The priests reported a sharp increase in people seriously disturbed by the extraordinary action of the devil, particularly those frequenting occult sects. They described the situation as causing great suffering for both the individuals affected and the broader Church.

Founded by renowned exorcists Father Rene Chenessau and the late Father Gabriele Amorth — whose ministry inspired the Russell Crowe film “The Pope’s Exorcist” — the association is now led by Monsignor Karel Orlita and Father Francesco Bamonte of the Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

The exorcists urged Pope Leo to take concrete action by ensuring every diocese worldwide has at least one or more adequately trained exorcist priests. They emphasized the urgent need to expand the ministry to battle the growing demonic activity through the sacramental of exorcism.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the delegation presented the Pope with a metal image of Saint Michael the Archangel from the historic sanctuary of Monte Sant’Angelo, along with two copies — in Italian and English — of their official guidelines for the ministry of exorcism published in 2019.

Pope Leo acknowledged the work of trained exorcists as both “delicate” yet “most necessary.” He encouraged priests to live it as a ministry of liberation and consolation, accompanying the faithful truly possessed by the evil one with prayer and the invocation of Christ’s presence.