Exorcists have asked the Pope to train more exorcist priests.
Exorcists from the International Association of Exorcists (AIE) met with the Pope in early March and proposed creating at least one position in each diocese to handle complex cases of possession. According to their data, interest in the occult and Satanism is growing worldwide, and people who find no help in the church often turn to amateurs for help.
The association’s vice president, Father Francesco Bamonte, warned that ignoring this trend leaves the faithful without support. He called on the Pope to train more priests specializing in exorcism so that they can more actively combat demons and clearly identify cases requiring Church intervention. Pope Leo XIV thanked the exorcists for their work and presented them with a rosary.
Critics of the initiative point out that many cases perceived as possession actually require the help of doctors and psychiatrists. However, the priests themselves insist that their protocol includes a medical examination, and proper preparation is precisely what’s needed to protect vulnerable people.