Hell on earth
★ ACTOR Russell Crowe’s movie The Pope’s Exorcist has been slammed by professionals over the portrayal of the Pope’s top demon slayer.
Dubbed “unreliable cinema splatter” the International Association of Exorcists say their depiction is: “The exact opposite of what occurs.”
★ Here KIM CARR reveals some real-life cases of exorcisms...
IN 1949 America, a 13-year-old boy dubbed Ronald Doe (above) turned to a spirit board to contact his late aunt. He then began suffering phenomena including messages written on his skin and super-human strength which led his parents to take him to priests for examination. Judged “possessed”, Roland screamed and attacked his exorcists until a “miracle” led him out of his trance-like state. Left with no memory of the experience, his story was turned into film The Exorcist (right).
GERMAN Anneliese Michel (above) was subjected to 10 months of exorcism from the age of 22 after suffering from hallucinations and psychosis. Her death in 1976 was blamed on starvation as a result of nearly 70 rituals and the experience inspired 2005 film The Exorcism of Emily Rose. Her “possession” was likely to have been a result of a brain disorder such as epilepsy.
IN 1778 tailor George Lukins from Somerset alarmed people when he started talking in odd voices and singing hymns backwards. Seven priests ordered demons, which they alleged had taken over his soul, to leave. When the exorcism ended he said the Lord’s Prayer.
SOUTH African Clara Germana Cele, 16, spoke to things that were invisible, growled like an animal and levitated 5ft off the ground before priests successfully performed multiple exorcisms in 1906. Clara (right) claimed to have made pacts with the Devil but after a “noxious smell” was observed leaving her body, Clara was deemed free of evil.
SPEAKING in tongues, levitating, and having dark thoughts led to Anna Ecklund being branded “cursed” from the age of 14. It was rumoured her aunt was a witch who put spells on the herbs in her food. She underwent a fourmonth exorcism in 1928, in Iowa, US, then went on to experience “milder possessions” afterwards.
GAGGED with a towel, bound to a cross and left in a convent room for days without food or water, Romanian nun Maricica Irina Cornici died in 2005 after she was exorcised following her claims of hearing the devil talk to her. The priest who performed it was jailed for seven years.
IN 1974, Michael Taylor, of Ossett, West Yorks, joined a church group. But when his behaviour became erratic, he was deemed to be possessed and a church leader carried out an exorcism, claiming to have pulled more than 40 demons from his body. Sent home Taylor killed his wife and strangled their pet poodle but was acquitted on grounds of insanity.
PSYCHIATRIST Dr Richard Gallagher was brought “Julia”, the leader of a Satanic cult, as a patient at New York Medical College. She had the ability to tell him private information about his life and also he heard a demonic voice come from her. During her exorcism she changed the temperature of the room, spoke in tongues and levitated.