Gabriele Amorth claimed to have performed over 100,000 exorcisms between 1986 and 2016, but he clarified that only about 100 of those were genuine cases of demonic possession.
Father Gabriele Amorth once stated that he had carried out over 60,000 exorcisms during his lifetime, a staggering figure by any measure. However, just before his death in 2016, he revised that number to over 100,000. Despite these extraordinary claims, Amorth insisted that he had no fear of the Devil — in fact, he said, “the Devil feared him.”
Few people could claim greater expertise on exorcisms than Father Amorth. He began his career as an assistant to Cardinal Ugo Poletti, the former chief exorcist of the Diocese of Rome, before succeeding him in the role. Amorth held the position for nearly three decades, during which time he wrote a book about his experiences titled An Exorcist Tells His Story and founded the International Association of Exorcists. For Amorth, being an exorcist was truly his life’s calling.
If this sounds like something straight out of a movie, the team at Sony Pictures thought the same. Amorth’s work inspired The Pope’s Exorcist, a 2023 horror film starring Russell Crowe. However, the International Association of Exorcists criticized the movie, arguing that it misrepresented both history and the nature of exorcisms. Interestingly, Amorth had been a fan of the 1973 film The Exorcist, so why did this new movie draw such backlash from the association?
To grasp that, one must first understand Gabriele Amorth’s life and the often controversial statements he made over the years.
How Gabriele Amorth Went From Italian Resistance Fighter To Priest
Gabriele Amorth was born on May 1, 1925, in Modena, Italy. As a young man, he joined the Italian resistance movement, fighting against both the Nazis and his own country’s fascist regime. After the war, he followed the path of his father and grandfather by studying law, eventually serving as deputy to future Italian prime minister Giulio Andreotti.
However, in 1946, Amorth decided to take a different direction. He joined the Society of St. Paul and began working as a journalist for Catholic publications. Five years later, on January 24, 1951, he was ordained as a priest.
It wasn’t until 1986, at the age of 61, that Amorth began his work as an exorcist.
“When the Pope’s Vicar for the Diocese of Rome, Cardinal Ugo Poletti, unexpectedly granted me the faculty of exorcist, I did not guess the immensity of the world that he had opened up to me or the multitudes who would flock to my ministry,” Amorth reflected in the opening to An Exorcist Tells His Story.
Amorth viewed his appointment as a “great grace,” one that connected him with believers from all corners of the globe. Since exorcists are relatively rare, individuals from all over Europe sought him out when they felt the need for his services. If Amorth’s own estimates are accurate, tens of thousands may have come to him for help during his career.
How Many Exorcisms Did Gabriele Amorth Perform?
To grasp how Gabriele Amorth managed to perform so many exorcisms over his 30-year career, it’s essential to understand what he classified as an exorcism. In his book, Amorth clarified some misconceptions about the ritual. Contrary to what’s depicted in movies, an exorcism didn’t always involve dramatic confrontations with demons. Sometimes, it could be as brief as a simple prayer lasting “a few minutes,” while other times, it could be an extended ritual that took “many hours.”
This portrayal differs from what was shown in the 2023 Russell Crowe film inspired by Amorth’s life. Although The Pope’s Exorcist is based on a true story, it strays significantly from the reality of Amorth’s work.
According to the Associated Press, Amorth acknowledged that the majority of those who sought his help — 98 percent — actually needed psychiatric care rather than an exorcism.
Out of the 100,000 exorcisms Amorth claimed to have performed, he admitted that only about 100 involved what he considered genuine cases of demonic possession. However, he explained in his autobiography that the only way to be sure if someone was possessed was by conducting an exorcism: “Only through the exorcism itself can we determine with certainty whether there is a satanic influence.”
In this way, Amorth saw exorcisms as a comprehensive method for diagnosing, preventing, and combating evil. He even noted, “An unnecessary exorcism never harmed anyone.” Despite the rarity of true possession cases by his definition, there was always a high demand for his services.
“The ritual of exorcism is not practiced by an ordinary priest,” Amorth told director William Friedkin in a 2016 interview for Vanity Fair. “An exorcist requires specific training and must be thought to have a personal sanctity. He can be exposed to dangerous behavior and personal threats. His prayers often cause a violent response as he attempts to shine a beam of light into the darkness.”
Despite his deep faith and devotion, Amorth was not without controversy during his career.
The Controversies Surrounding The Famed Exorcist
“Today, Satan rules the world,” Gabriele Amorth declared in his interview with Friedkin. “The masses no longer believe in God. And, yes, Satan is in the Vatican.”
This was just one of many provocative statements Amorth made throughout his career. The Vatican is no stranger to controversy, with scandals surfacing year after year, but it’s rare for a high-ranking official to openly criticize the Church — let alone suggest that the Devil himself had infiltrated its ranks.
Amorth’s remarks weren’t confined to the Catholic Church, though.
The priest also claimed that both Joseph Stalin and Adolf Hitler had been possessed by the Devil. In 2011, he controversially stated that yoga was also an instrument of Satan.
And yoga wasn’t the only activity Amorth denounced. He also believed that using Ouija boards and “reading Harry Potter” were gateways to demonic influence.
One of Amorth’s most shocking allegations concerned the 1983 disappearance of 15-year-old Emanuela Orlandi. She vanished without a trace in June 1983, and Amorth claimed that Orlandi had been abducted for a sex party involving Vatican police and foreign diplomats, eventually leading to her murder.
Even after his death, Gabriele Amorth’s legacy sparked debate. His work gained renewed attention in 2023 with the release of The Pope’s Exorcist, introducing his life story to a broader audience.
In one of his final interviews, published in Faithful Insight magazine, Amorth reiterated that humanity had turned its back on God: “We see it in laws that go totally against nature such as divorce, abortion, ‘gay marriage.'” Amorth warned that God would “admonish humanity in a very powerful manner” for these perceived transgressions.
Father Amorth passed away on September 16, 2016, at the age of 91. In his final moments, he is said to have vowed, “When I get to the Good Place I will continue to fight the Devil even harder.”