Screen shot from The Exorcist.More than 80 priests from all over Poland attended the 22nd Exorcists’ Congress at the Roman Catholic sanctuary of Niepokalanow, near Warsaw.
This is the first time, though, that they agreed to address a press conference – in response to growing interest in exorcising among parishioners, Marek Wodka, a priest from Radio Niepokalanow explained.
When asked by journalists, the exorcists admitted that possession by the devil may look just like it is portrayed in scary movies. But the rites that the exorcists use to expel evil spirits are much less spectacular.
“Our role is mainly to say prayers and psalms,” Father Andrzej Grefkowicz told the press conference. Another priest, Aleksander Posacki, said that too many myths surround exorcisms, which in fact are based on fundamental church rules.
Congress participants argued that demonology lessons should be treated more seriously in seminaries and that ordinary people, too, would benefit from knowing more about exorcisms. During the congress, the priests discussed the main causes of possession by demons such as occult, esoteric beliefs like magic, eastern meditation and homeopathy.
In the 1990s, there were three exorcists practicing in Poland. Today, their number has exceeded one hundred. Each is appointed by a local bishop. The congresses are held twice a year. (kk/mmj)
Source: Gazeta Wyborcza