Demand for exorcists is at an all-time high, says a leading demon hunter who blames human nature as the devil for the practice.
Pastor Chad Ripperger, a Catholic priest in the Archdiocese of Denver, told The Post newspaper that there are no more demons playing in the world.
The blame lies primarily with the people themselves. They deliberately ignore the teachings of the church and do their own bad things.
“Demons gain power as many people do bad things,” said Father Ripperger. “If a person likes to engage in these evil actions, Satanism or witchcraft, these actions lead to him being influenced by Satan so that he can be easily used and encouraged to do more evil.
“Unfortunately, people today do not believe that their actions have consequences.”
During an exorcism, the priest – armed with holy water, a cross and a bible – reads prayers and scriptures to the “possessed” while ordering the demon to leave. A person may need to be restrained during a session as the priest’s presence may anger the demon, Ripperger said, but “only a small percentage—about 10 percent—of cases are as dramatic as they are portrayed in Hollywood.”
The 1973 film “The Exorcist” shocked audiences around the world. In it, a girl named Regan MacNeil, portrayed by Linda Blair, was exorcised when she was known as a projectile-she vomited a disgusting green substance, vomited, turned her head backwards, spoke in ancient languages, had shocking scars on her face, and spoke with a demonic voice.
Today, Catholic Church experts say there are approximately 150 priests in the US who are trained in exorcism.
That number is up a staggering 650% since 2020 — when only about 20 priests are trained for the position, Ripperger said.
On March 13, Pope Leo XIV held the world’s top exorcists at the Vatican. They reportedly warned him of the alarming worldwide rise of “spiritualism, esotericism and Satanism.”
Priests from the International Association of Exorcists asked him to ensure that every diocese in the world has one or more adequately trained exorcists, according to EWTN Vatican.
These new exorcists are being trained to deal with the growing number of desperate families seeking help with disturbing and unexplained behavior, according to reports from Catholic priests and church officials.
Other Catholic priests involved in the event – Reverend Vincent Lampert, appointed executor of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, and Monsignor Stephen Rosetti, a Washington, DC-based expert on mental health and spirituality – also saw an escalation in the situation.
In 2018, Lampert said he received 1,700 calls for help. CNN contacted all 196 Catholic dioceses and archdioceses in the US for the latest report. Of the 48 respondents, 25 dioceses – more than 50% – reported a recent increase in dismissal requests.
Rev. Dan Todd, a trained apologist for Our Lady of Divine Mercy Anglican Church in High Bridge, NJ, told The Post, “The devil is there, but people do bad things too.
“About 99% of cases are due to mental illness.”
In that event, mental health should be considered “to make sure they get the help they need,” he added.
Signs of possession, according to leading exorcists, include:
- Speaking in languages they don’t know. Having a knowledge of ancient Latin, Hebrew, or Greek, without reading them.
- Anonymous information. A demon-possessed person will somehow know their personal details that have never been revealed publicly.
- Great power. “I’ve seen a woman throw a refrigerator into a room,” Todd said.
- Mental illusion. The demons will try to silence the exorcists.
- Hating religious symbols such as crosses and holy water.
- Sudden and extreme anger, obscene hand gestures and extreme profanity.
- Hallucinations, obsessive thoughts and suicidal thoughts.
Experts also give advice on how people can protect themselves from demons.
- Prayer and fasting.
- Go to church services and eat communion.
- Study the Bible.
- Confession and repentance.
- Get away from people you know are bad or doing crimes.
- Call upon your Guardian Angel, who is more powerful than the devil himself.
“Confession is a very powerful way to keep your soul clean, even when a person casts out demons, if a person confesses his sins, the demon disappears,” said Todd.
