ACI Prensa Staff, Jun 17, 2025 / 11:54 am

Father Marcello Lanza of the International Association of Exorcists (IAE) recently honored Father Gabriele Amorth on the 100th anniversary of Amorth’s birth as “the most famous exorcist of the 20th century.”

“Don Amorth was the most famous exorcist of the 20th century because, with his great love for the ‘poorest of the poor,’ he was not afraid of attracting negative preconceptions by communicating to the entire world the suffering that many believers were experiencing due to extraordinary diabolical phenomena,” Lanza wrote in an article published this month on the IAE website.

The Italian priest, who knew the late exorcist, emphasized that “one of his main warnings was to point out the presence of Satan behind the seemingly harmless phenomenon of magic.”

Amorth, who was born on May 1, 1925, “exposed the work of Satan behind the illicit activities of magicians, the hidden danger behind spiritualist seances, the spread of Satanism and black masses, but above all, he reestablished the thorny question of evil in theology.”

Why was he so outspoken?

Lanza explained that “from analyzing his writings, his interviews, but above all from having met him, it is clear that he was motivated by love for humanity. Furthermore, his writing apostolate, dedicated to demonology and practice of exorcism, was based solely on the profound charity he felt toward Satan’s victims, both baptized and unbaptized.”

“The psychological aspects of his strong and stable personality helped him not to be afraid to speak about Satan everywhere, from the pulpit to television. But what made him famous was his mystical life, through which he reminded the world that those being exorcised needed the love of the Church.”

In Lanza’s opinion, “the power of [Amorth’s] priestly service was experienced when he helped those exorcised to free themselves from many cursed objects expelled during the liturgical action of the exorcisms, restoring them to peace and serenity.”

This is what Amorth did, the exorcist continued, “reminding even more the theologians who denied the existence of Satan and his extraordinary action that this experience belongs to the exorcist liturgical magisterium.”

“In Father Amorth’s spiritual experience, the mystical life is in authentic conformity to Christ, which involves,” as Amorth explained in “The Sign of the Exorcist” (2013), “a choice that entails a great spiritual battle. Because by choosing Christ, the devil is unleashed,” Lanza emphasized.

After noting that “the mystical life and the fight against Satan are inseparable,” as the late Pope Francis recalled on various occasions throughout his pontificate, Lanza thanked Amorth “for having reminded the Church and theologians that the mystery of redemption is, above all, liberation from Satan, the enemy of God and humanity, constantly acting against man because he is envious of man.”

Who was Gabriele Amorth?

Amorth, born May 1, 1925, in Modena, Italy, was an exorcist for the Diocese of Rome.

In 1937, at just 12 years of age, he discovered his vocation to the priesthood thanks to his active participation in parish Catholic Action and the San Vincenzo Association.

In 1942, he traveled to Rome to meet with the Passionist order, which he wished to join because he felt drawn to community life. However, the Passionists did not have a room for him, so he was accommodated by the Society of St. Paul, the congregation in which he would be ordained a priest in 1954.

He worked in the Spiritual Assistance Office of the Vicariate of Rome and as a chaplain in Regina Caeli prison. He was responsible for the formation of young aspirants and religious of the Society of St. Paul.

In 1986, he was appointed chief exorcist of the Diocese of Rome by Cardinal Ugo Poletti. In 1990, he founded the International Association of Exorcists and was president until his retirement at the age of 75.

Amorth said he performed tens of thousands of exorcisms. He was known for his practical approach and for reaffirming the existence of the devil and demons. He warned about the consequences of Ouija boards, astrology, and other occult practices.

Amorth was the author of several books, including “An Exorcist Tells His Story,” “An Exorcist: More Stories,” and “Exorcism and Psychiatry.” He also frequently contributed to television and radio programs and was consulted by the Vatican on matters related to exorcism.

Amorth died on Sept. 16, 2016, in Rome at the age of 91. Following the release of the trailer for the film “The Pope’s Exorcist,” supposedly based on Amorth’s life, Father José Antonio Fortea, an expert in demonology, explained that the production is an exaggeration of reality and is a distortion of the power of the devil.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.