Surge in Satanism sparks rise in demand for exorcists: Catholic Church

The Roman Catholic Church has warned that a surge in Satanism fuelled by the Internet has led to a sharp rise in the demand for exorcists.

Exorcism is the subject of a six-day conference being held this week at the Regina Apostolorum Pontifical University in Rome, which is under the Vatican's authority.

Carlo Climati, a member of the university who specialises in the dangers posed to young people by Satanism, said the web has made it easier than ever before to access information on Devil-worshipping and the occult.

"The internet makes it much easier than in the past to find information about Satanism," the Telegraph quoted him as saying.

"In just a few minutes you can contact Satanist groups and research occultism. The conference is not about how to become an exorcist. It's to share information about exorcism, Satanism and sects.

"It's to give help to families and priests. There is a particular risk for young people who are in difficulties or who are emotionally fragile," Climati said.

He said the object of seminars was to scrutinise the phenomenon of Satanism with "seriousness and scientific rigour", avoiding a "superficial or sensational approach".

The conference in Rome has brought together more than 60 Catholic clergy as well as doctors, psychologists, psychiatrists, teachers and youth workers to discuss how to combat the dangers of Devil-worship.

Father Gabriele Amorth said people who are possessed by Satan vomit shards of glass and pieces of iron, scream, dribble and slobber, utter blasphemies and have to be physically restrained.

He claimed that the sex abuse scandals, which have engulfed the Church in the US, Ireland, Germany and other countries, were proof that the anti-Christ was waging a war against the Holy See.

He said Pope Benedict XVI believed "wholeheartedly" in the practice of exorcism.