The question has been swirling ever since Francis laid his hands Sunday on the head of a young man after celebrating Mass in St. Peter's Square. The young man heaved deeply a half-dozen times, shook, and he then slumped in his wheelchair as Francis prayed over him.

The television station of the Italian bishops' conference said it had surveyed exorcists, who agreed there was "no doubt" that Francis either performed an exorcism or a prayer to free the man from the devil.

The Vatican was more cautious Tuesday. In a statement, it said Francis "didn't intend to perform any exorcism. But as he often does for the sick or suffering, he simply intended to pray for someone who was suffering who was presented to him."

Fueling the speculation is Francis' obsession with Satan, a frequent subject of his homilies, and an apparent surge in demand for exorcisms among the faithful despite the irreverent treatment the rite often receives from Hollywood.

Who can forget the green vomit and the spinning head of the possessed girl in the 1973 cult classic "The Exorcist?"

In his very first homily as pope on March 14, Francis warned cardinals gathered in the Sistine Chapel the day after he was elected that "he who doesn't pray to the Lord prays to the devil."

He has since mentioned the devil on a handful of occasions, most recently in a May 4 homily when in his morning Mass in the Vatican hotel chapel he spoke of the need for dialogue — except with Satan.

"With the prince of this world you can't have dialogue: let this be clear!" he warned.

Experts said Francis' frequent invocation of the devil is a reflection both of his Jesuit spirituality, his Latin American roots — and a reflection of a Catholic Church weakened by secularization.

"The devil's influence and presence in the world seems to fluctuate in quantity inversely proportionate to the presence of Christian faith," said the Rev. Robert Gahl, a theologian at Rome's Pontifical Holy Cross University. "So, one would expect an upswing in his malicious activity in the wake of de-Christianization and secularization" in the world and a surge in things like drug use, pornography and superstition.

Pope Francis appears to have performed an exorcism on a wheelchair-bound young man who believers in the practice claim was possessed by evil.
According to TV2000, a Catholic television channel, the act was carried out in St Peter's Square after Mass on Sunday.

Smiling broadly, the Pope initially shook the man's hand, but the South American pontiff's expression changed dramatically after a priest from the Legionaries of Christ, a conservative order, leaned in close and spoke a few words to him.

With a more serious expression on his face, Francis placed both hands on the man's head for 15 seconds.

The pilgrim, said to be a 43-year old married man from Mexico called Angelo, then convulsed briefly and emitted a long sigh. His body went limp and his mouth dropped open.

"Exorcists who have seen the footage have no doubt – this was a prayer for liberation from Evil, an actual exorcism," said TV2000, which is owned by the Italian Bishops Conference.

epete wrote:That was nothing like the movie.

epete wrote:I'd say he would. Although, shouldn't God alone be good enough for the job?

Imagination Theory wrote:Are those his body guards?

Imagination Theory wrote:

epete wrote:I'd say he would. Although, shouldn't God alone be good enough for the job?

I guess so, doesn't he have a bullet proof car or somethin'? Do believers not find that odd?

Imagination Theory wrote:

epete wrote:I'd say he would. Although, shouldn't God alone be good enough for the job?

I guess so, doesn't he have a bullet proof car or somethin'? Do believers not find that odd?

Skinny Puppy wrote:

Imagination Theory wrote:

epete wrote:I'd say he would. Although, shouldn't God alone be good enough for the job?

I guess so, doesn't he have a bullet proof car or somethin'? Do believers not find that odd?

As an ex-fundie (non-Catholic though)... no it’s not considered to be odd.

You are not allowed to tempt god (force his hand) regardless of who you are or your position in this world.

You can ask for his protection, for example, going into a war zone to help children etc. but you cannot demand protection by purposely standing in the line of fire. If you take every possible safety precaution then god will save you from harm if he so desires.

An anecdote here: When I was in the Pentecostal church we’d go to youth meetings. One young friend of mine would drive us there. If we were going to be late he’d drive like a raving maniac to get us there. Once I told him he was risking all of our lives driving like that. His reply?

“We have nothing to fear, God will protect us from harm.”

He said that because we were all born again and we were Christ’s children and we had a purpose in life and God would not let any of us come to harm. It was not strictly biblical, but we considered ourselves “special”.

Skinny Puppy wrote:

Imagination Theory wrote:

epete wrote:I'd say he would. Although, shouldn't God alone be good enough for the job?

I guess so, doesn't he have a bullet proof car or somethin'? Do believers not find that odd?

As an ex-fundie (non-Catholic though)... no it’s not considered to be odd.

You are not allowed to tempt god (force his hand) regardless of who you are or your position in this world.

You can ask for his protection, for example, going into a war zone to help children etc. but you cannot demand protection by purposely standing in the line of fire. If you take every possible safety precaution then god will save you from harm if he so desires.

An anecdote here: When I was in the Pentecostal church we’d go to youth meetings. One young friend of mine would drive us there. If we were going to be late he’d drive like a raving maniac to get us there. Once I told him he was risking all of our lives driving like that. His reply?

“We have nothing to fear, God will protect us from harm.”

He said that because we were all born again and we were Christ’s children and we had a purpose in life and God would not let any of us come to harm. It was not strictly biblical, but we considered ourselves “special”.

Imagination Theory wrote:

epete wrote:I'd say he would. Although, shouldn't God alone be good enough for the job?

I guess so, doesn't he have a bullet proof car or somethin'? Do believers not find that odd?