Pope Watch

Pope Watch
News about Pope Francis

Wednesday 22 May 2013

Did The Pope Perform an Exorcism?

A fair amount of fuss is being made over the Pope's laying on of hands to a sick person during the Mass in St Peter's Square on Sunday.

The BBC reports that TV footage shows a young man, who is in a wheelchair, opening his mouth and either screaming or breathing deeply as the Pope puts his hands on his head and prays for him during the Mass in St Peter's Square.

Cue those who believe in demons and such nonsense to claim that the Pope performed an exorcism, a claim that the Vatican has swiftly denied.

A few centuries ago the Vatican would have proudly boasted that it was an exorcism. However, these days it knows that such claims would be ridiculed.

As with all religions, people choose to believe what suits them, and will read into actions and words anything they want; facts become irrelevant.