Honoring Fr. Gabriele Amorth, 20th-Century Exorcist

If you think exorcists are just characters in horror movies and awkward Halloween costumes, then you clearly never met Fr. Gabriele Amorth — the real-life priest who terrified demons more than garlic, holy water, and The Exorcist DVD box set combined.

 

Nicknamed “the Vatican’s chief exorcist” — though the Vatican never technically gave him the title (typical Vatican PR) — Fr. Amorth performed over 60,000 exorcisms. That’s not a typo. That’s six. Zero. Thousand. Talk about job security in the spiritual warfare department.

 

The Demon-Slayer in a Cassock

 

Fr. Amorth wasn’t your average priest handing out gentle blessings and homilies about being kind to your neighbor. No, he was more of a “get thee behind me, Satan” type — the kind of guy who made demons wish they’d called in sick.

 

He called the Devil “a pure spirit of evil.” No sugar-coating. No theological jargon. Just war.

 

He even criticized fellow clergy for not taking evil seriously — saying too many bishops and priests had “stopped believing in Satan.” Bold move. Imagine going to war and half your side doesn't think the enemy exists. That’s like a firefighter refusing to believe in fire.

 

Hollywood? Child’s Play.

 

If you’re thinking, “Oh, this is just like that movie,” slow down. Fr. Amorth hated the way Hollywood turned possession into popcorn entertainment. In fact, he thought most depictions of exorcism in media were... well, possessed by inaccuracies.

 

And he would know — he was trained by Fr. Candido Amantini, the Vatican's previous demon-fighting champ. Think of Amorth as the Batman to Amantini’s Alfred — if Batman wielded a crucifix and recited Latin instead of using Batarangs.

 

Not Without Controversy (Obviously)

 

Some in the Church were uncomfortable with how outspoken he was — he often accused people of opening “demonic doorways” through things like Ouija boards, yoga, Harry Potter books, and even rock music. (Sorry, Led Zeppelin fans — you may need confession.)

 

Critics rolled their eyes. But Amorth didn’t care. He was too busy waging holy war and reminding everyone that Satan wasn’t just a metaphor or a scary bedtime story. To him, evil was real, active, and personal — and someone had to fight it.

 

The Legacy: Faith, Fire, and a Little Fear

 

When Fr. Amorth passed in 2016 at age 91, the Church didn’t just lose a priest — it lost one of its most fearless frontline fighters. The kind of man who would walk into a room and make demons sweat. The kind of priest who reminded Catholics that spiritual warfare isn’t just a theme in scripture — it’s happening right now.

 

Love him or label him extreme, Fr. Gabriele Amorth’s legacy is impossible to ignore.

 

So light a candle. Say a prayer. Maybe hide your Ouija board.

Because this exorcist’s story still sends shivers down the spine of Hell itself.