Gabriele Amorth facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Gabriele Amorth |
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Fr. Amorth in 2013
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| Orders | |
| Ordination | 1954 |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1 May 1925 Modena, Emilia, Kingdom of Italy |
| Died | 16 September 2016 (aged 91) Rome, Italy |
| Nationality | Italian |
| Denomination | Catholic |
| Occupation | Exorcist and writer |
Gabriele Amorth (1925–2016) was an Italian Catholic priest and a well-known exorcist for the Diocese of Rome. He was a member of the Society of Saint Paul, a religious group. Father Amorth became famous around the world for his work with exorcism, which is a religious practice to remove evil spirits.
He helped start the International Association of Exorcists with five other priests. During his career, Father Amorth said he performed many thousands of exorcisms. He became one of the most recognized figures in the Catholic Church in recent times.
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Early Life and Priesthood
Gabriele Amorth was born in Modena, Italy, on May 1, 1925. His family was very involved in the Catholic faith. He studied law before becoming a priest. During World War II, he was a brave fighter for the Italian resistance movement. This group worked against the government at the time.
In 1954, he became a Roman Catholic priest. Later, in June 1986, he was chosen to be an exorcist for the Diocese of Rome. He learned from another experienced exorcist named Candido Amantini. In 1990, Father Amorth helped create the International Association of Exorcists. He was the president of this group until he retired in 2000.
Father Amorth passed away on September 16, 2016, at the age of 91. He had been in the hospital for lung problems.
What Are Exorcisms?
Father Amorth was known for performing many exorcisms. An exorcism is a special prayer or ritual. It is done to help someone who is believed to be affected by evil spirits.
How Many Exorcisms?
Father Amorth said he performed a very large number of exorcisms. In 2000, he reported over 50,000. By 2010, he said the number was 70,000. In 2013, he claimed to have performed 160,000 exorcisms.
It is important to know that each exorcism does not mean a different person was possessed. Sometimes, one person needed many prayers or rituals. Some people might have needed hundreds of exorcisms.
Why So Many Exorcisms?
Father Amorth believed that many people had lost their faith. He thought this led them to things like superstition, magic, or using ouija boards. He felt these activities could open the door for evil spirits.
He also said that a person could be affected by more than one evil spirit at a time. He even suggested there could be thousands in some cases.
Guidelines for Exorcists
Father Amorth gave advice for those who perform exorcisms. He said they should be very prayerful and have strong faith. They should also be kind and make good decisions. He believed they should only use the "Word of God" and traditional prayers. It was also important for them to not care about money and to be very humble.
The Vatican has official rules for exorcisms. These rules were last updated in 2004 in a Latin document called De Exorcismis et Supplicationibus Quibusdam.
Books by Father Amorth
Father Amorth wrote many books about his experiences as an exorcist. Two of his most famous books are An Exorcist Tells His Story and An Exorcist: More Stories. These books talk about the official Catholic teachings on evil spirits. They also share his personal experiences.
His books discuss how to understand and deal with spiritual problems. He wrote about things like curses. He said that curses could come from bad wishes from relatives, using bad language, or practicing magic.
Father Amorth wrote over thirty books in Italian. Many of them have been translated into other languages. Here are some of his books available in English:
- An Exorcist Tells His Story (1999)
- An Exorcist: More Stories (2002)
- An Exorcist Explains the Demonic: The Antics of Satan and His Army of Fallen Angels (2016)
- The Devil is Afraid of Me: The Life and Work of the World's Most Famous Exorcist (2019)
- Father Amorth: My Battle Against Satan (2018)
- Father Gabriele Amorth: The Official Biography of the Pope's Exorcist (2023)
- The Pope's Exorcist: 101 Questions about Fr. Gabriele Amorth (2022)
Father Amorth also appeared in a TV show called True Horror with Anthony Head. He explained that he would never perform an exorcism just because someone claimed to be possessed. He always sent people to doctors and psychiatrists first. If someone insisted they were possessed but he saw they were not, he would tell them, "You have no devil. If you have a problem, talk to a good vet."
Father Amorth in Film
Father Amorth's work has been shown in movies.
- The 2017 documentary film The Devil and Father Amorth was directed by William Friedkin. It shows Father Amorth performing an exorcism in an Italian village.
- In 2023, the actor Russell Crowe played Father Amorth in the movie The Pope's Exorcist. This supernatural horror film is based on Father Amorth's own books.
Father Amorth's Views
Views on Yoga
Father Amorth once said that yoga could be dangerous. He believed it could lead to practicing Hinduism and other Eastern religions. He thought these religions were based on a false idea of reincarnation. He said that "practicing yoga is satanic, it leads to evil just like reading Harry Potter."
Images for kids
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Fr. Amorth in 2013
See also
In Spanish: Gabriele Amorth para niños
