His confrontations with Satan were the subject of many interviews granted by him throughout his life. The Devil said: If Christians knew the power of the rosary, it would be my end ”
For 36 years, Father Gabriele Amorth was the principal exorcist of the Vatican and of the Diocese of Rome. Until his death in September 2016, at the age of 91, he faced innumerable “encounters” with Satan throughout his ministry, which were the subject of many interviews granted by the priest to media outlets around the world.
Our age has serious difficulties accepting such a hypothesis. Behind the dark and disturbing dimension of the stories revealed by Father Amorth, however, is the lesson that evil can be combated – and defeated.
Here are some interview passages with the most famous exorcist in the world:
For the Italian page Libero , on February 3, 2012, Father Amorth narrated some memories of his first encounter with the devil during an exorcism:
“Suddenly, I had the distinct sensation of a demonic presence on my forehead. I felt the demon watching me, examining me, moving around me. The air went cold. An exorcist friend had already told me about these abrupt changes in temperature. But it is one thing to hear and another to live the experience. I tried to concentrate. I closed my eyes and followed my prayer, with my heart: ‘Go out, rebel. Salt, seductive, full of tricks and lies, enemy of virtue, persecutor of the innocent. Leave this place for Christ, in whom there is none of your works. ‘”
The Luce di Maria page , in May 2015, also published interesting information about Father Amorth and about his ministry. For example: the exorcists interrogate the devil, even knowing that he is a liar; But why talk to him if you already know that the answer will probably be a lie? Father Amorth clarified:
“We have to filter the devil’s answers. The Lord sometimes requires that he tell the truth, to show that Satan was defeated by Christ and that he is obligated to obey the disciples who act in the name of the Lord. ”
In fact, added Father Amorth, the devil sometimes declares that he is forced to speak and does everything to avoid it. Being forced to reveal his name, for example, is for him a great humiliation, a sign of defeat. He seeks revenge in those cases and the conversation thus tends to be even more dangerous. The exorcist must limit himself to the questions authorized by the Rite and not allow himself to be led by the devil.
In another interview, granted to Urlo Magazine in 2009, Father Amorth told:
“Once, I asked a demon why, despite his superior intelligence, he preferred to descend to Hell. He replied: ‘I rebelled against God and showed that I am stronger than He’. For them, rebellion is a sign of victory and superiority. ”
The power of the Rosary
In his book “I, the last exorcist”, Father Amorth tells a dialogue that testifies to the strength of the Virgin Mary:
P. Amorth: “What are the virtues of Our Lady that angers you the most?”
Satan: “She infuriates me because she is the humblest of all creatures and because I am the most proud. Because she is the purest of all creatures and I am not. Because she is the most obedient to God and I am the most rebellious. ”
P. Amorth: “Why do you fear more when I say the name of Mary than when I say the name of Jesus Christ?”
Satan: “Because I humble myself more to be defeated by a mere creature than by Him”.
P. Amorth: “Is there a fourth quality of Mary that infuriates you?”
Satan: “She always frustrates me because she has never been touched by any stain of sin.”
The priest also remembered:
“During an exorcism, Satan told me through the person possessed: ‘Every Hail Mary of the rosary is a blow to my face. If Christians knew the power of the rosary, it would be my end. ”