Rome's Chief Exorcist Reveals the Secrets of Hell

Don Gabriele Amorth recounts his mentor's advice on how to talk to the Devil.

In 2012, the cause of beatification and canonization for Fr. Candido Amantini, a Passionist priest who served as the exorcist for the diocese of Rome for 36 years at the Scala Santa, was taken up in Rome. His most famous disciple (who is considered to be his successor) is 87 year old Don Gabriele Amorth, who wanted to participate in the opening ceremony of the process. The Pauline priest, who recently published the book, The Last Exorcist, wished to remember the Passionist Father and told us about the time when then devil argued with his teacher about Hell.

Don Amorth, are you happy? Fr. Candido will become a blessed.

It is a great joy because Fr. Candido was a man of God! He was always serene, always smiling, never angry even with the devil! Everyone was talking about him, he was extremely well known in Rome, where he served as exorcist for 36 years without ever quitting.

What do you remember about your teacher?

He was endowed with special charisms. For example, it was enough for him to see a photograph to determine whether a person needed an exorcism or medical treatment …

In what sense?

I’ll relate one episode. One day I was with him and he showed me three photographs that had been brought to him. He took the first, which portrayed a man, and he said to me: “Do you see, Don Amorth?”. And I replied: “I don’t see anything”. And he responded: “This man doesn’t need anything”. Then he took the photo of a woman and asked me again: “Do you see, Don Amorth?”, and again I responded: “I don’t understand anything, Don Candido”. His response was: “This woman greatly needs medical treatment, she needs to go see the doctors and not the exorcists”. Finally, he took the third photo picturing a young lady: “Do you see Fr. Amorth? This young lady needs an exorcism, do you see?”. and I replied: “Fr. Candido, I don’t see anything! I only see if someone is beautiful or ugly. And to be quite honest, this young lady isn’t bad at all!”. And he burst out laughing! I had made a joke, but he had already understood that that girl needed God.

You’ve said before that Fr. Candido never got angry, not even with the devil. Was Satan afraid of him?

He was very afraid of him, he trembled before him! He would immediately run away. In reality, the devil is afraid of all of us, one only needs to live in God’s grace!

Obviously you witnessed Don Amantini’s exorcisms…

Of course! I went to them for six years. I was appointed exorcist in 1986 and I began to perform exorcisms with him beginning that year. Then in 1990, two years before he died, I began performing exorcisms alone because he wasn’t practicing anymore. When someone went to him he responded: “Go see Fr. Amorth”. That is why I am considered to be his successor…

Was Fr. Candido ironic even with the devil?

I want to tell you about one very important episode to help you understand a truth. You need to know that when there’s a case of diabolical possession, there is a dialogue between the exorcist and the devil. Satan is a great liar, but sometimes the Lord obliges him to tell the truth. Once Fr. Candido was liberating a person after many exorcisms and with his typical irony he told the devil: “Go away for the Lord has created a nice warm home for you, he has prepared a little house for you where you won’t suffer from the cold”. However, the devil interrupted him and replied: “You don’t know anything”.

What did he mean?

When the devil interrupts with a saying like this, it means that God has obliged him to tell the truth. And this time it was extremely important. The faithful often ask me: “But how is it possible that God created Hell, why did he think of a place of suffering?”. And so that time the devil responded to the provocations of Fr. Candido by revealing an important truth about Hell: “It was not Him, God, who created Hell! It was us. He hadn’t even thought of it!” Therefore in the plan of God’s creation the existence of Hell had not been contemplated. The demons created it! During exorcisms, I have also often asked the devil: “Did you create Hell?”. And his response has always been the same: “We all cooperated”.

What advice did Fr. Candido give you?

He have me a lot of advice, especially in the final two years of his life. The most important? To be a man of faith and prayer and always to ask the intercession of Mary Most Holy. And then to always be humble, because an exorcist has to know that he isn’t worth a quid without God. It’s the Lord that makes the exorcism work. If he doesn’t intervene, the exorcism isn’t worth anything.

...”I will allow God to be the judge of that”....

His word has already spoken on this very clearly.

It is Christ who will restore the Earth in the Millennium he has not given this power or authority over into the hands of man......We cannot Christianize the world but we can make individual people Christians.... Not by binding the demons to set them free but by preaching the Gospel and making disciples.

If one were to look at the scripture without any preconceived ideas, what is found is that prayer is address to God only. In Gal. 5:19-22, much of what is blamed on demons is really man’s fallen nature, expressing itself through his flesh. Although demons can entice and exaggerate our flesh indulgences we can honestly blame ourselves for most of the activity we see today.

Paul was confronted with a whole city given over to idolatry in Acts17, how does he deal with this situation?... He did not go into warfare prayer against their main gods Zeus or Apollo nor bind their idolatry..... As he went into the synagogues and market place each day it ended on Mars hill where he challenged all the philosophies of their day...... He promoted scripture and reasoned to them with the teaching of Christ, specifically the resurrection something he knew they would have a hard time with. He challenged them to make a decision.

In other words we are to pray to God. Not bind up or punch out the demon.... We do not have ALL authority, Jesus does.....

After the disciples came back using the authority given to them Jesus said, instead they should rejoice over their names being written in the book of life. .....Their ministry was to have the Gospel preached, it alone is the power of God to set people free...... When one has Christ living in them, the power of the enemy is broken. (I John 3:8)

We do not see any verbal rebukes when the apostles entered a new city or had prayers of pulling down strongholds over cities, cultures, or religions. There is not even a hint of this type of teaching in the word.

Take for instance Paul who himself was a victim of a Satanic messenger (Thorn in the flesh 2Cor.12:8)... This would have been the perfect time for him to exercise his spiritual authority over Satan.... Instead he petitioned the Lord for relief.... He did ‘not rebuke the demon’ nor find his operating status.... God’s answer came in the assurance that his grace is sufficient.

.....we simply do not have the kind of authority or power to put demons in chains or chase them away ... Those who claim to be doing this are not doing too good a job anyway.... If they bind him how long does this last since his work continues?.... By now every demon and his cousin should have been incarcerated. ....Who’s the joker that keeps letting him loose?

The Bible tells us the world will come increasingly evil, that perilous times will come (they have already arrived) we are not going to turn it around. This will culminate by the seals being broken and judgment poured out on a rebellious mankind. We can’t we bind Satan, for he will be bound for one thousand years in the millennium by a specific angel. This does not exclude us from doing good and being light and salt in a society that is putrefying.

When the Gospel is presented against the thoughts contrary to God’s word (in an apologetic fashion such as Paul reasoned with the Jews from the scriptures) they will be brought into captivity and obedience to Christ.

The Gospel is our presentation. All the power of the enemy is held in a lie that is believed to be the truth. The current philosophies and worldly ideas of our day that are esteemed as truth are exposed as only mans wisdom against the eternal truth of God. All falsehood is seen clearly next to the straight ruler edge of the word. The Gospel is veiled to those who are perishing 2 Cor.11:14

Exerts from...http://www.letusreason.org/pent13.htm

“much of what is blamed on demons is really man’s fallen nature,”

That has been my experience and observation. The majority I have encountered are exactly in this situation. The real demonic utilize these recruited spirits as soldiers. I have encountered many of both but the demonic are only 1% to 2 % of the total. I don’t go looking for them, but I will not refuse a person who comes to me in need.

Recently in Texas I was doing a simple healing prayer for a woman when the she went into seizure to the point that a Dr. came running to help her. I just took hold of the spirit and pulled it out of her and she immediately calmed down. The spirits can’t stand the Loving energy. This happens to me quite often.. It’s the Holy Spirit working through me though, it’s not me.

I sense spirits in much the same way most people sense another person with their five senses. Being born of the spirit means that you perceive with your spirit rather than your five senses.

I am Christian and accept Jesus as my Savior. It is Him working through me, not me. The words coming from my mouth are not mine.

“The Bible tells us the world will come increasingly evil, that perilous times will come (they have already arrived) we are not going to turn it around.”

Several years ago while doing His work, I encountered satan himself. The room grew freezing cold as he was sucking up all the energy. I turned to Michael and said, “There he is, you can get him.” To which Michael replied, “It’s not time yet.” That is when I realized that God is in control and everything is unfolding according to God’s plan.

That event changed my life as I realized that even satan is being used as a tool by God to get rid of the old to make room for the new. When we are full of ourselves we have no room for God.

We are entering a great mid life crisis for society which is absolutely necessary to force us to let go of the old.

If my Father chooses to send people to me who are inflicted and use me as a tool to help them, I will continue to do so and trust in my Father to protect me. If it takes my life, so be it. So far, I have never been wounded beyond necessary learning experiences to assure me that it is not me doing the work. It keeps me humble. Only been tossed across the room once many years ago as a learning experience.

I am not concerned for myself as I have experienced enough that I trust my Father within me. Having already died, experienced Heaven and regretfully had to return here, I not only have no fear of death, but welcome losing the physical anchor that hinders my being more fully with my Father.

I just now got off the phone with a man who is at his wits end in trying to help his eleven year old adopted son through trauma. He is bringing his son to me. I already know what the son’s wound to his soul is. He has several of them. If they are not healed, this fine young man will be open to being further wounded by an angry spirit attaching to him due to his unresolved feeling of self worth and abandonment. Wounds to the soul are as obvious as a raspberry stain on the front of a white shirt!

I will merely say a prayer and my Father will heal the wound in his soul. For some reason I can feel people’s stored memories from conception on, take hold of them with my hands and remove them from the person’s soul. The human soul is both physical and tangible when viewed through the Holy Spirit. Attached spirits are usually no more difficult to remove than pulling a splinter from a finger. And, just like the finger, the wound will get infected and the infection will spread if the intrusion is not removed.

I make no promises as to results, nor do I charge anything for what I do. What I receive freely, I give freely. As I said to the man on the phone a few minutes ago. My reward is seeing a fine young soul healed and turned toward God in his life. With God, miracles are the norm, not the exception.

Several months ago in meditative prayer, I was crying to God, begging Him to allow me to come home and experience the wholeness of His Love again. His response to me was, “Love me in all the people around you.” If I Love them, I must help them when they ask. I have no choice. Even if it causes my demise.

"I've made no “demand for proof”. I merely look at evidence. I've seen none."

“The kingdom of heaven may be compared to someone who sowed good seed in his field; 25 but while everybody was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and then went away. 26 So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared as well.

"Everybody was asleep" when the weeds were sown. There is a reason why Jesus stated "Let anyone with ears listen!”" Most people are asleep and as such are not aware of the events around them. The weeds are growing in our field, but most are unaware.

And his disciples approached him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.” 37 He answered, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man; 38 the field is the world, and the good seed are the children of the kingdom; the weeds are the children of the evil one,

‘You will indeed listen, but never understand,

and you will indeed look, but never perceive.

15 For this people’s heart has grown dull,

and their ears are hard of hearing,

and they have shut their eyes;

so that they might not look with their eyes,

and listen with their ears,

and understand with their heart and turn—

and I would heal them.’

16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. 17 Truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.

“Whatever voices you think you hear are more than questionable....for they have centered you around ‘yourself’ and ‘your experiences’ rather than on the message of salvation which is what frees people.”

I hear with my ears and see with my eyes... What I hear, most do not hear. What I see, most do not see. Yes, they are my experiences and they have served to give me more strength in God’s words in the Bible.

Just as Paul spoke that he had a “thorn in his flesh,” I too get stung frequently. I do not fear the thorns, but give thanks to them for reminding me to recognize my weakness and to always look to God for my strength. Only by His Grace can I survive.

When filled with His Grace there is perfect Love. And where there is perfect Love, there can be no fear. I will never fear satan as to do so means I have abandoned my Father. Thus, when satan’s minions appear, I thank them for reminding me to pray at all times and seek my Father’s strength.

I find guidance in God’s written words, but I find my strength in God. I do not find my strength in the words themselves as they are merely indicators along the path of finding and experiencing God through His Son, Jesus. I have “faith in the words,” but I have “knowing” in God. Why “believe in words” when you can “know in the experience?”

When I find that the experience appears to differ from the words in the Bible, I research the Bible even more to find the truth. I read it and then pray to receive guidance in interpretation.

It is true, satan does imitate the Angels of the Light. He will even get in the Light to make it appear as though the Light is coming from himself. He is a trickster. But one thing satan cannot do, he cannot radiate the perfect Love that comes only from God. It is through that feeling of perfect Love that one finds discernment. Logic can be used to deceive the mind by satan. But when you feel God’s Love there is no mistake from whom the message comes.

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