Pope ‘didn’t intend’ exorcism
The Vatican on Tuesday played down a report by Italian Catholic media that Pope Francis had carried out an exorcism on a young disabled man on Sunday that made world news.
“The Holy Father did not intend to perform any exorcism. But, as he often does when he meets people who are sick or are suffering, he simply intended to pray for a sick person that had been introduced to him,” Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi said in a statement.
TV2000, the Italian bishops’ broadcaster analysed footage from St Peter’s Square Sunday, where the Pope is seen placing his hands on the head of a man in a wheelchair shortly after celebrating Pentecost mass. In the footage, Francis appears to pray intensely and the man’s body heaves deeply several times then goes limp while his mouth drops open.
“Exorcists who have seen the images do not have any doubt: it was a prayer of liberation from evil, or a proper exorcism,” TV2000 TV2000 was quoted as saying. TV2000 editor Tuesday apologised to Pope Francis for “unwittingly” spreading “news that was partly true and partly not true.”
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