Vatican denies Pope performed exorcisms

THE VATICAN denied reports from clergy this week that John Paul II has twice performed exorcisms within the Vatican as Pope.
One of the Vatican's leading experts in exorcism, Fr Gabriele Amorth, claimed the Pope performed the special rite for two people in 1984.
"Even before he became Pope he liberated others from demonic possession", said the priest. He added that John Paul was anxious for bishops to promote the "skills" and practice or this "ancient essential Christian rite". He also suggested that the piece on exorcism in the new Universal Catechism had been included at the Pope's wish. The Vatican denied that the Pope had ever performed exorcisms but Fr Amorth's revelations to a Spanish television channel were defended by a leading exorcist, Mgr Corrado Baiducci.