Ever seen one? A video of a real exorcism usually starts the same way. The room is dim. There’s a person, often strapped down or held by several relatives, screaming in a voice that sounds like gravel in a blender. It’s haunting. It’s messy. Most importantly, it taps into a primal fear that maybe—just maybe—science doesn’t have all the answers yet.
But here’s the thing. Most of what you see on social media or late-night YouTube rabbit holes is edited for maximum "jump scare" potential. Real life is rarely that cinematic.
The Catholic Church actually has very strict rules about this. They don't want these videos out there. If you're watching a "leak" from the Vatican, it's almost certainly fake. Authentic footage, when it exists, is usually kept in locked archives for medical and theological review. The goal isn't to go viral; it's to document a process that, to the Church, is a serious form of spiritual surgery.
The Anneliese Michel Case and the Dawn of Audio Evidence
You can't talk about a video of a real exorcism without talking about Anneliese Michel. She’s the girl The Exorcism of Emily Rose was based on. While video was scarce in the mid-1970s, the audio recordings from her sessions are bone-chillingly real. They aren't "fun" to listen to. They are a grueling record of a young woman in extreme distress.
Michel underwent 67 rites over ten months. Her case ended in tragedy. She died of malnutrition and dehydration. This case changed everything. It forced the world to look at the intersection of psychiatric care and religious belief.
Experts like Dr. Felicitas Goodman have argued that Michel was in a religious trance, while the medical community at the time pointed toward temporal lobe epilepsy and psychosis. This tension—the gap between "possessed" and "ill"—is exactly why these videos fascinate us. We are looking for the moment where the medical explanation fails. We want to see the levitation. We want the "impossible" evidence.
What Real Exorcists Actually Look For
If you're hunting for a video of a real exorcism, you have to know what the Church looks for before they even call it "real." They use a set of criteria updated in the De Exorcismis et Supplicationibus Quibusdam (1999).
- Speaking in languages the person has never learned. This is called xenoglossy. If a teenager from Iowa suddenly starts speaking fluent, ancient Aramaic, people notice.
- Knowledge of things they couldn't possibly know. This might include secrets about the priest or the location of hidden objects.
- Physical strength far beyond the person's size. Think of a 90-pound grandmother tossing three grown men across a room.
- An extreme aversion to sacred objects, like holy water or a crucifix, even if those objects are hidden or disguised.
Honestly, most "possession" videos fail these tests immediately. They show thrashing and cursing, which can easily be attributed to Tourette’s syndrome, schizophrenia, or even extreme hysteria.
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The Problem with Modern "Viral" Footage
Most of what scrolls through your feed labeled as a video of a real exorcism is staged. Or, more sadly, it’s a recording of someone having a genuine mental health crisis. There’s a dark side to the "exorcism" trend on TikTok and Instagram. People are filming vulnerable individuals during their worst moments for clicks.
True exorcists, like the late Father Gabriele Amorth (the Vatican’s former chief exorcist), often worked alongside psychologists. Amorth claimed to have performed tens of thousands of rites, but he admitted that only a tiny fraction were "true" possessions. The rest? Mental illness.
The Scientific Counter-Argument: Is it All in the Head?
Psychiatrists have a name for this: Demonomania or Dissociative Identity Disorder with a religious "flavor." When someone is raised in a high-intensity religious environment, their brain uses the "demon" narrative to process trauma.
Dr. Richard Gallagher is a unique voice here. He’s a board-certified psychiatrist and a professor at New York Medical College. He’s also worked with the Church to vet cases. He’s gone on record saying that while most cases are psychiatric, he has seen things he cannot explain. He’s seen objects fly off shelves and heard voices that shouldn't exist. When a scientist says that, people listen.
But even Gallagher warns against the "theatrical" nature of most videos found online. The real stuff is quiet, heavy, and deeply disturbing. It’s not a Hollywood movie.
Cultural Variations of the Rite
It's not just a Catholic thing.
In Islam, the practice is called Ruqyah. You can find many videos of this online, often involving the recitation of specific Quranic verses. These videos often show the "jinni" speaking through the person, bargaining with the Imam.
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In Pentecostal circles, it’s "deliverance ministry." These videos are often high-energy and loud, filmed in front of entire congregations. The atmosphere is electric. Is it real? To the people in that room, it’s as real as the floor they stand on. To a skeptic, it’s a masterclass in social contagion and the power of suggestion.
Why We Can't Look Away
Human beings have an obsession with the "forbidden." Watching a video of a real exorcism is a way to touch the void from the safety of our smartphones. It’s the ultimate "what if?"
What if there are forces we don't understand?
What if our souls are a prize in a cosmic war?
These videos provide a strange kind of comfort to some. If demons are real, then God must be real too. It’s a terrifying way to find faith, but for some, it’s the only evidence that sticks.
How to Spot a Fake (or a Fraud)
If you see a video where the "possessed" person is looking directly at the camera, be skeptical. If there’s dramatic music added in post-production? It’s entertainment, not a document.
Real footage is usually grainy. It’s shaky. It feels intrusive, like you’re watching something you weren't meant to see. There’s no "jump scare" timing because real life doesn't have a director.
The Ethical Minefield of Filming Rituals
We have to talk about the ethics. Is it right to film someone in this state?
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If a person is truly possessed, they are not in control. If they are mentally ill, they are also not in control. In both scenarios, filming them and uploading it to the internet for "likes" is a massive violation of their dignity.
Many modern priests are now banning phones from the room entirely. They realize that the presence of a camera changes the dynamic. It encourages performance. It turns a solemn religious rite into a sideshow.
Actionable Insights for the Curious
If you’re looking into this topic, don't just take a viral clip at face value. Dig deeper.
- Research the source: Check if the video is linked to a specific, reputable religious organization or if it's just from a "paranormal" YouTube channel.
- Look for the medical context: Has the person in the video been evaluated by a doctor? If the video doesn't mention medical history, it's likely ignoring 90% of the story.
- Study the "signs": Learn the difference between "theatrical" behavior (growling on cue) and the four traditional signs of possession mentioned earlier.
- Consult the experts: Read books by people like Dr. Richard Gallagher or Father Gabriele Amorth to understand the complexity beyond the screen.
The world of the "supernatural" is a muddy, confusing place. A video of a real exorcism might offer a glimpse into that world, but it rarely tells the whole truth. Usually, the truth lies somewhere between a doctor’s office and a priest’s prayer book.
Understanding this requires a balance of skepticism and an open mind. Don't let a 30-second clip define your view of the human psyche or the spiritual realm. Real life—and real faith—is far more complicated than a grainy video on the internet.
To truly understand the phenomenon, start by reading the official Vatican guidelines on exorcism or Dr. Gallagher’s "Demonic Foes." These sources provide the necessary framework to separate religious practice from viral sensationalism.