I feel sometimes a hell within myself. “
- Sir Thomas Browne
From the Merriam Webster dictionary:
exorcise
Variant(s): also ex·or·cize /'ek-"sor-"sIz, -s&r-/
Function: transitive verb
Inflected Form(s): -cised also -cized; -cis·ing also -ciz·ing
Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French exorciser, from Late Latin exorcizare, from Greek exorkizein, from ex- + horkizein to
bind by oath, adjure, from horkos oath
1 a : to expel (an evil spirit) by adjuration b : to get rid of (something troublesome, menacing, or oppressive)
2 : to free of an evil spirit
http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/exorcising
We recently sat down & watched The Exorcist yet again. It seems they don’t make them like they used to.
After watching the movie again, & being just as freaked out as the very first time I saw it, I decided I wanted
to know more about the truth of what really happened. Thanks goes out to the WWW.
December 26th 1973 - movie history was in the making. The Exorcist hit the big screens & terrified the
hearts of countless viewers. 32 years later, we’ll look back at some of the supposed facts that surrounded
the story that inspired the best selling novel & award-winning film. As well as some different perspectives
on what may or may not have happened. & I will give you tools & resources, to decide for yourself.
It is said, that William Peter Blatty, while attending college was inspired to write The Exorcist after he had
heard of an exorcism that happened 20 years prior . The particular case that sparked his interest, was that
of a 13 year old boy from Maryland we know as “Robbie”
When Blatty started his 3 year research into writing the story, he learned of a daily journal that had been
kept by one of the priests in attendance of the exorcism. He also discovered there were at least 5 copies.
Blatty was refused when he asked to see a copy of the journal.. Later on, he did read a copy, & based much
of his novel on what he read. More about the journal of events can be found at the link on *2 at the end of
this article.
The boy
Let’s take a closer look at “Robbie” the boy in question. First, in my research, I learned that Robbie was
close to his aunt, who was a self acclaimed psychic. She dabbled with the ouija board. Robbie took an
interest, & she taught him how to use one. She died within a month of teaching him some of what she knew.
Robbie continued to dabble with the ouija, possibly trying to contact his aunt.
I found several inconsistencies on what part of Maryland he actually resided in. Everywhere from Mt.
Rainier, to Cotton City. I learned from one site, (*1) that the author of the article on this site came across a
life long resident of Mt Rainier , & he told the author that he was good friends with a priest (Father Hughes)
who was involved in the Exorcism. Father Hughes stated that Robbie was actually from Cotton City.
For obvious reasons, Robbie, would want to keep his identity hidden, perhaps the family & press let it be
believed that the boy was from a different area to help protect his identity. Most of the general public
believed at first that he was from Mt. Rainier.
A few bits of information I could find on Robbie & what he may have experienced…
Some interesting links will end this article, I have merely taken information I have learned from many
different sources, & compiled it into one convenient article complete with resources for you the reader, to
make up your own mind.
From the majority of accounts I have read, the events that unfolded, were surprisingly similar to the movie.
The information for the most part was consistent, even from several different sources. Most sources say
the following…
* he did receive scratches & “etched” words on his abdomen & lower legs. The inconsistencies I found with
this, some say they were mere scratches, & others say words such as “Hell” would appear. I will revisit that
point later.
* he was known to burst out in strange voices ranging from falsetto to alto. Some sites say several ancient
languages were audible, such as Latin, & Aramaic... while other sites say they were just ramblings.
* It is mostly agreed upon, that poltergeist like activity did occur. A bed he would be lying on, would shake
violently & in a couple of different articles I read, he was allegedly tipped off the bed. This happened in
more than one instance. Furniture & objects were witnessed many times flying across the room, in many
different places. Keep in mind, that the exorcism took time, & took place in more than one location.
* several sites agree as well, that there were scratching sounds, & in the beginning, the family thought it
was mice & had an exterminator come in. Remember the beginning of the movie? Ellen Burstyn had her
help call an exterminator?
*for the sake of clarifying the sanity of Robbie, the parents had him analyzed by a psychiatrist & an M.D. as
well. They both declared him quite normal, but a bit high strung.
There of course have been deeper investigations into the famous case. Stories of the final outcome vary.
One source claims trickery, a very clever deception. More than one site claims that he made the
scratches by using his long fingernails. *2 & *3
Whatever the case was, it ended with the supposed demon(s) leaving his body, and Robbie claiming that
Michael The Archangel came to his rescue and ordered the demons vanished.
It is reported that today Robbie is doing fine, and leading a quite normal life.
Tracey H.
PROOF Paranormal Staff Writer
PROOF Articles
* 1http://www.strangemag.com/exorcistpage1.html Reference to where Robbie was actually from. About half way down the page.
* 2http://www.csicop.org/si/2001-01/i-files.html A detailed & informative report on the events that may or may not have happened.
* 3 http://www.prairieghosts.com/exorcist.html An article from the always informative Troy Taylor
Some other sites with sources in relation to this case, & resources that have different views on exorcism
* 4 http://www.catholiceducation.org/articles/religion/re0137.html The first article I read that lead me to do more research. Very interesting response
from Father William Saunders to a query of whether or not the devil can possess someone.
* 5 http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/europe/9901/26/exorcism An interesting article from CNN. Although it was posted in 1999, it gives a take on the Vatican's
POV on exorcisms.
* 6http://www.vatican.va/phome_en.htm The Vatican’s official website.
* 7http://www.psychologytoday.com/conditions/schizoid.html An article from Psychology Today about Schizoid Personality Disorder which some
associate with demonic possession.