When sixteen-year-old Anneliese Michel began having seizures and hallucinations in 1968, her parents took her to a doctor, who diagnosed Anneliese with temporal lobe epilepsy and depression and recommended psychiatric treatment. Two years later, however, her delusions and hallucinations returned, manifesting in the form of “devil faces” and voices that telling her she was evil and would be going to hell. Believing the treatment wasn’t working and fearing Anneliese was possessed by demons, Anneliese’s family arranged for her to be visited by a local Jesuit priest, who confirmed their fear: Anneliese was possessed and the only way to save her soul was an exorcism. ReferencesAssociated Press. 1978. "Bizarre exorcism draws suspended prison terms." Press-Courier (Oxnard, CA), April 22: 3. —. 1978. "Exorcists 'tried to save girl'." The Guardian, March 31: 6. Buschschluter, Siegfried. 1977. "Charges after exorcism death." The Guardian, July 14: 6. Day, Elizabeth. 2005. "'God told us to exorcise my daughter's demons. I don't regret her death.'." Sunday Telegraph (London, UK), November 27: 15. Goodman, Felicitas D. 1981. The Exorcism of Annaliese Michel. New York, NY: Doubleday and Company. Hansen, Eric T. 2005. "What in God's name?" Washington Post, September 4. Sword, Autumn. 2021. "Seized By the Spirit: Temporal Lobe Epilepsy and the Exorcism of Anneliese Michel." Skeptical Inquirer, July 30. Time. 1976. "Religion: A Phenomenon of Fear." Time, September 6. Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022) Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023) Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash Kelley Listener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra Lally Listener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
