Episode 7. The Exorcist.
Movie still from The Exorcist, 1973
I’m sure we’re all familiar with the novel or the film The Exorcist but if you’re like me, you probably weren’t aware of the case it was based on. I had always assumed that the story came from somewhere but I never really looked into it until recently and so I wanted to share it with you.
The victim of these ongoing exorcisms was an anonymous 14-year-old boy who was given the name Roland Doe or Robbie Mannheim. He was allegedly possessed by demons. Events of the exorcisms were recorded by the priest in attendance, Raymond Bishop, and it is some of these events which inspired the 1971 novel and it’s later film adaption, The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty. I’m yet to see the film, I know, shocking, but I highly recommend the novel.
Roland was born into a German Lutheran family and had only adults for friend. It was his Aunt Harriet who would play with him the most and it was she who introduced Roland to the Ouija board.
It was after Aunt Harriet’s death that the family started to experience tell-tale signs of a haunting. According to Thomas B. Allen, they would experience furniture moving on its own, objects flying or levitating whenever the young Roland was nearby. The family spoke to their pastor for help, Luther Miles Schulze, and he arranged for Roland to spend a night at his own house so he could be witness to any strange occurrences. He claimed to have witnessed the same things that the family had reported. When J. B. Rhine, a parapsychologist, heard of these claims he thought that perhaps Schulze had ‘unconsciously exaggerated’ some of the facts. Relying on their pastor for help, the family agreed when they were advised by Schulze to see a Catholic priest.
Roland underwent several exorcisms to free him from his alleged demonic possession. During one exorcism it is reported that Roland slipped his hands out of his restrains, pulled a bed spring from the mattress he was on and used to as a weapon, managing to cut the priest’s arm.
The young boy’s witnesses claimed to have seen a shaking bed, flying objects, Roland speaking in a deep, guttural voice, and having an aversion to anything sacred.
During a second exorcism, witnesses claimed that the words “evil” and “hell” along with other markings appeared on Roland’s body. Roland managed to break on of the people present’s nose during the exorcism. After this event, it was claimed that the boy went on to lead ‘a rather ordinary life’. I’m unsure what normal was for Robbie in this case, given his early experience of such severe abuse.
There is speculation of course over whether these events took place as they were said to. Some question whether the exorcisms ever took place at all as there were no written records.
The claims of the possession and related exorcisms can be traced back to 1949 when newspapers printed anonymous articles of a possession and exorcism. One article claimed that there were 48 witnesses to one of the events.
An author, Thomas B. Allen, who has researched the case says that there is no definitive proof that the boy was ever possessed. He suggests that the boy may have suffered from mental illness, physical or sexual abuse or that the entire story may have been fabricated. Of course, mental illness or trauma is the belief held by most psychologists today.
From a religious perspective, not to be dismissed, academics Terry D. Cooper and Cindy K. Epperson state that exorcisms are few and far between but are indeed very real and that ‘genuine possession cannot be explained by psychiatry.’
The novel, The Exorcist, as I mentioned earlier is based off this case.
It follows the possession of twelve-year-old Regan MacNeil and her subsequent exorcisms. Regan is first suspected to be suffering from trauma related to her parents’ divorce, but as her behaviour becomes stranger and more destructive, a priest is called in to rid her of her apparent demons. If you’re open to a good scare, and read The Exorcist with a suspension of disbelief, I think you’ll find it both creepy and enjoyable.
I’m going to have to put watching the film down on my to-do list. I think it would make a perfect date-night movie, so long has no one has pea soup for dinner.
I would love for you to let me know what exorcism stories spark your interest especially!
Good Nightmare 