The Possession of Clara Germana Cele

In 1906, at a Catholic mission school in Umzinto, Natal (now KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa), a sixteen-year-old orphan named Clara Germana Cele became the subject of what the church would later recognize as a genuine case of demonic possession. The case remains one of the most thoroughly documented possession events in African history.

Background

Clara Germana Cele had been raised at the mission from early childhood. She was described as a normal, healthy girl with no history of mental illness or unusual behavior. She had been educated by the nuns and was considered a good student with a gentle disposition.

According to the records, Clara reportedly made a pact with Satan, though the circumstances of this alleged pact remain unclear. Whether this was a deliberate act, a moment of spiritual crisis, or something attributed to her after the fact is uncertain. What is certain is that her behavior changed dramatically in August 1906.

The Manifestations

The phenomena began with Clara exhibiting an intense aversion to sacred objects. She could not bear to be in the presence of blessed items, holy water, or the crucifix. When these objects were brought near her, she would scream, thrash, and attempt to flee.

Her physical capabilities exceeded anything normal. Witnesses reported that she displayed superhuman strength, requiring multiple adults to restrain her during episodes. She reportedly threw nuns across the room with ease and broke through restraints that should have held her.

Most remarkably, Clara reportedly levitated. Multiple witnesses, including the mission’s nuns and a priest named Father Erasmus, claimed to have seen her rise into the air, sometimes as high as five feet off the ground. These levitations occurred in the presence of numerous observers and were consistent across testimonies.

Xenoglossy and Knowledge

Clara spoke in languages she had never learned. She conversed in French, German, and Polish—languages not taught at the mission and to which she had no exposure. She revealed private sins of people around her, information she could not have known through normal means.

She also demonstrated knowledge of distant events as they occurred. She would describe things happening miles away, details that were later confirmed to be accurate. This apparent clairvoyance disturbed the witnesses as much as the physical manifestations.

The Exorcism

Father Erasmus and another priest, Father Mansueti, performed the Roman Ritual of Exorcism over Clara. The process was difficult and prolonged. Clara resisted violently, exhibiting even more dramatic phenomena during the ritual.

During the exorcism, Clara reportedly attempted to strangle Father Erasmus with his own stole. She spoke in a deep, masculine voice that identified itself as a demon. She blasphemed and threatened the priests throughout the ordeal.

After two days of intensive exorcism rituals, Clara was reportedly freed. She returned to her normal self, retaining no memory of the events. She lived the remainder of her life peacefully at the mission.

Documentation

The case was documented by the mission’s priests and nuns, with testimony from approximately 170 witnesses. The Catholic Church investigated the case and determined it to be authentic. The detailed records, consistent witness accounts, and the involvement of church officials make this one of the better-documented possession cases in history.

Assessment

The possession of Clara Germana Cele exhibits all the classic signs recognized by the Catholic Church as indicators of genuine demonic possession: superhuman strength, knowledge of hidden things, speaking in unknown languages, and aversion to sacred objects. The levitation accounts, while extraordinary, were consistent across multiple independent witnesses.

Whether one interprets this case as genuine demonic possession, a severe psychological episode, or something else entirely, the 1906 events in Umzinto remain a significant case study in the phenomenon of possession.