The Possession of Nicole Obry

In 1566, Nicole Obry (also spelled Nicola Aubrey), a young married woman in Laon, France, became the center of one of history’s most politically charged possession cases. Her public exorcisms drew crowds of thousands and were explicitly used by Catholic authorities to argue against the Protestant Reformation.

The Possession

Nicole Obry was a sixteen-year-old married woman in Laon when she began exhibiting symptoms of possession. She convulsed, spoke in strange voices, and claimed to be inhabited by a demon named Beelzebub.

The timing was significant. France was in the midst of the Wars of Religion between Catholics and Huguenots (French Protestants). The Catholic Church was eager for demonstrations of its spiritual authority.

The Public Exorcisms

Rather than conducting the exorcism privately, church authorities arranged for public ceremonies in Laon Cathedral. Crowds estimated at 10,000 or more attended.

During the exorcisms, the demons possessing Nicole were questioned about theological matters. They “testified” that Catholic doctrine was correct and Protestant beliefs were false. They affirmed transubstantiation, the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist, and the authority of the Pope.

This demonic testimony was presented as evidence against the Reformation—even the Devil admitted Catholic truth.

Political Function

The Laon possession was transparently political. Pamphlets were published describing the exorcisms and the demons’ confessions. The case was cited as proof of Catholic authority during a period of violent religious conflict.

Protestant observers dismissed the entire affair as a Catholic fraud designed to manipulate public opinion. They noted the convenience of demons who testified exactly to Catholic doctrinal positions.

Resolution

Nicole was eventually declared freed following the exorcisms. She lived the remainder of her life without recorded recurrence.

The case remained controversial. Catholics cited it as genuine evidence of demonic reality and Catholic power. Protestants viewed it as propaganda and possibly deliberate deception.

Assessment

The Nicole Obry possession illustrates how supernatural events could be weaponized in religious conflict. Whether Nicole was genuinely possessed, suffering from psychological disturbance, or participating in a staged performance, her case served Catholic propaganda purposes during a crucial period.

The use of demonic testimony to argue theological points seems absurd to modern observers—why would demons tell the truth about religion? But in sixteenth-century France, where Catholics and Protestants were killing each other, such testimony carried weight for those already inclined to believe.