The Case of Julia: A Modern Vatican Exorcism

In 2008, a case emerged from Rome that brought together medical and religious authorities in an unusual collaboration. A woman known as “Julia” exhibited symptoms that a team of medical professionals could not explain—including apparent levitation, speaking in languages she had never learned, and knowledge she could not possess. Dr. Richard Gallagher, a board-certified psychiatrist and professor at New York Medical College, examined the case and concluded it represented genuine demonic possession—the first American psychiatrist in modern times to publicly support such a diagnosis.

Background

Julia was an American woman who had become involved in Satanic groups earlier in her life. According to reports, she had participated in rituals and claimed to have invited demonic entities into her life. By the time she sought help, she was experiencing disturbing symptoms that had persisted for years.

Her case came to the attention of Catholic Church authorities, who referred her to experienced exorcists. Before proceeding with formal exorcism, the Church sought psychiatric evaluation to rule out natural explanations.

Dr. Gallagher’s Involvement

Dr. Richard Gallagher was an unusual choice for such evaluation. He was a rigorously trained psychiatrist with a scientific orientation and no history of supernatural belief. His involvement came through connections with Catholic clergy who were seeking objective medical assessment.

Gallagher examined Julia over an extended period. What he observed changed his perspective on the boundaries of medical explanation.

The Phenomena

Gallagher documented several categories of inexplicable phenomena:

Knowledge: Julia demonstrated awareness of events and information she could not have obtained through normal means. She knew details of Gallagher’s private life, conversations he had held with others about her case, and facts about people she had never met.

Languages: During trance states, Julia spoke fluent Latin and other languages she had never studied. Gallagher, trained in Latin, confirmed the fluency was genuine, not gibberish.

Physical manifestations: Objects in Julia’s presence moved without visible cause. Most dramatically, during several sessions observed by multiple witnesses, Julia reportedly levitated off her chair or bed, rising several inches and remaining suspended before settling back down.

Voice changes: Julia spoke in voices very different from her own—deep, harsh voices that emerged from her throat without apparent physiological explanation.

Medical Evaluation

Gallagher conducted thorough psychiatric evaluation. Julia showed no signs of psychosis, dissociative disorders, or other conditions that might explain her symptoms. Her baseline mental state was lucid and coherent; the phenomena emerged during specific episodes.

The physical phenomena—particularly the levitation—could not be attributed to any known medical condition. Gallagher consulted with colleagues who were equally unable to provide conventional explanation.

The Exorcism

Following medical evaluation supporting the possibility of genuine possession, Julia underwent formal exorcism under Church protocols. The ritual was performed by experienced priests who had conducted numerous exorcisms.

During the exorcism sessions, Julia’s symptoms intensified. She spoke in demonic voices, demonstrated superhuman strength, and exhibited violent resistance to sacred objects and prayers. The phenomena witnessed during psychiatric evaluation recurred during religious intervention.

The outcome of Julia’s exorcism has not been publicly detailed. Whether she achieved lasting relief is unknown.

Publication

Dr. Gallagher published his conclusions in academic and popular formats. His 2016 article in the Washington Post titled “As a psychiatrist, I diagnose mental illness. Also, I help Catholic priests evaluate whether someone is possessed” brought unprecedented mainstream attention to the subject.

His 2020 book “Demonic Foes: My Twenty-Five Years as a Psychiatrist Investigating Possessions, Diabolic Attacks, and the Paranormal” expanded on his experiences with Julia and other cases.

Significance

The Julia case is significant for several reasons:

It involved a credentialed psychiatrist willing to stake his reputation on the diagnosis of genuine possession.

The phenomena were witnessed by multiple professionals over extended periods, not merely reported after the fact.

Medical evaluation was conducted before religious intervention, following protocols designed to exclude natural explanation.

The witness was willing to go public, subjecting himself to professional criticism for his conclusions.

Criticism

Critics raised predictable objections. Gallagher’s belief in demonic possession might have biased his observations. The phenomena could be explained by unknown psychological mechanisms. The witnesses might have been deceived by sophisticated trickery.

Gallagher addressed these criticisms by emphasizing his professional training, the multiple witnesses, and the physical impossibility of some phenomena (such as levitation) being produced by psychological factors.

Broader Context

The Julia case emerged during a period of renewed interest in possession and exorcism. Pope Francis has spoken openly about demonic activity. The number of exorcisms performed by the Catholic Church has increased. Cases like Julia’s feed this renewed attention.

Whether this represents genuine increase in demonic activity, increased willingness to report experiences, or cultural factors encouraging possession-like phenomena is debated.

Assessment

The Julia case represents one of the best-documented modern possession claims. The involvement of a credentialed psychiatrist, the extended observation period, and the willingness to subject the case to public scrutiny distinguish it from most possession reports.

Whether Julia was genuinely possessed by demonic entities, suffering from some unknown psychological condition, or something else entirely cannot be determined with certainty. But her case provides a detailed example of what possession looks like when examined by both medical and religious authorities in the modern era.