The Vienna Convent Possessions

In 1749, a convent in Vienna experienced an outbreak of possession affecting multiple nuns. The case attracted the attention of Empress Maria Theresa, who took a personal interest in its resolution.

The Outbreak

Several nuns began displaying signs of possession: convulsions, speaking in strange voices, and violent aversion to religious objects. The phenomenon spread to other members of the community.

The Investigation

Church authorities investigated, considering both genuine possession and natural explanations. The Empress mandated that physicians examine the afflicted alongside exorcists.

The Politics

The case became politically charged. Some saw it as evidence of genuine demonic activity; others suspected fraud or manipulation. The Empress was concerned about public reaction.

The Resolution

A combination of medical treatment and religious intervention eventually calmed the situation. The exact nature of the outbreak was never definitively determined.

Assessment

The Vienna convent case represents the shifting understanding of possession during the Enlightenment. Medical and supernatural explanations competed, foreshadowing later debates about the nature of such phenomena.