A priest is accused of initiating a mass exorcism on nearly 1,000 school-aged children in Poland while they attended what they believed to be a religious camp.
The children, who came from Gryfice-area schools in Poland, were involved in a three-day camp geared toward helping youngsters find God and dedicate themselves to spiritual renewal by way of prayer.
The priest, Thomas Wieczorek, is accused of doing more than just singing songs and prayers, however. The 37-year-old was intent on bringing God into their lives by ridding them of their demons.
43-year-old mother Magda Rutkowska told the media that she was shocked. She said that on the very first day, the priest had several kids on stage. He put his hands on their foreheads and began chanting repeatedly “Holy Spirit, come.”
She stated that some children cried while others fainted.
Some of the students tried to help their friends, but were told by the priest to stay still. Wieczorek told the kids that God was entering their souls and getting rid of the Devil.
Some of the chidren the priest touched started screaming, while others simply laughed.
One student compared the scene to a mental asylum. The unidentified student said some students were squirming on the floor, while others were laughing or crying. The student reported that the priest told them they were being purified, but that the experience was too much for many of them.
The student stated that nobody showed up the next day because they were scared.
Halina Wysocka, a school psychologist, said children don’t have the emotional maturity to understand prayers which allow the Holy Spirit to enter them. She said the methods they were introduced to resemble methods seen in religious sects.