Famous exorcist reveals 'real identity of ISIS'

The leading Roman Catholic exorcist is calling out the Islamic State, naming it as Satan manifested on Earth.

Father Gabriele Amorth, 90, founder of the International Association of Exorcists, has taken to Facebook to confront the Muslim group terrorizing Syria and Iraq and rapidly spreading its influence throughout the Muslim world, reported the Catholic News Agency.

"ISIS is Satan," the priest posted on the social-media site.

"Things first happen in the spiritual realms, then they are made concrete on this Earth.

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"There are only two spiritual realms: The Holy Spirit and the demonic spirit," Father Amorth said, adding the demonic enters in "because evil is disguised in various ways: political, religious, cultural, and it has one source of inspiration: the devil.

"As a Christian I fight the beast spiritually," he said.

Amorth has indeed been fighting the devil for a long time, many of those years nearly alone. He is credited with performing over 70,000 exorcisms during the past 29 years.

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Twenty-five years ago, the number of exorcists officially recognized by the Vatican was approximately a dozen. Today, the International Association of Exorcists (IAE) now numbers some 300 members from 30 different countries, reported Catholic World Report. The group founded by Amorth received official recognition in June 2014 and was given the status of a pontifical entity.

Up until the fourth century, exorcisms were a standard ministerial function for local pastors, a practice still found in the Orthodox Church. At that time, Pope Innocent, reacting against magicians and frauds taking advantage of the faithful, ruled exorcisms could be administered only with a bishop’s authorization.

It has been Amorth's calling to reinvigorate the practice of exorcism in the Church, echoing the words of Jesus to his disciples in Mark 16:17: "And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons ..."

Satan "keeps saying that the world is in his power, and what he says is true," said Amorth. "Biblically speaking, we are in the last days, and the beast is working furiously.”

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Questioning the West's failure to vigorously challenge the Islamists' advance, Amorth warned ignoring the threat is not a long-term option.

"The political world, which today seems to lack a response in face of the massacre of Christians, will also have to fight ISIS, and it will do it in a different way," said the priest.

"If it advances as it seems to be doing, we ask ourselves what has the West done over the course of the last decades."

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WND reported Amorth has been willing to go after Satan wherever he finds him, even within the Church itself.

In March 2010, Amorth told Italian newspaper La Repubblica: "The devil resides in the Vatican and you can see the consequences. He can remain hidden, or speak in different languages, or even appear to be sympathetic. At times he makes fun of me. But I'm a man who is happy in his work."

He added the evil influence of Satan was evident in the highest ranks of the Catholic hierarchy, with "cardinals who do not believe in Jesus and bishops who are linked to the demon."