An Exorcism in Earling Iowa, Part I

It is recorded that Anna levitated. She flew above the door and clung to the wall. Theophius ordered for the nuns to put her back into the bed. During an exorcism, the exorcist is in total control and all of his orders must be obeyed. No questioning allowed. Although they were terrified, the nuns, with great effort, pried her from the wall.

What happened next destroyed the priests' intention to keep the exorcisms hidden was shattered.

There was an immense yowl followed by more terrifying sounds as if a maniacal herd of wild animals were let free. Those present felt a fear too intense to describe. Theophius had requested that the possessed and the demons be silent were ignored. The noises crept out of the convents closed windows. Those who heard it went to the convent and gathered about it, and wondered if someone was being murdered. The carefully kept secret was out there to the citizenry. Someone is possessed and they are trying to drive the demons out in the convent was what was made known.

Anna exhibited physical symptoms of possession. At times, bodily distortions were so repulsive that Joseph and some of the nuns had to leave the room. The only one who never left the rites was Theophius. He had a consecrated host in a pyx he carried on his chest. A pyx is a container that holds the holy Eucharist. This was his protection.

This exorcism was unique in that there were the usual demons, but, there were also discarnate entities.

Anna was the vehicle for both. While voicing words of these, she vomited, although she did not eat or drink much. It was vomit and excrements. The stench was unbearable. The vomitus filled pitchers and buckets which the nuns would get rid of. This happened as often as 10 to 20 times a day.

There were voices and animal sounds emanating from Anna. Vocal communication was in English, German and Latin. Anna spoke only English. The animal sounds were of the big cats, hyenas, cattle, dogs and cats. This lasted for hours, forcing the nuns, twelve in all who participated in the exorcisms to take turns being involved in the exorcisms.

Ebon, Martin, The Devil's Bride, 1974, New York: Harper & Row Publishers. No ISBN

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