Vampires, the devil’s deceit and mental illness are among the hot topics for some 300 exorcists who flocked to Poland last week from as far away as Africa and India for a week-long congress.
Held at Poland’s Roman Catholic Jasna Gora monastery, home to the venerated Black Madonna icon, this year’s congress “examines the current fashion for vampirism in Europe and the world over, schizophrenia and other mental disorders as well as the devil’s deceit during exorcism,” according to the monastery’s radio station.
Also attending are “priests and lay people who work with exorcists or who are themselves practitioners in cases which do not involve possession but rather other forms of harassment by evil spirits,” Polish exorcist, Father Andrzej Grefkowicz was quoted as saying.
Photo: Reuters
照片:路透
Hailing from India, world-renowned exorcist Father Rufus Pereira as well as chief exorcist of the Archdiocese of Vienna Larry Hogan are among the participants, the radio reported. The unusual meeting is held once every two years.
The Jasna Gora monastery’s venerated Black Madonna icon is believed by many Poles to work miracles.
Legend has it that it was painted by the apostle Saint Luke on a table top from the home of the Holy Family, according to the Jasna Gora Web site. Records suggest the icon arrived in Poland during the 14th century.
With around 90 percent of the population declaring themselves Roman Catholic, Poland remains one of Europe’s most devout countries.
(AFP)
三百位來自世界各國驅魔者,有的甚至遠從非洲與印度而來,在上週湧入波蘭參加為期一星期的大會。對他們而言,吸血鬼、魔鬼的詭計與心理疾病等,皆是他們感興趣的熱門議題。
根據天主教光明坡(Jasna Gora)修道院的廣播電台,大會在該修道院舉行,院內供奉一座波蘭人崇敬的黑聖母瑪麗亞像。今年的大會「探討當今歐洲與全世界吸血鬼習性潮流、精神分裂症與其他精神疾患,以及在驅魔期間魔鬼的詭計。」
引述波蘭驅魔師安傑‧葛雷夫科維芝神父的話,與會的還有「神父與和驅魔者工作的業餘人士,這些人也學習驅魔,以防堵除了著魔之外,其他被魔鬼侵擾的案例。」
廣播電台報導,來自印度的世界知名驅魔師魯弗斯‧佩瑞拉神父,以及維也納大主教管區驅魔長拉里‧霍根都是與會者。這不尋常的聚會兩年舉辦一次。
對許多波蘭人來說,光明坡修道院尊崇的黑聖母瑪麗亞像,能創造奇蹟。
根據光明坡修道院的網站,據說這幅黑聖母瑪麗亞像,是由耶穌十二門徒之一的聖人路克,在聖家屋裡的柏樹木片上親手繪製的。歷史記載顯示這幅聖像在十四世紀時落腳波蘭。
波蘭有百分之九十的人口是天主教徒,也是歐洲最篤信宗教的國家之一。
(法新社/翻譯:林亞蒂)
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