CONFESSIONS OF THE DEVIL TO SAINT DOMINIC DURING AN EXORCISM

 

During the exorcism, the demons told the saint that with the Rosary he preached, he brought terror and terror to all of Hell, and that he was the man they hated most in the world because of the souls he took from them with this devotion.

Saint Dominic threw his Rosary around the possessed man's neck and asked them which of the saints in heaven they feared the most and which should be most loved and honored by men. The enemies, in response to these questions, let out such terrifying cries that many of those present fell to the ground in fright.

The evil ones, in order not to respond, wept, lamented, and prayed through the possessed man's mouth to Saint Dominic to have mercy on them. The saint, undeterred, replied that he would not cease tormenting them until they answered what he had asked them.  Then they said they would say it, but in secret, in a whisper, not in front of everyone. The saint, however, ordered them to speak loudly, but the devils refused to say a word.

Then Father Dominic, kneeling, prayed the following prayer: "O most excellent Virgin Mary, by the virtue of your psalter and Rosary, command these enemies of the human race to answer my question."

Suddenly, a burning flame burst from the ears, nose, and mouth of the possessed man. The demons then begged Saint Dominic, through the Passion of Jesus Christ and the merits of His Holy Mother and those of all the saints, to allow them to leave that body without saying anything, because the angels would reveal it to them at any time he wished.

Later, the saint knelt again and offered another prayer: “O most worthy Mother of Wisdom, about whose salutation and how it should be prayed this people have already been instructed, I beg you, for the health of the faithful present here, to compel these enemies of yours to openly confess the complete and sincere truth here.”

No sooner had he finished speaking these words than the saint saw a multitude of angels and the Virgin Mary striking the devil with a golden rod, while saying: “Answer my servant Dominic’s question.” It must be kept in mind here that the people neither saw nor heard the Virgin, but only Saint Dominic.

The demons began to cry out: “O our enemy! O our ruin and confusion! Why did you come from heaven to torment us so cruelly? Must it be that, through you, O advocate of sinners, whom you bring out of hell; O sure path to heaven!, we are forced—in spite of ourselves—to confess before all what is the cause of our confusion and ruin? Woe to us! Curse our princes of darkness!”

“Hear, then, Christians! This Mother of Christ is omnipotent and can prevent her servants from falling into hell. She, like a sun, dispels the darkness of our cunning schemes. She uncovers our intrigues, breaks our nets, and reduces all our temptations to futility. We are forced to confess that no one who perseveres in her service is damned with us.”

“A single sigh she offers to the Most Holy Trinity is worth more than all the prayers, vows, and desires of all the saints. We fear her more than all the blessed combined, and we can do nothing against her faithful servants.”

In the same way, the evil ones confessed that many Christians who invoke her at death and who should be damned, according to ordinary laws, are saved thanks to her intercession. “Ah! If this Marieta”—so they called her in their fury—“had not opposed our designs and efforts, we would have long ago overthrown and destroyed the Church and plunged all her hierarchies into error and infidelity!”

Then they added that “no one who perseveres in the recitation of the Rosary will be damned. For she obtains for her faithful devotees true contrition for their sins, so that they may confess them and obtain forgiveness and pardon for them.”

Thus, Saint Dominic had the entire town pray the Rosary very slowly and devoutly, and with each Hail Mary they recited, a great multitude of demons emerged from the possessed man's body in the form of burning coals.

When all the enemies had left and the heretic was freed, the Virgin Mary, invisibly, gave her blessing to the entire town, who experienced great joy. "This miracle caused the conversion of a great number of heretics, who even enrolled in the Confraternity of the Holy Rosary," concluded Saint Louis Marie Grignion de Montfort.