SAEDNEWS: A girl whom many people believed was possessed by demons.
According to a news report from Saed News, citing Iran Niaz, in 1968, when she was 17 and still in high school, she experienced her first seizure. In 1969, she had her first diagnosed epileptic attack. She was then examined by a neurologist who diagnosed her with epilepsy accompanied by seizures.
Soon after, Anneliese’s problems began to intensify. She claimed that objects around her were moving and said she heard voices telling her, “You are cursed!” In 1973, she was reported to be suffering from depression. By 1975, some people became convinced that she was possessed by spirits. As a result, her parents stopped medical treatment and turned to exorcism instead.
Her symptoms resembled those seen in schizophrenia, though such conditions are often treatable with medical care. However, in her case, the situation was different. A woman was the first to suggest that Anneliese was possessed by demons, noting that she avoided images of Jesus and refused to drink holy water. It was also claimed that she emitted a foul odor. An exorcist visited her and believed the claims were true, requesting permission from a bishop to perform exorcism rituals. After several approvals, multiple exorcism sessions were carried out by two priests, but they were reportedly unsuccessful.
During this period, her condition worsened significantly. She became extremely weak and was unable to eat properly. The exorcism sessions continued for about 10 months without success, and her health steadily declined.
In 1978, about two years after her death, her parents reportedly decided to exhume and replace her coffin, based on a message they had received from a nun who believed her body might still be preserved. However, after exhumation, it was found that the body had decomposed. No images of her remains were ever released to the public.
Before her death, Anneliese reportedly spoke and asked a priest to pray for her forgiveness. She also made statements about the sins of young people and modern church priests. She and her family were devout Catholics.
In connection with her death, four people were prosecuted: her parents and the two priests involved in the exorcism. They were sentenced to six months in prison for negligence in her care.
Her mother later stated that they believed they had done the right thing, claiming she saw the marks of Jesus Christ on her daughter’s hands. It was also said that there were wounds resembling stigmata, similar to those associated with Jesus during the crucifixion.
Her case later gained widespread attention and was often cited in discussions about mental illness, medical neglect, and religious exorcism practices.
