Possessed

The ancient rite of casting evil spirits from the possessed is on the rise in the United States. Historically, demonic possessions have been used to describe mental or physical illnesses and even strings of bad luck, but the scientific community has debunked many of the outdated convictions. With the U.S. being home to 20 percent of the world's exorcists, VICE investigates why the phenomenon of exorcism is on the rise. We speak to Father Lampert, a member of the International Association of Exorcists and Michael Shermer, a former Evangelical Christian and founder of Skeptic magazine, to see why the modern exorcism is thriving in the West.​

Vice travels to Mexico City to explore the rapidly growing Santa Muerte cult and the increasing rate at which exorcisms are being performed by religious leaders throughout the country. We follow pastor Hugo Alvarez as he conducts his exorcism ceremonies and hear from the possessed.

Altar Swartz beheaded 15-year-old Lee Adams in the back of an abandoned Primary School in Cape Town in 2013. In a strange turn of events, Aljar’s defense in court claimed he was possessed by the devil. After pleading guilty the murder, Aljar’s lawyer requested an exorcism be performed on his client. That's when Reverend Cecil Begbie was called in to the job.