He came to meet us at the concierge’s desk, and, thinking of that moment, he appeared to me as an austere man with cold eyes, to minutely penetrate our souls as if he wanted to discover their innermost secrets. Only a few moments of trepidation and then the bursting affectionate greeting from Piero, my publisher, introductions, cordial handshakes and straight into Father Amorth’s private study.
Fra Elia, Father Amorth and I took our places around a small square table set in the center of the room, while Piero. sat in an armchair a little further away.
The two of them stood facing each other and I between them, at the head of the table, agenda and pen at the ready. “Who speaks first?” began Father Amorth without much preamble. “Me,” I answered quicker than thought.
And so I once again took the honor of briefly introducing Fra Elia while also explaining the reason for my presence, as his biographer. I also asked permission to transcribe their conversation, word for word, permission which was graciously granted to me.
I reproduce below the dialogue between Father Amorth and Fra Elia.
Father Amorth: “You who always talk about Angels, tell me about the devil!” Not at all embarrassed by the question and very quietly, Fra Elia replied, “The first time I met him was in church at the time of my novitiate. I was walking down the aisle when, beyond my shadow I saw another one, on the opposite side, following me furtively. Frightened I thought of a thief. I ran to warn my companions and the teacher who, after carefully inspecting every corner, immediately reassured me.
But when I remained alone, the shadow continued to follow me without otherwise doing anything to me. I still reported its presence, but by then no one believed it. At the end of the day I retired to my room and the shadow followed me. It was there that it manifested itself for the first time in the form of a large snake… (the fact was described by me in the book “An Angel with Stigmata…”) at other times it turned into a wolf… but I, having recognized it, was not afraid of it… I prayed while waiting for it to leave… then he would get angry, turning into an immense and terrible force that would come down on everything with unprecedented rage, even moving cupboards, breaking doors and anything that came under his fury…and eventually he would lash out at me until he left me stunned and bruised…once he even slaughtered me in church, breaking my meniscus…he makes himself felt especially around Easter…”
Father Amorth made no comment and continued with another question, “Have you ever freed possessed people?” “Yes…I do it according to my Angel’s instructions…a short time ago I even had a nun call me from a convent…she was screaming and said she was possessed…the next evening she called me back insulting me. Then I asked Lechitiel if she was telling the truth. ‘Yes, she was… Let’s go.’ He took me to her and together we freed her… I get a lot of religious ones!” Father Amorth’s comment, “It is easier to liberate lay people than religious, some are possessed from birth to death.”
Another question, “During your astral travels have you also seen hell?”
“Hell is a big dark chasm, protected by a large mesh net, perhaps so as not to attract the attention of transiting souls. I saw that some, however, proceeding toward the great light, could not bear its glow as if they were frightened by it. Then they would freeze bringing their hands over their eyes and back away. Then, full of terror, they would throw themselves over the net, tear it furiously and throw themselves in! It is not God who does not accept them; God loves them all and wants to save them all. It is they themselves who decide not to save themselves by choosing darkness….”
At this point Father Amorth stood up, and from his moved voice only these words were heard, “Fra Elia, now bless me….” And he made the act of kneeling down, but Fra Elia faster than him, grabbed his hands and smiling placed them over his heart, “… no, bless me yourself!”
And while I was writing, Piero, who had not moved from his seat, came out with a joke that brought everyone quickly back down to earth: “You see Fiorella… These two bless each other and no one is looking at us!…”
Whereupon, Father Amorth, turning very seriously toward us as well, assured us that the blessing would apply to everyone.