The Crucifixion (2017) Movie Script
[screaming]
[man chanting]
[woman speaking in Romanian]
[woman] She was possessed
and died during an exorcism.
It happened four days ago, but
they're being arrested and charged now.
- For murder.
- Why murder?
Because the autopsy report
said it was a homicide.
Really, Nic, a possessed nun story?
She was tied to a cross for three
days, given no food or water.
They crucified her.
She was only 23.
Actually, I managed to speak to
the priest's lawyer this morning
and he said he could set
up an interview for me.
Rule number one: editors assign stories.
Good journalists find
them. You taught me that.
- We both know why you're doing this.
- It's a good story.
No, it's another chance for
you to nail faith to the wall,
and it's not gonna bring your mother back.
We're talking about a priest who murdered
a young woman in the name of religion.
People deserve to know about that.
For a journalist, you
don't sound too objective.
Okay, Uncle Phil, you want
both sides of the story?
How about is this a
madman who murdered a nun
or a holy man who lost
a fight with a demon?
- Come on.
- [tapping desk]
Let me find out.
Please?
All right, you got your shot.
- But you're checking in with me.
- Thanks, Phil.
Mmm. You have your mother's
persistence, I'll give you that.
[man] Ms. Rawlins.
[indistinct chatter]
[indistinct voices speaking Romanian]
[guard speaks Romanian]
[priest] The doctor had good intentions,
but you can't take the devil
out of people with pills.
God and I both know where the truth lies.
But you're the one in jail.
Perhaps he feels I'm
needed behind these walls,
where many have lost their faith
or have none to comfort them.
How do you feel about not
getting the Church's support?
I expected it.
They never liked how I was
doing things, but that's okay.
I was never doing it for them.
I was doing it for God and my congregation.
So why do you think she was
possessed in the first place?
She told me about a
sexual experience she had.
She had given herself to a boy in Germany.
It got her to question her
faith, making her a target.
I'm sure his seduction was
influenced by the devil.
You know, demons are everywhere,
waiting for their opportunity.
They're saying you crucified her.
Only because we had to
put her on the cross.
No!
[shouting in Romanian]
[priest] The demon knew our intent
and had become incredibly
violent against Adelina.
[Adelina shouting in Romanian]
[continues chanting]
[breath rasping]
[chanting]
[priest] So we took
Adelina into the church.
We wanted her to feel as close
to God as we could get her.
[continues chanting]
[priest] It took a while to get the
name of the demon possessing her,
- but we finally did.
- [shouts in Romanian]
Agares! Agares!
I knew I was dealing with
an incredibly powerful demon
because it could use the
name of God and Mother Mary.
Lesser demons can't.
It was at the end of the third day
when I could finally feel
the demon starting to give up.
[breathing deeply]
[women muttering chants]
- [holy water sizzles]
- [gasps]
- [sizzling]
- [groans]
- [door slams]
- [gasps]
[speaking Romanian]
[priest] The moment I looked into her eyes,
I knew the exorcism was over.
The demon had seen the conflict
between the bishop and myself,
and that destroyed everything
I had done up to that moment.
And it wasn't worried anymore.
She'd be alive today
if he hadn't interfered.
So what happened?
She was worn out, vulnerable.
The demon took her life
on the way to the hospital.
If I only had a little more
time, she would have been saved.
I understand an exorcist
needs years of experience
in order to recognize and
deal with the possessed.
But you haven't had any.
And neither did Moses,
but with God's strength
he parted the Red Sea.
I quit my studies because following
the strict rules of the Church
wouldn't allow me to help
those who needed it most.
Thanks. That's all I need.
God told me you were here to help.
Because she was so unresponsive, she
was given a high dose of adrenaline
when the ambulance arrived.
The autopsy was to determine if perhaps
- that was the cause of death.
- So how did she die?
Well, basically, her larynx had
collapsed, cutting off the air supply.
Because she was dehydrated?
It might have been some
factor, but not usually.
In most cases, it's strangulation
that causes a collapsed larynx.
She was choked?
There were no bruise marks.
When I dissected the neck area,
actually I thought she might have had
some sort of oral or pharyngeal cancer,
which, in some cases,
could impinge on the larynx.
But the tissue samples and the
biopsies came back inconclusive,
as I thought they might.
Why was that?
'Cause I'd never seen anything like it.
I hope you've got a strong stomach.
So if you don't know what this is,
how can you ever have a
conclusive cause of death?
If we have enough contributing factors,
we can make an educated guess.
And in this case, what that
girl endured for three days
definitely contributed to her death.
The photos tell us that much.
How's it going? Did you
get to speak to the priest?
Father Dumitru, yeah. He's adamant
the only reason the nun died
is 'cause Bishop Gornik prevented
him from completing the exorcism.
But the coroner I met
with thinks it's murder.
It's her funeral today, so I'm heading
up to Tanacu to see what I can find out.
All right, you take care of
yourself, and. um, call me later.
- [horn blaring]
- [man yelling]
[starts car]
[man continues yelling]
[men singing faintly]
[singing continues]
[Gornik speaks Romanian]
[singing resumes]
[sobbing, speaking Romanian]
[bell tolling]
- Excuse me, Sister?
- Yes?
You were close with Sister Marinescu?
Since we were children.
My name's Nicole Rawlins
and I'm a journalist.
Please just leave us alone.
Look, I'm just curious about
what happened, that's all.
I don't understand how
Father Dumitru could kill her.
They didn't kill her.
[floorboards creak]
[muffled thump]
[indistinct voices chattering]
- [woman laughs]
- [muffled footsteps]
[camera shutter clicking]
- What are you doing?!
- [gasps]
- I'm sorry. I didn't mean to intrude.
- You have to leave now.
- I was just wondering if you could help me...
- This way.
...by answering a few questions
about the death of Sister Marinescu.
This way. Now.
Hi. Do you have a room available?
- Yes, of course.
- Great.
You don't know what's
going on outside, do you?
What's with all the masks?
They are setting up for
the Strigoi Festival.
And what's that?
A long time ago, once a year,
villagers would exhume the
body of someone they thought
to be an evil person and remove the heart.
Then they would burn it, mix the ashes
with water from the local well and drink it.
- They wore masks to cover their faces...
- [chuckles]
...protecting their
identity from dead souls.
But now it's just another
celebration to drink and have fun,
I suppose a lot like
your... how do you say...
- Halloween.
- Yes.
And how many nights will you be staying?
Can I kind of let you know as I go?
Yes, of course.
[indistinct chatter, laughter]
[man] By lighting the prayer
candles, we not only pray,
but our prayers become symbols
of the one light of Christ.
Light also affirms the power of goodness
over the darkness of evil.
I'm Father Anton.
Nicole Rawlins.
Is there someone you'd like to pray for?
Actually, I came in here
hoping to talk to you.
I saw you at Sister Marinescu's funeral.
You mind if I ask you a few questions?
Do you think Father Dumitru
was responsible for her death?
I don't think it would really
be fair for me to say anything,
because I wasn't there.
Do you think it would be fair to say
that if he truly felt she was possessed,
then it was his faith that killed her?
You sound like you don't
have a lot of faith in faith.
Faith is taught, it's not
something you're born with,
so whatever you end up
believing defines your actions.
Yes, but God gave you free will.
It's your choice to accept
those teachings or not.
There was a nun with brown
hair crying over the casket.
- Yes, Sister Vaduva.
- And the man standing next to her?
The man was Adelina's
brother, Stefan Marinescu.
- Do they live nearby?
- Yes.
He owns a vineyard north of town.
Sister Vaduva said that
"they" didn't kill her.
Is there something going on here that
the Church doesn't want her to talk about?
I think if you want to know the
Church's response to all of this,
you should speak with Bishop Gornik.
Father Dumitru's monastery
was under his governance
and sanctifying responsibility.
You can find him at the Saint
Joseph Cathedral in Bucharest.
I'm curious...
Is it normal to tie someone
to a cross during an exorcism?
No. I hope you find
what you're looking for.
Good night.
- [door clicks]
- [hinges creak]
[fly buzzing]
[wind blowing]
[bell tolling in distance]
[clears throat]
Please, take a seat.
I appreciate you seeing me.
I'm sorry about yesterday.
It wasn't the right time
or place for either of us.
I apologize as well.
What happened has been very
disturbing for all of us.
I understand that you have some questions.
Yes, um...
I'd like to know why the
Church isn't defending
Father Dumitru's actions.
Exorcisms aren't out of the
ordinary within your Church.
Why don't we take a walk.
[bell tolling]
[Gornik] After the collapse
of Communism 20 years ago
and people could practice religion again,
there was a surge of monasteries
and churches being built...
so many that the Church couldn't
train clergy fast enough.
Father Dumitru was one of them.
[chuckles] I'm actually
the one who ordained him.
Had he ever performed an exorcism before?
Yes, and that was another
issue we had with him.
Some priests might perform
one or two exorcisms a year,
and many none at all.
He's done four in the last ten months.
Why so many?
Mostly because the poor in that area
often turn to the Church to cure ills
before they go to Romania's
broken-down healthcare system.
Sister Marinescu wasn't possessed.
She was mentally ill.
I-I should have just terminated
his services a long time ago.
Then none of this would have happened.
You have no idea how hard I prayed
that he would see the
light and change his ways.
It sickens me that deceit
sometimes hides in the
garments of the holy.
- Hey.
- [Phil] Getting anywhere?
Yes, I spoke to Bishop Gornik and
he said he stopped the exorcism
because the nun wasn't possessed and it
looked like Father Dumitru was killing her.
Didn't the priest need to get the
Church's approval for the exorcism first?
Supposed to, but apparently they've had
a lot of problems with him in the past.
Phil, this isn't the first time he's performed
an exorcism on someone who didn't need it.
I guess this is beginning to look more
like a madman who murdered a nun story, huh?
I'd say so.
It's brutal what happened to her.
Anyway, I'm heading back over to the
monastery to see what else I can find out.
All right, you take care of
yourself, and, uh, call me later.
[dog barking in distance]
- [faint rustling]
- [gasps]
[faint whispering]
[whispering continues]
[hinges creak]
[exhales]
[loud thump]
[breathing heavily]
[man whispering in Romanian]
[Nicole breathing heavily]
[engages parking brake]
[shuts off motor]
[quietly] I am so going to hell.
[motorcycle starts]
I almost didn't recognize you.
Have you got a minute?
I'm still having a hard time believing
they couldn't see she was dying,
how they could do that to her.
Because from their perspective,
they weren't doing anything to her.
They were trying to stop
the demon from doing it.
No exorcism is the same,
but there are different stages to follow
once we know that the victim
is, in fact, possessed.
The first is what we
refer to as the "presence."
It's important to find out who the demon is
so you can cast it out.
In most cases, it has control of the body,
like denying it food and water.
The second we call the "breakpoint."
There's usually complete panic, confusion,
accompanied by hallucinations,
noises and odors.
The next is called the "clash."
The exorcist is now in
direct battle with the demon,
as it wants to stay in
the victim as a resident
or it must return to hell.
The last and final stage is
referred to as the "expulsion."
In the supreme triumph of God's will,
the demon leaves in the name of Jesus
because it's been identified.
[Nicole] But Adelina died.
Why would he kill her?
[Anton] He didn't need her any more.
One dead nun, five other
clergy in jail for murder,
another dark stain on
the fabric of the Church.
And not being exorcised, it
was free to possess again.
Demons can possess again?
It's called transference,
the demon moving from
one vessel to another.
Sometimes it's merely through
physical contact with the possessed,
but most often, it possesses
through a weakened soul.
The possessed reflect the
demon's anger and its black soul.
It has some pretty good information
about demons that you might find useful.
- [teacup clatters]
- [spoon stirring]
What are these?
Sometimes demons have help.
[Nicole] My mother used
to say rays of sunshine
are the fingers of God,
giving guidance and showing the way.
[whispers] What?
[grunts]
[exhales]
[sighs]
[whispers] Come on.
[garbled static]
[indistinct, garbled voices]
[gasps]
[panting]
[sets down glass]
Hi.
I told you yesterday that I
don't want to speak with you.
I know, and I'm sorry.
But you said to me it
wasn't Father Dumitru...
There's nothing more to be said.
It's God's will.
What about your will?
Father Dumitru killed your friend.
There is nothing I can do.
[speaks Romanian]
It's Stefan, right?
If Father Dumitru didn't
kill Adelina, who did?
[Stefan] What do you care?
All you people want to do is
to print lies about my sister.
You don't care what we have to say.
[Nicole] And what is that?
She wasn't sick in the head.
Look, if you've got something
to say, then I want to help you.
Please, if Father Dumitru and the nuns
didn't kill your sister, then who did?
Tell me.
It was the demon.
It spoke to me.
[hinges creaking]
[singing softly]
Adelina?
[continues singing]
Adelina.
Adelina.
[fly buzzing]
[continues singing]
[gasps]
[whimpers]
Adelina!
[demon speaks Romanian]
[gasps, panting]
Whatever was inside of
her was challenging me too.
Testing my faith.
I've never felt anything
so evil in my entire life.
Adelina had been in
Germany for the last year,
working as a nanny for a family
who had just adopted two
kids from the orphanage.
Before she went to work
for them, the German embassy
asked her to take a
complete psychological exam.
It's the country's policy.
She passed.
Why'd she come back?
She wanted to return to the monastery.
She wanted to work at the orphanage.
And nothing had happened in Germany?
No.
It all started when she got back.
The first thing Adelina wanted to do
was go see Father Gabrielle
and give him a gift.
He liked to collect porcelain
figurines of animals.
I'm sorry, who's Father Gabrielle?
He was a priest who
really looked out for us
when we were young at the orphanage.
He and Adelina were especially close.
When we left and he became a bishop,
we never saw him any more,
except when he would come
and stay at the monastery
for work and prayer.
Stefan!
Adelina!
[both shrieking, laughing]
[panting loudly]
[Stefan] He performed exorcisms.
We wish he could have helped Adelina.
[dark, muttered whispers]
[bell tolling loudly]
[women screaming]
- [body landing]
- [shouting in Romanian]
- No!
- [groans]
- [shouting continues]
- [sobbing]
[Vaduva] Father Gabrielle threw
himself off the bell tower.
We don't know what could have driven
him to commit the ultimate sin.
We watched as Adelina cradled
him in her arms as he died.
[faint sobbing]
We were all devastated.
But Adelina took it the hardest.
He'd been like a father to her.
We don't know why he was even up there.
He never rang the bell before.
Afterwards, I'd always find
Adelina in the church, crying.
She was so upset.
Then one time, we were
all heading in for Mass...
- [bell tolling]
- ...she refused to go in.
[speaking Romanian]
[Adelina breathing hard]
[dark, distorted whispering]
[quietly sobbing]
[Vaduva] It got a lot worse after that.
[gasps]
[Adelina sobbing, praying]
[speaks Romanian]
[gasps]
[Nicole] Phil, she described some really
disturbing things that happened.
Did you believe her?
Well, I believe she believes what she saw.
I guess when you're in the
land of vampires and werewolves,
- anything could happen.
- Yeah, I guess so.
I read your piece on unanswered prayers.
I went online.
[Nicole chuckles]
Thank you.
[thanks in Romanian]
[praying quietly]
For someone who doesn't believe in God,
I'm curious why you are trying so hard
to convince others to believe the same.
Free will, remember?
It was interesting, the
number of people you quoted
who had prayed to God to help them
but their prayers went unheard.
What about the prayers that were heard?
The miracles, the miraculous healings
that have occurred over the centuries?
So it's a selective process
whose prayers God responds to?
Whether it be Satan or
people's wills or disbelief,
I think it's important
for people to understand
that it's not God who
seems so unpredictable.
He's not the one who failed to answer.
We are the ones who have failed to receive.
[dry chuckle]
Why is this so important to you?
I think people only pray
because they believe they
can't fix things themselves.
Hmm.
When I was working away
a couple of years ago,
I got a call from my dad,
telling me that my mom had cancer.
What he didn't tell me was that
she'd been diagnosed two years earlier
and had been trying to beat it
without saying anything to me.
They didn't want me to worry.
I'd been travelling a lot for work,
so I hadn't really been around much.
When I came home, I
discovered that she was done...
with the drugs, the chemo, the needles...
...and was ready to be, as she put it,
"cradled in the arms of the Lord."
And my dad was somehow okay with that.
I wasn't so ready to let her
go, so I started researching
and I found this new treatment
program that sounded great for her.
She wouldn't even try it.
Said she was in God's hands.
I begged my dad to change her
mind, but he wouldn't do it.
Said we had to honor her wishes.
Said they'd prayed about it together.
So we watched her slowly die.
I was really pissed.
If she didn't have such
faith in a stronger afterlife,
she'd probably be alive today.
That treatment program ended up
having a 90 percent success rate.
Her faith made her give up hope.
I think her faith made you lose yours.
She was fine with it.
Her relationship with
God is just that, hers.
You shouldn't judge it.
I was trying to save her life.
For you, not her.
I think the problem is, if you
actually found out God existed,
then you'd have no one to blame.
- [fireworks exploding]
- [people cheering]
[Anton] You need to be careful.
Your rage against God and lack
of faith makes you an easy target,
especially looking into what
happened to Sister Marinescu.
Has something already happened?
Whether you believe it
or not, demons are real.
There is a heaven and there is a hell,
and here, now, what's
happening around this incident,
is a battlefield. You need protection.
Without faith, you don't have any.
What about Sister Marinescu?
Did her faith protect her?
Listen to me...
It's okay. I know my own way back.
[indistinct chatter]
[woman cheers]
[chatter, laughter]
[whispers in Romanian]
Are you okay?
That boy standing outside,
you know who he is?
It's Tavian Amanar. He's a Gypsy.
[yells in Romanian]
He's slow in the head.
He said to me... [repeats Romanian phrase]
What's that mean?
"It's watching you." But that's impossible.
He can't speak. He was
born without a tongue.
Does he live nearby?
Yeah, he lives on a farm with his father.
You passed it coming into Tanacu.
Please stay away from
them. They are Gypsies.
They're liars and cheats.
Tourists are easy targets.
He wants something from you.
[water running, stops]
[panting]
[moaning]
[gasps]
[door opens]
[hinges creaking]
[rattling]
[floorboards creaking]
[door rattles]
[continues rattling]
[shrieking]
[screams, panting]
[pounding on door]
[panting]
- [shrieks]
- [screaming]
[panting]
[line ringing]
[Phil] Hey, Nic, is everything all right?
- Hey.
- Must be three in the morning there.
Yeah...
I don't know, it's hard to
make sense out of something
- that doesn't make sense.
- How do you mean?
[voice shaking] Earlier I was...
I just...
[sighs] I guess I'm just tired is all.
You know what, I'll call you
back in the morning, okay?
All right.
You get some rest. We'll speak then.
[Phil] You had me a
little worried last night.
Yeah, sorry about that.
Seriously, Nic, if this
is too much for you,
we don't need this story that badly.
No, I'm fine, really.
Actually, I'm already on my
way to go see this Gypsy boy
who seems connected to what's going on,
and, uh, and then I'm gonna head
back to Sister Vaduva's place.
All right. Let me know how it goes.
Okay, no problem.
[beeps]
[thunder rumbling]
[whispering in Romanian]
- [loud barking]
- [screams]
[panting]
[barking, growling]
[whimpers]
[barking]
[panting]
[Vaduva] Thank you for coming back.
We just want people to
understand the truth.
Adelina was ashamed of
what it was making her do.
She said that the devil kept telling her
what a sinful person she was.
And was she?
Stefan doesn't know this.
But I got a letter from Adelina
a couple of months before she came home.
She had met a boy in
Germany and fell in love.
He said he wanted to marry her.
She was torn between her feelings for him
and her commitment to God.
She ended up giving herself to him.
Afterwards, she realized he was just lying
to trick her into bed.
She came back here to
ask for God's forgiveness.
Instead, she got the devil.
[breathing deeply]
[light gasp]
[Adelina moaning]
[Vaduva] We didn't know what to do.
So Sister Lina and I
put all sorts of crosses, icons
and jars of holy water in the
room where she was sleeping.
[low rumbling]
[water splashing]
[heavy breathing]
[both screaming]
How did she get diagnosed
with schizophrenia?
One night, after we had all gone to bed...
[faint screams]
[speaks Romanian]
[screams repeat]
[girls scream outside]
[calling out]
[girl screams]
[Stefan calls out]
[breathing shakily]
[shrieks]
Stefan rushed Adelina to hospital.
He was upset with what had happened,
so he told the doctors
everything that had been going on.
They were the ones who
insisted she see Dr. Funar.
She was the psychologist
who said that Adelina
had been suffering from schizophrenia.
Were you part of the exorcism?
Not directly, no.
But I was there.
[muttering in distorted voice]
[men chanting]
[Vaduva] I was terrified.
Water was falling everywhere.
[Nicole] What do you mean?
[Vaduva] The demon was making it rain,
mocking our use of holy water.
[chanting continues]
[Dumitru chanting loudly]
[Adelina growling]
[roaring]
- [nuns scream]
- [Dumitru resumes chanting]
[Stefan] Your article...
You'll tell them the truth, right?
Thank you for talking to me.
[dog barking faintly]
[tape rewinding]
[Vaduva on tape] Whatever was inside of her
was challenging me too, testing my faith.
I've never felt anything
so evil in my entire life,
or seen such darkness in anyone's eyes.
[Stefan] Adelina had been
in Germany for the last year,
working as a nanny.
- [loud thump]
- [gasps]
[breathing shakily]
[faint, indistinct whispers]
[faint, distorted whispering]
[breathing shakily]
[whispering continues]
[faint growling]
[gasps]
[pounding on door]
Hi.
Are you okay?
The... The power went out.
I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt.
Um... I wasn't happy
with the way our conversation
ended the other night.
I wanted to apologize.
It's fine.
A peace offering.
Are you trying to trick me into communion?
[chuckles] I forgot the bread.
[chuckles]
If you have any more questions,
you know where to find me.
Okay.
How about I open it?
Actually, uh, you open
it and I'll get dressed.
[Nicole panting, moaning]
[shrieking]
[panting]
[groans]
[sets down camera]
[sighs]
[Nicole] Thank you for making
time to see me, Dr. Funar.
[Dr. Funar] You have to understand
something about rural Romania.
Diseases of the mind, such as
schizophrenia, Tourette Syndrome
and other forms of psychosis
are typically regarded
as sure-fire signs that some sort of
diabolical infestation is taking place.
Well, her brother said she'd never
shown signs of anything like this before.
There may not be any family
history of schizophrenia,
but there is definitely some mental history
that played into my diagnosis.
I believe that Father
Gabrielle's death reignited
all those old fears of her early childhood,
with what happened with her father's
suicide and her mother's abandonment.
Her father killed himself?
Yes, and she saw him do it.
That's how Adelina
ended up in an orphanage.
The death of the parent is one
of the most difficult experiences
a child can go through,
let alone abandonment.
[speaks Romanian]
It was in this ward
that we treated Adelina.
Father Gabrielle's
death triggered delusions
and hallucinations and
ultimately schizophrenia,
which should have surfaced a long time ago.
She was having episodes
right here in the hospital.
She thought we were all
demons, trying to kill her.
[panting, gasping]
[crying out]
[speaking Romanian]
[screaming]
[moaning]
[panting]
[Adelina screaming]
[Dumitru] Demons are everywhere,
waiting for their opportunity.
Sister Marinescu wasn't possessed.
She was mentally ill.
[Anton] It's called transference, the
demon moving from one vessel to another.
But most often it possesses
through a weakened soul.
God told me you were here to help.
[car stalling]
[sighs]
[engine turns over]
[sighs]
[engine turns over]
[continues cranking motor]
[Anton] You're not far. I won't be long.
Thank you.
[phone beeps]
[sighs deeply]
[loud rattle]
- [loud thump]
- [gasps]
[gasps]
[fly buzzing]
[shrieks]
[panting]
[indistinct whispering]
[panting]
[brakes screeching]
[panting loudly]
Nicole! Hey!
Are you okay?
[bicycle bell chiming]
[shuts off motor]
Running away from this
is exactly what it wants,
because somehow you're part of it.
I'm not staying.
You think it's going to go away?
Embracing fear is exactly
what the darkness wants.
But by embracing faith...
...you have something to fight it with.
A shield.
God's been reaching out to you.
- He wanted you here.
- To do what?
I don't know. Maybe just forgive yourself.
But you're not going to find
any answers running away.
Let me help you.
That was the rental company.
They said there was
nothing wrong with your car.
It started right up.
They're going to drop it out front for you.
You're safe here, I promise.
[sniffs]
I was in the hospital, with
my mom the night she died.
She knew how I felt about God.
But she took my hands in hers
and asked me to accept Jesus as my savior,
so the two of us could
spend eternity together.
[crying] Even with her dying, I said no.
And she took that with her.
I'd do anything to tell her how sorry I am.
[tears sheet from pad]
[Nicole] Whatever's going on here, I
don't want to be a part of it any more.
I'm coming home.
[Phil] What really happened?
Is an innocent man in jail?
[Nicole] I don't know what to think.
All right.
I'll have a ticket waiting
for you at the airport.
Nicole?
Yeah, I'll call you back in a bit.
[man speaks Romanian]
Did you know Father Gabrielle?
No.
It's the same date my mom died.
Can you tell me what the inscription reads?
"Now cradled in the arms of the Lord."
[quiet sobbing]
[Nicole] Demons can possess again?
It's called transference,
the demon moving from
one vessel to another.
Sometimes it's merely through
physical contact with the possessed.
Phil, Dumitru's innocent.
Somehow Father Gabrielle
is a part of all this.
I've gotta go back to the
monastery and figure this out.
Are you looking for something?
Is it true Father Gabrielle
died in Sister Marinescu's arms?
Yes.
He used this office when he stayed here.
What was the last exorcism
he performed before he died?
No, no, I don't know.
He used to keep his appointments
in here, and we can look.
And the last person was...
- [Nicole] Tavian Amanar.
- Oh, yes.
He's a boy who lives around here.
Yeah, I know who he is.
Mr. Amanar?
- Do you speak English?
- Little.
Do you mind if I ask you a few questions?
- What about?
- About Father Gabrielle
- and what he did for your son.
- He do nothing for Tavian.
Father Gabrielle didn't come
out here to see your son?
No, Tavian brought him
for me. Why you here?
I think Father Gabrielle's death is
connected to something that happened here.
The father tell me my
Tavian is very special.
Strong with God.
My head have bad, dark thoughts.
Nothing make me happy.
My sister tell me it's a
curse and we try to break it,
but everything got worse.
The voice from my head tell me kill my son.
Almost did.
Tavian bring me to church for help,
but voices said it kill me if I go inside.
So Tavian bring father here.
I thank God every day
for what father do for me.
Did Father Gabrielle get
the name of the demon?
Don't know. Me don't remember anything.
[whispering in Romanian]
[Anton] It took a while to get the
name of the demon possessing her.
Agares!
Do you have a phone I can use?
[line ringing]
Anton, I figured it out. The last exorcism
that Father Gabrielle performed
was on Tavian's father.
The name of the demon was Agares.
If Father Gabrielle became
possessed by the demon,
he must have transferred it to Adelina.
Anton, it was transference.
[loud, demonic voice]
[panting]
Nicole!
[tires screeching]
[panting]
[screams]
[barking]
[electricity crackling]
- [blows landing]
- [gasps]
[screams]
[barking continues]
[moans]
[speaking Romanian]
[speaking Romanian]
[gasping loudly]
- [door rattling]
- Nicole!
[screams]
[demon speaking Romanian]
[whispering prayer]
[growls]
You like preying on the
weak, don't you, demon?
You're wasting your time.
She has no faith to corrupt.
[Shouts in Romanian]
You're gonna need more than
this to fight me, demon.
- [continues shouting]
- [chanting in Romanian]
[roaring]
[screaming in higher voice]
[Nicole] Anton, it's killing me!
[continues chanting]
[groaning loudly]
Nicole, ask for God's help.
You need to have faith to fight this demon.
[shouting in Romanian]
Shut up, demon!
Be silent!
I adjure you. You can make it stop!
- You can make it stop, Nicole.
- [shouting in Romanian]
Leave her, demon!
Leave her now!
[demon roars]
I don't need the Romana or crucifix
to send you back to hell, demon.
I already know your name. Agares!
[speaks Romanian]
You are done with her, Agares.
I adjure you by the living
God, by the Holy God,
who so loved the world that
he gave up his only son.
Begone, Satan's helper, inventor
and master of all deceit.
- [Nicole moaning]
- Stop deceiving human creatures
and pouring out to them the
poison of eternal damnation.
Begone, Satan's helper,
enemy of man's salvation.
Give place to the one Holy Church,
acquired by Christ at
the price of his blood.
[shouts in Romanian]
[gasps]
You've got to fight back or
you'll never see your mother again.
- [shouts in Romanian]
- You told me she taught you to be a fighter.
[Nicole sobbing]
- You can do this. Fight back!
- [moaning]
Don't let this demon drag you to hell.
- [shouts in Romanian]
- I can't do this without your help.
[whimpers]
Stoop beneath the
all-powerful hand of God.
Tremble and flee when we
invoke the Holy name of Jesus,
this name which causes hell to tremble.
Holy is the Lord, the God of armies.
Be gone, demon.
- Agares, be gone.
- [crying out]
[rasping]
[sighs]
Nicole?
Come on, Nicole.
Breathe!
Nicole. Breathe.
[gasping loudly]
[coughing]
[gasping]
I saw my mom.
[man chanting]
[woman speaking in Romanian]
[woman] She was possessed
and died during an exorcism.
It happened four days ago, but
they're being arrested and charged now.
- For murder.
- Why murder?
Because the autopsy report
said it was a homicide.
Really, Nic, a possessed nun story?
She was tied to a cross for three
days, given no food or water.
They crucified her.
She was only 23.
Actually, I managed to speak to
the priest's lawyer this morning
and he said he could set
up an interview for me.
Rule number one: editors assign stories.
Good journalists find
them. You taught me that.
- We both know why you're doing this.
- It's a good story.
No, it's another chance for
you to nail faith to the wall,
and it's not gonna bring your mother back.
We're talking about a priest who murdered
a young woman in the name of religion.
People deserve to know about that.
For a journalist, you
don't sound too objective.
Okay, Uncle Phil, you want
both sides of the story?
How about is this a
madman who murdered a nun
or a holy man who lost
a fight with a demon?
- Come on.
- [tapping desk]
Let me find out.
Please?
All right, you got your shot.
- But you're checking in with me.
- Thanks, Phil.
Mmm. You have your mother's
persistence, I'll give you that.
[man] Ms. Rawlins.
[indistinct chatter]
[indistinct voices speaking Romanian]
[guard speaks Romanian]
[priest] The doctor had good intentions,
but you can't take the devil
out of people with pills.
God and I both know where the truth lies.
But you're the one in jail.
Perhaps he feels I'm
needed behind these walls,
where many have lost their faith
or have none to comfort them.
How do you feel about not
getting the Church's support?
I expected it.
They never liked how I was
doing things, but that's okay.
I was never doing it for them.
I was doing it for God and my congregation.
So why do you think she was
possessed in the first place?
She told me about a
sexual experience she had.
She had given herself to a boy in Germany.
It got her to question her
faith, making her a target.
I'm sure his seduction was
influenced by the devil.
You know, demons are everywhere,
waiting for their opportunity.
They're saying you crucified her.
Only because we had to
put her on the cross.
No!
[shouting in Romanian]
[priest] The demon knew our intent
and had become incredibly
violent against Adelina.
[Adelina shouting in Romanian]
[continues chanting]
[breath rasping]
[chanting]
[priest] So we took
Adelina into the church.
We wanted her to feel as close
to God as we could get her.
[continues chanting]
[priest] It took a while to get the
name of the demon possessing her,
- but we finally did.
- [shouts in Romanian]
Agares! Agares!
I knew I was dealing with
an incredibly powerful demon
because it could use the
name of God and Mother Mary.
Lesser demons can't.
It was at the end of the third day
when I could finally feel
the demon starting to give up.
[breathing deeply]
[women muttering chants]
- [holy water sizzles]
- [gasps]
- [sizzling]
- [groans]
- [door slams]
- [gasps]
[speaking Romanian]
[priest] The moment I looked into her eyes,
I knew the exorcism was over.
The demon had seen the conflict
between the bishop and myself,
and that destroyed everything
I had done up to that moment.
And it wasn't worried anymore.
She'd be alive today
if he hadn't interfered.
So what happened?
She was worn out, vulnerable.
The demon took her life
on the way to the hospital.
If I only had a little more
time, she would have been saved.
I understand an exorcist
needs years of experience
in order to recognize and
deal with the possessed.
But you haven't had any.
And neither did Moses,
but with God's strength
he parted the Red Sea.
I quit my studies because following
the strict rules of the Church
wouldn't allow me to help
those who needed it most.
Thanks. That's all I need.
God told me you were here to help.
Because she was so unresponsive, she
was given a high dose of adrenaline
when the ambulance arrived.
The autopsy was to determine if perhaps
- that was the cause of death.
- So how did she die?
Well, basically, her larynx had
collapsed, cutting off the air supply.
Because she was dehydrated?
It might have been some
factor, but not usually.
In most cases, it's strangulation
that causes a collapsed larynx.
She was choked?
There were no bruise marks.
When I dissected the neck area,
actually I thought she might have had
some sort of oral or pharyngeal cancer,
which, in some cases,
could impinge on the larynx.
But the tissue samples and the
biopsies came back inconclusive,
as I thought they might.
Why was that?
'Cause I'd never seen anything like it.
I hope you've got a strong stomach.
So if you don't know what this is,
how can you ever have a
conclusive cause of death?
If we have enough contributing factors,
we can make an educated guess.
And in this case, what that
girl endured for three days
definitely contributed to her death.
The photos tell us that much.
How's it going? Did you
get to speak to the priest?
Father Dumitru, yeah. He's adamant
the only reason the nun died
is 'cause Bishop Gornik prevented
him from completing the exorcism.
But the coroner I met
with thinks it's murder.
It's her funeral today, so I'm heading
up to Tanacu to see what I can find out.
All right, you take care of
yourself, and. um, call me later.
- [horn blaring]
- [man yelling]
[starts car]
[man continues yelling]
[men singing faintly]
[singing continues]
[Gornik speaks Romanian]
[singing resumes]
[sobbing, speaking Romanian]
[bell tolling]
- Excuse me, Sister?
- Yes?
You were close with Sister Marinescu?
Since we were children.
My name's Nicole Rawlins
and I'm a journalist.
Please just leave us alone.
Look, I'm just curious about
what happened, that's all.
I don't understand how
Father Dumitru could kill her.
They didn't kill her.
[floorboards creak]
[muffled thump]
[indistinct voices chattering]
- [woman laughs]
- [muffled footsteps]
[camera shutter clicking]
- What are you doing?!
- [gasps]
- I'm sorry. I didn't mean to intrude.
- You have to leave now.
- I was just wondering if you could help me...
- This way.
...by answering a few questions
about the death of Sister Marinescu.
This way. Now.
Hi. Do you have a room available?
- Yes, of course.
- Great.
You don't know what's
going on outside, do you?
What's with all the masks?
They are setting up for
the Strigoi Festival.
And what's that?
A long time ago, once a year,
villagers would exhume the
body of someone they thought
to be an evil person and remove the heart.
Then they would burn it, mix the ashes
with water from the local well and drink it.
- They wore masks to cover their faces...
- [chuckles]
...protecting their
identity from dead souls.
But now it's just another
celebration to drink and have fun,
I suppose a lot like
your... how do you say...
- Halloween.
- Yes.
And how many nights will you be staying?
Can I kind of let you know as I go?
Yes, of course.
[indistinct chatter, laughter]
[man] By lighting the prayer
candles, we not only pray,
but our prayers become symbols
of the one light of Christ.
Light also affirms the power of goodness
over the darkness of evil.
I'm Father Anton.
Nicole Rawlins.
Is there someone you'd like to pray for?
Actually, I came in here
hoping to talk to you.
I saw you at Sister Marinescu's funeral.
You mind if I ask you a few questions?
Do you think Father Dumitru
was responsible for her death?
I don't think it would really
be fair for me to say anything,
because I wasn't there.
Do you think it would be fair to say
that if he truly felt she was possessed,
then it was his faith that killed her?
You sound like you don't
have a lot of faith in faith.
Faith is taught, it's not
something you're born with,
so whatever you end up
believing defines your actions.
Yes, but God gave you free will.
It's your choice to accept
those teachings or not.
There was a nun with brown
hair crying over the casket.
- Yes, Sister Vaduva.
- And the man standing next to her?
The man was Adelina's
brother, Stefan Marinescu.
- Do they live nearby?
- Yes.
He owns a vineyard north of town.
Sister Vaduva said that
"they" didn't kill her.
Is there something going on here that
the Church doesn't want her to talk about?
I think if you want to know the
Church's response to all of this,
you should speak with Bishop Gornik.
Father Dumitru's monastery
was under his governance
and sanctifying responsibility.
You can find him at the Saint
Joseph Cathedral in Bucharest.
I'm curious...
Is it normal to tie someone
to a cross during an exorcism?
No. I hope you find
what you're looking for.
Good night.
- [door clicks]
- [hinges creak]
[fly buzzing]
[wind blowing]
[bell tolling in distance]
[clears throat]
Please, take a seat.
I appreciate you seeing me.
I'm sorry about yesterday.
It wasn't the right time
or place for either of us.
I apologize as well.
What happened has been very
disturbing for all of us.
I understand that you have some questions.
Yes, um...
I'd like to know why the
Church isn't defending
Father Dumitru's actions.
Exorcisms aren't out of the
ordinary within your Church.
Why don't we take a walk.
[bell tolling]
[Gornik] After the collapse
of Communism 20 years ago
and people could practice religion again,
there was a surge of monasteries
and churches being built...
so many that the Church couldn't
train clergy fast enough.
Father Dumitru was one of them.
[chuckles] I'm actually
the one who ordained him.
Had he ever performed an exorcism before?
Yes, and that was another
issue we had with him.
Some priests might perform
one or two exorcisms a year,
and many none at all.
He's done four in the last ten months.
Why so many?
Mostly because the poor in that area
often turn to the Church to cure ills
before they go to Romania's
broken-down healthcare system.
Sister Marinescu wasn't possessed.
She was mentally ill.
I-I should have just terminated
his services a long time ago.
Then none of this would have happened.
You have no idea how hard I prayed
that he would see the
light and change his ways.
It sickens me that deceit
sometimes hides in the
garments of the holy.
- Hey.
- [Phil] Getting anywhere?
Yes, I spoke to Bishop Gornik and
he said he stopped the exorcism
because the nun wasn't possessed and it
looked like Father Dumitru was killing her.
Didn't the priest need to get the
Church's approval for the exorcism first?
Supposed to, but apparently they've had
a lot of problems with him in the past.
Phil, this isn't the first time he's performed
an exorcism on someone who didn't need it.
I guess this is beginning to look more
like a madman who murdered a nun story, huh?
I'd say so.
It's brutal what happened to her.
Anyway, I'm heading back over to the
monastery to see what else I can find out.
All right, you take care of
yourself, and, uh, call me later.
[dog barking in distance]
- [faint rustling]
- [gasps]
[faint whispering]
[whispering continues]
[hinges creak]
[exhales]
[loud thump]
[breathing heavily]
[man whispering in Romanian]
[Nicole breathing heavily]
[engages parking brake]
[shuts off motor]
[quietly] I am so going to hell.
[motorcycle starts]
I almost didn't recognize you.
Have you got a minute?
I'm still having a hard time believing
they couldn't see she was dying,
how they could do that to her.
Because from their perspective,
they weren't doing anything to her.
They were trying to stop
the demon from doing it.
No exorcism is the same,
but there are different stages to follow
once we know that the victim
is, in fact, possessed.
The first is what we
refer to as the "presence."
It's important to find out who the demon is
so you can cast it out.
In most cases, it has control of the body,
like denying it food and water.
The second we call the "breakpoint."
There's usually complete panic, confusion,
accompanied by hallucinations,
noises and odors.
The next is called the "clash."
The exorcist is now in
direct battle with the demon,
as it wants to stay in
the victim as a resident
or it must return to hell.
The last and final stage is
referred to as the "expulsion."
In the supreme triumph of God's will,
the demon leaves in the name of Jesus
because it's been identified.
[Nicole] But Adelina died.
Why would he kill her?
[Anton] He didn't need her any more.
One dead nun, five other
clergy in jail for murder,
another dark stain on
the fabric of the Church.
And not being exorcised, it
was free to possess again.
Demons can possess again?
It's called transference,
the demon moving from
one vessel to another.
Sometimes it's merely through
physical contact with the possessed,
but most often, it possesses
through a weakened soul.
The possessed reflect the
demon's anger and its black soul.
It has some pretty good information
about demons that you might find useful.
- [teacup clatters]
- [spoon stirring]
What are these?
Sometimes demons have help.
[Nicole] My mother used
to say rays of sunshine
are the fingers of God,
giving guidance and showing the way.
[whispers] What?
[grunts]
[exhales]
[sighs]
[whispers] Come on.
[garbled static]
[indistinct, garbled voices]
[gasps]
[panting]
[sets down glass]
Hi.
I told you yesterday that I
don't want to speak with you.
I know, and I'm sorry.
But you said to me it
wasn't Father Dumitru...
There's nothing more to be said.
It's God's will.
What about your will?
Father Dumitru killed your friend.
There is nothing I can do.
[speaks Romanian]
It's Stefan, right?
If Father Dumitru didn't
kill Adelina, who did?
[Stefan] What do you care?
All you people want to do is
to print lies about my sister.
You don't care what we have to say.
[Nicole] And what is that?
She wasn't sick in the head.
Look, if you've got something
to say, then I want to help you.
Please, if Father Dumitru and the nuns
didn't kill your sister, then who did?
Tell me.
It was the demon.
It spoke to me.
[hinges creaking]
[singing softly]
Adelina?
[continues singing]
Adelina.
Adelina.
[fly buzzing]
[continues singing]
[gasps]
[whimpers]
Adelina!
[demon speaks Romanian]
[gasps, panting]
Whatever was inside of
her was challenging me too.
Testing my faith.
I've never felt anything
so evil in my entire life.
Adelina had been in
Germany for the last year,
working as a nanny for a family
who had just adopted two
kids from the orphanage.
Before she went to work
for them, the German embassy
asked her to take a
complete psychological exam.
It's the country's policy.
She passed.
Why'd she come back?
She wanted to return to the monastery.
She wanted to work at the orphanage.
And nothing had happened in Germany?
No.
It all started when she got back.
The first thing Adelina wanted to do
was go see Father Gabrielle
and give him a gift.
He liked to collect porcelain
figurines of animals.
I'm sorry, who's Father Gabrielle?
He was a priest who
really looked out for us
when we were young at the orphanage.
He and Adelina were especially close.
When we left and he became a bishop,
we never saw him any more,
except when he would come
and stay at the monastery
for work and prayer.
Stefan!
Adelina!
[both shrieking, laughing]
[panting loudly]
[Stefan] He performed exorcisms.
We wish he could have helped Adelina.
[dark, muttered whispers]
[bell tolling loudly]
[women screaming]
- [body landing]
- [shouting in Romanian]
- No!
- [groans]
- [shouting continues]
- [sobbing]
[Vaduva] Father Gabrielle threw
himself off the bell tower.
We don't know what could have driven
him to commit the ultimate sin.
We watched as Adelina cradled
him in her arms as he died.
[faint sobbing]
We were all devastated.
But Adelina took it the hardest.
He'd been like a father to her.
We don't know why he was even up there.
He never rang the bell before.
Afterwards, I'd always find
Adelina in the church, crying.
She was so upset.
Then one time, we were
all heading in for Mass...
- [bell tolling]
- ...she refused to go in.
[speaking Romanian]
[Adelina breathing hard]
[dark, distorted whispering]
[quietly sobbing]
[Vaduva] It got a lot worse after that.
[gasps]
[Adelina sobbing, praying]
[speaks Romanian]
[gasps]
[Nicole] Phil, she described some really
disturbing things that happened.
Did you believe her?
Well, I believe she believes what she saw.
I guess when you're in the
land of vampires and werewolves,
- anything could happen.
- Yeah, I guess so.
I read your piece on unanswered prayers.
I went online.
[Nicole chuckles]
Thank you.
[thanks in Romanian]
[praying quietly]
For someone who doesn't believe in God,
I'm curious why you are trying so hard
to convince others to believe the same.
Free will, remember?
It was interesting, the
number of people you quoted
who had prayed to God to help them
but their prayers went unheard.
What about the prayers that were heard?
The miracles, the miraculous healings
that have occurred over the centuries?
So it's a selective process
whose prayers God responds to?
Whether it be Satan or
people's wills or disbelief,
I think it's important
for people to understand
that it's not God who
seems so unpredictable.
He's not the one who failed to answer.
We are the ones who have failed to receive.
[dry chuckle]
Why is this so important to you?
I think people only pray
because they believe they
can't fix things themselves.
Hmm.
When I was working away
a couple of years ago,
I got a call from my dad,
telling me that my mom had cancer.
What he didn't tell me was that
she'd been diagnosed two years earlier
and had been trying to beat it
without saying anything to me.
They didn't want me to worry.
I'd been travelling a lot for work,
so I hadn't really been around much.
When I came home, I
discovered that she was done...
with the drugs, the chemo, the needles...
...and was ready to be, as she put it,
"cradled in the arms of the Lord."
And my dad was somehow okay with that.
I wasn't so ready to let her
go, so I started researching
and I found this new treatment
program that sounded great for her.
She wouldn't even try it.
Said she was in God's hands.
I begged my dad to change her
mind, but he wouldn't do it.
Said we had to honor her wishes.
Said they'd prayed about it together.
So we watched her slowly die.
I was really pissed.
If she didn't have such
faith in a stronger afterlife,
she'd probably be alive today.
That treatment program ended up
having a 90 percent success rate.
Her faith made her give up hope.
I think her faith made you lose yours.
She was fine with it.
Her relationship with
God is just that, hers.
You shouldn't judge it.
I was trying to save her life.
For you, not her.
I think the problem is, if you
actually found out God existed,
then you'd have no one to blame.
- [fireworks exploding]
- [people cheering]
[Anton] You need to be careful.
Your rage against God and lack
of faith makes you an easy target,
especially looking into what
happened to Sister Marinescu.
Has something already happened?
Whether you believe it
or not, demons are real.
There is a heaven and there is a hell,
and here, now, what's
happening around this incident,
is a battlefield. You need protection.
Without faith, you don't have any.
What about Sister Marinescu?
Did her faith protect her?
Listen to me...
It's okay. I know my own way back.
[indistinct chatter]
[woman cheers]
[chatter, laughter]
[whispers in Romanian]
Are you okay?
That boy standing outside,
you know who he is?
It's Tavian Amanar. He's a Gypsy.
[yells in Romanian]
He's slow in the head.
He said to me... [repeats Romanian phrase]
What's that mean?
"It's watching you." But that's impossible.
He can't speak. He was
born without a tongue.
Does he live nearby?
Yeah, he lives on a farm with his father.
You passed it coming into Tanacu.
Please stay away from
them. They are Gypsies.
They're liars and cheats.
Tourists are easy targets.
He wants something from you.
[water running, stops]
[panting]
[moaning]
[gasps]
[door opens]
[hinges creaking]
[rattling]
[floorboards creaking]
[door rattles]
[continues rattling]
[shrieking]
[screams, panting]
[pounding on door]
[panting]
- [shrieks]
- [screaming]
[panting]
[line ringing]
[Phil] Hey, Nic, is everything all right?
- Hey.
- Must be three in the morning there.
Yeah...
I don't know, it's hard to
make sense out of something
- that doesn't make sense.
- How do you mean?
[voice shaking] Earlier I was...
I just...
[sighs] I guess I'm just tired is all.
You know what, I'll call you
back in the morning, okay?
All right.
You get some rest. We'll speak then.
[Phil] You had me a
little worried last night.
Yeah, sorry about that.
Seriously, Nic, if this
is too much for you,
we don't need this story that badly.
No, I'm fine, really.
Actually, I'm already on my
way to go see this Gypsy boy
who seems connected to what's going on,
and, uh, and then I'm gonna head
back to Sister Vaduva's place.
All right. Let me know how it goes.
Okay, no problem.
[beeps]
[thunder rumbling]
[whispering in Romanian]
- [loud barking]
- [screams]
[panting]
[barking, growling]
[whimpers]
[barking]
[panting]
[Vaduva] Thank you for coming back.
We just want people to
understand the truth.
Adelina was ashamed of
what it was making her do.
She said that the devil kept telling her
what a sinful person she was.
And was she?
Stefan doesn't know this.
But I got a letter from Adelina
a couple of months before she came home.
She had met a boy in
Germany and fell in love.
He said he wanted to marry her.
She was torn between her feelings for him
and her commitment to God.
She ended up giving herself to him.
Afterwards, she realized he was just lying
to trick her into bed.
She came back here to
ask for God's forgiveness.
Instead, she got the devil.
[breathing deeply]
[light gasp]
[Adelina moaning]
[Vaduva] We didn't know what to do.
So Sister Lina and I
put all sorts of crosses, icons
and jars of holy water in the
room where she was sleeping.
[low rumbling]
[water splashing]
[heavy breathing]
[both screaming]
How did she get diagnosed
with schizophrenia?
One night, after we had all gone to bed...
[faint screams]
[speaks Romanian]
[screams repeat]
[girls scream outside]
[calling out]
[girl screams]
[Stefan calls out]
[breathing shakily]
[shrieks]
Stefan rushed Adelina to hospital.
He was upset with what had happened,
so he told the doctors
everything that had been going on.
They were the ones who
insisted she see Dr. Funar.
She was the psychologist
who said that Adelina
had been suffering from schizophrenia.
Were you part of the exorcism?
Not directly, no.
But I was there.
[muttering in distorted voice]
[men chanting]
[Vaduva] I was terrified.
Water was falling everywhere.
[Nicole] What do you mean?
[Vaduva] The demon was making it rain,
mocking our use of holy water.
[chanting continues]
[Dumitru chanting loudly]
[Adelina growling]
[roaring]
- [nuns scream]
- [Dumitru resumes chanting]
[Stefan] Your article...
You'll tell them the truth, right?
Thank you for talking to me.
[dog barking faintly]
[tape rewinding]
[Vaduva on tape] Whatever was inside of her
was challenging me too, testing my faith.
I've never felt anything
so evil in my entire life,
or seen such darkness in anyone's eyes.
[Stefan] Adelina had been
in Germany for the last year,
working as a nanny.
- [loud thump]
- [gasps]
[breathing shakily]
[faint, indistinct whispers]
[faint, distorted whispering]
[breathing shakily]
[whispering continues]
[faint growling]
[gasps]
[pounding on door]
Hi.
Are you okay?
The... The power went out.
I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt.
Um... I wasn't happy
with the way our conversation
ended the other night.
I wanted to apologize.
It's fine.
A peace offering.
Are you trying to trick me into communion?
[chuckles] I forgot the bread.
[chuckles]
If you have any more questions,
you know where to find me.
Okay.
How about I open it?
Actually, uh, you open
it and I'll get dressed.
[Nicole panting, moaning]
[shrieking]
[panting]
[groans]
[sets down camera]
[sighs]
[Nicole] Thank you for making
time to see me, Dr. Funar.
[Dr. Funar] You have to understand
something about rural Romania.
Diseases of the mind, such as
schizophrenia, Tourette Syndrome
and other forms of psychosis
are typically regarded
as sure-fire signs that some sort of
diabolical infestation is taking place.
Well, her brother said she'd never
shown signs of anything like this before.
There may not be any family
history of schizophrenia,
but there is definitely some mental history
that played into my diagnosis.
I believe that Father
Gabrielle's death reignited
all those old fears of her early childhood,
with what happened with her father's
suicide and her mother's abandonment.
Her father killed himself?
Yes, and she saw him do it.
That's how Adelina
ended up in an orphanage.
The death of the parent is one
of the most difficult experiences
a child can go through,
let alone abandonment.
[speaks Romanian]
It was in this ward
that we treated Adelina.
Father Gabrielle's
death triggered delusions
and hallucinations and
ultimately schizophrenia,
which should have surfaced a long time ago.
She was having episodes
right here in the hospital.
She thought we were all
demons, trying to kill her.
[panting, gasping]
[crying out]
[speaking Romanian]
[screaming]
[moaning]
[panting]
[Adelina screaming]
[Dumitru] Demons are everywhere,
waiting for their opportunity.
Sister Marinescu wasn't possessed.
She was mentally ill.
[Anton] It's called transference, the
demon moving from one vessel to another.
But most often it possesses
through a weakened soul.
God told me you were here to help.
[car stalling]
[sighs]
[engine turns over]
[sighs]
[engine turns over]
[continues cranking motor]
[Anton] You're not far. I won't be long.
Thank you.
[phone beeps]
[sighs deeply]
[loud rattle]
- [loud thump]
- [gasps]
[gasps]
[fly buzzing]
[shrieks]
[panting]
[indistinct whispering]
[panting]
[brakes screeching]
[panting loudly]
Nicole! Hey!
Are you okay?
[bicycle bell chiming]
[shuts off motor]
Running away from this
is exactly what it wants,
because somehow you're part of it.
I'm not staying.
You think it's going to go away?
Embracing fear is exactly
what the darkness wants.
But by embracing faith...
...you have something to fight it with.
A shield.
God's been reaching out to you.
- He wanted you here.
- To do what?
I don't know. Maybe just forgive yourself.
But you're not going to find
any answers running away.
Let me help you.
That was the rental company.
They said there was
nothing wrong with your car.
It started right up.
They're going to drop it out front for you.
You're safe here, I promise.
[sniffs]
I was in the hospital, with
my mom the night she died.
She knew how I felt about God.
But she took my hands in hers
and asked me to accept Jesus as my savior,
so the two of us could
spend eternity together.
[crying] Even with her dying, I said no.
And she took that with her.
I'd do anything to tell her how sorry I am.
[tears sheet from pad]
[Nicole] Whatever's going on here, I
don't want to be a part of it any more.
I'm coming home.
[Phil] What really happened?
Is an innocent man in jail?
[Nicole] I don't know what to think.
All right.
I'll have a ticket waiting
for you at the airport.
Nicole?
Yeah, I'll call you back in a bit.
[man speaks Romanian]
Did you know Father Gabrielle?
No.
It's the same date my mom died.
Can you tell me what the inscription reads?
"Now cradled in the arms of the Lord."
[quiet sobbing]
[Nicole] Demons can possess again?
It's called transference,
the demon moving from
one vessel to another.
Sometimes it's merely through
physical contact with the possessed.
Phil, Dumitru's innocent.
Somehow Father Gabrielle
is a part of all this.
I've gotta go back to the
monastery and figure this out.
Are you looking for something?
Is it true Father Gabrielle
died in Sister Marinescu's arms?
Yes.
He used this office when he stayed here.
What was the last exorcism
he performed before he died?
No, no, I don't know.
He used to keep his appointments
in here, and we can look.
And the last person was...
- [Nicole] Tavian Amanar.
- Oh, yes.
He's a boy who lives around here.
Yeah, I know who he is.
Mr. Amanar?
- Do you speak English?
- Little.
Do you mind if I ask you a few questions?
- What about?
- About Father Gabrielle
- and what he did for your son.
- He do nothing for Tavian.
Father Gabrielle didn't come
out here to see your son?
No, Tavian brought him
for me. Why you here?
I think Father Gabrielle's death is
connected to something that happened here.
The father tell me my
Tavian is very special.
Strong with God.
My head have bad, dark thoughts.
Nothing make me happy.
My sister tell me it's a
curse and we try to break it,
but everything got worse.
The voice from my head tell me kill my son.
Almost did.
Tavian bring me to church for help,
but voices said it kill me if I go inside.
So Tavian bring father here.
I thank God every day
for what father do for me.
Did Father Gabrielle get
the name of the demon?
Don't know. Me don't remember anything.
[whispering in Romanian]
[Anton] It took a while to get the
name of the demon possessing her.
Agares!
Do you have a phone I can use?
[line ringing]
Anton, I figured it out. The last exorcism
that Father Gabrielle performed
was on Tavian's father.
The name of the demon was Agares.
If Father Gabrielle became
possessed by the demon,
he must have transferred it to Adelina.
Anton, it was transference.
[loud, demonic voice]
[panting]
Nicole!
[tires screeching]
[panting]
[screams]
[barking]
[electricity crackling]
- [blows landing]
- [gasps]
[screams]
[barking continues]
[moans]
[speaking Romanian]
[speaking Romanian]
[gasping loudly]
- [door rattling]
- Nicole!
[screams]
[demon speaking Romanian]
[whispering prayer]
[growls]
You like preying on the
weak, don't you, demon?
You're wasting your time.
She has no faith to corrupt.
[Shouts in Romanian]
You're gonna need more than
this to fight me, demon.
- [continues shouting]
- [chanting in Romanian]
[roaring]
[screaming in higher voice]
[Nicole] Anton, it's killing me!
[continues chanting]
[groaning loudly]
Nicole, ask for God's help.
You need to have faith to fight this demon.
[shouting in Romanian]
Shut up, demon!
Be silent!
I adjure you. You can make it stop!
- You can make it stop, Nicole.
- [shouting in Romanian]
Leave her, demon!
Leave her now!
[demon roars]
I don't need the Romana or crucifix
to send you back to hell, demon.
I already know your name. Agares!
[speaks Romanian]
You are done with her, Agares.
I adjure you by the living
God, by the Holy God,
who so loved the world that
he gave up his only son.
Begone, Satan's helper, inventor
and master of all deceit.
- [Nicole moaning]
- Stop deceiving human creatures
and pouring out to them the
poison of eternal damnation.
Begone, Satan's helper,
enemy of man's salvation.
Give place to the one Holy Church,
acquired by Christ at
the price of his blood.
[shouts in Romanian]
[gasps]
You've got to fight back or
you'll never see your mother again.
- [shouts in Romanian]
- You told me she taught you to be a fighter.
[Nicole sobbing]
- You can do this. Fight back!
- [moaning]
Don't let this demon drag you to hell.
- [shouts in Romanian]
- I can't do this without your help.
[whimpers]
Stoop beneath the
all-powerful hand of God.
Tremble and flee when we
invoke the Holy name of Jesus,
this name which causes hell to tremble.
Holy is the Lord, the God of armies.
Be gone, demon.
- Agares, be gone.
- [crying out]
[rasping]
[sighs]
Nicole?
Come on, Nicole.
Breathe!
Nicole. Breathe.
[gasping loudly]
[coughing]
[gasping]
I saw my mom.