Cardinal Raymond Leo Burke Warns of Rising Evil as Exorcism Held at St. Peter’s Basilica

Cardinal Raymond Leo Burke, a senior figure in the Catholic Church, emphasized the growing influence of evil forces during a recent traditional Latin Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica, where 97-year-old Cardinal Ernest Simoni led a prayer of exorcism. Burke told Newsmax that the ritual underscored the urgent need for spiritual defense against what he described as “the forces of evil” permeating the world and even the Church itself.

The exorcism, conducted at the request of Cardinal Simoni, followed recent acts of desecration at the basilica’s high altar. Burke cited two separate incidents involving different individuals as evidence of a broader spiritual crisis. He stressed that the prayer, based on Pope Leo XIII’s 1884 “Exorcism Against Satan and the Apostate Angels,” was a critical tool to combat evil through divine intervention.

Cardinal Simoni, known as the “living martyr of Albania” for surviving decades of persecution under communist rule, has long been recognized for his steadfast faith. Burke highlighted Simoni’s role as a “confessor of the faith” and seasoned exorcist, noting the prayer’s resonance amid modern chaos. The Mass also coincided with Burke’s ongoing advocacy for the canonization of Blessed Bartolo Longo, a 19th-century figure who transitioned from Satanism to Catholicism.

Burke warned that disbelief in evil only amplifies its reach, pointing to global violence and “Satanism itself” as manifestations of spiritual decay. He urged the faithful to rely on divine protection, citing St. Michael the Archangel’s promise of victory over evil. “We have the help of our Lord himself and his messengers—the good angels,” he said.