The Demonic Nuns of Loudun

In 1617, a handsome, wealthy, and well educated Priest named Urbain Grandier was appointed to become the parish priest of St-Pierre-du-Marche in Loudun, a town in Poitiers, France.  He soon became notorious about the town as a ladies man, having affairs with several affluent young women, and perhaps even siring a child.  He eventually wrote a paper decrying the mandated celibacy of the clergy.

As one would expect, the Ursuline nuns of the local convent were dismayed by their priest’s activities and philosophy.  Many of them, including Mother Superior Jeanne des Anges became both dismayed and obsessed with Grandier.  And this is when things started to become….. weird.

Mother Superior claimed that Grandier was visiting her during the night in spectral form, appearing to her as an angel.  He would attempt to seduce her, and his visits were frequent.  Shortly thereafter, other nuns of the convent began reporting the same experiences, and it is said that their moans of ecstasy filled the corridors of the convent nightly.  During the day, the nuns would fall into convulsions, speak in tongues, and blaspheme anyone in their path.

***Most images in this article are from the film Mother Joan of the Angels (Matka Joanna od Aniolow) which is based on the events in Loudun***

When the activities did not subside, the Bishop of Poiters and Father Mignon, confessor to the Ursuline nuns, commenced with exorcisms of the afflicted.  Many, including Jeane des Agnes, reportedly fell into violent convulsions during the exorcisms, shrieking and wailing and making obscene gestures toward the priests.  They barked liked dogs, howled like wolves, and contorted their bodies.

During the exorcisms, Jeanne swore that they were possessed by two demons named Asmodeus and Zabulon who were sent to the nuns when Father Grandier tossed a bouquet of roses over the convent walls.  Throughout these wild proceedings, Grandier saw the writing that was clearly on the wall for him, and began to petition nearby law makers and officials to take action.  While some attempted to step in, all efforts were ignored.

Finally,  his plea to the Archbishop of Bordeaux was heard, and the Archbishop’s  personal doctor was sent to examine the nuns. No evidence of true possession were found, and the Archbishop ordered the exorcisms to cease on March 21, 1633.  The nuns were sequestered in their cells.

Grandier’s detractors were not swayed, and continued to pursue further action against him.  Through the persistence of Jean de Laubardemont (a relative of Mother Superior), the powerful Cardinal Richelieu became involved.  Now, interestingly, it is reported that Grandier had notoriously written a satire about Richelieu, which likely didn’t help his cause.  A Royal Commission was arranged to investigate Grandier on charges of Witchcraft, and the exorcisms resumed.

This new round of exorcisms in Loudun were conducted by  the expert exorcists Capuchin Father Tranquille, Franciscan Father Lactance, and Jesuit Father Jean-Joseph Surin.   This time the proceedings were public, and were witnessed by nearly 7,000 people.  The fancy priests used flashy rituals and performed mystifying rites of exorcism, which enthralled the crowd.

Below: Trailer for Ken Russel’s 1971 film, The Devils… based on the events that took place in Loudun. Click the link below the video to purchase the film on Amazon.com.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9DFfrH-018&feature=related

The Devils (Special Uncut Restored Edition 1971)

The nuns and Grandier’s  former lovers gave dramatic public statements, condemning Grandier for his wickedness and his unearthly charms that he wielded against them.  Jeanne des Agnes added a third demon to the mix, Isacarron, the devil of debauchery.  Jeanne was the most entertaining of the group, as she not only could name these demons, but she bore the brunt of the possession, even suffering from a psychosomatic pregnancy.  By the time the exorcisms drew to a close, a legion of demons were indicated to have been involved;  Asmodeus, Zabulon, Isacaaron, Astaroth, Gresil, Amand, Leviatom, Behemot, Beherie, Easas, Celsus, Acaos, Cedon, Alex, Naphthalim, Cham, Ureil, and Achas.

In an attempt to clear his name, Grandier attempted to perform his own exorcisms on the nuns.  They were uncooperative with him and his attempts to clear his name only solidified in the public mind that he indeed was guilty of sorcery.

The most “damning” evidence against Grandier was a supposed pact that he had signed with the demon Asmodeus.  The Priest who was now overseeing the exorcisms and proceedings was Father Gault, who claims to have obtained the actual contract from Asmodeus himself, who stole it from Lucifer’s cabinet of pacts.  It was supposedly signed in blood by Grandier himself, as well as several other demons.   It was also signed by Satan himself.  The pact said, in part:

“I promise that when leaving this creature, I will make a slit below her heart as long as a pin, that this slit will pierce her shirt, bodice and cloth which will be bloody. And tomorrow, on the twentieth of May at five in the afternoon of Saturday, I promise that the demons Gresil and Amand will make their opening in the same way, but a little smaller – and I approve the promises made by Leviatam, Behemot, Beherie with their companions to sign, when leaving, the register of the church of St. Croix! Given the nineteenth of May, 1629.”

This pact still exists to this day, and was later determined by historians to be in the handwriting of Mother Superior Jeanne des Agnes.  The following is an image of the actual document:

I’ll go ahead and assume that Satan’s autograph is the one with a pitchfork.

On December 7, 1633, Grandier was imprisoned at the Castle of Angiers.  He was inspected for “devil’s marks” and such marks were supposedly found on his flesh.  The doctor in charge of prepping Grandier for his impending torture protested, saying that no such marks were present.

Others stepped in to defend Grandier, claiming that the Bishop had made a deal with the nuns, who were to feign possession in order to hasten the removal of the morally corrupt Grandier from his post.   In an astonishing turn, some of the nuns even recanted their earlier statements and behavior, and proclaimed Grandier’s innocence.  Jeanne des Anges appeared in court with a noose tied around her neck, violently stating that she would hang herself if she could not recant her earlier lies.

All pleas were ignored, and Grandier a series of tortures were inflicted upon Grandier to extract a confession.  He withstood all that was done to him, and even under the most severe punishment, he refused to confess or name any accomplices.

A year later, without the confession, he was found guilty and sentenced to be burned at the stake.  And in true fashion of the Church at the time, mere burning was not enough.  According to the official record, his punishment was to have his head shaved and:

…a rope round his neck, holding in his hand a burning taper weighing two pounds, before the principle door of the church of St. Pierre-du-Marché, and before that of St. Ursual of this town. There on his knees, to ask pardon of God, the King, and the law; this done, he is to be taken to the public square of St. Croix, and fastened to a stake on a scaffold, which shall be erected on the said place for this purpose, and there to be burned alive…and his ashes scattered to the wind. We have ordered and so do order that each and every article of his moveable property be acquired and confiscated by the King; the sum of 500 livres first being taken for buying a bronze plaque on which will be engraved the abstract of this present trial, to be set up in a prominent spot in the said church of the Ursulines, to remain there for all eternity. And before proceeding to the execution of the present sentence, we order the said Grandier to be submitted to the first and last degrees of torture, concerning his accomplices.

All aspects of the condemnation listed above were carried out.

Father Grandier had been promised that he would have the opportunity to make a public statement before his sentence was carried out and that he would be hung before being burned as an act of Christian mercy.  Instead, he was doused with so much Holy Water that he couldn’t speak, and the noose was not made tight enough, so the beaten and bloodied priest was burned alive.

It is said, however, that just before he died, Grandier cried out, cursing all those involved in his torment.  And shortly after his death, nearly all those who had a hand in his condemnation had either perished or gone mad.

Centuries later, author Aldus Huxley (Brave New World) was inspired to write a non fiction account of the events at Loudun, which was published in 1952 and titled, The Devils of Loudun.  Later, and Opera, a film, and a play were produced based upon Huxley’s book.

The strange case of the demonic nuns of Loudun is now considered one of the most famous instances of mass possession and sexual hysteria in recorded history.  Modern scholars say that these events were likely driven by political corruption and ambition, sexual repression, and an attempt to convert the mostly Protestant population of Loudun to Catholicism.  If that is the case, they were successful, as many villagers did convert following the exorcisms and subsequent proceedings.

Sources:

God’s Lunatics: Lost Souls, False Prophets, Martyred Saints, Murderous Cults, Demonic Nuns, and other victims of Man’s Eternal Search for the Divine. by Michael Largo. (this book is Fabulous I cannot recommend it enough.  An encyclopedia of religious weirdness through the centuries. I loved it.  Purchase it here:

http://www.sacred-texts.com/evil/dol/index.htm

http://www.witchcraftandwitches.com/trials_loudun.html

http://witches.monstrous.com/loudun_witchcraft.htm

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