Demonology and Catholic Enlightenment in Eighteenth-Century Hungary

Abstract

The study explores the multifaceted character of ecclesiastical views on diabolical possession through the examination of an exorcism scandal in Southern Hungary between 1766 and 1769. The author claims that eighteenth-century Catholic demonology had a demonstrable local variant as well, which can be investigated especially with the help of the rich documentation about the scandals taking place at the time. In the incident unfolding around the activities of a Franciscan friar of Croatian origin (Rochus Szmendrovich) in Zombor, the other side was represented by the ecclesiastical leadership affected by the spirit of Enlightenment. The best-known parallel to how early modern variants of diabolical possession and exorcism were applied is the practice of the German Johann Joseph Gassner, documented in the same period. In a generic approach, the study explores the personalities of the representatives of ‘Counter-Enlightenment’, their specific concept of illness, premodern demonological ideas, their ‘white magic’, and the spectacle-nature of the exorcisms carried out by them.

During the research period to this study my work was supported by the János Bolyai Research Grant of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. The research leading to these results was financed by the European Research Council, in accordance with ERC grant agreement No. 324214 of the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme (2007–2013). The latter proved to be a great help during the finalization of the text of this study.