Catholic Exorcist Reveals Terrifying Warning About the Devil

A Catholic priest who has spent years investigating alleged demonic possession is revealing a disturbing encounter that left him questioning how much evil forces might know about the people they target.

Father Carlos Martins, an experienced exorcist and co-host of the popular podcast “The Exorcist Files,” says Hollywood has spent decades frightening audiences with supernatural spectacles while overlooking what he believes is the most terrifying aspect of demonic activity.

According to Martins, the real danger isn’t necessarily flying furniture, terrifying voices or the disturbing physical transformations made famous by horror movies. Instead, he believes it lies in something far more personal: an evil intelligence capable of identifying a person’s deepest fears and vulnerabilities.

Speaking with Fox News Digital ahead of Halloween, Martins shared one particularly unsettling experience involving an alleged demonic threat against an airplane he was scheduled to board.

The incident occurred while he was assisting another priest during an exorcism. According to Martins, the person receiving the religious intervention suddenly appeared to know details about his travel arrangements and issued a frightening warning.

“I’m going to bomb your flight tomorrow,” Martins recalled the individual saying.

Although the priest took note of the threat, he said it wasn’t the reason his travel plans eventually changed. The session had been progressing well, and he decided to remain an additional day to help with further appointments.

What happened when he returned, however, made the experience even more unsettling.

Martins claims the individual appeared startled to see him again, reportedly insisting that he was not supposed to be there.

The priest interpreted the exchange as evidence that the alleged demonic presence had somehow known his original departure plans but had failed to anticipate his decision to stay.

While there is no independent evidence establishing that a supernatural entity knew his flight arrangements or intended to carry out an attack, Martins believes the encounter illustrates something far more frightening than the dramatic scenes depicted in Hollywood films.

He argues that demonic forces possess an extraordinary awareness of human behavior, allowing them to exploit personal weaknesses with devastating precision.

In his religious understanding, the devil is not merely a frightening figure capable of extraordinary physical displays. He is an adversary who studies people, recognizes their vulnerabilities and uses that knowledge against them.

That belief has shaped much of Martins’ work and the stories featured on “The Exorcist Files,” which returned for its third season on October 5.

The podcast, created with co-host Ryan Bethea, combines dramatized accounts of alleged possession cases with discussions about Catholic teachings, spiritual warfare and the Church’s approach to exorcism.

Its latest season opened with an episode titled “The Wolf and The Wound,” involving a young woman attempting to escape a troubled past.

Bethea also teased an especially complicated upcoming story involving several members of the same family. He claims the events described in that case stretch across generations, with connections reaching back hundreds of years.

Although the program presents these experiences through a religious framework, its supernatural interpretations remain matters of faith rather than scientifically established conclusions.

That distinction is particularly important because unusual behavior, frightening experiences and psychological distress can have medical or psychiatric explanations.

The Catholic Church itself recognizes the need for caution.

According to guidance published by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, individuals seeking a formal exorcism should undergo careful evaluation, including medical, psychological and psychiatric assessments, before a determination is made.

The Church also distinguishes between ordinary prayers for deliverance and a formal major exorcism, which requires specific authorization from a bishop. Under Catholic canon law, a priest cannot independently perform the major rite without that permission.

These safeguards are intended to help distinguish religious concerns from conditions requiring professional healthcare, while protecting vulnerable individuals from inappropriate intervention.

For Martins, however, the spiritual dimension remains central to his understanding of the cases he encounters.

He believes Hollywood’s portrayal of exorcism has created widespread misconceptions about what Catholic priests actually do during these ceremonies.

The 1973 classic “The Exorcist,” which helped establish many of the genre’s most recognizable images, remains one of the most influential depictions of demonic possession in popular culture.

But Martins says even that film exaggerates certain physical manifestations.

He specifically pointed to the movie’s infamous head-spinning scene as something physically impossible. In another unusual account, he claimed to have witnessed a person’s canine teeth appear to grow several inches during an exorcism.

Rather than believing the teeth had literally transformed, Martins attributed the appearance to what he considered a supernatural illusion.

Such claims have not been independently verified, but they illustrate the extraordinary experiences the priest associates with his ministry.

Surprisingly, Martins says the actual process of exorcism is generally much quieter than movie audiences might expect.

Rather than shouting commands or attempting to overpower an alleged demon through increasingly aggressive confrontations, he describes his approach as calm, deliberate and centered on prayer.

He also emphasizes the importance of understanding the circumstances that led someone to seek spiritual assistance and helping that person reconnect with their Catholic faith.

Training for the specialized ministry, he explained, typically involves working alongside experienced exorcists before taking on responsibilities independently.

Despite the disturbing subject matter, Martins insists that fear should not be the primary focus of religious life.

That message is shared by Bethea, who says working on the podcast has actually strengthened his Christian faith rather than leaving him frightened by the supernatural stories he has encountered.

The two men also addressed an issue likely to interest families as Halloween approaches: whether traditional holiday activities carry spiritual risks.

Martins made clear that he does not oppose children dressing in costumes, collecting candy or enjoying ordinary Halloween celebrations.

He would, however, discourage costumes that he believes glorify evil or demonic imagery.

Bethea expressed similar views, recalling his own childhood Halloween experiences and the elaborate costumes his mother created.

Both hosts drew a distinction between family-friendly entertainment and practices they associate with occult involvement.

Among the activities they discourage are Ouija boards, tarot cards and attempts to communicate with spirits.

Bethea said several stories examined by the podcast involved Ouija boards, including one account in which a grandmother reportedly gave her grandson a board with the idea that they could communicate after her death.

Another involved three children experimenting with a similar board, followed by experiences the podcast interpreted as spiritually troubling.

There is no reliable scientific evidence that Ouija boards or similar objects can summon supernatural entities. Researchers have explained that the seemingly mysterious movement of a Ouija board’s pointer can result from the ideomotor effect, in which unconscious muscle movements produce actions that participants may not realize they are making.

Nevertheless, Martins and Bethea believe such practices conflict with their religious teachings and encourage families to choose other forms of entertainment.

Bethea even jokingly suggested familiar board games such as Monopoly and Risk as alternatives.

The discussion also touched on the longstanding belief that Halloween brings increased supernatural activity.

Despite the holiday’s association with ghosts, spirits and frightening traditions, Bethea acknowledged that he has not seen evidence demonstrating that October 31 is uniquely associated with more alleged demonic encounters.

Halloween’s modern customs developed through a mixture of historical, cultural and religious traditions. In Catholic Christianity, the evening also precedes All Saints’ Day on November 1, a celebration honoring the saints.

For families who simply enjoy costumes, pumpkins and neighborhood celebrations, the hosts suggested that Halloween does not automatically need to become a source of religious anxiety.

Ultimately, Martins hopes his experiences will encourage listeners to think more deeply about faith rather than become consumed by frightening stories.

He maintains that the greatest threat, from his religious perspective, is not a dramatic supernatural encounter but the possibility of becoming spiritually separated from God.

Bethea likewise says the podcast has prompted some listeners to reconsider their beliefs, with several reportedly contacting the program to describe renewed interest in Christianity.

As “The Exorcist Files” continues releasing new episodes throughout the Halloween season, its stories are likely to attract both devoted believers and curious horror fans.

Whether audiences interpret the accounts as evidence of supernatural activity, expressions of religious belief or unexplained human experiences, they offer a striking contrast to the exaggerated confrontations familiar from horror movies.

And for Martins, the most frightening possibility isn’t something viewers could ever see on a movie screen. It’s his belief that evil may understand a person’s weaknesses long before that person recognizes them.

Editorial note: The interview and October 5 podcast launch were verified against the original report and the show’s episode listing. The additional context about medical screening and authorization comes from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The rewrite treats supernatural accounts as attributed claims rather than established facts, which is important for accuracy and advertiser-friendly reporting. AdSense approval cannot be guaranteed by any individual article.