Real-Life Exorcism: Brother Hermes In Colombia Has Performed Thousands Of Rituals Over The Past 25 Years

Meet the real-life exorcist who claims to perform ten services a week.

Brother Hermes, from Colombia, has been coming to the aid of those who believe they've been possessed by evil spirits for the past 25 years - and estimates that he's carried out thousands of rituals in La Cumbra.

The 50-year-old, real name Hermes Cifuentes, covers those needing his help in mud and surrounds them with fire, lime and eggs.

Brother Hermes says he's performed thousands of rituals

They lie in the shape of a crucifix, with pieces of green and white ribbon tied to small crosses forming a part of the cleansing process, too.

At one point those he's treating are also made to stand in a hole in the ground.

Exorcisms have long had a place in Christianity, Judaism, Islam and Hinduism, but the number performed rose sharply in the 1960s and 1970s, possibly because they began appearing in horror films.

Those being cleansed are covered from head to foot in mud

Three years ago, a Roman Catholic priest claimed that two Italian men were cleansed of evil spirits by the mere presence of the Pope.

He wrote: "The Pope raised an arm and blessed them. For the possessed it was like a furious jolt - a blow to their whole bodies - to the extent that they were thrown three metres backwards."

The scientific viewpoint is that those who truly believe they're possessed could be mentally ill.