The Catholic Church’s leading ‘exorcist’ is calling for all priests to be allowed to conduct the ritual after Pope Francis apparently performed one in St Peter’s Square last week.

Father Gabriele Amorth, head of the International Association of Exorcists, wants the current rules requiring all priests to obtain permission to perform exorcisms from their bishop to be relaxed.

Father Amorth, who claims he has carried out 160,000 exorcisms, said his request has been prompted by Pope Francis performing an what he insists was an exorcism on a Mexican man ‘possessed by four demons’.

He told the Sunday Times: ‘I will ask the pope to give all priests the power to carry out exorcisms, and to ensure priests are properly trained for these starting with the seminary. There’s a huge demand for them.’

His comments come after Pope Francis was captured on film performing an apparent exorcism on May 19.

The footage shows Pope Francis placing his hands on the head of a disabled man who appears to go into a frenzy of convulsions and shaking, before slumping as Francis prays over him.

Father Amorth, 88, told La Repubblica newspaper ‘The Pope is also the Bishop of Rome, and like any bishop he is also an exorcist.’

Those who dismiss exorcism as superstition were wrong he insisted. ‘There was now, more than ever, a need for exorcists to combat people possessed by “sorcerers” and “Satanists”.’

The Pontiff was introduced to two men in wheelchairs after Pentecostal mass on Sunday. When a priest leaned across to tell Francis something, the Pope’s expression took on a serious tone.

Francis then took hold of the top of the man’s head firmly, pushing him down into his wheelchair. As he delivered an intense prayer, the man’s mouth dropped open and he heaved deeply half a dozen times, visibly shaking.

Possessed: A priest leans in to talk to Pope Francis about a disabled man, pictured centre, who is allegedly ‘possessed by four demons’ following the mass in St Peter’s Square Possessed: A priest leans in to talk to Pope Francis about a disabled man, pictured centre, who is allegedly ‘possessed by four demons’ following the mass in St Peter’s Square

Exorcism? The Pontiff then places his hands on the man’s head and prays intensely. Father Amorth insists the Pope was conducting a ‘real and proper exorcism’ on the disabled man Exorcism? The Pontiff then places his hands on the man’s head and prays intensely. Father Amorth insists the Pope was conducting a ‘real and proper exorcism’ on the disabled man

After the ritual Francis continued with his usual meetings with the sick who come to St Peter’s.

The Vatican downplayed the incident with spokesman Father Federico Lombardi said the Pope ‘did not intend to perform an exorcism’ but a ‘prayer for a suffering person’.

But Father Amorth insists the ‘prayer’ was an exorcism ritual. He told the newspaper: ‘The priest told Francis: “Look, this is a young man who is possessed by the devil”. And the Pope blessed him and prayed over him, it was a real and proper exorcism.

‘The Pope’s exorcism is a splendid sign because one of the main causes of today’s atheism is that people don’t believe in the Devil any more. Jesus said: “Who is not with me is with Satan”.’

He added: ‘We live in an age in which God has been forgotten. And wherever God is not present, the Devil rules.

‘Today, unfortunately, bishops don’t appoint sufficient exorcists. We need many more. I hope that Rome will send out directives to bishops around the world calling on them to appoint more exorcists.’

The former Pope, Benedict XVI, never officially performed an exorcism but John Paul II is known to have carried out at least three exorcisms during his tenure.

Father Amorth claimed Pope John Paul II had been a powerful exorcist. He said: ‘John Paul II fought many times against Satan.

The man, who is in a wheelchair, is seen breathing deeply and then convulsing as the pope stands over him The man, who is in a wheelchair, is seen breathing deeply and then convulsing as the pope stands over him

Pope Francis then smiles again as he continues along the line of children waiting to meet him Pope Francis then smiles again as he continues along the line of children waiting to meet him

‘Even though he is dead, he is still present today in many exorcisms. If you cite his name during an exorcism, the person who is possessed actually froths at the mouth in fury.’

Father Amorth, who has held his post for 28 year, is known for his outspoken personality and has previously criticised both yoga and Harry Potter.

He said:’Practising yoga brings evil as does reading Harry Potter. They may both seem innocuous but they both deal with magic and that leads to evil.’

He added:’Yoga is the Devil’s work. You think you are doing it for stretching your mind and body but it leads to Hinduism. All these oriental religions are based on the false belief of reincarnation.’

Father Amorth, speaking on the subject of People And Religion at a fringe event at the Umbria Film Festival in Terni two years ago, went on to speak of his dislike for JK Rowling’s young wizard.

He said:’People think it is an innocuous book for children but it’s about magic and that leads to evil. In Harry Potter the Devil is at work in a cunning and crafty way, he is using his extraordinary powers of magic and evil.

‘Satan is always hidden and the thing he desires more than anything is for people to believe he does not exist. He studies each and everyone of us and our tendencies towards good and evil and then he tempts us.

‘My advice to young people would be to watch out for nightclubs because the path is always the same: alcohol, sex, drugs and Satanic sects.’

While in 2006, Father Amorth, who was ordained a priest in 1954, gave an interview to Vatican Radio in which he said that Nazi leader Adolf Hitler and Russian dictator Josef Stalin were both possessed by the Devil.

Read more: Daily Mail