In the heart of the Vatican, a meeting of significant spiritual import recently took place.

Pope Leo XIV convened with the world’s foremost exorcists, who issued a stark warning about a growing global trend in “occultism, esotericism, and Satanism.”

According to EWTN Vatican, the Chicago-born leader of the Catholic Church engaged in a private discussion with members of the International Association of Exorcists (AIE) earlier this month.

During the session, the priests presented a detailed report highlighting the increasing number of cases linked to occult practices and the spiritual ramifications these pose to individuals worldwide.

The delegation urged the Pope to ensure that every diocese is equipped with one or more well-trained exorcists to address this rising concern effectively.

Father Francesco Bamonte, the vice president of the AIE, emphasized that neglecting these issues could leave many believers without proper support, potentially driving them toward ineffective or harmful solutions.

“During the audience, the Pope was also presented with the book Guidelines for the Ministry of Exorcism, along with an image of Saint Michael the Archangel from the sanctuary of Monte Sant’Angelo,” EWTN Vatican reported.

The AIE, headquartered in Rome, is the subject of the 2023 movie “The Pope’s Exorcist,” starring Russell Crowe.

The powwow with the pope was held on March 13, but was first reported on Monday.

Leo, 70, has previously acknowledged the work of trained Catholic exorcists as “delicate” yet “most necessary,” by encouraging priests “to live it both as a ministry of liberation and of consolation, accompanying the faithful truly possessed by the evil one with prayer and the invocation of Christ’s effective presence,” LA Mag reported.