It is indeed a remarkable fact that, as the devil made use of Luther, anapostate monk, to abolish the Mass and deny the Real Presence, in like mannerGod made use of His arch-enemy, the devil, to prove the Real Presence. Herepeatedly forced him publicly to profess his firm belief in it, to confoundthe heretics for their disbelief, and acknowledge himself vanquished by OurLord in the Blessed Sacrament. For this purpose God allowed a certain Mme.Nicola Aubrey, an innocent person, to become possessed by Beelzebub andtwenty-nine other evil spirits.

The possession took place on the eighth of November, 1565, and lasteduntil the eighth of February, 1566. Her parents took her to Father de Motta, apious priest of Vervins, in order that he might expel the demon by exorcisms ofthe Church. Father de Motta tried several times to expel the evil spirit byapplying the sacred relics of the holy cross, but he could not succeed; Satanwould not depart.

At last, inspired by the Holy Ghost, he resolved to expel the devil bymeans of the sacrament of Our Lord's Body and Blood. Whilst Nicola was lying ina state of unnatural lethargy, Father de Motta placed the Blessed Sacramentupon her lips, and instantly the infernal spell was broken; Nicola was restoredto consciousness, and received Holy Communion with every mark of devotion. Assoon as Nicola had received the sacred Body of Our Lord, her face became brightand beautiful as the face of an angel, and all who saw her were filled with joyand wonder, and they blessed God from their inmost hearts.

With the permission of God, Satan returned and again took possession of Nicola.As the strange circumstances of Nicola's possession became known everywhere,several Calvinist preachers came with their followers, to "expose this popishcheat," as they said. On their entrance, the devil saluted them mockingly,called them by name, and told them that they had come in obedience to him. One of the preachers took his Protestant prayerbook, and began to read it witha very solemn face. The devil laughed at him, and putting on a most comicallook, he said: "Ho! Ho! My good friend; do you intend to expel me withyour prayers and hymns? Do you think that they will cause me any pain? Don'tyou know that they are mine? I helped to compose them!"

"I will expel thee in the name of God," said the preacher, solemnly.

"You!" said the devil mockingly. "You will not expel me either inthe name of God , or in the name of the devil . Did you ever hearof one devil driving out another?"

"I am not a devil," said the preacher, angrily, "I am a servant ofChrist."

"A servant of Christ, indeed!" said Satan, with a sneer. "What! I tell you, youare worse than I am. I believe, and you do not want tobelieve. Do you suppose that you can expel me from the body of thismiserable wretch? Ha! Go first and expel all the devils that are in your ownheart!"

The preacher took his leave, somewhat discomfited. On going away, hesaid, turning up the whites of his eyes, "O Lord, I pray thee, assist this poorcreature!"

"And I pray Lucifer," cried the evil spirit, "that he may never leaveyou, but may always keep you firmly in his power, as he does now. Go about yourbusiness, now. You are all mine , and I am your master."

On the arrival of the priest, several of the Protestants went away --they had seen and heard more than they wanted. Others, however, remained; andgreat was their terror when they saw how the devil writhed and howled in agony,as soon as the Blessed Sacrament was brought near him. At last the evil spiritdeparted, leaving Nicola in a state of unnatural trance. While she was in thisstate, several of the preachers tried to open her eyes, but they found itimpossible to do so. The priest then placed the Blessed Sacrament on Nicola'slips, and instantly she was restored to consciousness. Rev. Father de Mottathen turned to the astonished preachers, and said: "Go now, ye preachers of thenew Gospel; go and relate everywhere what you have seen and heard. Do not denyany longer that Our Lord Jesus Christ is really and truly present in theBlessed Sacrament of the altar. Go now, and let not human respect hinder youfrom confessing the truth."

During the exorcisms of the following days, the devil was forced toconfess that he was not to be expelled at Vervins, and that he had with himtwenty-nine devils, among whom were three powerful demons: Cerberus, Astaroth,and Legio. On the third of January, 1556, the bishop arrived at Vervins, andbegan the exorcism in the church, in the presence of an immense multitude. "Icommand thee, in the name and by power of the real presence of Our Lord in theBlessed Sacrament, to depart instantly," said the bishop to Satan in a solemnvoice.

Satan was, at last, expelled the second time by means of the BlessedSacrament. On leaving, he paralyzed the left arm and right foot of Nicola, andalso made her left arm longer than her right; and no power on earth could curethis strange infirmity, until some weeks after, when the devil was at lastcompletely and irrevocably expelled.

Nicola was now taken to the celebrated pilgrimage of Our Lady at Liesse,especially since the devil seemed to fear that place so much. Next day Fatherde Motta began the exorcism in the church of Our Lady at Liesse, in thepresence of an immense multitude. He took the Blessed Sacrament in his hand,and, showing it to the demon, he said: "I command thee, in the name of theliving God, the great Emmanuel Whom thou seest here present, and in Whom thoubelievest."

"Ah, yes!" shrieked the demon, " I believe in Him ." And the devilhowled again as he made this confession, for it was wrung from him by the powerof Almighty God.

"I command thee, then, in His Name," said the priest, "to quit this bodyinstantly." At these words, and especially at the sight of the BlessedSacrament, the devil suffered the most frightful torture. At one moment thebody of Nicola was rolled up like a ball; then again she became fearfullyswollen. At one time her face was unnaturally lengthened, then excessivelywidened, and sometimes it was as red as scarlet. Her eyes, at times, protrudedhorribly, and then again sunk deeply into her skull. Her tongue hung down toher chin; it was sometimes black, sometimes red, and sometimes spotted like atoad. The priest still continued to urge and torture Satan. "Accursed spirit!"he cried, "I command thee, in the Name and by the real presence of Our LordJesus Christ here in the Blessed Sacrament, to depart instantly from the bodyof this poor creature.

"Ah, yes!" cried Satan, howling wildly, "twenty-six of my companionsshall leave this instant, for they are forced to do so." The people in thechurch now began to pray with great fervor. Suddenly Nicola's limbs began tocrack, as if every bone in her body were breaking; a pestilential vapor cameforth from her mouth, and twenty-six devils departed from her, never more toreturn. Nicola then fell into an unnatural swoon, from which she was arousedonly by the Blessed Sacrament.

On recovering her senses, and receiving holy communion, Nicola's faceshone like the face of an angel. The priest still continued to urge the demon,and used every means to expel him. "I will not leave, unless commanded by thebishop of Leon," answered the demon, angrily. Nicola was now taken toPierrepont, where one of the demons, name Legio, was expelled by means of theBlessed Sacrament.

The n ext morning Nicola was brought to the church. Scarcely had shequitted the house, when the devil again took possession of her. The bishop whowas requested to exorcise Nicola, prepared himself for this terrible task byprayer and fasting, and other works of penance. On arrival of Nicola in theChurch, the exorcism began. "How many are you in this body?" asked the bishop.

"There are three of us," answered the evil spirit.

"What are your names?"

"Beelzebub, Cerberus, and Astaroth."

"What has become of the others?", asked thebishop.

"They have been expelled," answered Satan.

"Who expelled them?"

"Ha!", cried the devil, gnashing his teeth, "it was He whom you hold inyour hand, there on the paten." The devil meant our dear Lord in the BlessedSacrament.

The bishop then held the Blessed Sacrament near the face of Nicola. The demonwrithed and howled in agony. "Ah, yes! I will go, I will go!", he shrieked,"but I shall return." Suddenly Nicola became stiff and motionless as marble.The bishop then touched her lips with the Blessed Sacrament, and in an instantshe was fully restored to consciousness. She received holy communion, and hercountenance now shone with a wondrous, supernatural beauty.

Next day Nicola wasbrought again to the Church, and the exorcism began as usual. The bishop tookthe Blessed Sacrament in his hand, held it near the face of Nicola, and said:"I command thee in the name of the living God, and by the real presence of OurLord Jesus Christ here in the sacrament of the altar, to depart instantly fromthe body of this creature of God, and never more to return."

"No! No!",shrieked the devil, "I will not go. My hour is not yet come."

"I command theeto depart. Go forth, impure, accursed spirit! Go forth!" and the bishop heldthe Blessed Sacrament close to Nicola's face.

"Stop!, stop!", shrieked Satan;"let me go! I will depart -- but I shall return." And instantly Nicola fellinto the most frightful convulsions. A black smoke was seen issuing from hermouth, and she fell again into a swoon.

During her stay in Leon, Nicola wascarefully examined by Catholic and Protestant physicians. Her left arm, whichhad been paralyzed by the devil, was found entirely without feeling. Thedoctors cut into the arm with a sharp knife; they burnt it with fire; theydrove pins and needles under the nails of the fingers; but Nicola felt notpain; her arm was utterly insensible.

Once, while Nicola was lying in a stateof unnatural lethargy, the doctors gave her some bread soaked in wine (it waswhat the Protestants call their communion, or Lord's Supper); they rubbed herlimbs briskly; they threw water in her face; they pierced her tongue until theblood flowed; they tried every possible means to arouse her, but in vain!Nicola remained cold and motionless as marble.

At last the priest touched thelips of Nicola with the Blessed Sacrament, and instantly she was restored toconsciousness, and began to praise God. The miracle was so clear, so palpable,that one of the doctors, who was a bigoted Calvinist, immediately renounced hiserrors, and became a Catholic.

Several times, also, the Protestants touchedNicola's face with a host which was not consecrated, and which, consequently,was only bread, but Satan was not the least tormented by this. He onlyridiculed their efforts.

On the twenty-seventh of January, the bishop, afterhaving walked in solemn procession with the clergy and the faithful, began theexorcism in church, in the presence of a vast multitude of Protestants andCatholics. The bishop now held the Blessed Sacrament close to the face ofNicola. Suddenly a wild, unearthly yell rings through the air -- a black, heavysmoke issues from the mouth of Nicola. The demon Astaroth is expelled forever.

During the exorcism which took place on the first of February, the bishop said:"O accursed spirit! Since neither prayer, nor the holy gospels, neither theexorcisms of the Church, nor the holy relics, can compel thee to depart, I willnow show thee thy Lord and Master, and by His power I command thee." During theexorcism, which took place after Mass, the bishop held the Blessed Sacrament inhis hand, and said: "O accursed spirit, arch-enemy of the ever-blessed God! Icommand thee, by the precious blood of Jesus Christ here present, to departfrom this poor woman! Depart accursed, into the everlasting flames of hell!"

Atthese words, and especially at the sight of the Blessed Sacrament, the demonwas so fearfully tormented, and the appearance of Nicola was so hideous andrevolting, that the people turned away their eyes in horror. At last a heavysigh was heard, and a cloud of black smoke issued from the mouth of Nicola.Cerberus was expelled.

Again Nicola fell into a death-like swoon, and again shewas brought to consciousness only by means of the Blessed Sacrament.

During theexorcism which took place on the seventh day of February, the bishop said toSatan: "Tell me. Why hast thou taken possession of this honest and virtuousCatholic woman!"

"I have done so by permission of God. I have taken possessionof her on account of the sins of the people. I have done it to show myCalvinists that there are devils who can take possession of man whenever Godpermits it. I know they do not want to believe this, but I will show them thatI am the devil. I have taken possession of this creature in order to convertthem, or to harden them in their sins; and, by the Sacred Blood, I will perform my task."

This answer filled all who heard it with horror. "Yes," answered thebishop, solemnly, "God desires to unite all men in the only holy faith. Asthere is but one God, so there can be but one true religion. A religion likethat which the Protestants have invented, is but a hollow mockery. It mustfall. The religion established by Our Lord Jesus Christ is the only true one;it alone shall last forever. It is destined to unite all men within its sacredembrace, so that there shall be but one sheep-fold and one shepherd. Thisdivine Shepherd is Our Lord Jesus Christ, the invisible head of the holy RomanCatholic Church, whose visible head is our holy Father the Pope, successor ofSt. Peter."

The devil was silent -- he was put to shame before the entiremultitude. He was expelled once more by means of the Blessed Sacrament. In theafternoon of the same day the devil began to cry: "Ah! Ha! You think that youcan expel me in this way. You have not the proper attendance of a bishop. Whereare the dean and the archdean? Where are the royal judges? Where is the chiefmagistrate, who was frightened out of his wits that night, in the prison? Whereis the procurator of the king? Where are his attorneys and counselors? Where isthe clerk of the court?" (The devil mentioned each of these by name.) "I willnot depart until all are assembled. Were I to depart now, what proof could yougive to the king of all that has happened? Do you think that people willbelieve you so easily? No! No! There are many who would make objections. Thetestimony of these common country-people here will have but little weight. Itis a torment to me that I must tell you what you have to do. I am forced to doit. Ha! Cursed be the hour in which I first took possession of this vilewretch.

"I find little pleasure in thy prating," answered the bishop. "Thereare witnesses enough here. Those whom you have mentioned are not necessary.Depart! then; give glory to God. Depart -- go to the flames of hell!"

"Yes, Ishall depart, but not today. I know full well that I must depart. My sentenceis passed; I am compelled to leave."

"I care not for thy jabbering," said thebishop, "I shall expel thee by the power of God: by the Precious Blood of OurLord Jesus Christ."

"Yes, I must yield to you," shrieked the demon wildly. "Ittortures me that I must give you this honor."

The bishop now took the BlessedSacrament in his hand, and held it close to the face of the possessed woman. Atlast, Satan was compelled to flee once more.

The next morning, after theprocession was ended, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass was offered up as usual.During the consecration, the possessed woman was twice raised over six feetinto the air, and then fell back heavily upon the platform. As the bishop, justbefore the Pater Noster , took the Sacred Host once more in his hand, andraised it with the chalice, the possessed woman was again whisked into the air,carrying with her the keepers, fifteen in number, at least six feet above theplatform; and, after a while, she fell heavily back on the ground.

At thissight, all present were filled with amazement and terror. A German Protestantnamed Voske fell on his knees; he burst into tears; he was converted. "Ah!"cried he, "I now believe firmly that the devil really possesses this poorcreature. I believe that it is really the body and blood of Jesus Christ whichexpels him. I believe firmly. I will no longer remain a Protestant."

AfterMass, the exorcism began as usual. "Now, at last," said the bishop, "thou mustdepart. Away with thee, evil spirit!"

"Yes," said Satan, "it is true that Imust depart, but not yet. I will not go before the hour is come in which Ifirst took possession of this wretched creature."

At last the bishop took theSacred Host in his hand, and said: "In the name of the adorable Trinity:Father, Son, and Holy Ghost -- in the name of the sacred body of Jesus Christhere present -- I command thee, wicked spirit, to depart."

"Yes, yes, it istrue!," shrieked the demon wildly; "it is true. It is the body of God. I mustconfess it, for I am forced to do so. Ha! It tortures me that I must confessthis, but I must. I speak the truth only when I am forced to do it. The truthis not from me. It comes from my Lord and Master. I have entered this body bythe permission of God."

The bishop now held the Blessed Sacrament close to theface of the possessed woman. The demon writhed in fearful agony. He tried inevery way to escape from the presence of Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. Atlength a black smoke was seen issuing from the mouth of Nicola. She fell into aswoon, and was restored to consciousness only by means of the BlessedSacrament.

The eighth of February, the day appointed by God on which Satan wasto leave Nicola forever, arrived at last. After the solemn procession, thebishop began the last exorcism. "I shall not ask thee any longer," said thebishop to Satan, "when thou intendest to leave, I will expel thee instantly bythe power of the living God, and by the precious Body and Blood of JesusChrist, His beloved Son, here present in the Sacrament of the Altar."

"Ha, yes!" shrieked the demon. "I confess thatthe Son of God is here really and truly present. He is my Lord and Master. Ittortures me to confess it, but I am forced to do so." Then he repeated severaltimes, with a wild, unearthly howl: "Yes, it is true. I must confess it. I amforced to leave, by the power of God's body here present. I must -- I mustdepart. It torments me that I must go so soon, and that I must confess thistruth. But this truth is not from me; it comes from my Lord and Master, who hassent me hither, and who commands and compels me to confess the truth publicly."

The bishop then took the Blessed Sacrament in his hand, and, holding it onhigh, he said, with a solemn voice: "O thou wicked, unclean spirit, Beelzebub!Thou arch-enemy of the eternal God! Behold, here present, the precious Body andBlood of Our Lord Jesus Christ, thy Lord and Master! I adjure thee, in the nameand by the power of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, true God and true man,who is here present; I command thee to depart instantly and forever from thiscreature of God. Depart to the deepest depth of hell, there to be tormentedforever. Go forth, unclean spirit, go forth -- behold here thy Lord andMaster!"

At these solemn words, and at the sight of our sacramental Lord, thepoor possessed woman writhed fearfully. Her limbs cracked as if every bone inher body were breaking. The fifteen strong men who held her, could scarcelykeep her back. They staggered from side to side; they were covered withperspiration. Satan tried to escape from the presence of Our Lord in theBlessed Sacrament. The mouth of Nicola was wide open, her tongue hung downbelow her chin, her face was shockingly swollen and distorted. Her colorchanged from yellow to green, and became even gray and blue, so that she nolonger looked like a human being; it was rather the face of a hideous,incarnate demon.

All present trembled with terror, especially when they heardthe wild cry of the demon, which sounded like the loud roar of a wild bull.They fell on their knees, and with tears in their eyes, began to cry out:"Jesus, have mercy!"

The bishop continued to urge Satan. At last the evilspirit departed, and Nicola fell back senseless into the arms of her keepers.She still, however, remained shockingly distorted. In this state she was shownto the judges, and to all the people present; she was rolled up like a ball.

The bishop now fell on his knees, in order to give her the Blessed Sacrament asusual. But see! Suddenly the demon returns, wild with rage, endeavors to seizethe hand of the bishop, and even tries to grasp the Blessed Sacrament itself.The bishop starts back; Nicola is carried into the air and the bishop risesfrom his knees, trembling with terror and pale as death.

The good bishop takescourage again; he pursues the demon, holding the Blessed Sacrament in his hand,till at length the demon, overcome by the power of Our Lord's sacred body, goesforth amidst smoke, and lightning, and thunder. Thus was the demon at lengthexpelled forever, on Friday afternoon, at three o'clock, the same day and houron which Our Lord triumphed over hell by His ever-blessed death.

Nicola was nowcompletely cured; she could move her left arm with the greatest ease. She fellon her knees and thanked God, as well as the good bishop, for all he had donefor her. The people wept for joy, and sang hymns of praise and thanksgiving inhonor of our dear Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. On all sides were heard theexclamations: "Oh, what a great miracle! Oh, thank God that I witnessed it! Whois there now that can doubt of the real presence of Our Lord Jesus Christ inthe Sacrament of the Altar!"

Many a Protestant also said: "I believe now in thepresence of Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament; I have seen with my eyes! I willremain a Calvinist no longer. Accursed be those who have hitherto kept me inerror! Oh, now I can understand what a good thing is the Holy Sacrifice of theMass!"

A solemn Te Deum was intoned; the organ pealed forth and the bells rung forth a merry chime. Thewhole city was filled with joy. This great triumph of Jesus Christ in theBlessed Sacrament over Satan occurred in the presence of more than 150,000people, in the presence of the ecclesiastical and civil authorities of thecity, of Protestants and Catholics alike.

I have published a lengthy account ofthis extraordinary affair in a little volume entitled "Triumph of the BlessedSacrament." These facts are well-authenticated by the accounts published invarious languages -- French, Italian, Spanish, and German, as I have shown onpages 13, 14, and 15 of the above-mentioned little volume.