Italy hunts those who call on the dark

As we dive deeper into a time of turmoil, a reactionary movement towards faith has been sweeping across the mainstream. One has to question, however, what are people turning to? According to Italian officials, there is widespread concern that some in the boot of Europe could be turning to the Devil.

After a number of satanic cult related crimes that have occurred in the past year, the Italian police force is creating a satanic cult unit that will include detectives, psychologists and priests that have experience with the occult. The new unit will investigate religious movements that they feel could be a threat to public safety.

In February of 2005, a group of young Italians involved in a cult and heavy metal band, known as The Beasts of Satan, were convicted of ritualistically murdering two other cult/band members. The "beasts" beat, raped and buried their victims alive in a secluded area of woods after a drug induced black mass.

There is no doubt that there is paranoia in Italy over the existence of Satan. The center of the Roman Catholic Church, there are many old superstitions and beliefs that Lucifer will begin the final battle against God by taking control of the Vatican. Many have feared that we are coming closer to the day of the black pope, a pope that is secretly the emissary for the Devil.

Pope Paul VI furthered these fears in 1972. He said, "It is as if from some mysterious crack, no, it is not mysterious, from some crack the smoke of Satan has entered the temple of God."

Once again, the famous Father Malachi Martin said in an article featured in The Fatima Crusader, "Anybody who is acquainted with the state of affairs in the Vatican in the last 35 years is well aware that the prince of darkness has had and still has his surrogates in the court of St. Peter in Rome.”

Skeptics will say that this is nothing more than superstitious mumbo jumbo, and that the creation of an occult unit is a legalized witch hunt. Much like the Inquisition was a response to the wars, plagues and religious changes that occurred in Europe shortly after the Middle Ages, this unit is a reaction to a few incidents that have occurred during the troublesome times that face society today.

Of course, there is always the chilling thought in the back of one's mind that wonders if they may be hunting something that we do not fully comprehend.