Free Republic

A surge in Satanism fuelled by the internet has led to a sharp rise in the demand for exorcists, the Roman Catholic Church has warned. The web has made it easier than ever before to access information on Devil-worshipping and the occult, experts said. Exorcism is the subject of a six-day conference being held this week at the Regina Apostolorum Pontifical University in Rome, which is under the Vatican's authority. "The internet makes it much easier than in the past to find information about Satanism," said Carlo Climati, a member of the university who specialises in the dangers posed to...

Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Friday, March 26, 20047,400-year-old jar gives clue to phoenix-worshipping history A 7,400-year-old pottery jar stamped with the design of two flying phoenixes has been excavated recently in central China's Hunan Province, helping archaeologists unveil the secret of the "birth" of the sacred bird. The two phoenixes have the typical characteristics of the legendary phoenix, which has a crest on its head, a long beak, a long neck and a long beautiful feathered tail. The phoenix and the dragon are the most worshipped legendary creatures in China since ancient times. The discovery showed that ancient Chinese...