GRIS warns of rising occult groups, false clairvoyants and AI-driven cults exploiting fear, vulnerability and spiritual uncertainty.
Newsroom (29/07/2026 Gaudium Press ) False clairvoyants selling miraculous remedies, self-proclaimed spiritual gurus manipulating vulnerable followers, and cults using fear as a recruitment tool. According to the GRIS (Socio-Religious Research and Information Group), these phenomena are far from fiction. Church-affiliated researchers and former cult members are warning that, aided by modern technologies such as artificial intelligence, pseudo-religious movements continue to attract new followers across Italy.
For decades, GRIS has monitored the world of the occult and cult activity. Recognized by the Italian Episcopal Conference (CEI), the organization operates in roughly half of Italy’s 226 dioceses, training pastoral workers while providing psychological, legal and spiritual assistance to victims and their families.
David Murgia, president of the GRIS of the Diocese of Rome, believes public awareness is essential. He argues that people should be educated about the risks associated with supernatural and occult practices and discouraged from turning to magicians, sorcerers or séances. According to Murgia, the organization is also observing increasing concern around places of worship themselves. He notes that consecrated hosts are reportedly traded on the black market and says incidents of desecration have become more frequent.
GRIS has identified approximately 300 pseudo-religious groups in Italy practicing forms of magic, esotericism, occultism and ideological Satanism. While criminal and psychedelic forms of Satanism often remain beyond the reach of monitoring efforts, Murgia describes a different and growing threat: short-lived groups that exploit fear of the devil to recruit followers before disappearing, often leaving significant emotional and psychological damage in their wake.
Their methods vary widely. Some involve alleged clairvoyants marketing ordinary water as a miraculous cure. Others employ so-called “love bombing,” a manipulative strategy designed to create rapid emotional dependency. In some cases, recruiters reportedly monitor obituaries and approach grieving relatives at moments of profound vulnerability. GRIS also points to more extreme subcultures, including individuals seeking to learn blood-drinking practices, communities linked to voodoo rituals associated with trafficking and blackmail, and extremist groups that allegedly establish themselves in isolated locations. Even certain UFO-focused communities, Murgia argues, are increasingly taking on characteristics of religious movements.
Artificial intelligence has emerged as a new area of concern. Murgia warns that AI tools, now easily accessible to the public, can rapidly generate occult or satanic ritual frameworks. The technology’s growing influence is also highlighted by Tullio Di Fiore, professor of History of Religions and president of the Palermo branch of GRIS.
“Artificial intelligence is transforming relationships,” Di Fiore says. He warns that some groups have begun treating a hypothetical “super AI” as a form of deity. For him, these developments represent one of the most significant future challenges facing society. Young people, he notes, increasingly interact with algorithms rather than human beings, creating new environments in which belief systems can emerge and spread.
The demand for help remains constant. GRIS switchboards in southern Italy reportedly receive at least seven calls per day concerning alleged spells, curses and the evil eye. Di Fiore believes broader global conditions help explain the appeal of such beliefs. Wars, environmental concerns and disasters create an atmosphere of uncertainty, while personal struggles can make claims about hidden forces and secret agendas seem more convincing.
Young people appear particularly exposed to these dynamics. A GRIS survey involving 2,500 high school students in Palermo found that 95 percent do not attend Mass and 92 percent do not go to confession. At the same time, the organization reports growing curiosity about New Age philosophies and a fascination with Luciferian imagery, influenced in part by popular television productions.
The experiences of former members illustrate how easily involvement can begin.
For Vittorio, the journey started with an interest in esoteric and occult literature. That curiosity led him into cultural associations and holistic circles led by charismatic figures. Initially, he says, the activities seemed harmless and even beneficial. Over time, however, he became increasingly distressed.
“They performed practices that initially provided a mild sense of well-being,” he recalls. “Then I fell victim to the practices themselves.”
Vittorio describes suffering from recurring nightmares so severe that he was unable to sleep. Seeking help, he eventually contacted an exorcist, whom he says identified what he believed to be demonic harassment. Vittorio remembers encountering obstacles whenever he attempted to attend meetings with the priest, but says prayer ultimately helped him leave the group behind.
Today, he describes himself as a peaceful churchgoer and urges parents to remain attentive to the books, digital content and interests of their children. His message to young people is direct: what may appear to be harmless experimentation with the occult can have consequences.
Marco’s story follows a similar path. As a young man, he was briefly detained on a beach because he was wearing a pendant decorated with demonic symbols, despite not understanding their meaning. What he believed to be a cultural association eventually revealed itself, he says, as an esoteric sect.
He remained involved for nearly six years.
According to Marco, the group’s practices inflicted profound psychological and spiritual harm. Recruitment often began with affirmation and inclusion.
“At first they make you feel important,” he says. “Then they take control of your life.”
Before later embracing a renewed religious life, Marco also spent several years in Freemasonry. Today, he describes himself as “a new man” and openly shares his experience in the hope of helping others avoid similar situations. Leaving such environments, he says, is neither simple nor immediate.
The testimonies collected by GRIS point to a recurring pattern: individuals searching for meaning, belonging or answers often encounter charismatic leaders who promise certainty. Whether operating through traditional occult practices, emotional manipulation or emerging technologies, these groups continue to adapt to changing times. For those working on the front lines of prevention and support, the challenge is no longer confined to hidden meeting rooms or fringe movements. Increasingly, it is unfolding in the digital age.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from Avvenire
