The Possession of Nuns in Ludun. True or False. 

Writer: DZEN.RU

Subject: The Possession of Nuns in Ludun. True or False. 

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The Possession of Nuns in Ludun. True or False. 

“They started walking around naked on the roof and said they had sinned with a demon.”

In 1632, rumors spread in the town of Ludun that the nuns of the monastery had been possessed by servants of a dark “King.” We explore one of the darkest mysteries of 17th-century France. Let’s start with the fact that the recent plague epidemic reduced the population of Luden by 25%.

What kind of town is this … Ludun is located in western France, and today its population is less than seven thousand. Four hundred years ago, it was a truly large agglomeration – two to three times larger than today. It served as a stronghold for Protestants and for the Huguenots who emerged after the Reformation. Unfortunately, the sieges, looting, and massacres that occurred during the religious conflicts left the town in ruins.

The Beginning of Madness… One night on September 21, 1632, in the Ursula Convent in Ludun, one of the sisters (Jeanne de Anges) couldn’t sleep. She felt as if someone… was watching her from a dark corner! It was truly an unpleasant sensation (one familiar to everyone, especially in childhood). But in the Middle Ages, such sensations were amplified a hundredfold—the psychology of the people of that time must always be taken into account when studying sources from that era …

So, poor Jeanne woke up the two sisters, and all three looked in the direction Jeanne was pointing. It seemed there was something there. Some kind of … Some kind of figure, lurking in the shadows! The sisters began to pray, but the mysterious presence didn’t disappear.

On the contrary, it began to fill the entire space, growing “larger and larger”… Then suddenly it vanished—later, the sisters claimed it was the ghost of the deceased pastor! We’re talking about confessor Mousseau now. But what was it really? An omen? A night vision? Or something demonic? No one knew the answer to this question. And the unknown was frightening!

Two days after seeing the shadow, the sisters fell ill. That evening, they began experiencing severe convulsions. There were no symptoms, such as fever or cough. Panic gripped the monastery, and people, seeing the group of nuns, began to fear a fate worse than … an epidemic! The madness gradually became widespread!

Fifteen days later, seventeen nuns joined the sisters in the infirmary. They saw, “A black ball suddenly fly into the refectory.” They began to convulse. In a moment of clarity, they began talking about demons. Otherwise, the behavior of all the young ladies possessed by the Darkness was very similar.

They distorted their faces with terrible convulsions. Some of them fled the infirmary and began walking naked across the roof. They climbed trees, shouting insane speeches about the Devil. They blasphemed. One witness even said that the sisters left the convent. And then, screaming, they chased the peaceful residents of Ludun. It’s no wonder that people believed the ladies were possessed by Lucifer.

The authorities responded immediately to the situation, offering the only cure: exorcism. At first, exorcisms were performed only within the monastery walls. That is, on Pakenstrasse … But later, when the possession began to affect the population, the event was carried out in a more public location on the main city square! This “Entertainment” began to attract onlookers. “Tourists” even flocked to the “City of Madness.”

Around three thousand spectators gathered to witness the bizarre spectacle of screaming, writhing people. People came from all over the country and even from neighboring states. All to witness this captivating yet bizarre “show.” Hundreds of onlookers came. Most exorcisms involved verbal arguments with the supposed demon, but the priests also carefully examined the victims’ bodies (a great excuse to leave the girl naked) and looked for “demonic traces” (obvious signs of possession), but … found none.

A month passed, and it became clear to everyone that neither exorcism nor prayer could cure this strange affliction. And the number of “possessed” (as visitors from other parts of Europe noticed) was only growing. What then? And then the authorities decided to find and punish the culprits, not only to frighten people but also to demonstrate their activity. They needed … a scapegoat. Urgently.

Has the Culprit of It All Been Found? In October, Jeanne de Ange (the sister who first “Saw the Devil”) was coaxed into talking. So what? She accused the town priest, Jurvain Grandier, of bringing this terrible demonic plague to the convent. As if on cue, the other sisters also began accusing Grandier.

They said this young man had spoken obscenely to them, lusted after them, touched them “here and there,” and when they refused, placed … demons inside them. It all seemed to work out perfectly. A few months earlier, the aforementioned Grandier had refused to become the community’s spiritual director. Naturally, the little man denied any involvement in the “possession.”

And all because Jurven “was handsome” and had a reputation as a womanizer. But none of that mattered. He had fallen into disfavor for another reason. Several years earlier, he had published a pamphlet criticizing Richelieu and defending the Protestants, who constituted the majority in the city of fourteen thousand (a fairly large center at the time, mind you).

The royal family disliked Jurven, and the Red Cardinal considered him the city’s main enemy. Furthermore, Jurven opposed the demolition of the city walls (at that time, Ludun was also a fortress, meaning the townspeople could fend for themselves). In short, trouble was looming ever closer around Grandier, and there was no support to be found. He was imprisoned.

Was there a pact with Beelzebub? The trial lasted throughout 1633, involving magistrates, diplomats, clergy, and many other interested parties. Of particular interest was one document seized from Grandier’s house, which, according to the prosecution, was “a diabolical document signed by the accused himself.”

This document, written in Latin, was supposedly signed by Grandier, as well as… several demons! It served as the only material evidence against the accused. Such testimony seemed compelling enough for the era, and the church decided to subject the priest to “questioning” (meaning torture). Despite months of torture, Jurven did not confess to making a pact with Satan. He remained faithful to God.

However, this no longer mattered. He was still declared guilty of “using magic, sorcery, and dark powers” and ordered to be burned at the stake in mid-August 1634. Jurven Grandier died before an audience of six thousand, clutching a crucifix. Moreover, the crowd begged for clemency. But it was to no avail. Incidentally, the square where the execution took place is now called “place urbain grandier” – in honor of the article’s protagonist (the victim of injustice).

Another curious fact: a month after these events, the minister who lit the fire fell into dementia. The burning of Jurvain Grandier in 1634 might seem like the end of the story … But! The nuns seemed oblivious. Their incomprehensible obsession continued … For another three years! Although on a smaller scale. Only in 1637 were the sisters miraculously delivered from their demons. How did this happen? It’s unknown. Who got the credit?\

The abbess of the monastery, who later became a celebrity and acquired an “aura of holiness.” In this case, where religion is closely intertwined with politics, psychology, and supernatural beliefs, it is difficult to separate truth from fiction. Was the “possession” a manifestation … A manifestation of collective hysteria, similar to medieval dancing manias? Or was the whole thing a skillfully staged performance? Alas, we can only guess.