Sanctuary of La Balma

Valencia · Spain · Church

Sanctuary of La Balma — Valencia-regionen · Spain · Church

Spain's "possessed" were brought to this cave church in the cliff face for exorcism – until the Church banned the rites in the 1930s.

The sanctuary of La Balma is carved directly into the cliff face above the river Bergantes and has drawn pilgrims since the 14th century. Over time it became Spain's most famous place of exorcism: people deemed possessed were brought here, above all around 8 September, to have the devil driven out before crowds of onlookers. In the 1920s and 30s thousands came to watch the spectacle – the journalist Alardo Prats described it in his 1929 book "Three Days with the Possessed" – before the Church banned the rites, after which women in black known as las Caspolinas carried them on in secret. By contemporary accounts most of the "possessed" were epileptics or mentally ill, giving the cliff church a history as dark as its legends.

FAQ

Where is Sanctuary of La Balma located?

Sanctuary of La Balma is in Valencia-regionen, Spain.

More haunted places in Valencia-regionen

Accounts are drawn from local folklore and visitor reports.

Image: Juan Emilio Prades Bel · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons