Hollywood goes to church: how a basilica became the exorcism set: the ritual

Above picturesque cliffs on the banks of the Mississippi River is the small city of Natchez, Mississippi (United States). A constant flow of travelers arrives in the city, due to its rich history and houses prior to the civil war.

In early 2024, family sounds of carriages thrown by horses or steamboats bringing tourists were replaced by the bustle of camera equipment and the construction of film scenarios. Although the city is no stranger to the presence of production equipment, the quiet riverside town was revolutionized during the production of the important film Exorcism: The ritualwhich premiered on June 6. St. Mary’s basilic photogenic, in the heart of the city, along with the parish buildings, served as a backdrop for the film, which has the participation of notable Hollywood figures such as El Pacino, Dan Stevens, Ashley Greene and Patricia Heaton.

The film portrays the most famous exorcism case in the recent history of the Catholic Church, which occurred in Iowa (United States) in 1928. It is a new version of the true and overwhelming story that inspired the 1971 novel and the 1973 film The exorcist. This adaptation tells the legendary possession of Emma Schmidt and the internal struggles of the priests and religious involved; Oscar Pacino winner plays the royal priest, Capuchino Theophilus Riesinger; With Stevens, whom many will recognize Downton Abbeyas Fr. Joseph Steiger; Greene, of the films of Dusklike sister Rose; and Heaton, known for Everybody Loves Raymondlike the mother superior.

The films seek to tell a captivating story. What the public often does not see are the rich stories that develop in the background during the creation of the films, and Exorcism: The ritual It is no exception. However, I was fortunate to experience a small part of the realization of this film, since St. Mary’s basilica is my parish.

It was a cold winter morning when I received a message from my pastor, Fr. Aaron Williams. His message said that if my children and I arrived at the center dressed in clothes from the 20s, we would have the opportunity to participate as extras in the film. So we prepared, and it was a pleasure to observe and participate in the scenes of the Mass. What I witnessed was a continuous deference of the production team and the actors towards the indications of Fr. Williams. From my perspective, in the rear banks, there was an effort arranged for the accuracy in the rubrics of the Mass, both between shots and during them. For example, the angle of the censer (metallic container for incense, suspended by chains and sways at specific points of the liturgy) was demonstrated by Fr. Williams and then replicated many times by actor Stevens. There was a lot of “hurry and wait” in the process, but that allowed a lot of time to observe. My children and I were not the only locals that we participated as extras, since several parishioners and community members also participated. Detail attention was not stopped in the rubrics of the Mass. In fact, a great effort was dedicated to planning and acting.

My recent conversation with Fr. Williams gave me an idea of ​​how St. Mary’s was chosen as a filming place, in a way that can only occur in a small town. In a city restaurant, a waiter (and parishioners of St. Mary’s) listened to a conversation between a film producer and a friend about the difficulty of getting a location for a film, given the recent Hollywood screenwriters strike. The waiter intervened and suggested St. Mary’s, who was just one block, highlighting his beauty. After obtaining the approval of Bishop Joseph Kopacz of the Diocese of Jackson, the filmmation team reached the historic city, apparently doubleing the population of the center of Natchez. It was then that Fr. Williams began to play his role as host, even reorganizing the rectory to accommodate newcomers.

Throughout the filming, the participation of Fr. Williams in the process was evolving. He was often consulted to ensure precision in representations of exorcisms and ecclesiastical life. The most notable story behind the movie

A particular lunch was special, organized by Pacino and attended by the cast and part of the team. “All his questions were of a theological nature,” said my pastor about nine times Oscar nominated. A team member has maintained contact with Fr. Williams, continuing these theological conversations and showing interest in faith after filming. The team asked Fr. Williams to blessed the set daily while working. For me and the parishioners, it was also wonderful to see both the cast and the team to attend Sunday masses during production.

Anecdotally, a Mass was celebrated in the basilica of St. Mary, gathering all the priests and the bishop of the diocese towards the end of the filming of the film, in which I was the psalmist and Fr. Williams touched the organ. Each square centimeter of the parish was occupied by a decoration, a team member or its necessary elements. Even the music room in the basement of the Church became a waiting room for the cast between Tomas.

While the priest and I reviewed the music for the Mass, we calm down some cast members, including Greene and Heaton, who hummed the hymns while we practiced. It is not necessary to say that filming was deeply intertwined with parish life.

The attention to detail that impressed me from the banks was also one of the greatest teachings that Fr. Williams took from all production. The production team looked for clothing and altar tablecloths of the 20s and asked Fr. Williams to help them find liturgically appropriate readings for the time and the liturgical calendar. Equally impressive for Fr. Williams was how the film serves as an incredible expression of the priesthood: of the interior struggles and the elements of self-sacrifice of this life at the service of the flock of Christ.

Despite the initial doubts of Fr. Williams about a film that portrays such a famous exorcism in the history of the Church, he filmed in the St. Mary Basilica, he was finally satisfied with the process and the final result. The film, ultimately, refers to those theological conversations held during the lunches, about God’s permissive will regarding suffering and demonstration of his power and mercy through the priesthood.

“The dynamics of history,” said Fr. Williams, “is shown through the humanity of the characters fighting for holiness.” He concluded that “it is a precise representation (from the priesthood) that the faithful would expect from holy priests.”

Translated and adapted by the ACI Press team. Originally published in the National Catholic Register.