The Possession of Nicole Aubrey

In 1565-1566, a young French woman named Nicole Aubrey became the center of a possession case that was used as a weapon in the religious wars between Catholics and Protestants. Her public exorcisms in Laon drew thousands of spectators and were carefully staged to demonstrate Catholic power over demons and, by extension, over Protestant heresy.

Background

Nicole Aubrey was a sixteen-year-old woman from Vervins in northern France. She was married to a tailor and lived an unremarkable life until she began experiencing visions of her dead grandfather, who she believed was suffering in purgatory and begging for masses to be said for his soul.

Her condition deteriorated rapidly. She began experiencing convulsions, speaking in strange voices, and exhibiting the classic signs of demonic possession. Her family sought help from the Church, which recognized an opportunity to demonstrate Catholic doctrine in action.

The Possession

The demons that allegedly possessed Nicole were numerous and blasphemous. They spoke through her, mocking the Catholic faith and its rituals. More significantly for the religious context of the time, they praised Protestantism and attacked Catholic doctrines.

This was no coincidence. France was in the midst of the Wars of Religion between Catholics and Protestants. The demons’ endorsement of Protestantism was used to associate the Reformed faith with diabolic evil. If demons praised the Protestants, the logic went, then Protestantism must be Satan’s work.

Nicole’s possessed state was extreme. She reportedly levitated, displayed superhuman strength, and spoke languages she had never learned. Her body contorted into impossible positions. She vomited nails, blood, and other objects. The phenomena attracted enormous attention.

The Public Exorcisms

The exorcisms were conducted publicly, turning religious ritual into political theater. Bishop Jean de Bours of Laon led the ceremonies, which were held before crowds of thousands. The events were carefully orchestrated to maximize their propaganda value.

During the exorcisms, the demons were interrogated about matters of theology. They were forced to affirm Catholic doctrines, particularly those disputed by Protestants: the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist, the existence of purgatory, the intercession of saints, and the authority of the Pope.

The final exorcism, conducted in the cathedral of Laon, drew an enormous crowd. When the demons were finally expelled, it was portrayed as a triumphant vindication of Catholic faith and a devastating blow to Protestantism.

Protestant Response

Protestants were outraged by what they saw as a fraudulent spectacle designed to discredit them. They published pamphlets arguing that the possession was faked or that Nicole was mentally ill. They pointed out that the demons conveniently affirmed every Catholic position in the religious disputes.

The Protestant critique was not without merit. The theatrical nature of the exorcisms, the theological instruction the demons provided, and the timing during the religious wars all suggested manipulation. But Catholics dismissed Protestant objections as the desperate protests of those exposed by demonic testimony.

The Religious Context

The Aubrey case must be understood within its religious context. Both Catholics and Protestants believed in demons and possession. The dispute was not whether possession was real but whether this particular case was genuine and what its theological implications were.

For Catholics, the case demonstrated that their rituals and doctrines had power over demons. The exorcism rite worked, proving that the Catholic Church retained divine authority. Protestant churches, which had abandoned many traditional rituals, could not make the same claim.

For Protestants, the case demonstrated Catholic willingness to manipulate credulous people for propaganda purposes. They saw the possession as either fraud or misinterpreted mental illness, exploited by a Church desperate to maintain its authority.

Documentation

The case was extensively documented by Catholic writers who published accounts portraying it as a miracle. These accounts were translated and distributed throughout Catholic Europe, spreading the propaganda value of the case.

Protestant writers published counter-accounts, offering natural explanations and accusing the Catholics of fraud. The competing narratives provide insight into how the same events could be interpreted entirely differently depending on religious perspective.

Legacy

The Nicole Aubrey case established a template for the use of possession in religious controversy. Later cases, including the famous possessions at Loudun, followed similar patterns of public exorcism and theological interrogation of demons.

The case demonstrates how possession phenomena could be shaped by religious and political context. Whether Nicole was genuinely possessed, mentally ill, or deliberately performing, the meaning of her experiences was determined by the religious conflicts of her era.