Scandal in Italy: Catholic diocese rented out premises for the "Academy of Witchcraft"

In the diocese of Piacenza-Bobbio in northern Italy, a scandal has erupted after one of the church premises was rented out for an event called “Academy of Timeless Witchcraft”. The decision has drawn sharp criticism from the faithful, who see it as promoting occult practices incompatible with Christian faith, while the diocese insists the event is cultural and recreational.

According to the Tribune chretienne, the event, scheduled for October 24-26, 2025, will be held at Villa La Bellotta, owned by the diocese. Organizers are positioning it as a fantasy role-playing game. However, the content of the program has raised serious concerns among the Catholic community, which believes that such events are unacceptable on church property.

In response to the wave of criticism, the Diocese of Piacenza-Bobbio issued a statement claiming that the event “is not esoteric in nature.” However, this explanation did not convince critics, as the stated program of the “Academy” openly includes themes of magic, divination and the study of occult symbols, in direct contradiction to the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

The concerns of the faithful are compounded by the reputation of the organizing company. In 2018, it had already held a show called “Curse of the Altars” at the Castle of Parma, during which, according to eyewitnesses, religious images were used in a sacrilegious and parodic way. This fact makes many doubt the harmlessness of the upcoming event and accuse the diocese of indiscretion and encouragement of anti-Christian ideas.

As a reminder, on May 4, 2025, in the Bensberg church in the West German state of North Rhine-Westphalia, an evangelical pastor performed a cult event in the style of the movie “Star Wars.” Pastor Samuel Gyorr dressed as one of the characters from the movie and “fought” with the congregation with laser swords.