After exorcists recently received the official backing of the Catholic Church to liberate the faithful from demons, some 40 Catholic bishops from various dioceses in Mexico have been confirmed to be attending an "intensive" exorcism seminar this week at the Pontifical University of Mexico, according to university rector Mario Flores Angel Ramos. Mexico has been described recently in the press as a country where exorcisms are on the rise.

The bishops will be trained in how to perform exorcisms, which are "a reality in our society and it should be addressed from a biblical, theologic perspective with psychiatric aspects," according to Ramos.

Italian Bishop Sante Babolin, who is leading the training along with a theologian and a psychiatrist, said he has conducted 1,650 exorcisms on 150 people, where each case demands a series of exorcisms, Tucson Sentinel reported. He has succeeded 50 times, he said.

The controversial practice of exorcism, the ceremonial process of releasing demons from those possessed by them, is known to be part of several religions. In Catholicism, exorcisms are church-sanctioned - though rarely talked about - rituals done in the name of Jesus Christ. 

However, not everyone who thinks they need an exorcism really does, Babolin said. "Of every 100 people who believe they need an exorcism, only 2.4 percent are found to be authentic cases," he said. "The rest are just bothered souls."

Pope Francis drew headlines not long ago for being caught on tape performing an exorcism. Known more than his predecessors to speak frequently about the devil, he was witnessed placing his hands last year on the head of a man purportedly possessed by four demons in what exorcists said was a prayer of liberation from Satan, the Associated Press reported.

Earlier this week, the Vatican endorsed the International Association of Exorcists, which has 250 members from 30 countries.