The Vatican is denying claims that Pope Francis performed an exorcism after video of an encounter with a young man during Sunday Mass started making the rounds.

It shows Francis greeting and blessing disabled people.  When the Pope arrives in front of one particular youngster accompanied by a priest carrying a file folder of papers, Francis puts both hands on his head and presses down.  The boy in the wheelchair seems to convulse and then slumps in his wheelchair.

Now, as we said the Vatican denies it, and the TV station that originally broadcast the report has retracted it.

But at least one religious figure in Rome insists the act had been an exorcism. Gabriele Amorth was the Vatican's former chief exorcist.  He says the act "was an exorcism alright" and that he had since performed his own exorcism on the young man, who he said was called Angelo.

Exorcism is the ancient practice of driving out demons or evil spirits from a person or place they are thought to possess. It is still practiced by some very traditional Roman Catholics but treated with deep skepticism by most others.