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In the helpful answers to my other question, Do all nations have guardian angels?, it was determined that nations can indeed have a guardian angel.
But according to the Catholic Church, can a nation fall under the dominion of a demon? Is there any evidence that suggests that this can be possible?
Can a nation be under the control of a demon?
Ponder the mysterious words of the Prophet Isaiah:
21 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall punish the host of the high ones that are on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth. - Isaiah 24:21
I would venture to say yes. But that also does not mean that each individual is diabolically possessed. It would mean more so that the leaders of such nations were possessed by the Demon. After all do not the leaders of specific nations run that country?
Pope Pius XII performed exorcisms on Adolf Hitler, the Nazis, and the Communist Party. The work of an Italian Vaticanist published this autumn lifts a corner of the veil on exorcisms practiced by the popes and long clothed in papal secrecy.
“The devil’s greatest malice is to make people believe that he does not exist,” Baudelaire said. For those who still have doubts, the Vaticanist Fabio Marchese Ragona, has just published in September 2020, a book entitled Il mio nome è Satana - My Name is Satan.
One of the work’s interests lies in several accounts of exorcisms carried out in the Vatican itself, by various sovereign pontiffs, in particular by Pope Pius XII, who tried to cast out the demon by whom he estimated that Adolf Hitler was possessed.
But this is not the only exorcism that John XXIII’s predecessor performed from the Vatican. The author of Il mio nome e Satana confides in having discovered, during the investigation which enabled him to write his book, documents attesting that the Pope had also carried out an exorcism on the Italian Communist Party, on the eve of the elections of 1958.
Pius XII was hoping to prevent the Communist Party, notoriously anti-Catholic, from winning the elections. It should be remembered, ten years earlier, the same Roman pontiff had approved a decree of the Holy Office prohibiting any Catholic, under pain of canonical sanctions, from joining or supporting the Communist Party.
Long after his death, in a 1969 report, Pius XII’s own nephew testified to seeing that his uncle was very anxious and had trouble sleeping in the days leading up to the 1958 election: “in the three days leading up to the vote, the pope also performed exorcisms,” ensures Carlo >
He also noted that Pius XII had prayed and offered penance and his own sufferings for this intention: a sign of Providence, the Pope’s prayers were answered, and the Communists lost the election.
As Fabio Marchese Ragona points out at the beginning of his book: “The devil can win battles. Sometimes important ones. But never the war.” Enough to give a little hope when the darkness of circumstances seems to prevail. - The Day the Pope Exorcised Adolf Hitler
It seems clear that such a thing is possible, at least for a certain duration of time.
Look at Nazi Germany under Adolf Hitler. Take a look at communism under Lenin or Stalin. Take a look at the French Revolution which crucified children to doors.... No need to go on.
Yes the Demon can influence and/or possess entire nation and peoples.
Satan is also called the "prince of the power of the air" in Ephesians 2:2. He is the "ruler of this world" in John 12:31. These titles and many more signify Satan’s capabilities. To say, for example, that Satan is the "prince of the power of the air" is to signify that in some way he rules over the world and the people in it.
This is not to say that he rules the world completely; God is still sovereign. But it does mean that God, in His infinite wisdom, has allowed Satan to operate in this world within the boundaries God has set for him. When the Bible says Satan has power over the world, we must remember that God has given him domain over unbelievers only. Believers are no longer under the rule of Satan (Colossians 1:13). Unbelievers, on the other hand, are caught "in the snare of the devil" (2 Timothy 2:26), lie in the "power of the evil one" (1 John 5:19), and are in bondage to Satan (Ephesians 2:2).
So, when the Bible says that Satan is the "god of this world," it is not saying that he has ultimate authority. It is conveying the idea that Satan rules over the unbelieving world in a specific way. In 2 Corinthians 4:4, the unbeliever follows Satan’s agenda: "The god of this world has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ." Satan’s scheme includes promoting false philosophies in the world—philosophies that blind the unbeliever to the truth of the Gospel. Satan’s philosophies are the fortresses in which people are imprisoned, and they must be set free by Christ.
An example of one such false philosophy is the belief that man can earn God’s favor by a certain act or acts. In almost every false religion, meriting God’s favor or earning eternal life is a predominant theme. Earning salvation by works, however, is contrary to biblical revelation. Man cannot work to earn God’s favor; eternal life is a free gift (see Ephesians 2:8-9). And that free gift is available through Jesus Christ and Him alone (John 3:16; 14:6). You may ask why mankind does not simply receive the free gift of salvation (John 1:12). The answer is that Satan—the god of this world—has tempted mankind to follow his pride instead. Satan sets the agenda, the unbelieving world follows, and mankind continues to be deceived. It is no wonder that Scripture calls Satan a liar (John 8:44). - How is Satan god of this world (2 Corinthians 4:4)?
In the book An exorcist tells his story, Gabriele Amorth says the following (Italian EDG edition, page 182-183):
E' possibile che il demonio si serva di una persona per colpire gruppi anche numerosissimi, che possono addirittura prendere in mano il potere di una nazione, o influire su più nazioni. Credo che, nei nostri tempi, sia il caso di uomini come Carlo Marx, Hitler, Stalin.
translating in English (Google translate):
It is possible that the devil uses a person to strike even very numerous groups, which can even take over the power of a nation, or influence several nations. I believe that, in our times, it is the case with men like Karl Marx, Hitler, Stalin.
Let's begin by looking at Daniel 10-12, where a powerful angelic being (a footnote in the NABRE suggests he is Gabriel) speaks to Daniel and relates that he has been delayed in meeting the prophet because he had been opposed by the "prince" of Persia, whom he escaped only with the assistance of Michael, who is the "prince" of Israel:
Daniel 10
I started out, 13 but the prince of the kingdom of Persia stood in my way for twenty-one days, until finally Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me... 20 When I leave, the prince of Greece will come... 21 No one supports me against these except Michael, your prince... (chapter 11) 1 Three kings of Persia are yet to appear; and a fourth shall acquire the greatest riches of all he shall stir up all kingdoms, even that of Greece... (chapter 12) “At that time {the end times) there shall arise Michael, the great prince, guardian of your people; It shall be a time unsurpassed in distress since the nation began until that time.
A footnote written by the Catholic scholars who created the NABRE says that the "prince of the kingdom of Persia" means:
the angelic guardian of Persia. Where older texts speak of the gods of various countries (Dt 32:8), Daniel speaks of “princes.”
Both the princes of Persia and Greece fight against Michael and the angelic being who speaks to Daniel. This implies that even those spiritual princes who oppose Michael are still considered to be guardian angels. (I note that this Bible is approved for Catholics by the U.S. bishops' council.) This does not settle the matter entirely, but it does imply that even spiritual guardians of nations who oppose God's people are not considered demons. They may indeed face punishment by God as Isaiah 24:21 suggests - and they clearly battle against Michael - but at least according to the editors of this particular Catholic-approved Bible, they are angels, not demons.
