In the early modern era, a paradoxical tapestry of seemingly impossible phenomena unfolded alongside the rise of scepticism, atheism, and empirical science, challenging the prevailing religious beliefs in the paranormal. In this podcast we dive into this intricate cultural landscape, exploring how a society increasingly immersed in scientific thinking grappled with events deemed impossible by its leading intellectuals. Levitating saints and flying witches were integral aspects of early modern life, woven into the fabric of history alongside pivotal scientific revelations. Drawing from a wealth of firsthand accounts, Carlos Eire focuses on extraordinary cases involving levitation, bilocation, witchcraft, and demonic possession, challenging established notions about the evolving boundaries between the natural and supernatural during the transition to modernity. Through compelling case studies involving figures like St. Teresa of Avila and St. Joseph of Cupertino, Eire prompts readers to envision a world where reality and the supernatural held a different relationship. The questions he poses about the determination of "impossibility" within cultural contexts and the limits of scientific observation resonate, offering valuable insights and lessons for our contemporary understanding of reality.

He is now the T. L. Riggs Professor of History and Religious Studies at Yale University, and he specialises in the social, intellectual, religious, and cultural history of late medieval and early modern Europe, with a focus on both the Protestant and Catholic Reformations; the history of popular piety; and the history of the supernatural, and the history of death.

Bilocation refers to the purported ability of an individual to be physically present in two distinct locations simultaneously, defying the conventional constraints of space and time. On the other hand, levitation involves the seemingly impossible act of defying gravity, as individuals or objects appear to rise into the air without any apparent external force. Both concepts challenge our understanding of the natural world and have been subjects of fascination, sparking debates between sceptics and those intrigued by the mysteries of the paranormal.