In 1676, a 17th-century nun named Sister Maria Crocifissa della Concezione wrote a mysterious “Devil letter” that intrigued historians and researchers. Living in a convent in Palma di Montechiaro, Sicily, Sister Maria was found on the floor of her cell, holding a letter with strange symbols and ink smeared across her face. The letter, believed to have been written by the Devil, contained 14 lines attempting to sway her away from God.

Archaeologists and historians have been trying to decipher the letter for years. In 2017, Daniele Abate, Director of Italy’s Ludum Science Center, explained that researchers used algorithms to analyze the shorthand-like symbols in the letter, which included elements from ancient languages like Greek, Latin, Runic, and Arabic. The decoded message contained phrases like “God thinks he can free mortals” and references to Styx, the river of the underworld. Mental health issues were also suspected to be a factor in the nun’s experience.