José Arigó

Jose Arigo (1918-1971) was a Brazilian psychic surgeon.

Arigo was born José Pedro de Freitas into a poor farming family in Congonhas, Minas Gerais, Brazil. He attended school for only a few years before starting work in a mine at age 14. In 1950, after experiencing headaches, insomnia and hallucinations, he reported that a voice took over his body and presented him with a vision of a doctor supervising a surgical team. This doctor was known as Dr. Adolfus Fritz, a German doctor or medical student who died in the 1880s (no evidence that this person actually existed has ever been found).

Claiming to have the channeled assistance of Dr. Fritz, Arigo began performing surgery with simple instruments. His methods developed into a psychic technique in which he moved his hands over the patient. Reports that patients felt no pain are contradicted by film footage showing patients reacting as if in pain.

Arigo's fame spread throughout Brazil with some high-profile success stories, including the apparent removal of a tumour from a well-known politician. He was later reported to have cured the daughter of President João Figueiredo.

In 1956/57 Arigo was convicted of practicing medicine illegally, but later pardoned by President Juscelino Kubitschek de Oliveira. He was arrested again in 1962 and convicted in 1963/64.

Arigo's popularity was not dented. He enjoyed a faithful following until his death aged 53 in 1971.