Roberto Casarin

Roberto Casarín (Turin, April 9, 1963), known as "swami Roberto", is a guru, founder of the Anima Universale religious movement.

In his youth, Casarín was a pious Catholic, who became well known for his mystical visions and his gift of healing. Thousands of Catholics gathered in Turin to hear Casarín pray the rosary, hoping to be cured by the young visionary. The local Catholic hierarchy, on the other hand, was quite hostile to his success. On June 15, 1982, the Archbishop of Turin ―Anastasio Alberto Cardinal Ballestrero (1913-1998)― declared that Casarin meetings would henceforth be prohibited.

The meetings continued, and in 1984 Casarin founded the Christ in Man Association, with almost 2,000 members. Inside, the most active group of members constituted the Commitment Community, which in 1989 formed the Church of the New Jerusalem, which in 1996 changed its name to Alma Universal Church. Thus was established the definitive separation of the Catholic Church from this new religious movement that for several years now has united elements of Catholic spirituality along with others of Hindu, Buddhist and esoteric derivation.