Who is an exorcist ? Who can perform exorcisms? What does the deliverance from evil spirits consist in ? The articles mentioned below shed the light on that what an exorcism is in reality and how it is performed.
Currently, more and more frequently unauthorized people take up the ministry of freeing: common frauds and people, who exorcise against Jesus’ commandments and for money. Their actions bring dire effects. They are usually bioenergotherapists, psychics, charmers, witch-doctors. They often advertise in the internet and magazines. Their actions are in fact covertly occultism and spiritism. Do such “exorcisms” bear a real power of freeing? – No.
No one can perform exorcisms legitimately upon the possessed unless he has obtained special and express permission from the local ordinary. The local ordinary is to give this permission only to a presbyter who has piety, knowledge, prudence, and integrity of life.
When the Church asks publicly and authoritatively in the name of Jesus Christ that a person or object be protected against the power of the Evil One and withdrawn from his dominion, it is called exorcism
It is a service of deliverance from influences of evil spirits, Jesus Christ did it and commissioned His disciples to do so using words “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, drive out demons” (Mt 10,8). Exorcism (from Greek “exorkizein” means “to curse”) is the command to leave a human being, an animal, place or item, given to the demon in Name of God. It is a special sort of blessing (sacramental) that a priest conducts in certain situations and needs.
In the Catholic Church, an exorcist is a bishop or a priest appointed by him, who has a special permission to perform exorcisms. The dignity of the sacramental and the nature of an exorcism require a special and explicit permission of a local ordinary (usually a bishop of the diocese).
The sacramental of exorcism is conducted according to the recommendations of the Roman Ritual. Exorcisms take place in a place of solitude, e.g. a chapel or a suitable room, usually with a visible image of the Crucified Christ, Holy Virgin Mary, angels. Apart from the priest, other priests and lay faithful, whose task is praying for the tormented person and helping if necessary, can participate in the exorcism. They cannot say any of the exorcism’s formulas.
Exorcisms may last between several minutes to several hours – usually they take several dozen minutes. Exorcisms are usually conducted several times, until a full freeing of a given person is achieved. In some cases they may be continued over a number of years.
The New Testament abounds in stories and places in which Jesus, and later on the apostles, cast out evil spirits from the possessed and heal the ailing.
Initially, exorcising was a matter of individual charisma and many practiced it without ordinations. A formal appointment of exorcists is mentioned for the first time in the letter from Pope Cornelius (251-253) to Fabius, the bishop of Antioch. The first mention of an exorcist’s statute in the East can be found in the documents of the synod of Laodycea (ca. 360 A.D.). The matter of the first ordinations of exorcists was touched upon by the synod of Carthage (398 A.D.).
The way of expelling evil spirits was taught to the apostles by Christ. Jesus’ exorcisms, just as those conducted by the apostles among the Jews and pagans later on, were famous for their effectiveness. The power over evil spirits is in a way a confirmation of the reality of Christian faith and the fruit of spreading the Good News.