The term "exorcism" comes from the Greek word meaning "to conjure", "to bind with an oath". This is an act, the purpose of which is the expulsion of demons (one or more) from the body of a creature possessed by them. The role of the latter can be not only a person, but also an animal, and sometimes an inanimate object. For example, a 15th-century German painting (Martin Schongauer's circle) depicts Mary Magdalene, as well as John the Evangelist, who exorcise poison from a cup of wine with a blessing. At the same time, the poison comes out of it in the guise of a snake. It is known that in ancient times there were Gallic rituals for exorcising a demon, such as the exorcism of water, oil, s alt, etc. Apparently, they were also aimed at purifying material substances, which, possibly, were then used for various ritual and sacral purposes.
The exorcism of demons from ancient times was conceived, as well as the fight against the devil in general, in spatial categories. That is, the devil should have been driven out of the territory that did not belong to him. He had to leave the "vessel of the body" so that God couldlog in there.
Features of rituals used in different occasions
The ritual differs depending on how possessed the sufferer is. In mild cases, for example, when it comes to an ailment that is attributed to a demon, a blessing is enough. Exorcism in this case is practically identified with the Christian prayer for recovery. Ritual in the proper sense of the word is resorted to if the unclean spirit completely takes possession of the body of the sufferer, including his tongue. An exorcist, when talking to a human body, thinks he is talking to a demon. This ritual is applied not only in relation to the possessed. Exorcism in the Western Church (and later also in the Roman Catholic Church) was a necessary part of the rite of baptism. It was believed that the latter not only brings a person to the church, but also drives the devil out of his soul, replacing him with Christ.
Do I have to say the text aloud?
Not always reprimand prayers are pronounced aloud and need ritual accompaniment. In ancient times, there was an idea that written rituals were also effective. In this case, the corresponding text was simply tied around the neck of the possessed, and thus the expulsion of demons was carried out. However, this method, apparently, was not considered reliable. This is confirmed by the Gallic "Life of St. Eugend" written around 520. It says that a girl possessed by a ferocious demon is imposed in large quantities with the texts of exorcisms around her neck. Howeverthe devil doesn't want to come out of it. On the contrary, he mockingly remarks to the participant in the action that it will not be possible to expel him, even by hanging all the Alexandrian manuscripts on the "vessel" that he took possession of. You need an order from the monk Yura Evgend. After Yevgend writes an exorcism letter, a demon-possessed girl is freed from the power of an evil spirit.
Who invented the exorcism ritual?
According to legend, the inventor of the very art of commanding demons is Solomon. From Judaic legends, we learn that he could control the demons lilin, ruhin and shedim, he could even make them dance in front of him.
Joseph Flavius describes the exorcism that Eleazar, his compatriot, performed in the presence of Vespasian: the exorcist applied a magic ring to the demoniac's nostrils and, using spells mentioning the name of Solomon, pulled the demon through the nostrils. The possessed fell, and in order to show Vespasian that the demon was out, Eleazar ordered the unclean spirit to turn over the cup of water.
The first exorcist in the Christian religion is considered to be Jesus himself. Once he cast out a "legion" of unclean spirits from a possessed man. They entered the pigs and then threw themselves into the sea. However, he also did the opposite - he allowed Satan to enter the body of Judas. At the Last Supper, he served a piece to Iscariot, and after that Satan entered him.
Note that although the text of the exorcism is addressed directly to the exorcised demon, it ultimately addresses Christ. It is Jesus, strictly speaking, who is the only exorcist, since expelling a demon without his intervention is believed to beimpossible. Exorcists also sometimes resort to the help of another higher authority (not counting Christ) - the Virgin Mary.
Duration of the ritual
The duration of the ritual may vary. The demon sometimes immediately leaves the possessed. However, a case is described when his exile lasted for two whole years. The possessed, as a rule, after performing the ritual "falls dead", and sometimes actually dies. In the 10th century Irish text, The Sailing of Saint Brendan, one of the saint's companions, at the instigation of a demon, commits a theft. The saint casts out the unclean spirit. He appears present. After that, the monk dies, and the angels take his soul to heaven.
Means of exorcism
As a means of exorcising demons can be reprimand prayers, as well as various relics. In medieval legend, for example, hairs from the beard of St. Vincencia. They were wrapped in a neckerchief. Many means can be used when performing an exorcism. Words of prayers are just one way. For example, the tomb of a saint may be the instrument of exorcism. Her proximity is believed to make the demons go away. Thus, any sacred items can be used. Although prayer (for example, the prayer of casting out a demon in Latin) is still the main remedy. Without it, it is difficult to perform the ritual.
Demon talks with exorcist
Often, the exorcism of demons turns into a dialogue with them. Communication of an exorcist with an unclean spirit can sometimes be verylong. In the course of the dialogue, an agreement is concluded on mutually acceptable terms. At the same time, the spirits of demons are often petty bargains, and the exorcist sometimes (in naive legends) tries to use the knowledge of the devil for his own purposes. For example, he can learn about the afterlife of a dead person by performing an exorcism. The words of the devil are, of course, not something that should be blindly believed, however, some people manage to draw the truth out of the evil one.
During the dialogue, it is important to stipulate under what circumstances, when and where it will come out. For example, a certain medieval exorcist, before conjuring an unclean spirit, found out from him where and when he intends to leave the body of the possessed. He told him that this would happen today in the house of St. Margaritas.
Especially important is the question of where exactly the demon will come out. After all, under incorrectly set conditions, he can leave only part of the victim’s body and settle, for example, in the throat, arm, etc. Subsequently, he can again take the abandoned place. It is believed that an ideally performed ritual is one in which the demon goes immediately to hell, from where he can no longer return to earth, since hell, according to the apostle Peter, is a place of imprisonment of evil spirits, where she awaits the final judgment. However, getting him to go there is especially difficult. The negotiation process in this place often stalls. About where to go, the demons are bargaining even with Christ himself. In the Gospel, they ask permission to move into a herd of pigs, which Jesus allows them to.
Exiled St. Francis of Paula the demon intendedexit through the eyes of the possessed. However, he was forced to take a different path. As a result of the skillful actions of the saint, the demon was captured in a prudently prepared vessel. Thus another exorcism was carried out.
Sometimes dialogue can be devoid of strong emotional overtones. The unclean spirit refrains from moaning, but sets an exit condition or asks the exorcist a tricky question that must be answered correctly. For example, when Abba Apollonius was performing an exorcism, the demon told him that he would come out, but only if he told him who the sheep and who the goats are, which are mentioned in the Gospel. This question is a trap, which, however, Apollonius successfully avoided. He answered him that the goats are unrighteous (including the abba himself, since he is subject to many sins), and who the sheep are, only God knows about this. It is clear that in this case the demon was testing Apollonius with pride. However, the latter's answer was perfect. He showed complete humility - the best weapon against evil spirits.
Features of the Lutheran rite
The rite of exorcism, for all its apparent elaboration, often involves personal moments, which are determined by the exorcist's idea of the devil and the bizarre relationship that he develops with the demon. When in the 16th century Luther made a kind of revolution in the practice of exorcism, while abandoning all ritual components, with the exception of prayer (which he also understood extra-ritually - as a purely internal process), he proceeded from his personal ideas about the devil. The ritual of exorcism, according to Luther, flatters pride andpride of an evil spirit, if at the same time a solemn spell is pronounced to exorcise the demon. Therefore, he only strengthens the power. Therefore, the exorcist, according to Luther, must abandon the ritual. Only contempt and prayer should be his tools. After all, the devil is cast out by Jesus himself, not by an exorcist. He will do it when he wants, without being guided by human rituals. The description of the exorcism performed by Luther shows how he resorted to contempt (the second weapon) after the first, that is, prayer, did not work. When a demon-possessed girl was brought to him, Luther laid his right hand on her head and began to pray. He explained to those around him that the prayer would continue until God heard him. However, reading it did not help. Considering that prayer only caters to the pride of an unclean spirit, Luther stepped back from the girl, and then kicked her (of course, at that moment he saw in her only the incarnation of a demon). Luther then began to mock Satan. The exorcism (exorcism) was over. The girl was taken to her homeland, and Luther was informed that the evil spirit no longer tormented her.
Protestants, without denying the necessity of the ritual of exile itself, opposed exorcism with the idea of the internal struggle of each person with the devil. The followers of Luther considered the ritual of exile a kind of witchcraft, indulgence of the devil. J. Hawker Osnaburg, in his treatise in which he opposes exorcists (it can be read in the collection "Devil's Theater"), argues that the very use of prayer and holy words duringperforming a ritual.
The need to purify the exorcist himself
Reflexivity, which is inherent in the problems of demonology (after all, the demon is ultimately inside the person himself), is also manifested in the theme of exorcism. The person who does it has to heal himself. The challenge for an exorcist is to cleanse himself.
Advice for those who decide to exorcise the devil on their own
If you intend to exorcise the devil yourself, think about whether you have enough spiritual and physical strength for this, as well as the courage to confront the evil spirit. Are you afraid of what you might see when you start casting the spell? Even the strong in spirit do not always withstand what happens when demons are exorcised from a person. For some, this ritual may even prove fatal: the psyche and life will change irreversibly.
The patient should be treated especially carefully. During the ceremony, it is necessary to suppress pride in your soul, forget about disgust and pride. The only important thing now is to help the human soul, to be able to save it from the oppression of the demon. A body under the control of an impure body can do terrible things. The healer must humbly ask God for help. However, the worst thing is the possible consequences of the ritual. A person can be healed, but there is a chance that he will die. Therefore, it is necessary to understand all responsibility and be aware of your strengths. Note that the church very rarely gives permission for this ritual.
In difficultcases, it is necessary to repeat the ceremony several times. The exorcism spell you cast may not work immediately. It is possible that the unclean spirit will leave the body after a few weeks or even months. The exorcism spell you cast in Latin or any other language is not a guarantee that the unclean spirit will leave its victim. Exorcism is a complex ritual. Below we describe the main stages of its implementation. However, first of all, you should make sure that the person is really possessed by the devil. There are a number of signs by which this can be determined.
How can you know if a person is possessed by demons?
He can speak ancient languages or modern foreign languages he didn't know before. In addition, he may have supernatural strength or abilities. Sometimes people know things they shouldn't know. An important sign is that the possessed is afraid of everything sanctified: church symbols, the cross. He may also engage in sacrilege and blasphemy. Note that the symptoms of possession are often just signs of diseases such as schizophrenia, epilepsy, Tourret's syndrome, hysteria, or other mental disorders. However, the opposite is also possible. Real exorcism, which has a powerful spiritual basis, is able to exorcise demons masquerading as a split personality, psychosis, hysteria, manic syndrome, paranoia, aggressive schizophrenia.
Stages of the ritual
First of all, you need to learn about the path by which the unclean spirit fell into the victim. Then you should find out the name of the one who allowed the demon to enter creation. God's. Further, prayers are read over the sick. This may be the Gospel of John (chapter 14 and 16), "The Creed" or "Our Father". It is necessary, while performing the ceremony, to hold a person. Sometimes even ropes may be needed for this.
After reading the prayers, the sprinkling of holy water follows. Next comes communication with a demon that has entered the human body. This is a dangerous moment: if the unclean one wins, he will remain. Theology is a favorite topic of conversation for demons. They may be trying to lure the exorcist into a logical trap. A good knowledge of religious literature can help you, as well as submission to God's will and complete humility. The demon, in case of victory, will begin to ask how and where to go. He may begin to bargain, and also ask him to leave. Be firm in your intentions.
The final stage is the reading of a special spell to exorcise the demon in Russian or any other language. The language itself is not so important. The exorcism spell in Latin is also very popular. What is more important is what meaning is put into the spell. The text of the spell is below.
“We expel you, the spirit of all impurity, every power of Satan, every encroacher of hell is hostile, every legion, every assembly and sect of the devil, in the name and virtue of our Lord Jesus Christ, uproot and flee from the Church of God, from souls in the image created by God and redeemed by the precious blood of the Lamb. You no longer dare, most cunning serpent, to deceive the human race, to persecute the Church of God and to reject and scatter the elect of God, howwheat. The Almighty God commands you, whom until now you want to be equal in your great pride; who wants to save all people and bring them to the knowledge of the truth. God the Father commands you; God the Son commands you; God the Holy Spirit commands you. The majesty of Christ, the eternal God of the incarnate word, commands you, who, for the sake of saving our race, who fell with your envy, humbled himself and was obedient even to death; who built his church on a strong rock and promised that the gates of hell would not prevail against her, for he himself would be with her until the end of time. The mystery of the cross and all the mysteries of the Christian faith are commanded by nobility. The high Mother of God the Virgin Mary commands you, who from the first moment of your immaculate conception in her humility struck your haughtiest head. The faith of the holy apostles Peter and Paul and the other apostles commands you. The blood of martyrs and all holy men and women commands you pious intercession.”
The ritual will be easier if you use Christian relics. They will help you exorcise the demon. It is also important that the possessed understands what is happening to him and, if possible, helps the exorcist.
