Exorcism is alive and well in the modern age — in fact, they're increasing in frequency. But,
just because they're kind of common, doesn't change the fact that most people think the
process is a little mysterious. So, here's what actually happens when you request an exorcism.
The first thing to understand about exorcisms is that this isn't the
equivalent of a spiritual Wild West. There are complex, specific rules governing how
and when an exorcism can be performed - but that wasn't always the case.
Exorcism was initially a pretty loose concept that could be performed by just about anyone. In fact,
it took the Vatican more than 1,600 years to come up with the guidelines for exorcism. According
to LiveScience, the first official exorcism guidance for priests was released in 1614.
These guidelines cover both how to determine if you're dealing with actual demonic possession,
and the procedure to follow. As you might imagine,
rules written in the 17th century did not age particularly well. And so, in 1999,
the Vatican revised the exorcism rules for the first time in nearly 400 years.
Some of the changes had to do with our increased understanding of mental illness. However,
the guidelines still list various symptoms of possession, like speaking in unknown languages
or displaying supernatural strength. But, the updated version instructs priests to consider
the possibility that the subject is just sick, not actually possessed.
If your exorcism knowledge is taken from horror movies, you might think that every time a priest
shows up to perform the ritual they end up engaging in an epic struggle of wills.
In reality, there are two kinds of exorcism that are used for different scenarios.
Exorcism isn't necessarily defined as battling a demon.
It's a more general concept focused on driving out or protecting someone from evil spirits.
According to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops,
every time a baby is baptized, a minor exorcism is performed. That makes sense,
since the whole point of being baptized is to be accepted into the Church with a clean slate.
That's why godparents stand in for the infant and explicitly reject
Satan. It's also important to note that simple exorcisms can also be employed by
anyone of faith. You don't need a priest to perform one — anyone can recite a set of prayers.
Demonic possession, though, calls for a major, or real, exorcism.
In a real exorcism a priest is convinced the Devil is literally inhabiting someone
or something and must be driven out. This is the ritual that most of us think about when we
hear the word "exorcism." But, it's much less common and can only be performed by priests.
The Catholic Church knows that some people would use exorcism the way some people call
911 when McDonald's messes up their order. Priests don't want to be performing complex
religious rituals just because your toddler is acting like a demon. So when you call up
the Church and request an exorcism, one of the first things they do is perform an investigation.
This involves going through the Vatican's official checklist of signs and symptoms
of demonic possession, then digging into alternate explanations. Basically,
the Church starts off skeptical of any claims of possession.
Mental and physical illnesses can often explain someone's supposedly possessed behavior.
And sometimes it's simply fraud, whether for the attention or for some other motive.
Obviously there's no CSI-style lab test for determining if someone has a demon inside them.
So, what's the standard of proof that a priest has to meet in order to proceed with an exorcism?
According to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops,
the investigating priest must determine with, quote, "moral certitude" that an exorcism is
needed. This is by necessity a personal decision. Unless they're swarmed with
flies while the walls bleed, the priest has to just rely on common sense and their gut.
Throughout history, demonic possession has been blamed for a wide range of behaviors.
Today we would recognize some of these behaviours as mental or physical illnesses.
Even today, the emotional and mental toll of chronic pain can be invisible,
and our understanding of mental illnesses isn't always great.
To avoid confusing illnesses with demonic possession,
priests consult mental and physical health professionals to rule out illness as a cause
of potential possession. But, one problem is a lack of psychiatrists who take such cases.
Psychiatrist and professor Richard Gallagher notes in an article for the Washington Post
that the American Psychiatric Association has no official position on demonic possession.
This leaves it up to the individual mental health professional to decide
whether they want to work with a priest on a potential case of demonic possession.
It's important to note that the final determination is up to the priest and the Church,
even if a psychiatrist or physician says there's a medical reason for certain behaviors.
The priest can disregard their opinion and proceed with the exorcism. The Church
guidelines only require the investigating priest to consider all possibilities.
If a priest concludes that the possession is valid, he reports up to his boss,
usually the diocesan bishop. Only a bishop or someone higher up in the Catholic food chain,
like an archbishop, cardinal, or the Pope himself, can officially sanction an exorcism.
Then, usually, the same priest who performed the investigation is appointed to act as the exorcist.
One challenge here is that the overwhelming majority of priests have never performed a
major exorcism - the version that deals with demonic possession. In fact, in 1996 there
were just 10 in the United States, and it's estimated there are fewer than 300 worldwide.
Considering there are more than 1 billion Catholics in the world, that's a small number.
That said, exorcists traditionally keep their activities secret and the Church has no official
records of trained exorcists. So, it's possible that there are more working behind the scenes.
The movies make it seem like exorcism is a magical battle between light and dark wizards.
"You shall not pass!"
But, it's crucial to keep in mind that exorcism is a religious ritual.
Essentially, it's a battle of good versus evil. So, it's not
terribly surprising that the priest performing the rite has to be in the best possible shape.
The preparation for an exorcism includes the priest going through a purification process. This
involves spending several days celebrating mass and confessing. The idea is that the priest must
purge themselves of sin. The belief is that if they haven't, they aren't in control of their sins
and thus the sins can be used against them by the crafty demon. Without the purification process,
there's a fear the demon might overwhelm the exorcist and actually possess them.
Once that process is complete, the priest suits up in the proper vestments.
That means wearing a white, embroidered tunic called a surplice, along with a purple stole.
Like everything in the Catholic Church, these vestments are
filled with symbolism, with the purple stole symbolizing God's healing power.
Anyone who's seen any movie with the word "exorcism" in the title knows that these
rituals can get pretty hairy. When you're talking about a battle of good versus evil,
it's not surprising that there can be violence. As author John L. Allen notes, people possessed
by demons often exhibit a violent reaction to holy objects. Restraining the possessed can
help avoid trouble when the priest produces a crucifix, holy water, or other holy items.
So it's not too surprising that the next step in an exorcism is often to bind or otherwise
restrain the possessed. This isn't required and it’s left to the discretion of the priest, who
can decide whether there's a need for restraints. However, it is sadly common for restraints used in
exorcism to cause injuries. And, of course, many exorcisms are performed on unwilling subjects.
Whether the demon possessing them resists being cast out,
or they're suffering physically or mentally, it makes the experience terrifyingly distressing.
In either case, the potential for violence makes restraints something the priest must consider.
Contrary to movies and other fictional depictions,
exorcisms are not typically action-packed. Not only is the subject usually restrained,
but the ritual of exorcism is essentially just one guy talking.
An exorcism is a sacramental, not a sacrament. That means it's a liturgical rite created by
the Church, and not directly by Jesus Christ through his words and actions.
A sacramental has two basic components: prayer and a symbolic action.
When a priest performs an exorcism, he recites a series of specific prayers.
These prayers can be divided into two basic categories. The first is "imploring," where
the priest asks God for assistance and blessing. The second is "imperative," where
the priest is commanding the demon or evil spirit to leave the body of the possessed.
The exorcism ritual has a set pattern for repeating these prayers. The priest
must start with the imploring prayers, and they can skip the imperative if they wish.
However, they're not allowed to use the imperative prayers without the imploring
prayers. The prayers are repeated as often as the priest thinks necessary.
While the rite of exorcism is prayer-based, there are actions and objects that are also
required in order to perform it properly. One such example is that water is blessed and
then sprinkled in order to evoke the subject's baptism. The holy water may also be applied to
any witnesses or assistants in the room with the priest, as well as the room and furniture itself.
The priest may then lay hands on the subject while praying, and the priest may also breathe
on the subject's face in order to evoke the holy spirit. Finally, the Lord's cross
is produced and shown to the subject, who may have a violent reaction to seeing it.
The priest will then make the sign of the cross, symbolizing the power
of God over the Devil and his minions. The priest will also typically touch the
subject with a holy relic associated with a saint chosen specifically for that ritual.
Exorcisms follow four stages, though these are not officially taught or endorsed by the Catholic
Church. However, they are generally acknowledged by the priests who actually perform the ritual.
The first stage is "pretense," which is when a demon is hiding its true identity. In this
stage the exorcist must learn the demon's true name in order to have power over it.
"I now command you. Tell me your name!"
The second is "breakpoint," when the demon reveals itself. This is
when the demon will begin referring to the possessed in the third person.
The third stage is the "clash," when the exorcist and the demon fight for the soul of the possessed.
The last stage is "expulsion." If the exorcist triumphs,
the demon is expelled from the body of the possessed and driven away.
Some experts believe there are actually six stages in an exorcism.
The additional stages are "presence",
which comes before pretense. In this stage the exorcist has detected the presence of the demon.
Then there is the "voice" stage, which follows the breakpoint stage and involves the demon speaking
in tongues with its true voice. The demon's voice must be silenced for the ritual to proceed.
If you're thinking that you can begin an exorcism and then take a break when things get rough,
you're in for a shock. The priest doesn't just shrug and go home if an exorcism fails,
and an unfinished exorcism can be very dangerous for all involved.
An incomplete exorcism can leave the possessed person still in the
thrall to whatever evil spirit or demon has taken control of them.
It can also be a threat to witnesses or the exorcist. If the spirit is pushed out of
the victim but isn't totally expelled, it will seek another host immediately.
Even if the exorcist avoids that fate, the demon may seek revenge by physically
assaulting the priest, perhaps causing serious physical injury. How Stuff Works says that there
are no public records of exorcisms, and most are performed privately, sometimes without
any witnesses at all. So, it's impossible to say how many succeed and how many fail.
Exorcism is a dangerous ritual not necessarily just because demons will attack everyone.The main
reason for the danger is people's reactions to the exorcisms, which can be extreme.
There's a reason that the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops requires
priests to consult with medical professionals before attempting an exorcism. This is because
someone dealing with a mental or physical ailment that is causing their "possession"
actually needs medical treatment, not exorcism.
Unfortunately, that doesn't always happen.
The Guardian reports that around 1,500 child abuse cases in the United Kingdom are linked
to exorcisms. performed by people who believe their children are possessed.
And there are cases like Vilma Trujillo's. The BBC reports that her mental illness prompted her local
pastor to perform an exorcism that involved setting her on fire, which led to her death.
In another case, seven people were found dead after a religious sect in Panama
performed so-called exorcisms. And, things are so worrying in Russia that the Russian
Orthodox Church has warned its worshipers away from trying to perform exorcisms on their own.
Most of the examples of exorcisms gone wrong don't involve priests trained to
investigate and deal with cases of suspected demonic possession,
However, they underscore the very real danger that every exorcism carries.
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