Exorcist
An
exorcist is a person who performs
exorcism, the driving off of
demons or other supernatural beings who have
possessed a person, or (sometimes) a building or other object.
Catholicism
Since the
Council of Trent, "Exorcist" was one of the three
minor orders in the ministry
Roman Catholic Church, received after
Porter. At the time this order was formally defined, its role was confined exclusively to perform
exorcism of the
catechumen in the rite of
Baptism, leaving
exorcisms of
demons to
priests; but its role was later expanded. By the twentieth century, the order had become purely ceremonial. As a minor order, the Exorcist wore the
surplice. The office of Exorcist was not a part of the sacrament of
Holy Orders but as a
sacramental was instead first conferred on those who had the special charism to carry out its duties and later to those studying for the
priesthood.
The minor order of Exorcist was suppressed during the reforms of the minor orders after the
Second Vatican Council by
Paul VI. It remains in
Indult Catholic societies such as the
Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter. It is thought by some that installation to the position of Acolyte in post-Council practices implies ordination to the minor orders which used to be below it, such as Exorcist and Porter — although this has not been officially defined (although Canon Law section 1009 does specifically state that the only "orders are the episcopate, the priesthood and the diaconate").
Recently, many
dioceses have formally appointed priests to the function of Exorcist; partly to respond to an increase in requests for the practice after the release of the
1973 movie
The Exorcist, and partly as a result of reaffirmation of exorcism as a necessary ritual by
Pope John Paul II (who reportedly performed three exorcisms himself during his pontificate) and
Pope Benedict XVI.
Gabriele Amorth is the chief exorcist of the Diocese of Rome, and founder of the
International Association of Exorcists. [
1] [
2]
Islam
There are no records of exorcisms in early
Islamic history, or of demonic possessions. However, there are exorcisms being performed nowadays in many
Islamic countries, both by superstitious "exorcists" and on superstitious "possessees".
While Islamic beliefs include
Jinns and
Satan, and there are phrases in the
Qur'an and in the
Hadiths that could be understood as implying demonic possessions and exorcism, the existence of these phenomena is never explicitly stated, and belief in them is not part of the Islamic creed. The practice of exorcism is condemned by mainstream Islamic teachings and is a crime in many Islamic countries, such as
Egypt and
Saudi Arabia.
Messianic Judaism
Messianic Jewish (MJ) exorcists receive the power and authority of their calling directly from the consecration anointing by the Lord,
Yeshua Ha Mashiach, also known as Jesus the Christ. MJ exorcist are educators, and facilitators who intervene for the possessed, oppressed individuals, and lead them through the phases of the exorcism process. Physical force, idols, amulets, or other religious items are not used in MJ exorcisms.
*
The Exorcist, a
1973 horror film inspired by a Catholic exorcism.
*
Rev. John Smith, exorcist for the
International Chaplains Association.
