Exorcism is the act of banishing one or more evil spirits which have inhabited a person’s body, a location or object. Exorcism originated as a magical technique practiced in ancient times by medicine men and miracle workers (1). The magician was protected by a cast circle reinforced with crosses and sigils (2). In the early church, the ability to drive out demons was considered a spiritual gift, like speaking in tongues, and today the Roman Catholic Church is considered solely authorized to perform exorcisms (1). An ordained priest, performs a ritual during which he/she addresses the possessing spirit, ordering and persuading the demon to leave (3). The priest is protected by purification, prayers and holy writ.
- Luck, G. 1985. Arcana Mundi: Magic and the Occult in Greek and Roman Worlds.
- Walker, C. 1995. The Encyclopedia of The Occult.
- Reader’s Digest. 1992. Quest for the Unknown: Life Beyond Death.