EXORCISM. - I. AMONG PRIMITIVE PEOPLES. - A lustratory rite by which, using formulas, gestures and objects, and the invocation of a being endowed with supernatural power, evil spiritual influences are driven away.
Among primitive peoples the rite draws its motive from the belief that every evil is due to the intervention of a malevolent spirit, and it is carried out, for the most part through the sorcerer, in an invocation, a gesture or the use of cathartic means.
Exorcism is found also among peoples of culture, and a document of its profound significance is the importance attributed to the function of the exorcist. Thus in the Assyrian religion, in which exorcism consists of words and acts uttered in favor of the god Ea and of his son Marduk; in ancient and modern India and in Zoroastrianism.
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II. IN CANON LAW
In the strict sense, exorcisms consist of all the adjurations that the minister, deputed for this by the Church, makes in the name of God and authoritatively against the devil, either so that he may abandon the persons possessed by him (solemn exorcism), or so that he may cease from infesting persons or things, even inanimate ones (simple exorcism). Both simple and solemn exorcism are by their nature public and constitute a true and proper sacramental; whereas adjurations made on private initiative and in one's own name are private exorcism. Exorcism, not being a Sacrament, does not necessarily and infallibly obtain the effect of driving out the devil or of eliminating harmful infestations. The personal holiness of the minister also contributes to this. For this reason, although any cleric who has received the exorcistate (v. ESORCISTA, ESORCISTATO) is radically capable of performing exorcisms, even solemn ones, for many centuries now the Church grants the faculty of exorcising solemnly only to priests distinguished for piety and prudence, by means of an express license of the Ordinary and with the obligation of faithfully observing can. 1151-52 of the CIC and title XI of the Roman Ritual. Nevertheless, any priest may perform private exorcisms, especially in the case of penitents who are particularly tempted or stubborn in manifesting their sins and in repenting of them.
Exorcisms are normally to be performed in a church and in another more religious place, except in cases of the sick and when there are serious reasons to the contrary; but not, however, before a large public. If the exorcism is to be performed on a woman, it is necessary that close relatives or women of spotless honesty be present. In exorcising, the minister must ordinarily adhere to the formulas of the Roman Ritual, avoiding in every case the use of medicines or superstitious practices. Likewise he must absolutely avoid asking questions that are not opportune or not suited to the purpose or not necessary, and those that tend to discover future events. He must instead ask the devil whether he is alone or with other evil spirits, their name, the time of the beginning of the obsession and its cause. Exorcisms may be practiced not only on possessed Christians, Catholics or not, good or bad or even excommunicated, including the dying; but also on persons of other religions or entirely pagan, provided that in every case there is moral certainty that they are truly possessed (v. OSSESSIONE and OSSESSI).
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Lorenzo Simzone