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.

Exorcists in various religions

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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 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. [http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticleSearch.aspx?storyID=172900+14-Oct-2005+RTRS&srch=exorcists

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.

See also

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• The Exorcist, a 1973 horror film inspired by a Catholic exorcism.

• Rev. John Smith, exorcist for the International Chaplains Association.

Catholic practice of exorcism | Minor orders

External links

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Exorcista | Exorciste | エクソシスト