Editing Exorcist (section)

====Catholicism====

{{Catholic Church hierarchy sidebar|Administrative and pastoral titles}}
In a Roman Catholic context, ''exorcist'' may refer to a cleric who has been ordained into the [[minor order]] of exorcist, or a priest who has been mandated to perform the rite of [[Exorcism in the Catholic Church|solemn exorcism]].

=====Minor order of exorcist=====

Since at least the third century, the [[Latin Church]] has formally ordained men to the minor order of exorcist. Text previously attributed to a fourth [[Council of Carthage (398)]], now identified as a collection called ''[[Collections of ancient canons#Statuta Ecclesi.C3.A6 Antiqua|Statuta Ecclesiæ Antiqua]]'', prescribes in its seventh canon the rite of ordination of such an exorcist: the bishop is to give him the book containing the formulae of exorcism, saying, "Receive, and commit to memory, and possess the power of imposing hands on [[wiktionary:energumen|energumens]], whether baptized or [[catechumens]]".<ref name="CE-exorcist">Toner, Patrick. [http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05711a.htm "Exorcist"] ''The Catholic Encyclopedia''. Vol. 5. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1909. 21 May 2014 .</ref>

These exorcists routinely performed ceremonies over adults and infants preparatory to baptism. Authors such as [[Eusebius]] (3rd century) and [[Augustine of Hippo|Augustine]] (4th century) provide details of these [[Minor exorcism in Christianity|minor exorcisms]]: Eusebius mentions the imposition of hands and prayer.<ref>Scannell, T. (1908). [http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03430b.htm ''Catechumen''] in ''The Catholic Encyclopedia'' New York: Robert Appleton Company. Retrieved May 21, 2014 from New Advent.</ref> Augustine noted that rites of exorcism by exsufflation (breathing upon the candidate) were also performed for the [[infant baptism|baptism of infants]].<ref>Augustine of Hippo. [http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/15072.htm ''On Marriage and Concupiscence'' (Book II)]. Paragraph 50. Translated by Peter Holmes and Robert Ernest Wallis, and revised by Benjamin B. Warfield. From ''Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers'', First Series, Vol. 5. Edited by Philip Schaff. (Buffalo, New York: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1887) Revised and edited for New Advent by Kevin Knight.</ref>

The office of Exorcist was not a part of the sacrament of [[Holy Orders]] but as a [[Sacramentals|sacramental]] was instead first conferred on those who had the special charism to perform its duties and later to those studying for the [[priest]]hood.<ref>{{CathEncy|wstitle=Exorcist|author=Patrick Joseph Toner}}</ref> As a minor order, exorcists wore the [[surplice]].

In 1972, the minor orders were reformed; men preparing to be ordained as [[Catholic priests]] or [[Deacon#Latin Catholicism|deacons]] would no longer receive the minor order of exorcist; the minor orders of [[lector#Ecclesiastical|lector]] and [[acolyte#Roman Catholicism|acolyte]] were retained, but redesignated as ''ministries''. It was left open to the Catholic bishops of individual countries to petition the Vatican to establish a ''ministry of exorcist'' if it seemed useful in that nation.<ref>Paul VI. [https://www.vatican.va/holy_father/paul_vi/motu_proprio/documents/hf_p-vi_motu-proprio_19720815_ministeria-quaedam_lt.html ''Ministeria quaedam''] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111103110807/https://www.vatican.va/holy_father/paul_vi/motu_proprio/documents/hf_p-vi_motu-proprio_19720815_ministeria-quaedam_lt.html |date=November 3, 2011 }}, II: "The orders hitherto called minor are henceforth to be spoken of as 'ministries'."</ref>

The rite of conferral continues in societies that use the 1962 (or earlier) form of the [[Roman Rite]], such as the [[Priestly Fraternity of St Peter]], [[Society of St. Pius X]], and also among groups not in communion with the current bishop of Rome, such as the [[Society of St Pius V]]. Some believe{{Who|date=May 2014}} that attainment of 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").

The Eastern Churches did not establish a minor order of exorcist, but simply recognised the calling of lay or ordained members of the faithful who had the appropriate [[spiritual gifts]].<ref name="CE-exorcist" /> In principle, every Christian has the power to command demons and drive them out in the name of Christ.<ref name="Moshe Sluhovsky – Lay Exorcists">{{cite book|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=fPGyeVQfgCUC&pg=PA43 |title=Believe Not Every Spirit: Possession, Mysticism, & Discernment in Early Modern Catholicism|date=15 November 2008|quote= Yet we have seen that Johannes Nider and Heinrich Kramer found nothing wrong with the performance of exorcism by laypeople, as long as they did not usurp the clerical rite, which included some prayers only a priest could pronounce. Every Christian, Nider reminded his readers, had the power to command demons and drive them out in the name of Christ, but lay exorcists should be extremely careful not to use unknown characters and charms, and should be aware that the only mode to adjure demons is the imperative and never the supplicative.|publisher =University of Chicago Press|isbn=9780226762951|access-date = 2007-12-31}}</ref>

=====Mandated Exorcists=====

The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that: "Jesus performed exorcisms and from him the Church has received the power and office of exorcizing".<ref>[https://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p2s2c4a1.htm#1673 Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 1673.]</ref> The 1917 Code of Canon Law<ref name="Church2001">{{cite book|author=Catholic Church|title=The 1917 Or Pio-Benedictine Code of Canon Law: In English Translation with Extensive Scholarly Apparatus|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2XbtF6Y21LUC&pg=PA394|year=2001|publisher=Ignatius Press|isbn=978-0-89870-831-8|pages=394 (Canon 1151)}}</ref> explicitly stated that the solemn exorcism of a person believed to be [[demonic possession|possessed]] may only be performed with the express authorisation of the local bishop or equivalent; "this permission is only to be given to priests of the highest repute". The revised 1983 Code of Canon Law similarly stated that the bishop is "to give this permission only to a [[presbyter]] who has piety, knowledge, prudence, and integrity of life."<ref>1983 Code of Canon Law, [https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/__P48.HTM Canon 1172]. Accessed 21 May 2014.</ref>

The Catholic Church's [[Of Exorcisms and Certain Supplications|Rite of Exorcism]] was revised in 1999. Paragraph 13 of its introduction states that a priest can be appointed by the local Bishop either for a single act of exorcism, or to the permanent position of 'exorcist'. The Rite then specifies that whenever it uses the word ''exorcist'' without qualification, it indicates a priest mandated in this way.
[[File:Ottava di San Filippo d'Agira a Limina - Province of Messina, Sicily, Italy - Sunday 19 May 2013.jpg|thumb| Saint [[Philip of Agira]] with the Gospel in his left hand, the symbol of the exorcists, in the May celebrations in his honor at [[Limina]], [[Sicily]]]]

Among notable exorcists, [[Gabriele Amorth]] served as chief exorcist of the [[Diocese of Rome]]; he was the founder of the [[International Association of Exorcists]].

American exorcists whom have been featured on [[podcast]]s include Fr. Carlos Martins and [[Vincent Lampert|Fr. Vincent Lampert]]. Fr. Carlos Martins stated that “1 confession is more powerful than 1,000 exorcisms”<ref>@missiodeicatholic, and Fr. Carlos Martins. “One Confession Is Worth More than a Thousand Exorcisms.” YouTube, YouTube, 14 Oct. 2023, www.youtube.com/shorts/n2ylZlvVV5o.</ref> and Fr. Vincent Lampert also stated that only 1 out of every 5,000 inquiries for those seeking an exorcism were an actual case of demonic possession.<ref>@VICE, and Fr. Vincent Lampert . “A Day in the Life of a Modern American Exorcist.” YouTube, YouTube, 21 Sept. 2016, www.youtube.com/watch?v=7szlOjtKGY0.</ref>