Beliefs and rituals of a similar description "are found in almost all cultures and faith traditions", writes Ms Hall, who is also an Anglican priest. Exorcism, meaning "oath" in Greek, is still widely practised today, most frequently in Christian and Islamic settings.
In , about priests from 50 countries attended the Vatican's annual exorcism course amid increasing demand for exorcisms among some of the world's Catholic communities. In the Catholic Church, exorcisms are performed by trained priests who recite prayers and excerpts from the Bible intended to drive out demonic entities. Catholic Online says a possessed person may be bound as the priest traces the sign of the cross over them and sprinkles them with holy water. Exorcism in Italy a job 'too scary' for young priests.
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When carried out, the rite will involve spoken prayers, readings from scripture and sometimes the gentle laying on of hands. Authorised exorcism will never include any violent contact, touching in intimate areas or interaction which could be interpreted as having sexual connotations. In contrast, within some other traditions, for instance some forms of Pentecostalism and Charismatic Evangelicalism, exorcism is seen as routine and many members of the community receive it without worry or stigma — almost akin to purifying rituals.
Those undergoing them are not necessarily at risk, but there is always the danger they could be. In a liberal, democratic society, the state does not seek to make value judgements in relation to the religious choices of citizens. Without good reason, there is no justification for limiting the freedom of individuals to express their faith as they see fit.
It would be difficult to argue for secular regulation of exorcism across the board. But equally, it would be irresponsible to ignore the challenges which some exorcism practices can present. There have been a number of tragic cases of people, children as well as adults , dying as a result of exorcism rituals in the UK and elsewhere. There is also ample evidence of people who feel that they were subjected to rituals to which they did not properly consent , or were kept from accessing medical treatment or other forms of support for some time, prolonging their suffering and the distress to those around them.
In some respects, the law in England and Wales is clear. Where children are concerned, child abuse is child abuse, regardless of the motivation behind it. If a child is suffering, or at risk from harm which is sufficiently serious, then public authorities need to act — and they are required to do so. The week-long Vatican course is described as the only international series of lectures of its kind.
Entitled Exorcism and the Prayer of Liberation, it first opened its doors in and the number of priests attending has more than doubled since then. Catholic priests in several countries have told the press there has been an increase in the numbers of people reporting signs of demonic possession. Last year Pope Francis told priests that they "must not hesitate" to refer parishioners to exorcists if they suffer from "genuine spiritual disturbances".
Half a million people reportedly seek exorcisms every year in Italy, while a report by Christian think-tank Theos in said that the practice was also on the rise in the UK, in part due to the spread of Pentecostal churches. Some dioceses have developed their own courses to meet the growing demand, including in Sicily and the US city of Chicago. Father Gary Thomas, an American priest who has practised exorcisms for 12 years, says that one reason for the increase is that as society has begun to rely more heavily on social sciences, fewer churches have trained exorcists.
The decline of Christianity has also led to an increase in superstitious practices, he believes. Italian priest Benigno Palilla told Vatican News that the growing use of tarot cards and sorcery had also led to a renewed demand for exorcisms.
However, very few cases actually require a major exorcism. Out of cases he has seen, Father Thomas says he has carried out just a dozen major exorcisms. In the Catholic Church, a "major exorcism" can only be carried out by a priest with a bishop's approval. It involves specific prayers and an invocation for the demon to leave the body of the possessed in Jesus' name. In , the Catholic Church carried out its first major update to the rules surrounding exorcism since and distinguished between demonic possession and physical or psychological illness.
As a result, Father Thomas works with a team of doctors, psychologists and psychiatrists - all practising Catholics - to rule out any other cause for a person's suffering before diagnosing demonic possession. The priest will then try a series of deliverance prayers.
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