University of Virginia Library

Search this document 

expand section
expand section
expand section
expand section
collapse section
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
EXORCISM:
 
 
 
 
expand section
expand section
expand section
expand section
expand section
expand section
expand section
expand section
expand section
expand section
expand section
expand section
expand section
expand section
expand section
expand section
expand section
expand section
expand section
expand section
expand section

EXORCISM:

the act of casting out DEMONS or EVIL SPIRITS in a RITUAL designed to free the individual from evil influences. In the ORTHODOX CHURCH exorcism is practiced prior to BAPTISM. As a result of RATIONALISM, BELIEF in EVIL spirits was largely discarded by most Western Churches in the nineteenth century. In recent years there has been a revival of the practice and an increasing demand for the services of exorcists by troubled individuals.