The exorcism. A Religious and Medical Perspective on the Demonic-Possession Phenomenon
The exorcism. A Religious and Medical Perspective on the Demonic-Possession Phenomenon

Summary/Abstract: Saying prayers and enchantments to cast out demons from the body of a possessed person, the exorcism is a public act of the Christian Church, performed with authority, in the name of Jesus Christ, requiring that the person or object in question be protected from Satan’s possession and released from his dominion. This definition includes the act itself as well as the means used. The tradition of the church considers that the clues of demonic possession can be: speaking a language unknown to the possessor or understanding it, revealing things that are far away or hidden; abnormal physical strength due to the person’s age or condition, someone else’s speech through the possessed, self-harm and suicide attempts, aggressive and restless behavior, anger, extraordinary perceptual power, supernatural knowledge, extraordinary demonic phenomena such as cramps, screams, falls, exhaustion, but also the perfect healing after the expulsion. Usually, before consuming the exorcism, it is crucial to determine whether it is the presence of the evil one and not a mental illness, the care of which is within the competence of the medical sciences. In this article we will analyse the following aspects: The Bible and the demons, Jesus Christ – the conqueror of demons and Satan, the church’s activity on exorcisms, the medical perspective and finally some journalistic records about the seriousness of misunderstanding the phenomenon of possession.

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