The Catholic Encyclopedia defines exorcism as "the act of driving out, or warding off, demons, or evil spirits, from persons, places, or things, which are believed to be possessed or infested by them, or are liable to become victims or instruments of their malice." In short, it is a ritual performed by a Catholic priest to expel the devil from a person, place or thing.
There are several types of exorcism in the Roman Catholic Church:
Baptismal exorcism - blessing an infant prior to baptism to cleanse it of evil resulting from original sin
Simple exorcism - blessing a place or thing to rid it of evil influence
Real exorcism - performing the Rite of Exorcism to rid a human being of diabolical possession . A "real exorcism" is what most of us think of when we think of exorcism. In this case, the priest-exorcist is dealing with a human being who is possessed by the devil -- the devil is inhabiting this person's body.
According to the Church, telltale signs of demonic possession include:
Speaking or understanding languages which the person has never learned (different from "speaking in tongues," which is considered a sign of religious ecstasy, not possession)
Knowing (and revealing) things the person has no earthly way of knowing
Physical strength beyond the person's natural physical makeup
A violent aversion to God, the Virgin Mary, the cross and other images of Catholic faith
There are several types of exorcism in the Roman Catholic Church:
Baptismal exorcism - blessing an infant prior to baptism to cleanse it of evil resulting from original sin
Simple exorcism - blessing a place or thing to rid it of evil influence
Real exorcism - performing the Rite of Exorcism to rid a human being of diabolical possession . A "real exorcism" is what most of us think of when we think of exorcism. In this case, the priest-exorcist is dealing with a human being who is possessed by the devil -- the devil is inhabiting this person's body.
According to the Church, telltale signs of demonic possession include:
Speaking or understanding languages which the person has never learned (different from "speaking in tongues," which is considered a sign of religious ecstasy, not possession)
Knowing (and revealing) things the person has no earthly way of knowing
Physical strength beyond the person's natural physical makeup
A violent aversion to God, the Virgin Mary, the cross and other images of Catholic faith