The Association of Demon Exorcists has around 900 active exorcists and assistant exorcists. She is the only one recognized by the Vatican.
The International Association of Exorcists (AIE) has elected Karel Orlita, a priest from the Diocese of Brno, as president at its 14th international conference, Kathpress reported on Saturday. He will succeed Francesco Bamonte, who will assume the role of vice-president of the AIE after two terms. 203 priests and 100 assistant exorcists from around the world attended the congress in Sacrofane, near Rome, in early November.
The World Association of Exorcists is the only association recognized by the Vatican, according to its website. It has around 900 active exorcists and assistant exorcists around the world: 483 in Italy, followed by 62 in the United States and 48 in Mexico; 13 come from Africa and the same number work in the Czech Republic. The “healing and liberation service” ritual is also performed in Austria.
Since the 1960s, the call to exorcise demons has increased again
According to Church historian Francis Young, the practice of exorcising demons in the Catholic Church dates back almost to its beginnings. It was less pronounced in the 1960s, after which its popularity increased thanks to conservative priests and believers. The growing influence of bishops in Africa, Asia and Latin America, where Catholics are exposed to pressure from competing Protestant and Pentecostal movements, is contributing to this.
Exorcism is the ritual expulsion of evil forces and spirits from people, living beings or objects. Such practices exist in many cultures and are intended to serve as cleansing and holistic healing. The Catholic Church understands the term as a request to God to free people from the power of evil. Exorcism may also include an order given in the name of Jesus Christ to the devil to leave the affected person. The church derives the authority to perform exorcism from the New Testament. The example is the exorcism of demons that Jesus performed.
Prayers and blessings against the forces of evil
According to Vatican guidelines, an exorcist must first determine whether a case of possession actually exists. To ward off the forces of evil, the priest performs, among other things, prayers and blessing formulas. If necessary, he also consults doctors and psychiatrists.
Established by the Vatican in 1999, the “Great Exorcism” is an hour-long prayer performed almost entirely in Latin. The ritual is always performed by two priests.
The International Association of Exorcists (AIE) has existed since 1994 and includes not only priests. In 2014, the Vatican Congregation for the Clergy officially recognized the association and approved its statutes. The founder of the association was Father Gabriele Amorth, who passed away in 2016 and whose life served as the basis for the fictional horror film “The Pope’s Exorcist”. (APA)