noun
definition
A person, especially a priest, who practices exorcism.
Examples of exorcists in a Sentence
This theory of disease disappeared sooner than did the belief in possession; the energumens (EVEp-yoiwEvoc) of the early Christian church, who were under the care of a special clerical order of exorcists, testify to a belief in possession; but the demon theory of disease receives no recognition; the energumens find their analogues in the converts of missionaries in China, Africa and elsewhere.
These are 46 presbyters, 7 deacons, 7 subdeacons, 42 acolytes, 52 exorcists and readers, together with doorkeepers.
But readers and exorcists claim 3 " Fixed attention " on the deacon's ministration, the ministration itself being much more ancient.
The Latins, and Armenians who have borrowed from the Latins, have subdeacons, acolytes, exorcists, readers and doorkeepers.
Nor was the knowledge confined to these pious circles; the name continued to be employed by healers, exorcists and magicians, and has been preserved in many places in magical papyri.
He pours scorn upon the exorcists - who were clearly in league with the demons themselves - and upon the excesses of the itinerant and undisciplined "prophets" who roam through cities and camps and commit to everlasting fire cities and lands and their inhabitants.
Tertullian, while speaking of readers and exorcists, says nothing about acolytes; neither does St Augustine.
They speak of the ordination of bishops (the so-called Clementine Liturgy is that which is directed to be used at the consecration of a bishop, cc. 5-15), of presbyters, deacons, deaconesses, subdeacons and lectors, and then pass on to confessors, virgins, widows and exorcists; after which follows a series of canons on various subjects, and liturgical formulae.
The king was exorcised, and the exorcists of the kingdom were called upon to put stringent questions to the devils they cast out.
Exorcists aim to place a binding oath on the demon to exit the body, whether it wants to or not.
We are justified in believing that both exorcists and readers, whose functions differed essentially from the mechanical employments of the other minor clerics, belonged originally to the " charismatic " ministry, and sank afterwards to a low rank in the " orders" of the church (see Exorcist and Lector).