The Rite of Exorcism (De Exorcizandis Obsessis a Daemonio) is the solemn and official liturgical prayer of the Catholic Church used to liberate a person from demonic possession. Historically found in the Rituale Romanum of 1614 (and revised in 1999), this Major Exorcism can only be performed by a priest who has been specifically delegated by the Bishop. The rite is a powerful sacramental that includes the Litany of the Saints, readings from the Gospels, the renewal of Baptismal promises, and direct commands to the enemy to depart in the name of Jesus Christ. It is the ultimate spiritual weapon in the Church’s arsenal against the forces of darkness.
The rite begins with the Litany of the Saints, invoking the entire court of Heaven to assist in the battle. For those searching for Catholic spiritual warfare prayers or the structure of an exorcism, this opening sets the stage by humbling the participants and calling upon the victory of Christ and His saints. Following the Litany, the priest recites Psalm 53 and other prayers, asking God for protection and the power to confront the “roaring lion.”
The priest delegated by the Ordinary to perform this office should first go to confession or at least elicit an act of contrition, and, if convenient, offer the holy Sacrifice of the Mass, and implore God’s help in other fervent prayers. He vests in surplice and purple stole. Having before him the person possessed (who should be bound if there is any danger), he traces the sign of the cross over him, over himself, and the bystanders, and then sprinkles all of them with holy water. After this he kneels and says the Litany of the Saints, exclusive of the prayers which follow it. All present are to make the responses.
P: Lord, have mercy. All: Lord, have mercy. P: Christ, have mercy. All: Christ, have mercy. P: Lord, have mercy. All: Lord, have mercy. P: Christ, hear us. All: Christ, graciously hear us.
God, the Father in heaven, have mercy on us. God, the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us. God, the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us. Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.
[The priest continues with the invocation of Saints – Mary, Angels, Apostles, Martyrs, Confessors, Virgins – to which all respond: Pray for us]
From all evil, deliver us, O Lord. From all sin, deliver us, O Lord. From the snares of the devil, deliver us, O Lord. From everlasting death, deliver us, O Lord. [The priest continues with the petitions, to which all respond: We beg you to hear us]
P: Antiphon: Do not keep in mind, O Lord, our offenses or those of our parents, nor take vengeance on our sins. P: Our Father… All: But deliver us from evil.
(Psalm 53) P: God, by your name save me, and by your might defend my cause. All: God, hear my prayer; hearken to the words of my mouth. P: For haughty men have risen up against me, and fierce men seek my life; they set not God before their eyes. All: See, God is my helper; the Lord sustains my life. P: Turn back the evil upon my foes; in your faithfulness destroy them. All: Freely will I offer you sacrifice; I will praise your name, Lord, for its goodness, P: Because from all distress you have rescued me, and my eyes look down upon my enemies. All: Glory be to the Father…
P: Save your servant. All: Who trusts in you, my God. P: Let him (her) find in you, Lord, a fortified tower. All: In the face of the enemy. P: Let the enemy have no power over him (her). All: And the son of iniquity be powerless to harm him (her). P: Lord, send him (her) aid from your holy place. All: And watch over him (her) from Sion. P: Lord, heed my prayer. All: And let my cry be heard by you.
After the initial prayers, the priest reads selections from the Gospels (John, Mark, and Luke) to proclaim Christ’s victory over Satan. This section is vital for those studying the biblical basis of exorcism. Following the readings, the priest issues the first commands to the demon, not in his own name, but by the “mysteries of the incarnation, passion, resurrection, and ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ.” This section highlights the authority given to the Church to tread upon “serpents and scorpions.”
P: The Lord be with you. All: May He also be with you. P: The beginning of the holy Gospel according to St. John. All: Glory be to you, O Lord.
(John 1:1-14) When time began, the Word was there, and the Word was face to face with God, and the Word was God… And the Word became man and lived among us; and we have looked upon His glory such a glory as befits the Father’s only-begotten Son full of grace and truth! All: Thanks be to God.
(Mark 16:15-18) …In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues…
(Luke 10:17-20) …I was watching Satan fall like lightning that flashes from heaven…
(Luke 11:14-22) …But if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then, evidently the kingdom of God has by this time made its way to you…
Let us pray. Almighty Lord, Word of God the Father, Jesus Christ, God and Lord of all creation… I humbly call on your holy name in fear and trembling, asking that you grant me, your unworthy servant, pardon for all my sins, steadfast faith, and the power – supported by your mighty arm – to confront with confidence and resolution this cruel demon…
I command you, unclean spirit, whoever you are, along with all your minions now attacking this servant of God… that you tell me by some sign your name, and the day and hour of your departure. I command you, moreover, to obey me to the letter… nor shall you be emboldened to harm in any way this creature of God…
This is the core of the Rite, comprising three specific “Exorcisms.” The priest directly addresses the “unclean spirit,” “ancient serpent,” and “profligate dragon.” For those seeking the specific exorcism prayers text, these sections are the most recognizable. They are relentless commands invoking the power of the Cross, the blood of the martyrs, and the humility of God to drive the entity out. The language is forceful, theological, and rooted in the total supremacy of God over the devil.
(First Exorcism) I cast you out, unclean spirit, along with every Satanic power of the enemy, every spectre from hell, and all your fell companions; in the name of our Lord Jesus +Christ. Begone and stay far from this creature of God.+ For it is He who commands you, He who flung you headlong from the heights of heaven into the depths of hell… Hearken, therefore, and tremble in fear, Satan, you enemy of the faith, you foe of the human race… Give place to the Holy Spirit by this sign of the holy + cross of our Lord Jesus Christ…
(Second Exorcism) I adjure you, ancient serpent, by the judge of the living and the dead… to depart forthwith in fear, along with your savage minions… Yield, therefore, yield not to my own person but to the minister of Christ. For it is the power of Christ that compels you, who brought you low by His cross… It is God + Himself who commands you… The mystery of the cross commands +you. The faith of the holy apostles Peter and Paul and of all the saints commands + you. The blood of the martyrs commands + you… Depart, then, transgressor. Depart, seducer, full of lies and cunning…
(Third Exorcism) Therefore, I adjure you every unclean spirit, every spectre from hell, every satanic power, in the name of Jesus + Christ of Nazareth… Yield to God, + who by His servant, Moses, cast you and your malice… into the depths of the sea… Depart, then, + impious one, depart, + accursed one… You might delude man, but God you cannot mock. It is He who casts you out, from whose sight nothing is hidden… He who has prepared everlasting hellfire for you and your angels…
The Rite concludes with prayers of thanksgiving and a profession of faith. The inclusion of the Magnificat (Canticle of Our Lady), the Benedictus (Canticle of Zachary), and the Athanasian Creed (Quicumque Vult) serves to seal the liberation with truth and praise. This section is vital for understanding that exorcism is not just about removing evil, but filling the space with God’s truth. The Athanasian Creed acts as a fortress of doctrine, asserting the Trinity and the Incarnation—truths that demons cannot stand.
(Canticle of Our Lady – The Magnificat) My soul extols the Lord; And my spirit leaps for joy in God my Savior… He has shown might with His arm, He has scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart…
(Canticle of Zachary) Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel! He has visited His people and brought about its redemption…
(Athanasian Creed) Whoever wills to be saved must before all else hold fast to the Catholic faith. Unless one keeps this faith whole and untarnished, without doubt he will perish forever. Now this is the Catholic faith: that we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in unity… Thus the Father is God, the Son is God, the Holy Spirit is God. Yet they are not three gods, but one God… True faith, then, requires us to believe and profess that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is both God and man… And those who have done good shall enter into everlasting life, but those who have done evil into everlasting fire.
In conclusion, the Rite of Exorcism is a testament to the Church’s authority and Christ’s absolute victory over evil. It is a liturgy of hope, liberating the enslaved through the power of the Word, the Cross, and the Name of Jesus.
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