Exorcist - Definition and Overview

For the 1973 movie, see The Exorcist.

In the former ministry of the Roman Catholic Church, exorcist was a specific minor order, received after porter. Its duties historically were to perform exorcisms, especially the exorcism of the catechumen in the rite of Baptism, but by the time of the Council of Trent when this order was formally defined, its role was confined exclusively to baptism, leaving exorcisms of demons to priests. As a minor order, the exorcist wore the surplice. The office of exorcist was not a part of the sacrament of Holy Orders but was instead first conferred on those who had the special charism to carry out its duties and later to those studying for the priesthood. It was suppressed during the reforms of the minor orders after the Second Vatican Council by Paul VI.Muslim Exorcists remove the control of Jinns from Humans.