****** EXORCISM ******

Ancient Christian Exorcism Liturgy

fourth c. CE, Greek and Coptic text

Formula for exorcism:

Preparations:

Use seven olive branches.

Tie the ends of six of them together [into loops?]

Use the remaining one as a whip during the proceedure.

This proceedure is known to be effective, and should not be made public.

Liturgy to be recited over [the posessed person]

Put the branches in front of him and, standing behind him recite:

Hail God of Abraham!

Hail God of Isaac!

Hail God of Jacob!

Jesus the righteous

Holy Spirit

Son of the Father,

below the seven

within the seven

Come Yao Sabaoth!

Direct your power to Patient's Name

Drive Satan, this unclean demon within him, away

I command you, demon, whoever you may be, by the power of

Sabarbarbathioth

Sabarbarbathiouth

Sabarbarbathioneth

Sabarbarbaphai

Come out, demon, whoever you may be

Stay away from Patient's Name

Quickly! Now! Come out, demon!

I bind you with unbreakable chains of adamantine!

I cast you into the abyss of Hell!

After the exorcism

After the demon is cast out, hang tin amulet on the sufferer with following written on it:

bor phor phorba phor phorba

bes charin baubo te phor borphorba

phorbabor baphorba pharbraie

phorba pharba phorphor phorba

bophor phorba phorphor phorba

boborborba pamphorba phorphor

phorba. Protect Patient's Name

On another amulet put the mark S

paraphrased from Margin Meyer and Richard Smith Ancient Christian Magic. San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 1994. Pp. 43ff