THEOLOGY
 Vain glory (power)
THE FALLEN ONES
"ut unum sint"
 JESUS invites us to be one with him through
agape like the love he shared during the last
supper where he said to his disciples "this is my
body, this is my blood...given to you." Jesus does
not only give us his love; he also gives us his trust
"to love one another in his memory".
 Responding to God's love is a war against
temptation.
 St. Evagrius Ponticus (345 Ibora-399 Egypt)
 a monastic theologian, was one of the
most talented intellects of the fourth
century.
 Circulating in elite ecclesiastical circles
of Cappadocia and Asia Minor, he began
his career under Basil of Caesarea and
Gregory of Nazianzus, serving with the
latter in Constantinople through a stormy
tenure that culminated in the Second
Ecumenical Council (381).
 Known then as a brilliant heresiologist,
Evagrius seemed destined for a
successful ecclesiastical career. He chose
a different course, and fled to Jerusalem,
where he took vows in the monastic
communities of Rufinus and Melania.
From there he traveled to Egypt and lived
in monasteries in Nitria and Kellia.
 In Egypt he wrote extensively in a variety
of genres—letters, proverbs, brief
sayings (chapters), and treatises—nearly
all geared toward explaining and
analyzing vice and virtue, demons and
angels, psychological and psychosomatic
phenomena—in sum, the life of the
ascetic.
 His accounts are set, sometimes
explicitly, oftentimes pensively, within a
well-developed metaphysical system that
responded to both classical philosophy
(Plato, Aristotle, Stoicism) and the
theology of some of the most
accomplished Christian intellectuals
(Clement of Alexandria, Origen, Gregory
of Nazianzus).
 The temptations of Christ according to St.
Evagrius can be classified in succession as:
 Gluttony (bread)
 Greed (wealth)
 Of the demons opposing us in the practice of the
ascetic life, there are three groups who fight in the
front line: those entrusted with the appetites of
gluttony, those who suggest avaricious thoughts,
and those who incite us to seek the esteem of men.
 All other demons follow behind and in their turn
attack those already wounded by the first three
groups...No one can fall into the power of any
demon, unless he has been wounded by those of
the front line.
 DEMONS OF THE WATCH
 The Deluder
Known also as the "spy demon".
The deluder is the demon sent to
see whether a human soul is a
fertile ground for the breeding of
the evil thoughts. If it finds the
soul lax and neglectful it informs
the front line demons to prepare
for harvesting. (Evagrius Dis.8)
 The Dejector
Known also as the "demon of
defeat". The dejector is the
demon that snaps out all desire to
succeed in virtue, to resist and
triumph over worldly concerns,
temptations and sin. The symbol
of this demon is the viper.
 FRONT LINE DEMONS
 Beelzebub (Gluttony)
A demon which drives a monk to
eat before the appointed time; a
demon which incites to over eat.
A demon which leads him to be
on a lookout for dainties and
delicacies.
 Asmodeus (Lust)
The demon of unchastity and the
desire of the flesh attacks us
from the time of our youth. Its
attack is two folds –in the body
and in the soul and therefore
should also be fought in those
two grounds.
 Mammon (Avarice)
According to St. Thomas
Aquinas (ST IIa IIae. 23-33) "By
Mammon is meant the devil who
is the Lord of Money".
AVARICE is a worldly sin that
 creates misers, thieves and
murderers. The wolf is the
animal usually depicted in
medieval bestiaries, coming up
from hell carrying Mammon to
inflame the human heart with
Greed. The demon of avarice
inflicts us with the feeling of
insecurity.
 Gaap (Anger)
The demon of anger employs
tactics resembling those of
unchastity. For he suggests
images of ourselves, or our
parents, friends, relatives being
gratuitously insulted or
maltreated, making us say or do
something vicious to those who
appear in our minds.
 Lype (Melancholy/ Discontent)
Worldly Sadness is the
equivalent of Lype. It is the
result of frustration of the
fulfillment of a desire which was
induced by either gluttony,
fornication, or greed. It can also
come from anger when the desire
for revenge is not fulfilled. It is
basically characterized by the
“deprivation of sensible
pleasure”.
 Belphegor (Sloth)
The demon of sloth is also
known as the demon of spiritual
despondency, who obscures the
soul's capacity for spiritual
contemplation and keeps it from
all good works.
 Kenodoxia (Vain Glory)
Vainglory gives rise in turn to
pride, which cast down from
heaven to earth the highest of the
angels, the seat of God’s likeness
and the crown of all beauty.
 Lucifer (Pride)
If the Lord does not build the
house and keep the city,
unavailingly does the builder
labor and the watchman stand his
guard.’ Such words as these
instill humility and root out that
long-standing evil which is pride
and which caused Lucifer…to be
cast down…”
He attacks the perfect above all
and seeks to destroy those who
have mounted almost to the
heights of holiness. Whereas the
other demons destroy only a
particular virtue opposed to it,
pride so darkens and troubles the
soul completely and leads it to its
utter downfall.
Spiritual reading, vigils, and
prayer bring the straying
intellect to stability.
Hunger, exertion, and
withdrawal from the world
wither burning lust.
- Extracts from the Texts on
Watchfulness, 5
ANATOMY OF EXTRAORDINARY DIABOLIC
ACTIVITY
 Man is in various ways subject to the influence of
evil spirits. By original sin he brought himself
into "captivity under the power of him who
thence [from the time of Adam's transgression]
had the empire of death, that is to say, the Devil",
and was through the fear of death all his lifetime
subject to servitude (Hebrews 2:15). Even though
redeemed by Christ, he is subject to violent
temptation, which is referred to as Ordinary
Demonic Activity.
 But the influence of the demon, based on
Scripture and the history of the Church, is even
more complex than mere temptation. He may
attack man's body
 from outside (obsession), or
 assume control of it from within (possession).
This is now referred to as “Extra-ordinary
Demonic Activity”.
 As we gather from the Desert Fathers, the
Fathers, the mystics, saints and the theologians,
the soul itself can never be "possessed" nor
deprived of liberty, though its ordinary control
over the members of the body may be hindered
by the obsessing spirit
EXTRA-ORDINARY DIABOLIC ACTIVITY
1. Oppression (Harassment)
2. Obsession (Desire)
3. Infestation (Plague)
 4. Subjugation (Suppression)
5. Possession (Control)
PRINCIPLES IN EXTRA DIABOLIC
ACTIVITY
 The devil wants to remain hidden and this is
the reason that all his activities are hidden,
occult, secretive
 In cases of possession, the possession may
not be even obvious and therefore occult for
long periods of time.
 It is only when there is an interior struggle,
i.e the possessed is resisting from inside, that
it manifests in an extraordinary manner or
 When somebody prays for the person or does
a deliverance/simple exorcism prayer that the
demon now manifests itself strongly.
 If the devil speaks about the truth of the
Christian faith, or of an action that would
drive him out, as long as it is the truth, it is
not of its own accord that it does so, but is
compelled either by the power of God, the
Holy Angels, the Blessed Virgin Mary, the
Saints, or by the authority of the Church
exercised through the rite of solemn
exorcism.
THE MECHANICS OF POSSESSION
1. Weakening of the will brought about by a
constant opening/s to diabolic influence either
through habitual gravely sinful life or practice of
the occult
2. Shrinking back of the will due to a diabolic
suggestion of terror. The constant oppression and
demonic harassment makes the soul hide in terror
allowing thereby the suspending its proper
control and functioning in the body
3. Surrendering of the will from either combat due
to weariness or a willful surrender/submission as
an act of worship to the devil.
4. Possession of the body
SIGNS OF POSSESSION
 Victim speaks or understands unknown
languages without ever studying the language
being spoken or heard
 Victim clearly knows things that are distant or
hidden
 Victim can predict future events (sometimes
through dreams)
 Victim has an intense hatred for holy things
 Victim shows a physical strength far above his
age or normal condition
CAUSES OF POSSESSION
1. Pure divine permission
2. Subject to a Curse
3. Grave Hardening of Sin
4. Proximity to Evil Places or Persons
DIVINE PERMISSION
 Nothing happens without divine permission, but
God never wills evil, suffering, or temptation. He
gave us freedom and allows the existence of evil,
but knows how to turn it into good. When he
gives the demon his permission to torment us, he
does so to strengthen us in virtue, as in the biblical
example of Job, as well as of many blessed and
saints. We must keep in mind that diabolical
harassment in itself has nothing to do with the
state of grace of its victims. Mystics and
theologians refer to this as “passive
purification”.
SUBJECT TO A CURSE
 Here, too, the victim is innocent, but there is
culpability on the part of whoever casts and/or
commissions the curse.
 Curse is the intention of harming others through
demonic intervention. This can be achieved in
many ways: malefice (or spell), binding, evil eye,
malediction, and so on.
GRAVE HARDENING OF SIN AND A SINFUL
LIFESTYLE
 Judas Iscariot is the classical Gospel example.
The many individuals who abandon themselves
to sexual perversions, violence, and drugs fall
into this group. The heinous crime of abortion
aggravates this situation; its terrible
repercussions are clearly seen during exorcisms,
because to liberate a victim who is guilty of
abortion usually requires a very long period of
time.
PROXIMITY TO EVIL PLACES OR PERSONS
 This includes attending spiritualistic session,
dabbling in magic, or consulting magicians, witch
doctors, and some card readers; also, practicing
 the occult, belonging to satanic sects, or
practicing in rites that climax with black masses,
and so on.
 Exposure to extreme violence and moral
perversity through mass media has been known
to trigger demonic activity.
DELIVERANCE FROM DIABOLIC
HARASSMENT AND POSSESSION
In cases where there is a confirmed case of diabolic
harassment:
 Deliverance prayer
 Simple Exorcism (can be performed by any
Christian faithful) coupled with…
 the use of the sacraments (confession and holy
communion) and sacramentals as an aid
 Spirit filled life
“The demon can actually imitate all the good actions
which we seem to perform, but he is genuinely
vanquished in the realm of love and humility.”
HUMILITY IS ACHIEVED ONLY
 through faith in God
 fear of God
 gentleness
 shedding of all possessions
“The thief who received the kingdom of heaven, though
not as the reward of virtue, is a true witness to the fact that
salvation is ours through the grace and mercy of God.
...perfection in holiness can be achieved only through
humility.”

In cases of confirmed diabolic possession:

 Solemn exorcism (to be performed only by an

appointed exorcist) complemented by…
 Sacramental confession and absolution
 Holy Communion
 Anointing of the sick
 Use of sacramental
 Spirit-filled life

FUNDAMENTAL WORDS OF CHRISTIAN

EXORCISM

“I command you, unclean spirit, whoever you may be, in

the name of God the Almighty Father, and in the name of
Jesus Christ, His Son, and of the Holy Spirit, that you let
go of this person (that you depart from this person,
whom the Lord has selected to be his temple).”
CONSIDERABLY EXPANDED WORDS OF
EXORCISM
 recounts all the deeds of Jesus
 and all of what the Devil can be accused of
 cites all of man’s supernatural meaning

REASONS FOR FAILURE OF EXORCISM

1. Lack of faith on the part of the possessed or of the
exorcist
2. Sinfulness of the possessed
3. Misuse of the necessary aids
4. Continuation of a magical spell (participation in
the occult, presence of occult objects)