Hostage to the Devil

by Malachi Martin

  I hurried back into the study. But he told me to go with the usual silent wave of the hand.

  It was an early October morning when Breeda telephoned. The day was heavily overcast, and it rained continuously. A thunderstorm was moving in from the Atlantic. Michael had received the Last Rites of the Church, Breeda told me.

  When I arrived at the house, all was quiet. The doctor had seen him that morning, had left, and was back again. He was an old friend of Michael from their distant schooldays in Castleconnell. Michael’s relatives had come and gone. The bishop had sent a monsignor with a special blessing. Only Breeda and the doctor remained.

  In his room, lit by two candles, Michael was supported by pillows in a half-upright position on the bed, his body slightly turned to one side. He looked as if he had fallen limply from a height. He held a crucifix between his hands. Both his eyes were closed. His mouth was open as he endeavored to breathe.

  His face still had the devastated look. But now, as I tiptoed across the room, his face looked crooked to me, as if some hand had dislocated its general lines and destroyed its symmetry. The forehead was a mass of entangled furrows; the eyebrow line was crooked; one eyelid seemed more bulbous and puffy than the other; the nostrils flared irregularly; the nose and mouth were angular and seemed turned at the wrong place.

  Almost immediately after my arrival a change came over Michael. Without a sound, he started to turn around facing front. His body grew stiff. The heavily labored breathing grew easy.

  His lips moved; and, bending down close, I heard him say faintly: “Over there. In the corner. By the window. The candle. Please…”

  I moved one of the two candles to the top of a low bookcase and returned to his side.

  “It’s all very black, my friend,” he whispered as I bent down, “and…it stings.”

  The rest was lost in a moaning that streamed from between his teeth. Still bent over him, I opened Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians and started reading the verses he had requested, reciting them from memory as I looked at him, now and again glancing at the text.

  “‘We shall all be changed…in the twinkling of an eye…the dead shall be raised incorruptible…and this mortal must put on immortality…’”

  Michael was still moaning as if a great weight lay on him, holding him helpless.

  “‘…then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: Death is swallowed up in victory…the sting of death is sin…. Thanks be to God who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ…’”

  I stopped and waited. Michael’s chest had risen as he managed a large intake of breath. He seemed to be holding the air in his lungs, fearful to let go.

  “I’ll open the window,” said the doctor. As the two shutters swung in, the room was suddenly flooded with the grayish white light of the sky. There was a rush of cold air and the drumming sound of rain falling on the trees, the grass, the stone garden path, the roof, and the special sound of gutters running with water. An occasional gleam of lightning lit the gloom. The storm was not very distant and was moving quickly in over us.

  Michael, still holding his breath, clearly a man in great distress now, seemed to be trying to get something out of his throat or chest. His whole frame vibrated without moving from its place. His head shook sharply up and down in a little nodding motion. He raised his right hand slightly and pointed to the far corner: the candle had been blown out by the fresh air that had entered the room.

  I hurried over to relight it, but was only a few feet from his side when I heard a sharp sound like the opening of a tightly closed door. Michael released his breath; and as he did, it began to resound in his chest and throat louder and louder. As he exhaled, the sound it made grew to a small crescendo. It was not a shout or a scream, nor was it simply escaping air. It was a tremulous pronouncement as near words as such a sound could be without using words. A death song sung with the only accents his dying permitted him.

  I came back and knelt beside him. “His victory, Michael. His victory. Believe it! His victory!” I whispered.

  The sound of his breath died away gently like the most finalizing of final statements ending all discussion, completing all expression. He lay there utterly still. Then both his eyes opened. The gaze in them held me hypnotized. Gone was the filmy gauze which had clouded them. There was no trace of the ooze and deformity that had distorted them in previous weeks. An invisible hand had wiped away the disfigurement and agony lines from all over his face. It was now smooth. Between his eyes and his mouth a triangle of joy shone in his smile and in his look. The faded blue his eyes had aquired in latter years was now luminous, not deep and sharp, but soft and glowing. All that I had ever known, read about, heard of, imagined of human happiness and of unalloyed joy in peace, and peace in joy shone out for that brief interval.

  Then there was a tiny rattle in Michael’s throat. The lips smiled faintly. The eyes lost all light. I felt sure Michael had partaken in Jesus’ victory over death and that he had escaped death’s sting. But he had, indeed, paid the price for his failure of years before.

  We will never know the exact note of suffering such a man as Michael Strong must undergo at dying, for it lies in the spirit unattainable by our logic, unimaginable by our fantasy, impervious to any clever methodology we can devise. But each exorcist could well have as his epitaph the most noble phrase Jesus ever pronounced about human love: “Greater love than this no man hath: that a man lay down his life for his friend.”

  APPENDIX ONE

  The Roman Ritual of Exorcism

  PRELIMINARY NOTE

  The traditional text of the Roman Exorcism Ritual, which follows here in translation, has a long history of development. Starting with the explicit command and example of Jesus to “drive out devils,” continuing through the age of the Apostles, and the century following their death, on through the centuries of the early Church Fathers (200–600 a.d.), and into Medieval Times, there is an unbroken tradition of belief and Church practice in this matter of Exorcism. Some parts of the present text are identifiably of the late 3rd and early 4th centuries. Others certainly predate the year 1000 a.d. Much of the text was developed in the centuries leading up to the Renaissance. The text finally reached its present format in the 17th century.

  The Roman Ritual is divided into three Chapters. In Chapter One, there is a series of general instructions for Exorcism and exorcists. There follow two versions of the Rite. One version (Chapter Two) is for the exorcism of people; the second version (Chapter Three) is reserved for the exorcism of places.

  In the Latin, these Chapters are not subdivided. In presenting an English translation of the text, however, I have divided each Chapter into numbered parts, and have supplied descriptive titles for each part, so that the sequence and logic of the Rite would be more apparent to the reader.

  It is important to remember that the Exorcism Ritual is not a Sacrament. Its integrity and efficacy do not depend, therefore, as in Sacraments, on the rigid use of an unchanging formula or on the ordered sequence of prescribed actions. Its efficacy depends on two elements: authorization from valid and licit Church authorities, and the faith of the exorcist.

  This nature of Exorcism as a Church rite rather than as a Church Sacrament has an important consequence. Church authorities have always insisted on a structured text to ensure that the essentials of Exorcism (the summoning and expulsion of Evil Spirit solely in the name of Jesus) are maintained in each exorcism. Yet, in spite of traditional formality, great freedom is allowed and practiced in the use of the Ritual text. The very nature of Exorcism makes this a necessity; in the turbulent and changeful atmosphere of an actual exorcism, it would be impossible to adhere rigidly to a given text and ceremonial.

  In practice, the flow of the text is broken by dialogues between exorcist and Evil Spirit. Exorcists, according as they judge fit, omit certain parts, repeat others, substitute their own Psalm and Gospel readings, have their own favorite prayers, always use at least the Second Exorcism Ad
dress to Evil Spirit, give blessings with relics, add further Signs of the Cross, and otherwise vary the printed Ritual, as they would and could never vary the official text of a Sacrament.

  Nowadays, parts of the text—especially well-known prayers—are sometimes prayed or recited in the vernacular (German, English, French, etc.). But, among exorcists as a class of Church ministers, there seems to be a persuasion born of experience that the Latin text has some special unction and disruptive value for Evil Spirit. This may be part and parcel of the peculiar bond between spirit and material or human things which is one of the most consistent traits displayed by spirit in exorcisms.

  The main parts of the Ritual are performed, of course, by the exorcist alone. His assistants (indicated in the text by the letter A) join him in Psalm and Gospel readings and in responding Amen to nine Prayers and Addresses. Some exorcists add two or three assistants to the usual four; and the additional assistants recite the Rosary or chant hymns right through the exorcism.

  Whenever a printed cross appears in the following text, the exorcist makes the Sign of the Cross in the general direction of the exorcee, unless the text indicates a precise place or direction (as, the forehead of the exorcee, the assistants, or etc.).

  CHAPTER ONE: INSTRUCTIONS FOR EXORCISING THOSE POSSESSED BY EVIL SPIRIT

  1: The priest who with the particular and explicit permission of his Bishop is about to exorcise those tormented by Evil Spirit, must have the necessary piety, prudence and personal integrity. He should perform this most heroic work humbly and courageously, not relying on his own strength, but on the power of God; and he must have no greed for material benefit. Besides, he should be of mature age and be respected as a virtuous person.

  2: To perform his task correctly, he should be acquainted with the many practical writings of approved authors on the subject of Exorcism. These are omitted here for the sake of brevity. He should, in addition, carefully observe the following few rules which are of major importance.

  3: Above all, he must not easily believe that someone is possessed by Evil Spirit. He must be thoroughly acquainted with those signs by which he can distinguish the possessed person from those who suffer from a physical illness. The signs of possession by Evil Spirit are of a peculiar genre. Among others: when the subject speaks unknown languages with many words or understands unknown languages; when he clearly knows about things that are distant or hidden; when he shows a physical strength far above his age or normal condition. These manifestations together with others of the same kind are major indications.

  4: To be all the surer, the exorcist should interrogate the subject after one or two exorcism addresses, asking him what he feels in his spirit or in his body. In this way, also, he will find out what words disturb Evil Spirit more than others; and thus he can repeat such words and have greater effect on Evil Spirit.

  5: Let the exorcist note for himself the tricks and deceits which evil spirits use in order to lead him astray. For they are accustomed to answering falsely. They manifest themselves only under pressure—in the hope that the exorcist will get tired and desist from pressuring them. Or they make it appear that the subject of Exorcism is not possessed at all.

  6: Sometimes, Evil Spirit betrays its presence, and then goes into hiding. It appears to have left the body of the possessed free from all molestation, so that the possessed thinks he is completely rid of it. But the exorcist should not, for all that, desist until he sees the signs of liberation.

  7: Sometimes, also, Evil Spirit throws up every possible obstacle in order to stop the possessed from submitting to Exorcism. Or it tries to persuade him that his affliction is quite natural. Sometimes, during Exorcism, it gets the possessed to go to sleep; or it shows him some vision. But it hides itself, so that the possessed appears to be freed from it.

  8: Some evil spirits reveal an occult spell and by whom it was made, and the way in which it can be loosened. But the exorcist must beware of having recourse in such matters to witches or warlocks or sorcerers or to any others beyond Church ministers. And let him not rely on any superstitious practice or any other illicit method.

  9: Sometimes, Evil Spirit leaves the possessed in peace and even allows him to receive Holy Communion, so that It seems to have gone away. In sum, innumerable are the stratagems and deceits which Evil Spirit uses in order to deceive men. The exorcist must practice caution in order not to be deceived by any of them.

  10: He must remember, therefore, that Our Lord said there is a species of Evil Spirit which cannot be expelled except by prayer and fasting. Let him make sure that he and others follow the example of the Holy Fathers and make use of these two principal means of obtaining divine help and of repelling Evil Spirit.

  11: If it is convenient, the possessed can be exorcised in a church or in some other religious and appropriate place apart from the public eye. If the subject is ill, or if there is any other good reason, he can be exorcised in a private house.

  12: The possessed must be encouraged to pray to God, to fast, and to get spiritual strength from the Sacraments of Confession and Holy Communion, if he enjoys mental and physical health.

  13: The possessed should hold a Crucifix in his hands or have it in front of him. Wherever available, the relics of the saints can be placed on his chest, or on his head. They should be appropriately and safely covered. But let care be taken that these holy things are not treated irreverently and damaged by Evil Spirit. The Holy Eucharist should not be placed on the head or anywhere on the body of the possessed. There is a danger that it will be treated irreverently.

  14: The exorcist must not make great speeches or put superfluous questions out of vain curiosity, especially about future events and hidden matters which have nothing to do with his work. He should command the unclean spirit to keep silent and only to respond to what is asked of it. And he must give no credence to Evil Spirit, if it claims to be the soul of some saint or of a dead person or to be the Good Angel.

  15: Questions he must ask the possessing Evil Spirit are, for example: the number and name of the possessing spirits; when they entered the possessed; why they entered him; and other questions of the same kind. Let the exorcist restrain the other vanities, mockeries, and foolishnesses of Evil Spirit. He should treat them with contempt. And he should admonish those who are present—who should be few in number—not to take any notice of what Evil Spirit says and not to put any questions to the possessed. Let them pray humbly and fervently to God for the deliverance of the possessed.

  16: The exorcist should perform and read the exorcism with command, authority, great faith, humility, and fervor. And, when he sees that the possessing spirit is being tortured mightily, he should multiply all these efforts at pressuring it. Whenever he sees some part of the possessed person’s body moving or pierced or some swelling appearing, let him make the Sign of the Cross and sprinkle Holy Water.

  17: Let him pay attention also to the words and expressions which disturb Evil Spirit most, and repeat them very often. And when he arrives at the point of Expulsion, let him pronounce that Expulsion again and again, always increasing the punishment. And, if he sees that he is succeeding, let him persevere until he is finally victorious.

  18: Finally, let the exorcist beware not to offer any medicine to the possessed or suggest any to him. All this he should leave to the medical doctors.

  19: If he is exorcising a woman, he should have with him some reputable women who will hold the possessed when she is tormented and shaken by Evil Spirit. Such women should be of great patience and belong to the family of the possessed. The exorcist must be mindful of scandal and avoid doing or saying anything which could provoke ill for himself or for others.

  20: During Exorcism, the exorcist should use the words of the Bible rather than his own or somebody else’s. Also, he should command Evil Spirit to state whether it is kept within the possessed because of some magical spell or sorcerer’s symbol or some occult documents. For the exorcism to succeed, the possessed must surrender them.
If he has swallowed something like that, he will vomit it up. If it is outside his body in some place or other, Evil Spirit must tell the exorcist where it is. When the exorcist finds it, he must burn it.

  21: If the possessed person is freed from Evil Spirit, he should be advised to be diligent in avoiding sinful actions and thoughts. If he does not, he could give Evil Spirit a fresh occasion for returning and possessing him. In that case, he would be in a much worse condition than before.

  CHAPTER TWO: RITUAL FOR EXORCISING THOSE POSSESSED BY EVIL SPIRIT

  1: PRELIMINARY INSTRUCTIONS

  Before starting the exorcism, the priest appointed by the Bishop should make a good Confession—or, at least, renew in his heart sincere contrition for all his sins. He should say Mass, and ask for God’s help. Then, wearing a surplice and purple stole, he should stand in front of the possessed. The possessed should be tied down, if there is any danger of violence. The exorcist is then to invoke protection on the possessed, on himself, and on his assistants, by making the Sign of the Cross and sprinkling Holy Water.

  2: INVOCATIONS

  Then, kneeling down, he is to recite the following invocations, to which his assistants respond:

  Exorcist:

  (The Litanies of the Saints).

  Do not remember, O Lord, our sins or those of our forefathers.

  Assistants:

  And do not punish us for our offences.

  E:

  (Pater Noster)—silently until the last part:

  And lead us not into temptation.

  A:

  But deliver us from evil.

  E:

  (Psalm 53)

  Save this man (woman) your servant.

  A:

  Because he (she) hopes in you, My God.

  E:

  Be a tower of strength for him (her), O Lord.