Dear readers, this is the sort of thing that Popes do! They fight against the forces of Hell and they work for the salvation of souls.
When the ancient obelisk that was in the Circus of Caligula off to the side of St. Peter’s Basilica was moved to the center of the piazza in 1586, Pope Sixtus V caused to be inscribed on its base words from the Rite of Exorcism. And he exorcized the thing to stand against the approach to the basilica of demons and the possessed. Priests were asked to repeat the words from the exorcism as they approached. Pope Sixtus took a pagan thing, exorcized it, and made it a bulwark against the demonic.
That was then.
In 2019 a demon idol was brought into the Basilica and placed on the ALTAR over the bones of the first Vicar of Christ.
Here’s another things Popes do.
In 609 Pope Boniface IV took a pagan thing… the pagan thing… the Roman building dedicated to “all the gods… pan-theon” (aka demons) exorcised it and made it into a church!
This is the pattern, by the way. One might say, “This is the way.”
Before things are consecrated, they are exorcized.
There is a constant supernatural battle going on around us, between the holy angels and apostate demons. We have many helps in this battle, including sacramentals and, especially, the sacraments.
One sacramental is the Rite of Exorcism. There are “major” exorcisms and “minor”. Exorcisms can be done over people, things and places.
Church buildings ought to be exorcized inside and out before they are consecrated. In the traditional rite of the consecration of a church, first, the building is exorcized at three ascending levels, each with a procession around the building (in the same pattern/direction, btw, as the priest swings incense in circles over the gifts on the altar at the offertory). The process is repeated inside the church. Only then are the faithful allowed to enter.
THAT’s “pastoral”!
(For you libs, so you can understand, pástoral is a more serious version of your “pastóral” or, in extreme cases, “pastóreeal”).
In 609 the Emperor Phocas gave the magnificent ancient Roman Pantheon, the temple to “all the gods” to the Church.
Pope Boniface IV got rid of all the pagan stuff and consecrated it to the Mother of God and the martyrs on this day, 13 May.
Of course before anything is to be consecrated, it first had to be exorcized. This is especially the case with a pagan temple that had been dedicated to demons.
We have an account of the exorcism of the Pantheon before it was consecrated this day. In Italian HERE.
“In 608 the Byzantine emperor Phoca gave [the temple] to Pope Boniface IV and there was organized an evocative ceremony to consecrate it to the Christian God. On 13 May 609 a huge crowd gathered near the Pantheon to witness the event. Chronicles recount chaos and chilling screams that were felt from within: the pagan demons were aware of what was about to happen. The doors were thrown open and the Pope, in front of the entrance, began to recite the formulas for the exorcism. The screams from the idols increased in intensity, and the commotion deafened the ears of the onlookers. Fear gripped the crowd and no one was able to stand on their feet, looking and hearing that terrible spectacle. Only Boniface IV resisted and, undaunted, prayed and consecrated the Pantheon to Christ. It is said that the demons left the ancient temple chaotically and with a great din, fleeing from the open “eye” of the dome or from the main doors. Once the ceremony was over, the Pope dedicated the building to the Madonna dei Martiri, in memory, perhaps, of the many Christians killed in honor of those filthy idols … “
There was also a vision of Catherine Ann Emerich:
One of the visions of Bl. Catherine Emmerich was precisely about the exorcism and consecration of the Pantheon: “… I saw again the whole ceremony of the consecration of the temple: the holy martyrs assisted with Mary at their head. The altar was not placed in the middle, but was was up against the wall. I saw carried into church more than 30 carts of holy bones. Many of these were put into the walls. Others could be seen, where there were round holes in the wall, closed up with something that looked like glass. (p. Schmoeger, ‘Vie d’Anne Catherine Emmerich’, tomo III, pp. da 69 a 71)
Battles with the Enemy are fought on many levels. Let us not forget that demons are territorial and legalistic.
Once they claim a toehold, it requires effort to break their hold and get rid of them from places, things and persons.
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Please pray for me if you will, my brethren and sistren with and in Holy Church.
A return of some outrageous arthritic pain is currently accompanied by the French institutionally atheistic State seeking to cancel my disability benefit just as the disability itself is getting horridly worse again.
To say something on topic — I was baptised 20 years ago as an adult, and the three traditional prayers of exorcism were a major part of it.
Prayers of excorcism are VERY effective.
Thank you Fr Z –
Fascinating structure and history.
While walking around under the oculus, you will find holes in the floor to drain rainwater.
Perhaps our new Pope Leo should perform an exorcism where pacha mama was placed in and outside St, Peter’s-
The greatest weapon the devil has is our disbelief in him.
We neglect exorcisms at our own peril.
In reply pcg: Amen to that!
on a not real similar note… I’m fascinated with the baptism of bells. just interesting.
Baptism of bells…somewhere I read there is a book that relates how bells were used to ward off demons and even tornadoes, armies…something about the sound waves of certain types of bells, certain rhythms, interrupting the atmospheric conditions.
One of those things you wished you had bookmarked. Seems, vague memory, Germans confiscated church bells because they believed in some such power, not only that bells were warning/ communication? Anyone ever hear of this?