Leo XIII – Exorcismus against Satan and the rebel angels (1890): full text from ASS vol. 23

Full text of the Exorcismus in Satanam et Angelos Apostaticos published by mandate of Pope Leo XIII in 1890. Found in the primary source: Acta Sanctae Sedis vol. 23 (1890-1891), pp. 743-746. This is the original Latin text, taken directly from the PDF of the official collection, the basis of all the later editions of the Rituale Romanum appendix.

Original Latin text, beginning

Exorcismus in satanam et angelos apostaticos iussu Leonis XIII P.M. editus.

In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti. Amen.

Psalm 67. Let God arise and let His enemies be scattered; and let those who hate Him flee from His presence. As smoke is dissipated, so let them be dissipated; as wax melts before the fire, so let sinners perish before God.

Psalm 34. Judge, O Lord, those who do me harm, fight against those who attack me. Let those who seek my life be put to shame and terrified. Let those who plot evil against me turn back and be confounded. Let them be like dust before the wind: and let the angel of the Lord press upon them. Let their way become dark and slippery: and let the angel of the Lord pursue them…

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Precatio ad sanctum Michaelem Archangelum

“Princeps gloriosissime caelestis militiae, sancte Michael Archangele, defende nos in praelio et colluctatione, quae nobis est adversus principes et potestates, adversus mundi rectores tenebrarum harum, contra spiritualia nequitiae, in caelestibus (Ephes. VI). Veni in auxilium hominum, quos Deus creavit inexterminabiles, et ad imaginem similitudinis suae fecit, et a tyrannide diaboli emit pretio magno (Sap. II, I Cor. VI).

Praeliare hodie cum beato Angelorum exercitu praelia Domini, sicut pugnasti olim contra ducem superbiae Luciferum, et angelos eius apostaticos: et non valuerunt, neque locus inventus est eorum amplius in caelo. Sed proiectus est draco ille magnus, serpens antiquus, qui vocatur diabolus et satanas, qui seducit universum orbem, et proiectus est in terram, et angeli eius cum illo missi sunt (Apoc. XII).

The ancient enemy and murderer has risen up with great vehemence. Transfigured into an angel of light, with the whole host of evil spirits, he roams and invades the earth far and wide in order to blot out in it the name of God and of Christ His Son, to seize the souls destined for the crown of eternal glory, to slay them and to ruin them in eternal destruction.

Like a most filthy river, the malignant dragon pours the virus of his malice into men depraved in mind and corrupt in heart, the spirit of deceit, of impiety, and of blasphemy, the deadly breath of lust, of all vices and iniquities.

Ecclesiam, Agni immaculati sponsam, vaferrimi hostes repleverunt amaritudinibus, inebriarunt absinthio, ad omnia desiderabilia eius impias miserunt manus. Ubi sedes beatissimi Petri et Cathedra veritatis ad lucem gentium constituta est, ibi thronum posuerunt abominationis impietatis suae, ut percusso Pastore, et gregem disperdere valeant.

Adesto itaque, Dux invictissime, populo Dei contra irrumpentes spirituales nequitias, et fac victoriam. Te custodem et patronum sancta veneratur Ecclesia, te gloriatur defensore adversus terrestrium et infernorum nefarias potestades, tibi tradidit Dominus animas redemptorum in superna felicitate locandas.

Deprecare Deum pacis, ut conterat satanam sub pedibus nostris, ne ultra valeat captivos tenere homines et Ecclesiae nocere. Offer nostras preces in conspectu Altissimi, ut cito anticipent nos misericordiae Domini, et apprehendas draconem, serpentem antiquum, qui est diabolus et satanas, ac ligatum mittas in abyssum, ut non seducat amplius gentes (Apoc. XX).

English translation, precatio

“Most glorious Prince of the heavenly host, Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in the battle and in the struggle that we wage against the principalities and powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against the evil spirits scattered through the air (Eph 6:12). Come to the help of men, whom God created immortal and formed in His image and likeness, and whom He redeemed at a great price from the tyranny of the devil (Wis 2, 1 Cor 6).

Fight today, with the army of the blessed Angels, the battles of the Lord, as you fought of old against the prince of pride, Lucifer, and against his apostate angels: and they did not prevail, nor was there place found for them in heaven. But the great dragon was cast down, the ancient serpent, called the Devil and Satan, who seduces the whole world, and he was cast down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him (Rev 12).

Behold, the ancient enemy and murderer has risen up furiously. Transformed into an angel of light, with the whole throng of evil spirits he roams far and wide and invades the earth, in order to blot out in it the name of God and of Christ, and to steal, to wound, and to destroy in eternal torment the souls destined for the crown of eternal glory…”

Exorcismus, imperative formula

Latin: “Exorcizamus te, omnis immundus spiritus, omnis satanica potestas, omnis incursio infernalis adversarii, omnis legio, omnis congregatio et secta diabolica, in nomine et virtute Domini Nostri Iesu Christi, eradicare et effugare a Dei Ecclesia, ab animabus ad imaginem Dei conditis ac pretioso divini Agni sanguine redemptis +.

Dare no more, most cunning serpent, to deceive the human race, to persecute the Church of God, and to shake and sift the elect of God like wheat +. The Most High God commands you +, He to whom you still presume in your great pride to be like, who wills that all men be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Tim 2).

Imperat tibi Deus Pater +, imperat tibi Deus Filius +, imperat tibi Deus Spiritus Sanctus +. Imperat tibi maiestas Christi, aeternum Dei Verbum, caro factum qui pro salute generis nostri tua invidia perditi, humiliavit semetipsum factus obediens usque ad mortem (Phil 2), qui Ecclesiam suam aedificavit supra firmam petram, et portas inferi adversus eam numquam esse praevalituras edixit, cum ea ipse permansurus omnibus diebus usque ad consummationem saeculi (Matth 28, 20).

Imperat tibi sacramentum Crucis +, omniumque christianae fidei Mysteriorum virtus +. Imperat tibi excelsa Dei Genitrix Virgo Maria +, quae superbissimum caput tuum a primo instanti immaculatae suae conceptionis in sua humilitate contrivit. Imperat tibi fides sanctorum Apostolorum Petri et Pauli, et ceterorum Apostolorum +. Imperat tibi Martyrum sanguis, ac pia Sanctorum et Sanctarum omnium intercessio +.”

English translation, exorcismus

“We exorcise you, every unclean spirit, every satanic power, every incursion of the infernal adversary, every legion, every diabolical congregation and sect, in the name and by the power of Our Lord Jesus Christ, depart and flee from the Church of God, from the souls created in the image of God and redeemed by the precious Blood of the divine Lamb +.

Dare no more, most cunning serpent, to deceive the human race, to persecute the Church of God, and to sift the elect of God like wheat +. The Most High God commands you +, He to whom in your great pride you still presume to be like, who wills that all men be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Tim 2).

God the Father commands you +, God the Son commands you +, God the Holy Spirit commands you +. The majesty of Christ commands you, the eternal Word of God made flesh, who for the salvation of our race, lost through your envy, humbled Himself even unto death (Phil 2), who built His Church upon the firm rock, and declared that the gates of hell will never prevail against it, with which He will remain all days even to the consummation of the ages (Mt 28:20).

The sacrament of the Cross commands you +, and the power of all the Mysteries of the Christian faith +. The exalted Mother of God, the Virgin Mary, commands you +, who from the first instant of her Immaculate Conception crushed your most proud head by her humility. The faith of the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, and of the other Apostles, commands you +. The blood of the Martyrs commands you, and the pious intercession of all the Saints, men and women +.

Final adjuration

“Ergo, draco maledicte et omnis legio diabolica, adiuramus te per Deum + vivum, per Deum + verum, per Deum + sanctum, per Deum qui sic dilexit mundum, ut Filium suum unigenitum daret, ut omnis qui credit in eum non pereat, sed habeat vitam aeternam (Jo 3): cessa decipere humanas creaturas, eisque aeternae perditionis venenum propinare: desine Ecclesiae nocere, et eius libertati laqueos iniicere.

Begone, Satan, inventor and master of all deceit, enemy of human salvation. Give place to Christ, in whom you have found nothing of your works; give place to the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church, which Christ Himself purchased with His blood. Humble yourself under the mighty hand of God, tremble and flee, as we invoke the holy and terrible name of Jesus, at which hell trembles, to which the heavenly Virtues, the Powers, and the Dominations are subject, which the Cherubim and the Seraphim praise with unwearied voices, saying: Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God of Hosts.

Critical retrieval from the primary source

This text was taken by Locus Mariologicus directly from the original scanned PDF of the Acta Sanctae Sedis vol. 23, kept in the Mariologia Académica Libri library (Google Drive). It is the complete original text, before the later adaptations of the Rituale Romanum.

Liturgical legacy

This exorcism of Leo XIII (1890) was included in:

• Rituale Romanum 1925 (appendix, chap. XII)
• Tridentine edition kept until 1964
• Replaced in 1999 by the De Exorcismis et Supplicationibus Quibusdam
• Public use restricted to a priest with the express permission of the bishop since the CDF Letter Inde ab aliquot annis (1985)

Further reading

Leo XIII, Prayer to Saint Michael and Exorcismus (synthesis) | Saint Michael the Archangel | Rite of Exorcism 1999 | CDF Inde ab aliquot annis 1985

See our complete guide to Catholic Angelology.