Roman Ritual

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The Roman Ritual (Latin: Rituale Romanum) is a religious text of the Catholic faith. As the name implies, the text contains various religious rituals used in the Roman Catholic faith that are not in the Missal and Breviary and has also, for convenience, some that are in those books. Although made famous for the exorcism ritual (which was in turn made famous by the 1973 horror film The Exorcist), it also contains a variety of prayers and blessings; both common and esoteric. While the text is becoming increasingly more rare, every Catholic Diocese in the world has a Priest to whom matters of exorcism are brought to by the Bishop. The Rituale Romanum used to be the only text the Church will allow for a valid Exorcism.

In 1999, Jorge Medina Estévez presented journalists in Vatican-City the new version of the "Rituale Romanum" that has been used by the Catholic Church since 1614. The updates came after more than 10 years of editing and is called "De exorcismis et supplicationibus quibusdam" literally "Of Exorcisms and Certain Supplications" and otherwise known as "The exorcism for the upcoming millennium". The Pope approbated the new Exorcism Rite, which is now allowed for worldwide use. This new form of exorcism came after the German Bishops' Conference demanded to ultimately abolish the "Rituale Romanum" and especially the Exorcism entirely. The new Rituale Romanum has been met by fierce criticism by leading Vatican and Roman Catholic exorcists, including Fr. Gabriele Amorth. The preface to the new revised Ritual however contains a phrase which allows - for important reasons - the use of the old centuries-old Ritual, including its traditional exorcism prayers in Latin.

The following are the chapters in the original Ritual Romanum:

(according to Rituale Romanum Pauli V Pontificis Maximi Jussu Editum, Aliorumque Pontificum Cura recognitum. Atque ad normam Codicis Juris Canonici accommodatum. SSMI D. B. PII PAPAE XII auctoritate ordinatum et auctum. Editio I Juxta Typicam Vaticanam)

Chapter II DE SACRAMENTO BAPTISMI (Sacrament of Baptism)

Chapter III DE SACRAMENTO CONFIRMATIONIS (Sacrament of Confirmation)

Chapter IV DE SACRAMENTO POENITENTIAE (Sacrament of Penance)

Chapter V DE SANCTISSIMO EUCHARISTIAE SACRAMENTO (Most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist)

Chapter VI DE SACRAMENTO EXTREMAE UNCTIONIS (Sacrament of Extreme Unction)

Chapter VII DE EXSEQUIIS (Concerning Burial)

Chapter VIII DE SACRAMENTO MATRIMONII (Sacrament of Matrimony)

Chapter IX DE BENEDICTIONIBUS (Prayer of Blessings, Benedictions)

Chapter X DE PROCESSIONIBUS (Concerning Processions)

Chapter XI DE LITANIAE APPROBATAE (Approved Litanies)

Chapter XII DE EXORCIZANDIS OBSESSIS A DAEMONIO (Concerning the exorcism of demonic obsessed)