78-487: Practical Magic is a 1998 American romantic fantasy film based on the 1995 novel Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman . The film was directed by Griffin Dunne and stars Sandra Bullock , Nicole Kidman , Dianne Wiest , Stockard Channing , Aidan Quinn , and Goran Višnjić . Bullock and Kidman play sisters Sally and Gillian Owens, descended from a long line of witches. Raised by their aunts after their parents' death from
156-516: A blood pact to always be faithful to one another. Gillian spends the next decade moving from relationship to relationship across the country, while back in Massachusetts, Sally meets and marries a man named Michael. They have two daughters, Kylie and Antonia. After Michael is fatally hit by a truck, Sally and her girls move in with the aunts. Learning that they secretly cast a love spell on her so that she could marry and be happy, Sally swears
234-414: A community and a purpose larger than themselves. Magic and psychic abilities are often in-born talents; intelligent animals speak; and societies are egalitarian." In 2023 and 2024, romantic fantasy novels termed "romantasy" became a social media trend. Sales of the books have been widely driven by promotion on social media, particularly the part of TikTok known as BookTok . The Economist notes that
312-500: A darker vision for the film. The scene with Sally and Gilly inserting needles into Jimmy was supposed to be much more disturbing and the domestic violence plot line was more intense, but the studio cut the darker material. He expressed interest in a director's cut . According to Sandra Bullock in the DVD commentary, while filming the scene where the Owens women are drunk and slinging insults,
390-480: A demon resulting in harm to self or others. Therefore, practitioners regard exorcism as more of a cure than a punishment. The mainstream rituals usually take this into account, making sure that there is no violence to the possessed, only that they be tied down if there is potential for violence. Requested and performed exorcism began to decline in the United States by the 18th century and occurred rarely until
468-423: A demonic possession. Religious figures would have been presented with an individual and base their diagnosis of possession upon their own knowledge, which would be based on religious understandings. The occurrence of a possession, has similar characteristics of someone who is experiencing a mental illness. Characteristics such as an abrupt change in behaviour and demeanor, loss of faith, thoughts of being chosen by
546-487: A demonic power, experiences in seeing and hearing evil entities, and persistent fear in demonic forces. These are deemed as unfavorable within religious influence, therefore are treated and diagnosed within religious collectives, as illness. However, not all possessions were deemed as negative, possessions occurring among the higher classes typically went untreated as they were said to be undertaken by benevolent spirits upholding social order; whereas possessions experienced by
624-407: A family curse, the sisters were taught the uses of practical magic as they grew up. As adults, Sally and Gillian must use their magic to destroy the evil spirit of Gillian's abusive boyfriend before it kills them. The film was released on October 16, 1998. The film grossed $ 68.3 million worldwide against a $ 75 million budget. Upon initial release, the film received mixed reviews from critics who found
702-475: A forbidden spell, which causes him to return and attack Gillian. Sally kills him again, and the sisters bury his remains in the garden. Sally, Gillian and the aunts have a midnight drinking session in which Jimmy's tequila seems to be influencing them to turn against each other. The aunts leave home the following morning, leaving a message to the sisters to clean up their own mess. State investigator Gary Hallet arrives from Tucson, Arizona in search of Jimmy, who
780-527: A formal exorcism, called a "Major Exorcism", is given in Section 11 of the Rituale Romanum . The Ritual lists guidelines for conducting an exorcism, and for determining when a formal exorcism is required. Priests are instructed to carefully determine that the nature of the condition is not actually a psychological or physical illness before proceeding. In Catholic practice, the person performing
858-455: A ghost to possess them. The Fashi , who are both Chinese ritual specialists and Taoist priests, are able to conduct particular rituals for exorcism. These rituals will vary between the many sects which are further influenced by the geographic region in which the specific Taoist is from. A Zheng Yi sect Taoist in Beijing may conduct a ritual completely different from a Taoist of the same sect in
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#1732794368257936-595: A hex put on it." Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times spoke of the film's unsure tone, "veering uncertainly from horror to laughs to romance", and opined that the movie "is too scary for children and too childish for adults". Garth Stahl of the Hartford Courant was more positive, noting that women in dark comedy and depictions of sisterhood are rare in film. He wrote Practical Magic "has its flaws. Some scenes are weak, occasionally lines are
1014-464: A little muddled, and there is some plot underdevelopment. Yet it is daring and fun — a frolic for two charming actresses and a dapper film premise". He concluded "The main source of attraction is undeniably the enchanting and witty witchcraft. It is simultaneously what makes the Owen sisters outcasts and what makes them special. With a few very sharp scenes, including a jazzy dance sequence, 'Practical Magic'
1092-607: A lot of fun." The film has acquired a cult following over the years. Writing about Practical Magic ' s legacy in 2018, David Sims of The Atlantic discussed how the film centers relationships between women through the Owens bloodline as well as in the final scene involving the town's women uniting to free Gillian from Jimmy's control. He described the film as a mainstream studio feature "that wove dark themes about gender and power into an ostensible crowd-pleasing comedy", qualities that made it unusual for its time and have contributed to its staying power. Practical Magic entered
1170-694: A major exorcism, Lutheran liturgical texts state that a physician be consulted in order to rule out any medical or psychiatric illness. The rite of exorcism centers chiefly around driving out demons "with prayers and contempt" and includes the Apostles' Creed and the Lord's Prayer . Baptismal liturgies in Lutheran Churches include a minor exorcism . While a very rare practice in the Church, there are two methods for performing an exorcism. The first
1248-546: A pillar of light exactly over my head above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me. His second experience comes from a journal entry in which he talks about the time he performed an exorcism on a friend. The practice of reciting or listening to the Paritta began very early in the history of Buddhism . It is a Buddhist practice of reciting certain verses and scriptures from Pali Canon in order to ward off misfortune or danger. The belief in
1326-476: A southern area such as Hong Kong. For example, the leaders of these exorcism rituals who are tangki that invited the divine powers from the Deities and conduct a dramatic performance to call out against the demons so the village can once again have peace. The leaders strike themselves with various sharp weapons to show their invincibility to ward off the demons and also to let out their blood. This form of blood
1404-499: A strong argument for future collaborations." Another review aggregator, Metacritic , which assigns a weighted average , gives a score of 46 out of 100 reviews based on reviews from 22 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews". Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of 'B-' on an A+ to F scale. Owen Gleiberman of Entertainment Weekly gave Practical Magic a negative review, calling it "a witch comedy so slapdash, plodding, and muddled it seems to have had
1482-458: A time as if I were doomed to sudden destruction. But exerting all my powers to call upon God to deliver me out of the power of this enemy which had seized upon me, and at the very moment when I was ready to sink into despair and abandon myself to destruction, not to an imaginary ruin but to the power of some actual being from the unseen world who had such a marvelous power as I had never before felt in any being, just at this moment of great alarm I saw
1560-464: A uniquely expansive view of exorcism, believing every Christian undertakes exorcism through their struggle against sin and evil: The whole Church, past, present and future, has the task of an exorcist to banish sin, evil, injustice, spiritual death, the devil from the life of humanity ... Both healing and exorcising are ministered through prayers, which spring from faith in God and from love for man ... All
1638-580: A way to drive away the spirit is common in all sects. Demonic possession is not a psychiatric or medical diagnosis recognized by either the DSM-5 or the ICD-10 . Those who profess a belief in demonic possession have sometimes ascribed to possession the symptoms associated with physical or mental illnesses , such as hysteria , mania , psychosis , Tourette's syndrome , epilepsy , schizophrenia or dissociative identity disorder . Additionally, there
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#17327943682571716-613: Is a common Aid for exorcisms. Its use belongs to the Prayer to St. Michael . The Eastern Orthodox Church has a rich and complex tradition of exorcism. The practice is traced to biblical accounts of Jesus expelling demons and exhorting his apostles to "cast out devils". The church views demonic possession as the devil's primary means of enslaving humanity and rebelling against God. Orthodox Christians believe objects, as well as individuals, can be possessed. As in other Christian churches, Orthodox exorcists expel demons by invoking God through
1794-460: Is a form of monomania called demonomania or demonopathy in which the patient believes that they are possessed by one or more demons. The illusion that exorcism works on people experiencing symptoms of possession is attributed by some to placebo effect and the power of suggestion . Some cases suggest that supposedly possessed persons are actually narcissists or have low self-esteem and act demonically possessed in order to gain attention. Within
1872-612: Is a member of a Christian Church , or an individual thought to be graced with special powers or skills. The exorcist may use prayers and religious material, such as set formulae, gestures , symbols , sacred images , sacramentals , etc. Certain Christian theologians have held that the wearing of a headcovering by Christian females confers protection against fallen angels , which they teach are referenced in 1 Corinthians 11:3–10 . The exorcist often invokes God , Jesus or several different angels and archangels to intervene with
1950-483: Is also a serial killer. Gillian tries to make him drink a potion that will make him leave them alone, but Sally's daughters realize he is the man of Sally's childhood spell so they throw the potion away. After Gillian and Sally fight, Sally breaks down and confesses to Gary, only to realize he is the impossible man from her childhood love spell. Unable to deny their attraction, they kiss. Returning home, Sally discovers Jimmy's spirit has possessed Gillian's body. Gary sees
2028-464: Is by anointing with consecrated oil and laying on of hands followed by a blessing on a specific person and commanding the spirit to leave. The second and most common method is done by "raising the hand to the square" and then "commanding the spirit away in the name of Jesus Christ and with the power or authority of the Melchizedek priesthood". Exorcisms can only be performed by someone holding
2106-643: Is considered to be sacred and powerful, so after the rituals, the blood is blotted with talismans and placed on the door of houses as an act of spiritual protection against evil spirits. Such ritual using blood however is more common among folk sects such as LuShan, and does not take place in more orthodox sects such as QuanZhen or Zheng Yi who are more monastic in nature. However, it is possible that folk Taoists in rural areas descended from orthodox sects may be influenced by local folk religions, so it may be seen. Historically, all Taoist exorcisms include usage of Fulu , chanting, physical gesture like mudras, and praying as
2184-553: Is most focused on knowledge such as exorcism, magic, and alchemy. The basic means of exorcism are the mantra (a sacred utterance of certain phonemes or phrases that is often connected to a particular deity) and the yajna (a sacrifice, offering, or ritual done before a sacred fire). These are performed in accordance with Vedic traditions as well as the Tantra , the later esoteric teachings and practices within Hinduism. Within
2262-475: Is most likely rooted in pre-Christian paganism, and although the church rejects the notion that the evil eye can have such power, it does recognize the phenomenon as morally and spiritually undesirable and thus a target for exorcism. From the 16th century onward, Lutheran pastoral handbooks describe the primary symptoms of demonic possession to be knowledge of secret things, knowledge of languages one has never learned, and supernatural strength. Before conducting
2340-405: Is the market, and the novels are known for representing minorities. Exorcism Exorcism (from Ancient Greek ἐξορκισμός ( exorkismós ) 'binding by oath') is the religious or spiritual practice of evicting demons , jinns , or other malevolent spiritual entities from a person, or an area, that is believed to be possessed. Depending on the spiritual beliefs of
2418-560: Is the religious practice of evicting evil spirits from person or place. The phrase itself is most commonly associated with Christianity, specifically Catholicism. It is recognized culturally around the world, and in modern discourse. This phenomenon has been made popular both in cinema and literature, with notable films such as The Exorcist (1973) taking a forefront in pop culture. The circumstances in which an exorcism would take place were determined by values set in place by religious collectives reflecting that time period. Even in modern times,
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2496-500: Is worth [it]. It is a step toward allowing women to assert themselves in the genre of dark comedy. Now isn't that practical." Reviewing the film for Amazon , Tom Keogh said, "The film has a variety of tonal changes--cute, scary, glum--that Dunne can't always effectively juggle. But the female-centric, celebratory nature of the film (the fantasies, the sharing, the witchy bonds) is infectious, and supporting roles by Dianne Wiest and Stockard Channing as Kidman and Bullock's magical aunts are
2574-467: The adhan (call for daily prayers) is also read, as this has the effect of repelling non-angelic unseen beings or the jinn . According to a study by Alean Al-Krenawi and John Graham, the process of Quranic healing in order to exorcise spirits can be divided into three stages: Josephus reports exorcisms performed by administering poisonous root extracts and others by making sacrifices. In more recent times, Rabbi Yehuda Fetaya (1859–1942) authored
2652-448: The Max top 10 movies chart, securing the #5 spot just one day after its October 1, 2024 premiere on the streaming platform. In June 2024, it was announced that a sequel was in development. Bullock and Kidman will return to produce the film with Di Novi and also being in talks to star in it. Later that same month, Nicole Kidman confirmed that she and Sandra Bullock would reprise their roles in
2730-472: The Melchizedek priesthood , the higher of the two priesthoods of the Church, and can be performed by anyone holding that priesthood, however they are generally performed by bishops , missionaries , mission presidents , or stake presidents . Exorcisms are not recorded by the Church and therefore the number of exorcisms performed in the religion are unknown. Demonic possession is rarely talked about in
2808-450: The chivalric romance genre. One of the key features of romantic fantasy involves the focus on relationships, social, political, and romantic. Romantic fantasy has been published by both fantasy lines and romance lines. As a result of the financial success of authors such as Sarah J. Maas and Rebecca Yarros , publishers have been creating imprints to focus on this subgenre. Some publishers distinguish between "romantic fantasy" where
2886-432: The exorcist , this may be done by causing the entity to swear an oath, performing an elaborate ritual , or simply by commanding it to depart in the name of a higher power. The practice is ancient and part of the belief system of many cultures and religions. In Christianity , exorcism is the practice of casting out or getting rid of demons . In Christian practice, the person performing the exorcism, known as an exorcist ,
2964-454: The 29th, is held on the 29th of the 12th Tibetan month, with its focus on driving out all negativity, including evil spirits and misfortunes of the past year, and starting the new year in a peaceful and auspicious way. The temples and monasteries throughout Tibet hold grand religious dance ceremonies, with the largest at Potala Palace in Lhasa . Families clean their houses on this day, decorate
3042-613: The Coven" and "Maria Owens") of Nyman's score has been circulating among fans as a bootleg . The complete Nyman score runs 62:30 and contains music that would later appear, in altered form, in Ravenous and The Actors , as well as a bit of his stepwise chord progression theme from Out of the Ruins / String Quartet No. 3 / Carrington / The End of the Affair / The Claim . "Convening
3120-1143: The Coven", though not "Maria Owens," was subsequently reissued on The Very Best of Michael Nyman: Film Music 1980–2001 , and music that uses material related to this piece has not been used elsewhere. "Convening the Coven" became "City of Turin" on The Glare . Singer Stevie Nicks headlined the soundtrack's published advertisements, promoting her song "If You Ever Did Believe" and a new recording of her song " Crystal ," both featuring Sheryl Crow on back-up vocals. Shipments figures based on certification alone. Practical Magic opened at #1 with $ 13.1 million in ticket sales. The film went on to gross $ 68.3 million worldwide, less than its $ 75 million production budget. Practical Magic received negative reviews from critics upon release, who panned its inconsistent tone and script. The review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reported an approval rating of 25%, with an average score of 4.8/10, based on 99 reviews. The site's consensus states: " Practical Magic ' s jarring tonal shifts sink what little potential its offbeat story may have -- though Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock's chemistry makes
3198-406: The actresses actually got drunk on very bad tequila brought by Kidman. The cast further stated in the film's commentary that they felt supernatural elements of the house started to affect them. Both the cast and crew claimed they heard supernatural noises while filming the coven scene at the end of the film. For the final scene with all of the townspeople at the Owens home, the entire population of
Practical Magic - Misplaced Pages Continue
3276-455: The aid of the townswomen to form a coven to exorcise Jimmy's spirit. They break the Owens curse, exorcising Jimmy's spirit and allowing the coven to exile him permanently. In Tucson, Gary clears the sisters of any suspicion in Jimmy's case, as Jimmy's cause of death was officially declared an accident. Gary then returns to Massachusetts to be with Sally. The Owens women are finally welcomed into
3354-435: The aunts will never teach her daughters magic. Gillian unexpectedly tells Sally she has become involved with a dangerously abusive man named Jimmy Angelov. When Sally arrives to rescue her sister, he holds them both hostage in his car. Sally puts belladonna into Jimmy's tequila to sedate him, but inadvertently kills him instead. The sisters take Jimmy's body back to the aunts' house, where they attempt to resurrect him using
3432-501: The book Minchat Yahuda , which deals extensively with exorcism, his experience with possessed people, and other subjects of Jewish thought. The book is written in Hebrew and was translated into English. The Jewish exorcism ritual is performed by a rabbi who has mastered Kabbalah . Also present is a minyan (a group of ten adult males), who gather in a circle around the possessed person. The group recites Psalm 91 three times, and then
3510-505: The boundaries of professional ethics by attempting to persuade his patients to accept Christianity. One scholar has described psychosurgery as "Neurosurgical Exorcisms", with trepanation having been widely used to release demons from the brain. Meanwhile, another scholar has equated psychotherapy with exorcism. In the UK, the numbers of exorcisms performed were increasing as of 2017 . A Church of England thinktank, Theos , stated that
3588-684: The church. Demonic possession has been talked about twice by Joseph Smith , the founder of the faith. The first time refers to his experience during the First Vision and he recorded the following in his "1831 account of the First Vision": I kneeled down and began to offer up the desires of my heart to God, I had scarcely done so, when immediately I was seized upon by some power which entirely overcame me and had such astonishing influence over me as to bind my tongue so that I could not speak. Thick darkness gathered around me and it seemed to me for
3666-402: The church. Sudden onsets of peculiar attitudes and behaviours within these societies was often diagnosed as demonic influence, or in extreme cases, demonic possession. It is known those who follow religious practise, are more likely to turn to a religious figure than a medical professional in the occurrence of these different behaviours, therefore leading to a higher incidence of the occurrence of
3744-487: The community by the townsfolk, who now accept them as witches. Practical Magic was filmed in part on an artificial set in California . Because the film's producers decided the house was a big part of the depiction of the Owens culture, a house to accurately represent that vision was built on San Juan Island in the state of Washington. While much of the set from California was brought to that location and placed inside
3822-609: The demon/the spirit), ʿilāj (treatment), and ibrāʾ al-maṣrūʿ (curing the possessed), but also ruḳya (enchantment or cleansing) is used to exorcise various spirits. The Islamic prophet Muhammad taught his followers to read the last three suras from the Quran , Surat al-Ikhlas (The Fidelity), Surat al-Falaq (The Dawn) and Surat an-Nas (Mankind). The permissibility of exorcism, as well as models for its practice, can be traced to Hadiths reporting Muhammad and Jesus performing exorcism rites. Islamic exorcisms might consist of
3900-769: The dominant Hindu sect of Vaishnava , which reveres Vishnu as the supreme being, exorcisms are performed by reciting the names of Narasimha , a fierce avatar of Vishnu that seeks to destroy evil and restore Dharma , or by reading the Bhagavata Purana , a highly revered text that tells the story of good vanquishing evil. Another resource for exorcisms is the Garuda Purana , a vast corpus of literature mostly centered on Vishnu, deals heavily with topics related to death, disease, good versus evil, and spiritual health. The devotional hymn known as Hanuman Chalisa advises conducting exorcisms by praying to Lord Hanuman ,
3978-681: The effective spiritual power to heal, or protect, of the Sacca-kiriyā , or asseveration of something quite true is an aspect of the work ascribed to the paritta . Several scriptures in the Paritta like Metta Sutta , Dhajagga Sutta, or Ratana Sutta can be recited for exorcism purposes, and Āṭānāṭiya Sutta is regarded as particularly effective. The ritual of the Exorcising-Ghost day is part of Tibetan tradition. The Tibetan religious ceremony 'Gutor' ༼དགུ་གཏོར་༽, literally offering of
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#17327943682574056-696: The exorcism, known as an exorcist, must be an ordained priest. The exorcist recites prayers according to the rubrics of the rite, and makes use of religious materials such as icons , sacramentals (e.g. holy water ), and holy relics . The exorcist invokes God —specifically the Name of Jesus Christ—as well as the Most Blessed Virgin Mary , saints of the Church Triumphant and the Archangel Michael to intervene with
4134-563: The exorcism. According to Catholic understanding, several weekly exorcisms over many years are sometimes required to expel a deeply entrenched demon. Saint Michael's Prayer against Satan and the Rebellious Angels , attributed to Pope Leo XIII , is considered the strongest prayer of the Catholic Church against cases of diabolic possession. The Holy Rosary also has an exorcistic and intercessory power. Holy water
4212-509: The exorcism. Protestant Christian exorcists most commonly believe the authority given to them by the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (the Trinity ) is the sole source of their ability to cast out demons. In general, people considered to be possessed are not regarded as evil in themselves, nor wholly responsible for their actions, because possession is considered to be unwilling manipulation by
4290-437: The exorcisms mostly took place in charismatic and Pentecostal churches, and also among communities of West African origin. Frequently, the people exorcised were people with mental health problems, who often stopped taking their medications in response to the exorcism. The report described the exorcism as a "well-meaning initiative with the potential for serious harm" with the risk of constituting "psychological abuse". Exorcism
4368-573: The fantasy elements is most important and "fantasy romance" where the romance are most important. Others say that "the borderline between fantasy romance and romantic fantasy has essentially ceased to exist, or if it's still there, it's moving back and forth constantly". In his 2023 book Monsters, Aliens, and Holes in the Ground , RPG historian Stu Horvath noted, "the heroes and heroines of romantic fantasy seek social connection and emotional wealth. Instead of carrying on by themselves, they find belonging in
4446-419: The father of her unborn child never returned to her, Maria cast a spell to prevent herself from ever falling in love again. The spell developed into a curse upon Maria's descendants, dooming any man an Owens woman loves. In the present, Sally and Gillian Owens are taken in by their aunts Frances and Jet after both their parents succumb to the Owens curse. As children, Sally and Gillian are frequently ridiculed by
4524-463: The fourth installment in her Practical Magic series. Although the timeline is still uncertain, in August 2024, producer Denise Di Novi is optimistic about beginning production next year. In 2004, Warner Bros. and CBS produced Sudbury , a television pilot written by Becky Hartman Edwards and directed by Bryan Spicer starring Kim Delaney in the role played by Bullock in the film and Jeri Ryan in
4602-421: The genre has particular appeal to those who grew up reading young-adult fantasy, such as Harry Potter , and are now interested in similar themes, but with adult themes of sex and romance. Key exponents are Sarah J. Maas and Rebecca Yarros, whose Fourth Wing and Iron Flame have both broken sales records and are due to be made into a TV series. Authors of novels labeled as romantasy are largely women, as
4680-433: The house, it took nearly a year to perfect the image of the house and the interior. The house, actually only a shell with nothing inside, was built only for this filming and was torn down after filming was completed. The small town scenes were filmed in downtown Coupeville, Washington , a Victorian-era seaside port town located on the south side of Penn Cove on Whidbey Island . Director Griffin Dunne said he originally had
4758-500: The latter half of the 20th century when the public saw a sharp rise due to the media attention exorcisms were getting. There was "a 50% increase in the number of exorcisms performed between the early 1960s and the mid-1970s". In Catholicism, exorcisms are performed in the name of Jesus Christ . There is a distinction between major exorcisms and minor exorcisms. Minor exorcisms are included in some blessings in which priests create sacramentals, such as blessed salt , and are also found in
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#17327943682574836-602: The most devoted follower of Rama , a major Hindu deity as according to a shloka (couplet) (भूत पिशाच निकट नहिं आवै। महावीर जब नाम सुनावै॥) of this hymn, merely uttering Hanuman's name terrifies evil spirits into leaving the possessed. Some Hindu temples, most notably the Mehandipur Balaji Temple in Rajasthan, host exorcism rituals that invoke incarnations of Hanuman. Terms for exorcism practices include ṭard (or dafʿ ) al-shayṭān/al-jinn (expulsion of
4914-516: The movie's combination of different genres, including supernatural fantasy , domestic abuse drama, romantic comedy , and crime procedural , to be jarring. It has since gained a cult following for its cast, soundtrack, and feminist themes. In 2024, a sequel was reported to be in development. In a small Massachusetts town, the Owens family have been regarded with suspicion for over three centuries due to their ancestor Maria Owens, who survived an attempted execution for witchcraft. Heartbroken when
4992-663: The name of Jesus Christ. Unlike the Roman Catholic Church , all priests of the Orthodox Church are trained and equipped to perform exorcisms, particularly for the sacrament of baptism . Like their Catholic counterparts, Orthodox priests learn to distinguish demonic possession from mental illness, namely by observing whether the subject reacts negatively to holy relics or places. All Orthodox liturgical books include prayers of exorcism, namely by Saint Basil and Saint John Chrysostom . Orthodox theology takes
5070-486: The necessity of an exorcism is dictated by religious collectives. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops state on their website: "the actual determination of whether a member of the faithful is genuinely possessed by the devil is made by the Church." This is exemplary of how religion has considerable power over one's life and system of thought. Religious institutions hold great sway over societal hierarchies within communities. Religious collectives are engaged in
5148-428: The person's body. Sikhs do not have a belief in demonic possession . Therefore, exorcism is considered a violation of Sikh Code of Conduct. In Taoism , exorcisms are performed when an individual has been possessed by an evil spirit for one of two reasons: The victim has disturbed a ghost, regardless of intent, and the ghost now seeks revenge, or the victim has been targeted by someone using black magic to conjure
5226-520: The prayers of healing and exorcism, composed by the Fathers of the Church and in use since the third century, begin with the solemn declaration: In Thy Name, O Lord. Additionally, many Orthodox Christians subscribe to the superstition of Vaskania , or the "evil eye", in which those harboring intense jealousy and envy towards others can bring harm to them (akin to a curse) and are, in effect, demonically possessed by these negative emotions . This belief
5304-463: The rabbi blows a shofar (a ram's horn). The shofar is blown in a certain way, with various notes and tones, in effect to "shatter the body" so that the possessing force will be shaken loose. After it has been shaken loose, the rabbi begins to communicate with it and ask it questions such as why it is possessing the body of the possessed. The minyan may pray for it and perform a ceremony for it in order to enable it to feel safe, and so that it can leave
5382-482: The relentless process of developing organizational power and authority to guard and preserve their definitive religious experiences from members outside those communities. Priests and other high ranking religious officials had a considerable amount of influence in determining the norm within these societies. The Pope , for example, within Catholicism exudes Papal Supremacy providing him with universal power over
5460-488: The ritual Scrutinies of the catechumens . A related practice is deliverance ministry . The distinction between deliverance ministry and exorcism is that exorcism is conducted by priests given special permission from the Catholic Church , while deliverance ministry is prayer for people who are distressed and wish to heal emotional wounds, including those purportedly caused by evil spirits. The Catholic rite for
5538-479: The role played by Kidman. The series, named for the Sudbury, Massachusetts location of the novel and film, was not picked up. In 2010, Warner Bros. and ABC Family attempted to develop a prequel television series. Romantic fantasy Romantic fantasy or Romantasy is a subgenre of fantasy fiction combining fantasy and romance, describing a fantasy story using many of the elements and conventions of
5616-458: The rooms and eat a special noodle soup called ' Guthuk '. ༼དགུ་ཐུག་༽ In the evening, the people carry torches, calling out the words of exorcism. In many Hindu traditions, people can be possessed by bhoots , prets or pisacha , restless and often malignant beings roughly analogous to ghosts, and to a lesser extent, demons. Of four Vedas , or holy books, of Hinduism, the Atharva Veda
5694-441: The scientific community, the work of psychiatrist M. Scott Peck , a believer in exorcism, generated significant debate and derision. Much was made of his association with (and admiration for) the controversial Malachi Martin , a Roman Catholic priest and a former Jesuit , despite the fact that Peck consistently called Martin a liar and a manipulator. Other criticisms leveled against Peck included claims that he had transgressed
5772-443: The sequel. Akiva Goldsman, who co-wrote the screenplay for the original film, would return to write the script. Griffin Dunne hinted that a female director will helm the sequel, while he will serve as an executive producer. In July 2024, Akiva Goldsman later confirmed that he would be returning to write the sequel. While specific plot details remain under wraps, the sequel will be based on Alice Hoffman’s 2021 novel The Book of Magic ,
5850-494: The spirit emerge. Jimmy tries possessing Gary, but is turned aside by his silver badge. Sally tells Gary he is there because of her spell, the feelings they have for each other are not real, and the family curse will kill him if they pursue a relationship. He replies that curses only work if one believes in them, before returning to Tucson. Jimmy possesses Gillian again and tries killing Sally before Frances and Jet return. Realizing she must embrace magic to save her sister, Sally asks
5928-447: The town where filming took place was invited to show up in costume and appear as townsfolk. Composer Michael Nyman 's score to the movie was abruptly replaced with music by Alan Silvestri for the theatrical release. This last-minute change resulted in the release of two soundtracks, although as primarily a compilation album only the two tracks of newly created material were changed. A 50-track demo (the last two tracks being "Convening
6006-481: The town's schoolchildren. After witnessing their aunts cast a love spell for a woman obsessed with her beloved, Sally casts a spell on herself to ensure she will only fall in love with a man who possesses certain impossible traits, with the goal that she will never fall in love. Meanwhile Gillian, witnessing the same incident, cannot wait to fall in love. When the girls are teens, Gillian runs off with her boyfriend to Los Angeles . Before she departs, she and Sally make
6084-617: The treated person lying down, while a sheikh places a hand on a patient's head and recites verses from the Quran, but this is not mandatory. The drinking or sprinkling of holy water (water from the Zamzam Well ) may also take place along with applying of clean, non-alcohol-based perfumes, called attar . Specific verses from the Quran are recited that glorify God (e.g., The Throne Verse ( Arabic : آية الكرسي , romanized : Ayatul Kursi )) and invoke God's help. In some cases,
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