1

Santeria
Egun, Spirits of the Dead

Reina Cemetery in Cienfuegos, Cuba

Roughly translated, egun (eggun) are spirits of the dead. They're our ancestors, but they can also
be the spirits of people who had no special connection to us in life. In Santera, we have
ancestors who were blood relations and ancestors in the religion. It's customary to begin any
prayer or ceremony by remembering the ancestors and speaking their names aloud. This is
called the moyugba, which is a fundamental part of any Santera ritual. The Lucum people say
ik lobi ocha: the dead give birth to the Orichs. This means that without the egun, we wouldn't
be able to interact with the Orichs. They're our intermediaries, and unless they give their
permission, the Orichs won't talk to us. The egun are the ones who have all of the knowledge
about the religion, and they need to help living people understand it. This is why Santeros/as call
on the egun for guidance, and often conduct misas espirituales, or spiritual masses, to
communicate with the spirits of the dead. Respect for egun comes from an ancient African belief
system that honors the dead as spirits who guide the living.
Just as there are good and bad people among the living, there are good and bad egun. It's
traditionally thought that the character of a person doesn't change after death; if he was good in
life, he'll be a good guardian spirit, and if he was bad in life, as an egun, he'll cause
trouble. Especially dangerous are egun of people who in life were insane, who were criminals,
or who suffered a violent death. The traumas they had as living people keep them trapped on
earth, where their spirits roam looking for some person they can latch on to. Hospitals,
graveyards, sites of accidents and other places where violent death occur should be avoided as
much as possible, because egun congregate in those places and can attach themselves to anyone
at random.

The Bveda Espiritual

Bveda espiritual

Normally, when people live according to their destiny and die at the proper time, their spirits
don't hang around on earth. The Lucum believe that the living and dead are always connected,
but when everything is functioning properly, the dead stay in their realm and the living in
theirs. When egun remain in the realm of the living, it's either to lend a helping hand to someone
or to cause grief. Sometimes egun will use human beings to act out their own dramas, causing
people to do things to fulfill the unsatisfied desires of the egun. For example, an egun who was
violent in life can cause people to feel aggitated and angry, to lose their temper easily, and get in
fights, even if it's not their natural character to do those things.
In Cuba, many people keep a bveda espiritual, or a shrine to the ancestors, in the home. This
can be very simple, usually consisting several clear glasses of water placed on a table or
shelf. The bveda should be in a quiet part of the house, where there isn't a lot of traffic, but it
shouldn't be in the bedroom, because you don't want egun around you when you sleep. Some
people light candles or put a little offering on the shrine, like fruit, candy, cooked food, coffee, or
a cigar. It's appropriate to offer egun anything that we eat, and if we know there's some food our
ancestors really enjoyed, we offer them that. Unlike the Mexican Day of the Dead, rituals in
front of the bveda don't take place on a specific day of the year. Most people change the water
once a week, and put offerings or light candles whenever they want to. The idea is to let the
egun know you remember them and honor them. If you need a special favor, you might add a
special offering as incentive. People also pray in front of the bveda whenever they feel like it.
Espiritismo (Spiritism) influenced the development of Afro-Cuban Santera in the late 19th
century, when the work of Allan Kardec introduced the idea of seances and mediums to readers
in Europe and the Americas. Among the practitioners of Santera, some of Kardec's ideas were
used to communicate with egun through a special ceremony called the misa espiritual (spiritual

mass). People who are trained as mediums host the ceremony, and people attend to hear what
the egun have to say. Sometimes through divination with a Santero, egun speak through Elegu's
cowrie shells and ask for a misa espiritual. The usual reason is that the egun's distressed for
some reason, and has more to say. Technically, the misa espiritual isn't a Santera ceremony, but
it's linked to the religion through the participation of egun.

Heaven and Earth

The marketplace

Egun work with the Orichs to oversee and guide the progress of human beings. Egun are
especially interested in society's norms and values, and they like to see tradition upheld. This is
one reason why they're so interested in human beings; they want to be sure things are running
smoothly on a societal level. The Orichs are more likely to concern themselves with our
destiny as individuals, but egun help us mesh with society at large. Lucum traditional thought
compares Earth to the marketplace because it's the place where people come together and
interact, carry out business, and make a name for themselves in the public sphere. Heaven is like
our home. It's restful, but not meant to be a permanent refuge, because after a while, too much
rest is boring. Christian religions describe Heaven as a place where the dead can have eternal
rest. Santeros/as, on the other hand, have no particular desire to live in Heaven, and don't see it
as a reward for living well on earth. If one has lived well, at death the energy contained in the
or (head, the divine center of an individual) gets recycled back into the universe, and a kind of
reincarnation takes place. Often, it happens within the family structure, so grandchildren can
inherit the energy of their dead grandparents, for example. Honoring the ancestors is a way to
keep their or happy and healthy until it's recycled and reborn. Those who behaved so badly on
earth that they can't be recycled are put in a kind of no man's land, orun bururu, like broken
pottery that can't be repaired. In the Lucum worldview, social isolation of this kind is
punishment enough. Hell isn't necessary.
The dead should be respected but not especially feared. Egun aren't like ghosts, vampires,
zombies or other supernatural beings that we see in popular fiction and films. They're invisible
companions who live among us, and intercede on our behalf when we need help. In the case of

an unruly or malevolent egun, through divination a Santero/a can determine what needs to be
done to pacify the egun or make it leave the client in peace. The client may be told to do a misa
espiritual, bathe with certain herbs, or wear a particular kind of amulet to keep egun at bay. In
Santera ceremonies, the opening toque (drumming pattern) is dedicated to the egun, but living
people remain seated and don't dance to it. Black is a color that attracts egun, so most
Santeros/as avoid wearing it as a way to avoid problems with egun.

Trance Possession

Folkloric representation of a ceremony

Drumming and dancing ceremonies sometimes lead to trance possession by initiated priests and
priestesses in the congregatation. Within the Santera community, possession is very important
because it allows for direct communication with the Orichs when they mount a human body
(called the caballo or horse). Academics, psychiatrists and medical doctors have carried out
convincing studies to disprove the legitimacy of trance possession, suggesting that it's induced
through hypnotism, mass hysteria, or that it's simply a kind of performance art. Nevertheless, for
millions of people around the world, trance possession is not only real, but also sacred. When
Santeros allow themselves to be possessed, it's not for their personal benefit, but for the good of
the religious community. They willingly enter into a state of altered consciousness in order to let
the Orichs speak through them. Scholars who have made a serious study of trance possession in
Santera point out that when the members of a religious community recognize a phenomenon as
authentic and real, it gains legitimacy within that social and cultural framework, whether
outsiders to the group believe it or not. Santeros/as are the first to admit that someone can "fake"
possession, but they also believe it's possible to tell when a possession is "real." Most active
practitioners of the religion have witnessed at one time or another an authentic possession, and
most believe that the Orichs visit us in human form when they take possession of someone's
body. It's a manifestion of the invisible in the visible world, a metaphysical concept shared by
many religions. The person who is possessed usually has no memory of the event, and can't enter
into conversation with the visiting Orich. That's why possession takes place within a sacred and

shared space, such as the drumming and dancing ceremonies, where the whole community can
witness and remember the visit.

Possession Is for the Benefit of the Whole Community

Ochn dances for her admirers

Generally, members of the community are atuned to what's happening during a ceremony and
recognize signs that one of them is entering into a state of possession. They crowd around the
individual, dancing and chanting, and sometimes calling out to the Orich, encouraging him or
her to "come down" into the body. Sometimes the possession can appear traumatic, even violent.
The one possessed may fall to the floor and begin to shake, or run around the room in a
disoriented state. Most often, the Orich will inhabit the body of one of his sons or daughters
during the special toque or rhythm played in honor of that Orich. For example, during the toque
for Obatal, one of Obatal's sons or daughters may be possessed. During any given drum
ceremony, it's possible for several people to be possessed, each one by a different Orich. Once
it's clear the Orich is in possession of the human body, the caballo is taken out of the room by
other Santeros/as and dressed in ceremonial garb representing the Orich who has possessed him
or her. Orichs cross gender and can inhabit the body of a man or woman, regardless of the
gender of the Orich. Women who are possessed by Ogn or Chang, for example, will take on
masculine traits, such as a virile swagger or a boastful way of talking. They will be dressed in
the male Orich's clothing and interact with others as if they were male. The same is true of men
who are possessed by a female Orich like Yemay or Ochn. They will take on feminine
qualities, dance seductively, and show feminine grace when interacting with others. The
Orichs, once in possession of the human bodies, join the party. They wander among the guests,
dance, talk to people, eat, drink, and sometimes hold court, giving advice and greeting their
followers. Although this may appear to be nothing more than a party, it's important to remember
that it is, above all, a sacred experience. The attendees are deeply honored to have the Orichs
present, and there's a certain excitement and electricity in the air, as at any event where there are
very distinguished guests.

The Body is the Host for the Orichs

The body is a vessel for the Orichs

For people who think of the body only in biological terms, it's difficult to understand what
prompts the possession trance. But, for practitioners of Santera, possession is the temporary
departure of the individual's soul to make room for the Orich. It's a form of sacrifice, since it
means giving up individual consciousness for a time to benefit the community at large. The
Orichs comfort and heal people through their intervention. They share blessings with
them. Although outsiders who witness a trance possession may be seriously disturbed by what
they see, for members of the community, it is a positive and welcome experience. Santeros/as
report they feel joy, peace, and love when in the presence of the Orichs. Those who acted as the
"horse" for the Orich return to consciousness at the end of the drumming ceremony, usually
exhausted and totally spent. Members of the community generally form a protective ring around
the individual when the Orich enters and leaves the body, to make sure the individual suffers no
physical harm. At the end of the ceremony, once the Orich has departed, the one who was
possessed is gently led to another room, dressed again in the clothes worn prior to possession,
and encouraged to rest.
Not all Santeros/as are meant to be caballos for the Orichs. Many are never possessed, either
because they're unwilling to surrender their bodies or because the Orichs don't choose them. If
someone who has not been initiated into Santera is present at a ceremony and feels trance
possession coming on, this person will be taken out of the house, away from the drums, and
encouraged to return to full consciousness. It's normally not a good idea for the uninitiated to
fall into a trance possession state because the ach (spiritual force) of the Orichs is too strong
for the uninitiated.
In traditional ils (religious houses) it's not permitted to take photographs or videos of someone
while in a trance possession, but the video below shows an approximation of what a trance
possession is like. Note that it's not taking place within the sacred space of the il, but at the sea
shore, in honor of Yemay.

Drumming and Dancing Rituals

The iya, the itotele, and the okonkolu

Drumming and dancing in Santera aren't just for entertainment. They're religious rituals
performed to honor the Orichs and to entice them to interact with humans through trance
possession. During a tambor (drumming ceremony) the sacred bat drums are played. These are
three hourglass shaped drums, each with two heads. They rest across the player's lap in a
horizontal position, and and played with both hands. These drums have been ceremoniously
prepared and charged with the spirit of the drum, called Aa, and they're only used for religious
purposes. They're considered holy objects because they communicate with the
Orichs. Drummers must undergo intensive training and special ceremonies in order to have the
right to play the drums. In traditional Santera communities, the drums are played only by
men. The largest drum is called the iya, or mother drum. It's the leader, and calls for changes in
rhythms and songs as the ceremony progresses. The middle sized drum is called the itotele, and
it carries on a conversation with the iya drum, to create a complex rhythm. The smallest drum is
the okonkolu, and this maintains the underlying beat of the syncopated rhythms. For those
unfamiliar with African style drumming, the complexity of the rhythms can be astounding. They
reproduce the tonal language of the Yoruba people, speaking to the Orichs in their native
tongue. Generally, a singer known as the akpwon performs with the drummers. He or she acts as
master of ceremonies and leads the call and response singing of the assembled worshippers.

Communication with the Orichs Through Music

The order of the songs and rhythms is firmly established, each one devoted to a particular
Orichs or the egun (spirits of the ancestors). The initial toque (beat) is the oro seco, which
consists only of drumming, with no singing or dancing. When the oro seco finishes, the rhythms
of the individual Orichs are played, always beginning with Elegu, who opens the doors of
communication between the worshippers and the other Orichs. The Santeros/as, in order of
senority, salute the drums by doing the foribale, a formal gesture that requires them to prostrate
themselves by lying on the floor in front of the drums for a few seconds. Then, they must salute
each drum individually by touching their forehead to it (while the drum is playing): first the iya,
then the itotele, then the okonkolo. Senority is important during the dancing segments of the
ritual. Elders must always be closest to the drums. If the tambor is being held to honor the
birthday of a Santero/a, he or she also has the right to dance close to the drums.
As the cycle of songs and rhythms advances, Santeros/as will formally salute the children of that
particular Orich, again following strict order of senority. For example, when Obatal's rhythm
is played, everyone will salute first the oldest child of Obatal (the one with the most years in
santo), and descend to the youngest. When Chang's rhythm is played, everyone salutes the
oldest child of Chang in the room, and descends to the youngest. This obviously requires
familiarity with the members of the community and strict adherence to protocol. How
salutations take place can vary from one il (religious house) to another, so it's important to get
guidance from elders about what to do. Elders will quickly correct you if you're
wrong. Although the atmosphere of the tambor is festive and full of joy, in respectable ils,
elders maintain discipline and demand that tradition and protocol be followed.
In many traditional Santera communities, only fully initiated Santeros/as who have been
formally presented to the drums can dance directly in front of them. Aleyos (outsiders) and
aborichas (partially initiated people) can stand in another area, such as the patio, an adjoining
room or at the back of the room, and dance if they choose. Those who dance in front of the
drums must be properly dressed, which in most cases means that women wear long skirts and
modest blouses that cover the arms, and they cover their heads with a scarf. Men wear caps,
long pants and dress shirts. Most Santeros/as will wear white at these ceremonies or, in some
cases, dress in the colors of the Orich who owns their head. They never wear black, because it
attracts negative energy. Many participants will wear their elekes (beaded necklaces), bracelets
and other sacred jewelry. Usually refreshments are served during the break in ceremonies,
giving the drummers, singers and dancers a chance to rest briefly. The one hosting the tambor is

expected to pay for everything, and the cost can be considerable, depending on the number of
invitees.

Musical Liturgies

A Bat Drummer

Singing, drumming and dancing are liturgies that follow a sacred formula for communication
with the Orichs. In Cuba, the Lucum word Oro (or Oru) is used to describe these musical
liturgies. Oro means conversation or word, stressing the idea that music and dancing are ways to
speak to the Orichs. One type of oro is unaccompanied singing featuring African-style call and
response; the akpwon (lead singer) calls out to a group, who answer in unison. These songs
function as prayers, asking for the blessings of the Orichs and for permission to carry out the
ceremony. The oro seco or oro del igbod is unaccompanied bat drumming. Again, the
purpose is to ask for the permission of the Orichs to carry out the ceremony, and to invite them
to participate in the ceremony that follows. These first two liturgies are private, held inside the
igbod (sacred space of the house), and not open to people who haven't been fully initiated into
the religion. The oro del eya aranla combines drumming, singing and dancing. It's generally
more open to a wider variety of people, including outsiders who can participate on the margins
of the sacred space. The oro del eya aranla can last for hours, and normally attracts a large
crowd, so most people hold it in the largest space inside the house that's available to
them. Participants can spill over into the streets and patio of the house, although the drummers,
singers and dancers remain indoors while performing for the Orichs. Once the formal order of
the songs has been completed, the drumming, dancing and singing can continue in a more
informal way, repeating rhythms that the iya drum or akpwon calls out. The rhythms are usually
accompanied by a cow bell or the head of a metal hoe that's struck with a metal stick, and a large
gourd (achere) covered loosely with a network of beads (chekere). These instruments fill in the
empty spaces between drum beats. Although the drumming ceremony is a festive occasion, it
opens and closes on a solemn note out of respect for the Orichs and egun (spirits of the
dead.)

Formal and Informal Drumming Ceremonies

10

Only the consecrated Bat drums (known as fundamento drums) can be played at a formal,
liturgical ceremony. Non-consecrated drums can be played at parties for entertainment or for
informal gatherings of the Santera community. Drumming ceremonies are called by the Lucum
word wemilere (or guenmilere) or the Spanish word tambor. In Cuba, an informal drumming
party is called a Bemb. The kind of dancing associated with bembs is traditional rumba
dancing, which maintains some relationship to the rhythms of sacred drumming. In addition to
the wemilere ceremony, Santeros/as might offer guiros (one conga drum, 3 chekeres, and a bell)
and violines (salon music played by one or more violins).
Other types of ceremonies in Santera include divination readings, healing and spiritual
cleansing, events honoring godparents or the Orichs such as an Ocha birthday (anniversary of
initiation), and funeral rites. The misa espiritual (spiritual mass conducted by a medium for
communication with the dead) is not technically a part of Santera, although some Santeros/as
practice it. The special drumming ceremony known as cajn para los muertos (drumming for
the dead) is also commonly practiced by some people in the Santera community, but it's not
formally part of the Lucum liturgical music because it incorporates elements borrowed from
Spiritism and Palo Monte as well as Santera. It involves a special drum known as the cajn.

Patakis and Proverbs

Sacred stories are universal

The sacred stories of Santera are known as patakis (pronounced: pah-tah-KEES). They have
been passed down orally from generation to generation for thousands of years, sometimes
undergoing subtle transformations over time due to varying interpretative skills on the part of the
storyteller, and sometimes due to linguistic and cultural shifts caused by migration to new
lands. The patakis recited in Spanish today by members of a particular il (religious house) in
Cuba may differ from the way the stories are told in a neighboring il. They will certainly vary
from the way the stories are told in Yoruba in a village in Africa, or the way they're related in
English for people born and raised in the United States. But the essential structure and message
of the patakis remains the same, and all are recognized as part of the sacred body of literature
that's the backbone of Santera.
Traditionally, specific patakis are attached to specific odu, which are the letters or signs that

11

appear during divination with the dilogn (cowrie shells) or the Babalawo's epuele (divining
chain). When a client sees a Santero/a or Babalawo for a consulta (reading), the odu that appears
on the mat must be interpreted to help the client understand and resolve his problem. Because
the information doesn't exist in a codified written form, such as a holy book. the diviners have to
memorize as much information as possible about each odu. Interpretive skill is required to coax
out the subtle and complex messages of each odu as it relates to the client's situation. The
patakis attached to the odu help the diviner remember and understand more profoundly the
messages of the odu because they function as parables, stories with symbolic and metaphorical
meaning much deeper than surface appearances. It's unclear how many patakis exist because
there's no single collection that holds them all, and no individual diviner can claim to know all
the patakis, no matter how much he or she has studied. The goal of a skilled diviner is to learn
as many patakis as possible, to understand how they relate to the odu, and to be able to retell the
pataki in a meaningful way, so the client will understand how it applies to his or her life.

Patakis Teach Us the Principles of Santera as a Religion

Patakis tell stories about the Orichs

Patakis often tell stories about the Orichs, and help define characteristics and traits associated
with each one. They speak about the Orichs' lives on earth, their interactions with each other
and with humans, their relationship to God (usually in the form of Olofi), and they explain some
fundamental principles of the religion, such as the association of particular elements of the
natural world (rivers, oceans, mountains, volcanoes, forests, thunder and lightening, etc.) with
particular Orichs. They explain the preference for certain kinds of foods that each Orich has
(pumpkins for Ochn, for example). They explain where particular customs come from, such as
the need to begin all ceremonies by addressing Elegu first. Some patakis talk about the creation
of the cosmos, and explain decisions made by Olodumare about the nature of human life, such as
the reason sickness and death exist. The odu (signs, letters used in divination) are also
personified in some of the patakis, making it clear why certain odu are associated with certain
phenomenon, such as slander, gossip, adultery, or domestic violence. They also explain, through
example, what kind of eb (tribute, offering) might be appropriate to solve the problem. In sum,

12

patakis teach the religion to people through stories and examples in short episodes that lend
themselves to deeper reflection and thought. Because the patakis speak through symbols and
metaphors, they require a bit of work to interpret correctly, keeping in mind always the
historical, social and cultural context of the Yoruba/ Lucum people.

Patakis as Folklore

Written texts don't replace the oral tradition

Recently, some people have started to write patakis down and publish them as collections of
stories. These collections are good for people who are interested in learning about the patakis in
a general way, and they help preserve an oral tradition that has become somewhat dispersed due
to migration/ immigration in the modern world. However, they don't take the place of the
traditional oral method of transmission. It is always better, whenever possible to work directly
with elder Santeros/as and Babalawos who teach the patakis to their godchildren as they were
developed in that particular rama (branch of the religion). In theory, individual patakis can stand
alone as folk narratives, stories to be repeated at random for enjoyment or general moral
education. But, it's important to remember that they are above all sacred texts, because they
contain the wisdom and teachings of God.
Patakis are not, technically speaking, secret knowledge. Anyone can learn patakis and retell the
stories. However, in order to grasp the full meaning of the story and all of its implications, the
storyteller needs to be well trained in interpreting odu, which is a skill not available to the
general public. Only fully initiated priests and priestesses can read the dilogn, and only
Babalawos can work with the epuele chain. Dilogn interpretation requires years of study, and
not all Santeros/as have the ach (energy) for that kind of work. Therefore, the ones who are
most skilled at using patakis are people who have spent many years studying odu, and who
understand the connection between the odu and the patakis. In Cuba, most Babalawos are
expected to learn as many patakis as possible, since they are considered specialists in
divination. The knowledge of patakis among Santeros/as is optional in most communities. Most

13

practitioners of Santera will know some familiar stories, but may not know the relationship
between the pataki and the odu.

Illumination to Egun (Part 1)

Egun Devotion a Cornerstone of many ATRs

This is the first of a multi part series on dealing with Egun or reverence to ancestors. I decided to
name this article illumination to Egun, because what I would like to discuss how to activate your
spiritual quadrants with prayers.
In the Catholic Church there is a group of people known as charismatic. According to
Wikkipedia Charismatic catholic is define as this: The Catholic Charismatic Renewal is a
movement within the church characterized by vibrant masses, it features speaking in tongues,
as well prophesy and healing. This movement is based on the belief that certain charismata (a
Greek word for gifts), bestowed by the Holy Spirit such as other language communication and
healing.
In this first part of the series, I will post the list of articles you need to do the ritual and in the
other parts we will go through the steps of it. I hope you find it as useful as I have for my own
practice with the Egun.
Materials:
a) Frankincense
b) White plate
c) Olive Oil
d) Cotton
e) Holy Water From the church not botanica brought.
f) White Cloth
g) Two Bouquet of mix color flowers **the reason for two one to represent the eggun from your
mother side, the other to represent egguns from your father side.

14

h) Four Quartz crystal

i) Cascarilla also known as efun.
j) Rum
k) Cigar
l) Florida Water
m) If you can get a bottle of river water.
n) Basil Leaves also known as Albahaca (Ocimum basilicum)
o) Prodigiosa also known as Siempre Viva (Bryophyllum pinnatum)
p) Mint Leaves or Spearmint (Menta spicata)
Eggn communication and reverence is cornerstone to my spiritual practices. Peace.
Ginea Jacmel

Illumination to Egun (Part 2)

Lamp for the egun

Ritual execution of Illumination to Egun.

To execute this ritual properly, it would be good to be as familiar as possible with the prayers,
this way they will flow naturally and you will have the force of your emotions behind it.
Direction to orchestrate the illumination:
1) Cover the altar with a white cloth; make sure your seven or nine glasses contain fresh water.
Pour some holy water, Florida water, and sprinkle some cascarilla in the nine glasses.
2) In a white bowl pour some river water, holy water, Florida water, cascarilla, some basil
leaves, mint leaves, Prodigiosa, and some rum. Crush everything together, you can add anything
in here as you see fit. Such as other herbs and/or fragrances to your liking.

15

3) Take this white bowl with the concoction and sprinkle it around the altar room, and sprinkle it
around the house, especially at the entrance of your place. Thank light the incense and fumigate
the house at the same place. It is important I might add when incensing your place, to especially
let the incense fumigate the four corners of the room, in the closet and in the bathroom. Because
negative energy love to hibernate in corners and in dark places. The bathroom is the most
negative place in the house because this is where we remove all negative energy.
4) You take a white plate and pour olive oil on it, and make nine wicks from the cotton. Take
nine pieces of basil leaves and place on the plate. You will put the nine cotton wicks on top of
the nine basil leaves.
5) Then put the crystals outside of the plate one on the east side of the plate, another one at the
west side of the plate, another one at the north side of the plate, and another one at the south side
of the plate.
6) You will light each cotton wick after reciting three prayers to Saint Michael.
Prayer to St. Michael the Archangel
St. Michael the Archangel, illustrious leader of the heavenly army, defend us in the battle against
principalities and powers, against the rulers of the world of darkness and the spirit of wickedness
in high places. Come to the rescue of mankind, whom God has made in His own image and
likeness, and purchased from Satans tyranny at so great a price. Holy Church venerates you as
her patron and guardian. The Lord has entrusted to you the task of leading the souls of the
redeemed to heavenly blessedness. Entreat the Lord of peace to cast Satan down under our feet,
so as to keep him from further holding man captive and doing harm to the Church. Carry our
prayers up to Gods throne, that the mercy of the Lord may quickly come and lay hold of the
beast, the serpent of old, Satan and his demons, casting him in chains into the abyss, so that he
can no longer seduce the nations.
Amen.
The Prayers
Begin the prayer with a Litany to Saints:
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, hear us.
God, the Father in heaven.
Have mercy on us.
The Son of God, Redeemer of the world.
Have mercy on us.
God, the Holy Ghost.
Have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God.

16

Have mercy on us.

Holy Mary, pray for us,*
* After each invocation say Pray for us.
Holy Mother of Jesus,
Holy Virgin of virgins,
St. Michael,
St. Gabriel,
St. Raphael,
All holy angels and archangels,
All holy orders of blessed spirits,
St. John the Baptist,
St. Joseph,
All holy patriarchs and prophets,
St. Peter,
St. Paul,
St. Andrew,
St. James,
St. John,
St. Thomas,
St. James,
St. Philip,
St. Bartholomew,
St. Matthew,
St. Simon,
St. Thaddeus,
St. Matthias,
St. Barnabas,
St. Luke,
St. Mark,
All holy apostles and evangelists,
All holy disciples of the Lord,
All holy Innocents,
St. Stephen,
St. Lawrence,
St. Vincent,
SS. Fabian and Sebastian,
SS. John and Paul,
SS. Cosmas and Damian,
SS. Gervase and Protase,
All holy martyrs,

17

St. Sylvester,
St. Gregory,
St. Ambrose,
St. Augustine,
St. Jerome,
St. Martin,
St. Nicholas,
All holy bishops and confessors,
All holy doctors,
St. Anthony,
St. Benedict,
St. Bernard,
St. Dominic,
St. Francis,
All holy priests and Levites,
All holy monks and hermits,
St. Mary Magdalene,
St. Agatha,
St. Lucy,
St. Agnes,
St. Cecilia,
St. Catherine,
St. Anastasia,
All holy virgins and widows,
All holy saints of God,
Intercede for us.
Be merciful,
Spare us, 0h Lord.
Be merciful,
Graciously hear us, 0h Lord.
From all evil, deliver us, 0h Lord.*
* After each invocation: Deliver us, 0h Lord.
From all sin,
From your wrath,
From sudden and unprovided death,
From the snares of the devil,
From anger, hatred, and all ill will,
From all lewdness,

18

From lightning and tempest,

From the scourge of earthquakes,
From plague, famine, and war,
From everlasting death,
By the mystery of your holy incarnation,
By your coming,
By your birth,
By your baptism and holy fasting,
By your cross and passion,
By your death and burial,
By your holy resurrection,
By your wondrous ascension,
By the coming of the Holy Ghost, the Advocate,
On the day of judgment,
We sinners, We beg you to hear us.*
* After each invocation: We beg you to hear us.
That you spare us,
That you pardon us,
That you bring us to true penance,
That you govern and preserve your holy Church,
That you preserve our Holy Father and all ranks in the Church in holy religion,
That you humble the enemies of holy Church,
That you give peace and true concord to all Christian rulers.
That you give peace and unity to the whole Christian world,
That you restore to the unity of the Church all who have strayed from the truth, and lead all
unbelievers to the light of the Gospel,
That you confirm and preserve us in your holy service,
That you lift up our minds to heavenly desires,
That you grant everlasting blessings to all our benefactors,
That you deliver our souls and the souls of our brethren, relatives, and benefactors from
everlasting damnation,
That you give and preserve the fruits of the earth,
That you grant eternal rest to all the faithful departed,
That you graciously hear us,
Son of God.
At the end of the litany he (the priest) adds the following:
Do not keep in mind, 0h Lord, our offenses or those of our parents, nor take vengeance on our
sins.
Our Father
And lead us not into temptation.
But deliver us from evil.

19

*****Sprinkle holy water around the room reciting Our Father and fumigate the room with
incense again.****
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen
In the third part I will continue with the Ritual of Excorcism, untill then, Peace.

Illumination to Egun (Part 3)

St. Michael, Glastonbury Abbey

This is the third part of a series of steps meant to illuminate and energize the egun. It has been of
benefit on my spiritual practices and I hope it also benefits yours.
Exorcism
In the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and God, by the intercession of Mary, spotless Virgin and

20

Mother of Jesus, of St. Michael the Archangel, of the blessed apostles Peter and Paul, and of all
the saints, and by the authority residing in our holy ministry, we steadfastly proceed to combat
the onslaught of the wily enemy.
Psalm 67(8)
God arises; His enemies are scattered, * and those who hate Him flee before Him.
As smoke is driven away, so are they driven; * as wax melts before the fire, so the wicked perish
before God.
See the cross of the Lord; begone, you hostile powers!
The stem of David, the lion of Judas tribe has conquered.
May your mercy, Lord, remain with us always.
For we put our whole trust in you.
We cast you out, every unclean spirit, every satanic power, every onslaught of the infernal
adversary, every legion, every diabolical group and sect, in the name and by the power of our
Lord Jesus Christ. We command you, begone and fly far from the Church of God, from the souls
made by God in His image and redeemed by the precious blood of the divine Lamb. No longer
dare, cunning serpent, to deceive the human race, to persecute Gods Church, to strike Gods
elect and to sift them as wheat. For the Most High God commands you, He to whom you once
proudly presumed yourself equal; He who wills all men to be saved and come to the knowledge
of truth. God the Father commands you. The Son of God commands you. God the Holy Ghost
commands you. Christ, the eternal Word of God made flesh, commands you, who humbled
Himself, becoming obedient even unto death, to save our race from the perdition wrought by
your envy; who founded His Church upon a firm rock, declaring that the gates of hell should
never prevail against her, and that He would remain with her all days, even to the end of the
world. The sacred mystery of the cross commands you, along with the power of all mysteries of
Christian faith. The exalted Virgin Mary, Mother of Jesus, commands you, who in her lowliness
crushed your proud head from the first moment of her Immaculate Conception. The faith of the
holy apostles Peter and Paul and the other apostles commands you. The blood of martyrs and the
devout prayers of all holy men and women command you.
Therefore, accursed dragon and every diabolical legion, we adjure you by the living God, by the
true God, by the holy God, by God, who so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son,
that whoever believes in Him might not perish but have everlasting life; to cease deluding human
creatures and filling them with the poison of everlasting damnation; to desist from harming the
Church and hampering her freedom. Begone, Satan, father and master of lies, enemy of mans
welfare. Give place to Christ, in whom you found none of your works. Give way to the one,
holy, catholic, and apostolic Church, which Christ Himself purchased with His blood. Bow down
before Gods mighty hand, tremble and flee as we call on the holy and awesome name of Jesus,
before whom the denizens of hell cower, to whom the heavenly Virtues and Powers and
Dominations are subject, whom the Cherubim and Seraphim praise with unending cries as they
sing: Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Sabaoth.
Lord, heed my prayer.
And let my cry be heard by you.

21

The Lord be with you.

May He also be with you.
Let us pray.
God of heaven and earth, God of the angels and archangels, God of the patriarchs and prophets,
God of the apostles and martyrs, God of the confessors and virgins, God who have power to
bestow life after death and rest after toil; for there is no other God than you, nor can there be
another true God beside you, the Creator of all things visible and invisible, whose kingdom is
without end; we humbly entreat your glorious majesty to deliver us by your might from every
influence of the accursed spirits, from their every evil snare and deception, and to keep us from
all harm; through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
From the snares of the devil.
Lord, deliver us.
That you help your Church to serve you in security and freedom.
We beg you to hear us.
That you humble the enemies of holy Church.
We beg you to hear us.
The surroundings are sprinkled with holy water.
Chaplet of St. Michael
****This is were you will light the cotton wicks one after another, after reciting the prayer to St.
Michael.***
O God, come to my assistance. O Lord, make haste to help me. Glory be to the Father, etc.
(Say one Our Father and three Hail Marys after each of the following nine salutations in honor of
the nine Choirs of Angels)
1. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Seraphim may the Lord make us
worthy to burn with the fire of perfect charity. Amen.
2. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Cherubim may the Lord grant us
the grace to leave the ways of sin and run in the paths of Christian perfection. Amen.
3.By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Thrones may the Lord infuse into
our hearts a true and sincere spirit of humility. Amen.
4. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Dominions may the Lord give us
grace to govern our senses and overcome any unruly passions. Amen.
5. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Powers may the Lord protect our
souls against the snares and temptations of the devil. Amen.
6. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Virtues may the Lord preserve us
from evil and falling into temptation. Amen.
7. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Principalities may God fill our
souls with a true spirit of obedience. Amen.
8. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Archangels may the Lord give us

22

perseverance in faith and in all good works in order that we may attain the glory of Heaven.
Amen.
9. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Angels may the Lord grant us to
be protected by them in this mortal life and conducted in the life to come to Heaven. Amen.
Say one Our Father in honor of each of the following leading Angels: St. Michael, St. Gabriel,
St. Raphael and our Guardian Angel.
Concluding prayers
O glorious prince St. Michael, chief and commander of the heavenly hosts, guardian of souls,
vanquisher of rebel spirits, servant in the house of the Divine King and our admirable conductor,
you who shine with excellence and superhuman virtue deliver us from all evil, who turn to you
with confidence and enable us by your gracious protection to serve God more and more
faithfully every day.
Pray for us, O glorious St. Michael, Prince of the Church of Jesus Christ, that we may be made
worthy of His promises.
Almighty and Everlasting God, Who, by a prodigy of goodness and a merciful desire for the
salvation of all men, has appointed the most glorious Archangel St. Michael Prince of Your
Church, make us worthy, we ask You, to be delivered from all our enemies, that none of them
may harass us at the hour of death, but that we may be conducted by him into Your Presence.
This we ask through the merits of Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen.
After lighting all nine wicks you can recite Psalms 3, 10, 12, 23, 27, 30,53, 67,69, 91, 117.