EXORCISM IN CHRISTIANITY: <i>PRO ET CONTRA</i>
The article shows the formation of Christian exorcism - the ritual of banishing demons. The author examines early Christian sources describing this rite, identifies the differences in exorcism practices between Catholicism and Orthodoxy, and provides the arguments for and against this ritual. The paper describes the external evidences of obsession, enumerates the persons who have the right to perform this ritual in the parishes of the Russian Orthodox Church. The research findings indicated the growing popularity of banishing ritual in modern Russia.