# Catholic Excommunication **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 13, 2001, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catholic-excommunication/93154 "2001-11-13T17:48:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Agentakbar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7cd45c/32.png) [@Agentakbar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agentakbar)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2001, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catholic-excommunication/93154/1 "2001-11-13T17:48:24Z")
Hey all, I’ve been searching, much in vain (for once, Google fails me) for the original Latin of the Bell, Book and Candle routine (We separate him, together with his accomplices and abettors, from the precious body and blood of the Lord and from the society of all Christians…from the toils of the devil and return to amendment and to penitence…) Would anybody out there happen to know the original Latin? Pretty please? There’s a cookie in it for anybody who knows. Bri ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2001, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catholic-excommunication/93154/2 "2001-11-13T18:10:51Z")
Are you sure you aren’t confusing Excommunication with Exorcism? I was an altar boy, and never had to participate in either activity, but IIRC there’s no “Bell, Book, and Candle” in an excommunication. On top of which, you probably aren’t technically qualified to perform either. Years ago there was a booklet published with the rites of Exorcism, which you’re probably looking for. No doubt someone has it online by now. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2001, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catholic-excommunication/93154/3 "2001-11-13T18:22:59Z")
Not that this answers your question, but it did bring to my mind the Master’s thoughts on the subject. [excommunication](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a5_242.html) ---
**Author:** ![Agentakbar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7cd45c/32.png) [@Agentakbar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agentakbar)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2001, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catholic-excommunication/93154/4 "2001-11-13T18:35:59Z")
No, no, I definitely mean excommunication. In fact, I don’t think the bell, book and candle schtick is used for anything else. And, Cal, just because I can’t perform something means I can’t know about it? Bri ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2001, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catholic-excommunication/93154/5 "2001-11-13T18:49:10Z")
I don’t know thatthis is quite what you are looking for byt how about this: > [@](#): > > We may now proceed to enumerate the immediate effects of excommunication. They are summed up in the two well known verses: > > _Res sacræ, ritus, communio, crypta, potestas, > prædia sacra, forum, civilia jura vetantur,_ > > i.e. loss of the sacraments, public services and prayers of the Church, ecclesiastical burial, jurisdiction, benefices, canonical rights, and social intercourse. SOURCE: [New Advent Catholic Encyclopedia](http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05678a.htm) Tons of info on excommunication here but not the actual ceremony (at least I didn’t see it on a quick read through). I also read the following from the [same site](http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09296a.htm) as above. It may aid in your search since it describes the book the ceremony is kept in (highlighting mine). > [@](#): > > The (_Pontificale Romanum_) is the bishop’s-book. It was issued by Benedict XIV (1740-58) on 25 March, 1752, and revised by Leo XIII in 1888. It has three parts and an appendix. Part I contains the rites of Confirmation, the tonsure, the seven ordinations, the blessing of abbots, abbesses, nuns, coronation of kings and queens, and blessing of a knight (miles). Part II contains the services for laying foundation-stones, consecrating churches, altars, chalices, many episcopal blessings (of vestments, vessels, crosses, statues, bells, weapons, and flags), the seven penitential psalms, and the litany. Part III contains the publication of movable feasts on the Epiphany, the expulsion of public penitents on Ash Wednesday and their reconciliation on Maundy Thursday, the order of synods, degradations from each order, **excommunication and absolution from it** , of the journeys of prelates (prayers to be said then), visitation of parishes, solemn reception of bishops, legates, emperors, kings, and such people down to a “Princess of great power”, the old episcopal scrutiny, a ceremony for the first shaving of a clerk’s beard, and a little rite for making or degrading a singer (psalmista or cantor). Also, I found this neat website. [The Bible Gateway](http://bible.gospelcom.net) allows you to search the text of a variety of versions of the Bible as well as searching them in many different languages. It may not help but it’s kinda cool and who knows…maybe it would help. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2001, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catholic-excommunication/93154/6 "2001-11-13T19:00:45Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by CalMeacham \* > \*\*Are you sure you aren’t confusing Excommunication with Exorcism? > > I was an altar boy, and never had to participate in either activity, but IIRC there’s no “Bell, Book, and Candle” in an excommunication.\*\* I found a reference to the Bell, Book and Candle [here](http://www.paganpath.com/bellbk.html) of all places. Hardly a definitive source but it lends credence to the ceremony being described here. > [@](#): > > The rite of the bell, book and candle of the Roman Catholic Church is associated with Witches because the Church considered them ‘reprobate’. In modern times many people mistakenly use the phrase, believing it is in reference to the bell on modern Pagan or magickal altars, the book of shadows, and a candle used for magick or symbolism. The rite consists of the priest reading the following: > > _We exclude him from the bosom of our Holy Mother the Church, and we judge him condemned to eternal fire with Satan and his angels and all the reprobate, so long as he will not burst the fetters of the demon, do penance and satisfy the Church._ > > Then the priest closes the book, rings a bell - a symbol for death, and extinguishes a candle or candles and throws them down - representing removing their soul from God’s sight. ---
**Author:** ![altor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@altor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/altor)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2001, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catholic-excommunication/93154/7 "2001-11-13T19:47:51Z")
According to [this](http://home.pacbell.net/freeron/gaddis/36anno1.htm) the Latin text is in William Gaddis’ book _The Recognitions_ and in the Encyclopedia Britannica under “anathema.” BTW I found this in Google 😉 by putting in a big hunk of your quote inside quotation marks: “together with his accomplices and abettors” ---
**Author:** ![Agentakbar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7cd45c/32.png) [@Agentakbar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agentakbar)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2001, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/catholic-excommunication/93154/8 "2001-11-13T22:22:58Z")
Altor, I know. That was the one substantial thing I found in Google. When I went to the library, it had a 1954 edition of the Encyclopaedia Britannica (the site cites one from 1929) and it didn’t have the text of the incantation. The Gaddis book wasn’t even in my library, supposedly the biggest private libary in the nation. Harumph. Bri