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Deacon: Let us pray to the Lord.
People: Lord, have mercy.
Priest: O Lord of Sabaoth, the God of Israel, Who healest every malady and every infirmity: Look upon Thy servant; prove him (her) and search him (her) and root out of him (her) every operation of the devil. Rebuke the unclean spirits and expel them, and purify the works of Thy hands; and exerting Thy trenchant might, speedily crush down Satan under his (her) feet; and give him (her) victory over the same, and over his unclean spirits; that, having obtained mercy from Thee, he (she) may be made worthy to partake of Thy heavenly Mysteries; and may ascribe unto Thee glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages.
People: Amen.
This Third Exorcism Prayer completes the exorcistic sequence and marks a theological transition from cosmic combat and judicial condemnation (in the first two prayers) to healing, purification, and restoration.
Where the earlier exorcisms confront and condemn the devil, this final one turns the focus toward the human person— now seen as God’s work of art being cleansed, healed, and readied for union with Him in the Mysteries.
Let’s examine this prayer line by line and explore its deeper significance.
1. Invocation of the Lord of Sabaoth
“O Lord of Sabaoth, the God of Israel…”
The title “Lord of Sabaoth” (Κύριε Σαβαώθ) means “Lord of Hosts” — the commander of the angelic armies.
This is a title of divine sovereignty and martial power, emphasizing that God alone commands both the heavenly hosts and the forces of creation.
In the context of exorcism, this title affirms that the battle against demonic powers belongs to God alone. The priest does not battle the demon directly — he calls upon the Lord of Hosts to act.
This recalls 1 Samuel 17:45, where David says to Goliath: “I come to you in the name of the Lord of Hosts, the God of the armies of Israel.”
It also resonates with the liturgical Sanctus: “Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Sabaoth,” situating the prayer within the worship of heaven itself.
Thus, the prayer begins by placing the human struggle within the vast cosmic hierarchy of divine authority.
2. God as the Healer of Body and Soul
“…Who healest every malady and every infirmity…”
Here the tone shifts dramatically: the emphasis is no longer on banishment but on healing.
This introduces the key Orthodox theme that sin and demonic influence are illnesses, not merely moral failings or external possessions.
The one about to be baptized is now presented not as a battlefield but as a patient in the hands of the Great Physician(cf. Matthew 9:12–13).
In this way, the prayer unites exorcism and healing — both are acts of divine mercy aimed at restoring the image of God in the person.
3. God’s Intimate Knowledge of the Person
“Look upon Thy servant; prove him (her) and search him (her)…”
This language comes from Psalm 139 (LXX 138):23–24 —
“Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my thoughts; and see if there be any wicked way in me.”
It emphasizes that the exorcism is not merely external cleansing but an interior purification.
The prayer asks God to “prove” and “search” the person — to expose and remove every hidden influence of evil, even those embedded in the inner life (thoughts, passions, memories).
This reveals the Orthodox understanding that salvation involves the whole person — body, mind, and soul — and that baptism renews this totality.
4. Request for Purification and Renewal
“Root out of him (her) every operation of the devil. Rebuke the unclean spirits and expel them, and purify the works of Thy hands…”
Now the prayer speaks of God’s creative ownership: the human person is “the work of Thy hands.”
The exorcism is not an act of destruction but of restoration — returning the creature to its original state of purity.
This echoes Genesis 2:7 — God forming man from the dust — and Psalm 103:30, “You shall renew the face of the earth.”
Thus, the exorcism becomes a kind of new creation, anticipating what will be completed in baptism: the washing of regeneration (Titus 3:5).
5. Divine Might and the Crushing of Satan
“…and exerting Thy trenchant might, speedily crush down Satan under his (her) feet…”
This line is one of the most striking.
It directly recalls Romans 16:20:
“The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.”
Several layers of meaning unfold here:
“Thy trenchant might” (Greek: τοῦ ὀξυτάτου σου κράτους) evokes a sword-like precision — God’s power pierces and divides; it is decisive and final.
The crushing “under his (her) feet” is a reversal of the Fall: in Genesis 3:15, the serpent strikes the heel of the seed of the woman, but the seed crushes the serpent’s head.
By invoking this imagery, the prayer declares that the baptized person now participates in Christ’s victory — the promise of Eden is fulfilled in them.
In Orthodox anthropology, this is the moment where the human person is restored to dominion — no longer under sin, but reigning with Christ over the powers of darkness.
6. Victory as Participation in Mercy
“…and give him (her) victory over the same, and over his unclean spirits; that, having obtained mercy from Thee…”
Here the tone softens again: victory is not achieved by merit or strength, but by divine mercy.
In other words, the triumph over evil is a gift, not an accomplishment.
This expresses the synergy at the heart of Orthodox soteriology:
God acts in power (He crushes Satan).
The human person responds in faith and repentance.
The result is victory through mercy, not through force.
7. Preparation for the Mysteries
“…he (she) may be made worthy to partake of Thy heavenly Mysteries…”
This marks the turning point of the exorcisms.
The catechumen, once the object of spiritual conflict, is now deemed ready for the Mysteries of Christ — baptism, chrismation, and eventually the Eucharist.
This movement from exorcism to communion mirrors the entire structure of salvation:
From darkness → light
From bondage → freedom
From alienation → communion
To partake of the Mysteries is to enter the divine life, the very goal of the baptismal journey.
8. The Trinitarian Doxology
“…and may ascribe unto Thee glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages.”
As in the previous exorcisms, the prayer culminates in Trinitarian worship — affirming that all healing, cleansing, and victory flow from the life of the Holy Trinity.
The doxology also signals that the exorcisms are complete:
the person is no longer the subject of conflict but the subject of praise, ready to glorify the Triune God.
Theological Summary
In Summary
The Third Exorcism brings the baptismal preparation to its climax.
It completes the movement from:
Confrontation (First Exorcism: Christ vs. the Devil),
Judgment (Second Exorcism: condemnation of evil),
Healing and Restoration (Third Exorcism: renewal of the person).
The person, once under bondage, is now a healed, cleansed, and victorious creature of God — ready to be illumined.
Thus, this final exorcism is not a battle cry but a benediction of peace, as the “Lord of Sabaoth” transforms the human soul from a field of conflict into a temple of the Holy Spirit.
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