Adjurist

An adjurist (from the latin word "adjure", meaning to swear or to exorcise) is a follower of a religious sect that is remarkable in its acceptance of members from diverse faiths and theological backgrounds.

There are few references to the group in modern literatures, though obscure mentions of the group can be found in theological and philosophical writings. In an article by Helena Petrovna Blavatsky that appeared in a 1928 article from Theosophical Quarterly Magazine there are references to "the Adjurists, Exorcists, Conjurerists, and Intercessors" in relation to Nigromancy, or the practice of the black arts. Ascribing evil intent to adjurists is common in older texts, though some believe their actions to be misunderstood and actually noble.

A recent announcement that appeared in a variety of media outlets worldwide on December 29, 2007 hailed the formation of adjuristine-exorcism squads by Pope Benedict XVI. The teams were reportedly being dispatched to "tackle the rise of Satanism" according to the UK newspaper the Daily Mail. The report, first made public by 82-year-old Father Gabriele Amorth, the Vatican "exorcist-in-chief," to the online Catholic news service Petrus, was almost immediately dismissed by Vatican officials but the publication of the reports represented an unusual instance where the existence of adjurists was acknowledged.