3 Reasons Why Catholic Priests Wear Purple Stoles During Exorcism

Exorcisms have their special place in Hollywood history. The craze can be traced back to the 1973 movie The Exorcist, followed by its sequels in 1977 and 1989. More recently, the movies The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005) and The Rite (2011) brought back exorcism into public awareness.

Despite being an almost perennial presence in the horror/thriller movie genre, real life exorcisms are actually quite rare. Searching for their documentation is in fact a search for a needle in a haystack. But this does not mean that exorcisms are taken lightly. Methods are strictly followed, even in the vestments to be worn. This brings us to the subject of our post: why priests wear purple stoles when exorcising.

Scene from "The Exorcism of Emily Rose" from Howstuffworks.com

You probably know that different colors of clerical stoles are worn to coincide with the liturgical calendar, and Purple is worn during the Season of Lent and Advent which is explained to symbolize repentance.

Priests who are performing exorcism also use Purple stoles because:

1. A stole symbolizes the power of priesthood.
The stole is first given during a deacon’s ordination. It is a powerful symbol of priesthood and consequently, the duties that are associated with it. This is exactly the reason why the stole is placed on the victim’s neck during an exorcism.

2. Purple stands for penance and healing.
Purple has a calming effect, a mood that is suited for penance. Liturgically speaking, penance brings about healing. Purple is then appropriate for exorcism, since it is an act of both penance and healing. This healing is brought through the ministry of a priest.

3. The purple stole is a symbol of the priest’s ministry.
The stole was used by Roman officials to symbolize their authority. When it was adopted by the Catholic Church for its clergy, it has become a symbol of priestly ministry. The stole stands for the priest’s authority to bring the victim back after it has been separated during the possession.

There is still much debate over the validity of exorcism and primarily, of demonic possessions. This post neither aims to validate or invalidate any of that. It merely explains the reason behind the wearing of purple stoles during exorcism.

Do you know of other possible explanation why Priests wear Purple colored stoles during Exorcisms? If so, comment below!

Why Should You Wear Graduation Stoles?

The most obvious answer to the question of why you should wear a stole is that your school will require you to do so during the commencement ceremony. But aside from that, graduation stoles have long been considered as a symbol of gratitude. It is the only garment in the entire academic regalia that is specifically worn to show that grateful feeling towards the people who have helped us make it to the top.

Answering this question of why we wear graduation stoles leads us to another question: why should we show gratitude? Gratitude is probably one of the most underrated feelings and many people are unaware of the benefits of being grateful.

·         Being grateful strengthens your emotional responses.

·         Being grateful “blocks” unwanted emotions.

·         People who are grateful see themselves in a better way.

More positive emotional responses

The feeling of gratitude leads to a better emotional intelligence. That is, when confronted by adversity or sadness, you will be better at seeing the positive side of it. How does this happen? Merely by being grateful, your brain is able to internalize positive experiences and will therefore be more prone to seeking positivity in everything. It is a subconscious drive for happiness that you can initiate by being grateful of everything.

Your graduation is a day wherein you can have a “grand stage” to practice gratitude. Dr. Rick Hanson, a renowned neuropsychologist, has an amazing article expounding the positive psychological effects of gratitude.

Blocking unwanted emotions

People who are constantly grateful have a “shield” against negative emotions. As a student, you know that disappointments, loss, and sadness can often happen. But if you are constantly grateful, even for the smallest of things, you will reach a point of being invulnerable to the downsides of life. This is simply because gratitude is a positive emotion and it is not possible for the brain to hold both positive and negative emotions at the same time.

Seeing yourself in a positive light

Being grateful to other people, also means being able to see and recognize the good things they have brought to your life. This means that you have a higher esteem for them. Consequently, being able to see the good in other people makes you better at seeing the good in you.

A better self-image is important for success in life. There are times when you fall short of something and you cannot help but turn against yourself. But that is not how life works. Often, your failure is not about you not trying enough—it is about you needing to try again.

By having a positive view of yourself, you will be more driven to keep trying. By being persistent and positive about yourself, you will turn success into a habit. Think you are not good enough? Watch this YouTube video from Dove and you will definitely change your mind.

One more question for you to answer:

Your sash, as a symbol of gratitude, will definitely make feel someone valued. If you want to show your gratitude to more than one person, then feel free to order additional graduation stoles. Most schools don't put a limit on the number of stoles you can wear on Graduation anyway, so wear as many as you can! But there is one thing you would want to decide now: who will you give your graduation stole to?