The Lemuria Banishing Ritual

The Lemuria, is an ancient Roman festival in honor of the Lemures, the spirits of dead family members who wander the earth on these three spring nights (May 9, 11, and 13). This is a banishing ritual to ensure that no bad energy and no angry or hungry ghosts can hang around.  A simple version can be found here: The Lemuria.

Note: While this ritual is specific to The Lemuria, I see no reason why it cannot be used anytime this type of banishing is needed.

• Colors: Black and grey
• Element: Air
• Offerings: None. This is a banishing. All carry cymbals, drums, or noisemakers.
• Daily Meal: Goat meat. Beans.

Altar:

Upon cloth of black and grey set a bowl of beans, nine black candles, a brazier with incense of agrimony and rue, a bottle of good wine, a bowl of clean spring water, a knotted rope, a bowl of asafoetida, and a skull.

Lemuria Invocation

(First the one who has been chosen to do the work of the ritual stands forth, takes the knotted rope from the altar, and unknots it, and throws it into the brazier.)

Call:

Shades of those who have gone before us!
Ghosts and demons, inside us and outside,
Hear us!

Response:

We cast you out!
We drive you before us!

Call:

Begone from house and hearth,
Begone from mind and heart,
Begone from roost and stall,
Begone from field and garden,
Begone from path and road,
Begone from all places
Where you might harry us!
We scatter you before us on the wind!

Response:

We cast you out!
We drive you before us!

(The officiant makes the sign of the ficus towards the west, and all follow in turn. Then the officiant washes their hands in the clear spring water, and brings the bowl to all, who wash in turn. The water is poured out in the libation well. Then the beans are passed around, and all take a handful or a mouthful. Each spits or throws the beans in a different direction.)

Call:

Hace ego mitto,
his redime meque meosque fabis!

Response:

Manes exite paterni!
Manes exite paterni!
Manes exite paterni!

(All walk through the house and around the boundaries of the property, clashing cymbals and beating drums and making noise to drive away all evil spirits. This ritual repeats for three days, only on odd-numbered days, which are luckier than even-numbered days.)

Found in: Pagan Book of Hours