ANATHEMA, any curse, but especially one uttered by the Church for flagrant offences against faith or morals, and accom panied by exclusion from the community. Such exclusion was early practised in Judaism (cf. Ezra x. 8) and was developed into a formidable legal instrument by the rabbis (cf. "Ban" and "Anathema" in the Jewish Encyclopedia). Occasional complaints against the Jewish practice are heard from early Christians (cf. John ix. 22, xii. 42, xvi. 2) but similar customs were early adopted by the Church (cf. 2 Thess. iii. 14 ; 1 Cor. v. 5) . 1 Cor. xii. 3, xvi. 22; Gal. i. 8, 9 are probably no more than private curses, but Rom. ix. 3 is a significant anticipation of later usage.
Instances of anathema in formulae of condemnation issued by councils are frequent, beginning with the 4th century, e.g., a synod at Elvira (c. 300) issued an anathema against those who posted anti-Christian satires in churches and the Council of Nicea (3 2 5 ) anathematized Arianism. The formula, which later became regu lar and official appears in the canons of a council at Gangra "If any one (says such and such or behaves so and so), let him be anathema." A distinction between excommunication and anathema was drawn as early as the 6th century, and Pope John VIII. (878) defined "excommunication" as isolation from fellow Christians and "anathema" as separation from the body of Christ, i.e., the Church. The Gratian Decree interprets this defini tion as implying exclusion from the sacraments. In spite of occasional uncertainty in usage, "anathema" has generally been reserved as a term for the gravest censure pronounced by the Church. In the Corpus iuris Canonici (Rome, 1917), canon 2,257, it differs from excommunication only in the peculiarly solemn form in which it is pronounced.
The ecclesiastical legislation in canons 2,258-2,267 gives an excellent picture of the far-reaching effects of excommunication in Catholic society, even at the present day. Excommunicated per sons are there divided into two classes, vitandi who have been publicly and by name denounced by the Apostolic see, and tolerati upon whom this sentence has not yet fallen. The society of vitandi, even in secular pursuits, is to be avoided except in special circumstances. Excommunicated persons may hear sermons but may not attend mass, and, although a tolerates attending mass need not be expelled from the church unless he attempt to take an active part in the service, a vitandus should be ejected or the service abandoned, if this can be managed without too great in convenience. After formal condemnation no excommunicated per son may receive sacraments or sacramentalia, or be buried in a Church cemetery, and he may not benefit by the indulgences, suffragia or public prayers of the Church, though private prayers and even masses may be offered on his behalf. In the case of vitandi, however, masses may only be said for their conversion. An excommunicated person ordinarily has no right to administer sacraments or sacramentalia, but may do so in the absence of clergy in good standing. Requests for sacraments and sacra mentalia, however, should be made by the faithful to vitandi only in cases of extreme danger (in solo mortis periculo). No excom municated person may take part in ecclesiastical transactions or procedure, except to appeal from the sentence of excommunica tion passed upon him, and should enjoy no ecclesiastical benefit or preferments. Ecclesiastical acts (tam f on externi quam f on interni) performed by excommunicated persons are, with few ex ceptions, illegal. For offences by which anathema may be incurred, cf. canons 2,314 seq. and D. M. Prummer O. Pr., Manuale Ecclesiastici (Friburg in Bresgau, 192o), pp. 66o seq.
The ritual of. anathema, now seldom used, is described in the Pontificale Romanum (ed. Joseph Catalan., Rome, 1740, iii. pp. 176 seq.) . It is performed at the high altar, or in some other public place, by a bishop and 12 priests, all vested and carrying lighted tapers. The bishop recites a solemn formula describing the state of the condemned and the authority by which his excommunica tion is pronounced. It concludes, "et (eum) a societate omnium Christianorum separamus, et a liminibus sanctae Mathis Ecclesiae in coelo, et in terra excludimus, et excommunicatum, et anathema tizatum esse decernimus, et damnatum cum diabolo, et angelic emus, et omnibus reprobis in ignem aeternum indicamus; donee a diaboli laqueis resipiscat, et ad emendationem, et poenitentiam redeat, et Ecclesiae Dei, quam laesit, satisfaciat; tradentes eum satanae in interituni carnis, ut spiritus eius salvos fiat in die iudicii." At this point all cry, "Fiat, fiat, fiat," and dash their lighted candles to the ground. (R. P. C.)