ENERGICI or ENERGUMENS (Gr. "possessed by a spirit"), the name given in the early Church to those suffering from differ ent forms of insanity, who were popularly supposed to be under the control of some indwelling spirit other than their own. Among primitive races everywhere disease is explained in this way, and its removal supposed to be effected by priestly prayers and incantations. They were sometimes called xecyaoµEvot, as being "tossed by the waves" of uncontrollable impulse. Persons afflicted thus were forbidden to enter the church, but were daily fed and prayed for over by the exorcists, and, in case of recovery, after a fast of from 20 to 4o days, were admitted to the Eucharist, and their names and cures entered in the church records.
Cf. EXORCISM.