There are many people in the Philippines, especially in the rural areas, who believe in power words of Oracion (Angelus). And many of those whom I have talked to about these strange words, which sound like Latin, but are not, swear that they work. One local faith healer who has a college degree told me the language of the Oracion is called “Burnay” a combination of Filipino and bastardized Latin. Some, however, are completely unintengible.
Where did this belief in Oracion come from?
According to some folk’s stories, they were brought to the Philippines by the Jesuits during the early period of the Christian occupancy of our islands which lasted almost 400 years.
I believe, however, that the practice of uttering power words must have originated much earlier than that, perhaps in ancient Egypt. When western men first beheld the temples and huge pyramids of Egypt, they found magical words, chants and hymns dedicated to their gods. These power words were supposed to protect the dead from their enemies and those who might desecrate their bodies during their journey into the underworld, called Hades by the ancient Greeks.
The Christian Bible, especially the Old Testament, also contains power words or special prayers which have the power to heal, cast out evil spirits and protect person against his enemies. In more recent times, people’s belief in Oracion or power words has again become popular because of the Harry Potter books and movies.
Ultimately, the power of the Oracion essentially boils down to the power of one’s mind and one’s strong belief and not inherently in the Oracion itself. If you truly believe without doubt the Oracion really works then it will, because the mind knows no limits, aside from those it accepts.