Advoca'tus Diaboli

Advoca'tus Diaboli ('the devil's advocate'), the name given to the person appointed to state the objections to any proposed canonisation in the Romish Church. An examination of the past life of the candidate takes place, and in this process the accuser, or advocatus diaboli, brings forward all possible objections; while, on the other side, the advocatus Dei ('God's advocate') undertakes the defence. Hence the term is often applied to any person who brings forward malicious accusations. See CANONISATION.