Sermon by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia on Holy Saturday after the Divine Liturgy at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior
Dear fathers, brothers and sisters, I congratulate everyone on the great day - on Holy Saturday!
The Lord is in the tomb, but by His Divine power He descends into hell. It is not given to us to understand what this means, because hell and the afterlife are outside our human experience. Throughout history, the truth that Christ, after His death, touched the very depths of evil, was reflected in different ways by artists, creating beautiful works, poets sang in different ways, the Holy Fathers and theologians spoke about this in different ways.
However, truth remains truth in a way that we cannot comprehend. The deceased Savior descended into the very center of evil. Not to Calvary, where evil was revealed through people with all their limitations, with all their weakness, with all their fickleness. They shouted "Crucify!", shouted "Wah! Destroying the church and building up in three days! Come down from the cross and we will believe in you” (see Matt. 27:40; Mark 15:29), but all this was so limited, so humanly petty in relation to the mystery that was performed on the Cross. However, on Holy Saturday something happened that we do not know about. We do not know how this happened and what it means, but God did not come into contact with limited human malice, but with absolute, powerful evil and saved the righteous from the power of this evil.
We can only thank God that through His Son, our beloved Lord Jesus Christ, all this happened - and His suffering, and the Cross, and death. And we thank the Lord precisely because tonight we will celebrate His Resurrection, which is a victorious point not only in the Gospel history, but also in the history of the entire human race.
Through participation in divine services, through prayer, through reading the Holy Scriptures, with our minds and hearts we touch the mystery of our salvation, the mystery of deliverance from the mighty power of evil. The joy of the Risen Savior must be combined with this awareness of the great Divine action that is relevant to each of us. After all, each of us suffers from evil, so we sometimes grumble - both at God and at our lives, not understanding where all these troubles come from on our heads, not understanding what the power of evil means. Today, as well as the coming night, reveal to us the Divine plan, which includes the victory of God, and therefore of all who believe in Him and who call on His name over all evil and all unrighteousness.
I congratulate you all on the upcoming holiday of the Holy Resurrection of Christ!
Where to look for protection from enemies and evil tongues, no matter how the Lord and His Great Host - Angels, Archangels and Saints. Only a prayer recited with zeal from enemies and evil people can crush the cruelty of hearts and repulse demonic intrigues. Archangel Michael, God's Archangel, is kneelingly asked by Orthodox Christians for salvation from corruption, envious people and softening of malice in human souls. And the Mother of God is called to soften the murmur of ill-wishers, to give her mercy and grace. Prayer to the Mother of God for protection will return the poison to the one who started the enmity.
God's Army - protection from the devil's machinations
- Archangel Michael is one of the four Archangels (Michael, Gabriel, Ariel, Raphael), standing guard over the Throne of the Lord and the entire Universe created by him. The word "Mi ka el" literally translates - "Who is like God." This four Archangels is also called the Lord's army, for they had to fight with Satan himself in order to prevent him from becoming the ruler of mankind and not to allow the absolute evil of the demonic omnipotence. They are formidable messengers of God, and therefore they call on them for protection from enemies and evil tongues.
- Archangel means "senior messenger". Archangel Michael was entrusted with the duty to observe the world order and protect the peoples who accepted the Lord from satanic machinations - corruption, witchcraft, black pestilence, the malice of human hearts that accepted the will of the devil.
- A prayer from enemies, visible and invisible, offered up to the Archangel Michael, is a prayer to him for salvation from the attacks of offenders, the slander of envious people, help in work and in relationships with people. The Holy Warrior of God will protect from slander, gossip, discussions, from enemies and evil tongues, from witchcraft, magic and devilish plans.
- Orthodox Christians offer protective prayers to the Archangel Michael because, according to legend, Michael descended into the Underworld, accompanying Jesus in his difficult feat of liberating human hearts from the depths of hell. The liberated souls were entrusted by Christ to the Archangel in order to become purer and kinder to them, having been honored with the grace of the Gardens of Paradise.
It is very important to realize that, while saying prayers from evil people, from enemies and evil tongues, you yourself need to maintain kindness in your soul and avoid bad thoughts. After all, the strongest and most effective prayers from enemies are not able to protect you from demonic intrigues and failures, if you do not keep the purity of your own hearts. Only goodness gives birth to goodness and grace, and bad deeds cannot overcome the poison of malice.
When offering prayers to Archangel Michael in search of salvation from enemies and evil tongues, do not allow very strong curses and slander even in the depths of thoughts. For allowing evil to become the dominant feeling within you, in the end you follow its lead, multiplying it. Make an effort on yourself - forgive the offender his evil, and in front of your eyes he will return according to his deeds. The rest will be Michael's concern - God's Guardian will return evil to the one who generates it.
The text of the prayer to the Archangel Michael for intercession.
“Oh, Saint Michael the Archangel, light-like and formidable voivode of the Heavenly King!
Have mercy on us sinners who demand your intercession!
Save us, servants of God (list the names), from all visible and invisible enemies,
Rather, strengthen from the horror of death and from the embarrassment of the devil
and make us worthy to stand shamelessly before our Creator at the hour of His terrible and righteous Judgment.
Oh, all-holy, great Michael the Archangel!
Do not despise us sinners, praying to you for your help and intercession in this age and the future,
but make us worthy there together with you to glorify the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit forever and ever.
Amen".
Mother of God - protector and patroness
A strong, earnest prayer from evil, addressed to the Most Holy Theotokos, will smash all the evil intentions of the enemy, for no one can compare with the Heavenly Patroness. Raise your aspirations for protection to her, and your enemies will bite their evil tongues, ceasing to exude the poison of enmity. Her help will help you become invulnerable against visible and secret plans - damage, magical obsessions, envious people at work or the malice of enemy hearts.
When a prayer is needed to the Heavenly Patroness
Prayer from enemies, addressed to the Mother of God, is a very strong defense that gives confidence and peace of mind. Orthodox Christians have always treated the Heavenly Mother with respect, for she showed herself as a loving savior of all the oppressed and unjustly offended. She many times came to the aid of those who demand Her great mercy and protection from gossip, envy, witchcraft and corruption.
- Problems at work - gossip, intrigue, resentment, conspiracies.
- Quarrels with neighbors and acquaintances.
- Manifestations of pagan witchcraft are damage sent by enemies, demons, brownies.
- Manifestations of anger from loved ones.
- The cruelty of the spouses - unexpected outbursts of anger.
- Very tense relations with others - slander, a manifestation of anger.
In this case, the prayer to the Heavenly Queen for protection from failures and manifestations of aggression is able to tame the evil of hearts and neutralize the one who tries to harm you with the help of corruption. Faced with troubles, do not become discouraged and do not panic - the Lord will arrange everything, place your hopes on His Satisfiers and Heavenly Patrons.
The text of the prayer to the Virgin for protection and salvation
“Receive, all-merciful, Most Pure Lady Lady Theotokos, these honest gifts, the only applied to You, from us, Your unworthy servants: chosen from all generations, the highest being of all heavenly and earthly creatures, for the sake of You, the Lord of Forces be with us, and with You We will know the Son of God and be made worthy of His holy Body and His most pure Blood; even more blessed are you in the birth of childbirth, God-blessed, the brightest of the Cherubim and the most honest of the Seraphim. And now, all-singing Most Holy Theotokos, do not stop praying for us, Thy unworthy servants, to deliver us from every evil advice and every circumstance and keep us intact from every poisonous pretense of the devil; but even to the end with your prayers, keep us uncondemned, as if by your intercession and help we save, glory, praise, thanksgiving and worship for the whole in the Trinity to the One God and all the Creator we send, now and forever, and forever and ever. Amen".
Icon of the Mother of God "Seven Arrows" - protection from human malice
"Seven Arrows" is one of the very strong icons that tames human malice. The arrows in the hands of the Most Pure One are aimed against anyone plotting evil and cruel. If you need protection from enemies and an evil tongue that creates deceit against you and plots intrigues, ask the Mother of God for protection. "Seven-strelnaya" has the glory of counteracting all hardness of heart and malicious intent.
- The icon should be placed so that it is facing the one who weaves intrigues or plots evil against you. If trouble is at work, then place the icon nearby so that its holy face confuses the attacker, confuses his plans and thoughts.
- In the house, the “Seven-shooter” is placed above the threshold, then the villain who enters will see her and be afraid to do evil.
- The prayer offered daily from evil people in front of the icon "Seven Arrows" will protect the house from the invasion of negative thoughts and witchcraft damage. The Holy Spirit will make the presence of any evil in your home unbearable.
- To gain grace from the Mother of God, be sure to keep the lamp lit during prayers and on the days of veneration of the Queen of Heaven.
She will see your sincere words and come to the rescue, for the good heart of the Mother of God cannot remain deaf to pleas for protection. Read the “Seven-shooter” prayer every time you see a person unpleasant to you or someone who you suspect of malicious intent.
A short prayer to the icon "Seven Arrows"
“O who does not please Thee, Virgin of Grace, who does not sing of Your mercy to the human race. We pray to you, we ask you, do not leave us in the evil of the perishing, dissolve our hearts with love and send Your arrow to our enemies, may our hearts be wounded by peace to those who persecute us. If the world hates us - You stretch out Your love for us, if the world persecutes us - You accept us, give us the grace-filled power of patience - to endure trials in this world without grumbling. Oh lady! Soften the hearts of evil people who rise up against us, so that their hearts do not perish in evil - but implore, O Gracious One, Your Son and our God, let their hearts die in peace, but the devil - the father of malice - be put to shame! We, singing Your mercy to us, evil, indecent, we will sing to You, O Wonderful Lady Virgin of Grace, hear us at this hour, contrite hearts of those who have, protect us with peace and love for each other and for our enemies, eradicate from us all malice and enmity, let us sing to You and Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ: Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!"
Life-giving Cross - protection from the anger of the boss
On the cross, Jesus accepted his martyrdom, for it was His great duty and the command of the Most High. Christ did not dare to contradict his Heavenly Father, he understood the great plan of his destiny - to suffer from enemies and evil tongues in order to heal mankind from vices and cleanse the earth from flagrant sin.
In the same way, we, while arranging the graces of our existence, have to endure a lot, including at work the hardheartedness of the boss. Prayer from evil people, appealing to the power of the Life-Giving Cross, is capable of breaking all hatred and deliberate malice.
- Keep the holy image of the Life-Giving Cross at your workplace.
- Read a prayer at every troubled moment - before communicating with an unpleasant person or after a quarrel.
- Ask the Lord to reason with a hard-hearted person, granting him your forgiveness. Only in forgiveness will you find salvation from evil, for good begets good.
- Also read Psalms 57, 72, 74. Their power will tame any villainy and cruelty intended against you.
Remember! Any prayers must be supported by your earnest faith and diligence in fulfilling the canons of Orthodoxy. It is impossible to receive blessing and mercy without diligence.
The text of the prayer to the Life-Giving Cross
“Let God arise, and let His enemies be scattered, and let those who hate Him flee from His presence. Like smoke disappears, let them disappear, like wax melts from the face of fire, so let the demons perish from the face of those who love God and are marked by the sign of the cross, and say in joy: Rejoice, Most Honorable and Life-giving Cross of the Lord, drive away the demons by the power of our Lord Jesus Christ crucified on you who descended into hell and corrected the power of the devil, and gave us His Honorable Cross to drive away every adversary. O Most Honorable and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord! Help me with the Holy Lady Virgin Mother of God and with all the saints forever. Amen".
Short prayer from enemies for emergency
At any moment it may happen that you will not have time to concentrate and pray properly. For such a case, you can quickly say a short conspiracy prayer:
Protect me, Lord, by the power of Your Honorable and Life-Giving Cross, and save me from all evil.
You can also always turn to an emergency situation with your Guardian Angel for intercession. As with any appeal to Heaven, the most important thing is sincere and unshakable faith!
Be healthy and happy!
Prayers from enemies and evil people are very popular. They allow you to put reliable protection and protect yourself from alien negative impact. It is important to understand that before praying, you need to get rid of anger and hatred in your own soul. Reading prayers from enemies and evil people should be in a positive mood, focusing directly on turning to the Higher Forces.
The most powerful prayer from evil people, bringing help
There is a strong daily prayer that allows you to protect yourself from enemies. If you read it every day in the morning, then it forms a reliable protective shield around a person that no intrigues of enemies can break through.
Don't be fooled into thinking that you don't have enemies for the simple reason that you manage to get along with the people around you. Everyone has enemies and foes. Evil people may wish you harm out of jealousy. Their evil thoughts can destroy a person's aura and cause trouble, both at the household level, and harm health in general.
That is why it should become a rule for every believer to offer the following prayer every morning:
“Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal! I ask you to have mercy on me, a servant of God (proper name) and grant me your strong protection. Protect me from all visible and invisible evil, close the malice of human made, conceived or intentional. Order, Lord, to accompany me to my Guardian Angel and take away any troubles and misfortunes from me. Save and save me my Angel, do not let evil people inflict spiritual and bodily damage on me. Keep me, Almighty and All-Merciful, through kind and positive people. Amen".
There is another strong prayer against all evil, directed to the Savior of the human race, Jesus Christ. It can be read at any time of the day when you have suspicions that someone from your environment is trying to harm you. It must be said aloud in a secluded place, but if this is not possible, then the prayer text can be said mentally, completely abandoning from events in the outside world.
The prayer sounds like this:
“Lord Almighty, the Great Lover of mankind, the All-Merciful Jesus Christ! I, the servant of God (proper name), ask you to keep my mind clean. Save, O God, my thoughts are good, and help me cleanse myself from the external filth that my enemies send to me. My sincere prayer and request comes from the depths of my heart. I believe in Your protection, Your blessing and I accept Your will. I do not ask for punishment for my enemies, I forgive them. Do not be angry with them, Lord, but direct them to the true path and remove evil from their souls so that they can no longer harm anyone. Amen".
In Orthodoxy, there is a huge variety of prayers from visible and invisible enemies. They will help you get out of a series of troubles and troubles in a variety of life situations. It is very important to believe that prayers will be effective and will help you. It is important during prayer to tune in to positive and remove evil and hatred from your own soul for those people who are trying to harm you.
Prayer from enemies at work (or evil bosses)
No one is safe from problems and difficulties at work, but special prayers will help to cope with any difficult situation. This method allows good to overcome evil. I read a prayer, you cannot harm another person, just prayer words will take evil away from you. With prayerful words, you can appease the ill-wisher, and his desire to harm you will simply disappear. It is very important to believe that prayer will definitely help stabilize the work situation.
A strong prayer from enemies at work and an evil leader is as follows:
“Lord, All-Merciful and All-Merciful, Son of God Jesus Christ. Hear the prayer of the servant of God (proper name) and do not refuse help. Give me the strength to be cleansed of human malice and envy, do not let me plunge into the abyss of mournful days. I believe in your mercy, Lord, and earnestly ask for forgiveness of my voluntary and involuntary sins, which I committed due to my unreason. I sincerely repent of my sinful deeds and thoughts, I repent of my sin for forgetting about the Orthodox faith in my vicious deeds and turning off the true path. Please, Lord, protect me from my enemies and not allow them to harm me. I humbly accept your will and glorify your name in my prayers. Amen".
There is also a strong short prayer that allows you to create a charm for yourself every day. A prayer appeal must be pronounced mentally immediately after arriving at the workplace.
It sounds like this:
“Lord, I ask you to cleanse my soul from anger and irritation. Grant me patience and prudence, do not let me be drawn into intrigues and gossip, protect me from black envy. Amen".
Prayer from evil, enemies and corruption
A special prayer from evil, enemies and corruption will reliably protect the believer from all sorts of troubles associated with third-party negativity. Prayers that contain an appeal to the Most Holy Theotokos are distinguished by a special protective power. If you feel that you are often exposed to negative programs from your detractors. then, buy the icon of the Mother of God "The Tsaritsa" and offer a special protective prayer in front of her.
The prayer appeal goes like this:
“O Most Pure Mother of our Lord, the All-Tsaritsa! Hear the painful and sincere sigh of the Servant of God (proper name). I humbly stand before your image, offering up a prayer for help and protection. Pay attention to my lamentations and do not leave me without your support in my difficult hour of life. Since each bird covers its chicks from threats with its wings, so cover me with your protective cover. Be my hope in the days of trials, help me to endure fierce sorrows and save my soul. Instill strength in me to resist enemy attacks, grant patience and wisdom to make the right decisions, do not let despair and weakness take over my soul. May your blissful light shine on me and illuminate my life path for me, removing from it all the barriers and traps set up by evil people and devilish forces. Heal, Holy Mother of God, my spiritual and bodily ailments, brighten my mind so that I can make the right decisions and resist my enemies, visible and invisible. Pray for me, heavenly Queen, before your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. I believe in your mercy and hope for your help, I glorify you in my prayers. Amen".
If you feel that the damage has awakened feelings of anger and anger in your soul and you can’t take it off on your own, then you need to read a special prayer to soften evil hearts. With such an appeal, you will not only calm yourself and cleanse your soul of negativity, but also soften the hearts of people who seek to harm you.
Prayer should be said three times a day for several days in a row.
It sounds like this:
“Holy Mother of God, I ask you, a servant of God (proper name), to soften evil human hearts, fill them with kindness and compassion. Extinguish anger and hatred in our souls, remove sorrow and suffering from us. Before your holy image, I pray you about this and I rely only on you. Remove the arrows that pierce our bodies and souls and torment us. Save us, Holy Mother of God, do not let us perish from cruelty and horror, grant softening to our hearts. Amen".
You can protect yourself from enemies and envious people with the help of prayer. It is important when praying not to feel hatred in your soul for those people who are trying to harm you or envy you. You need to start praying only after you feel that you got rid of the negativity in your soul. Prayers against envious people and enemies should always be offered in complete solitude. Lighted church candles and fragrant incense will help you get in the right mood.
The most powerful prayer appeal is the prayer to St. Cyprian. With its help, you can not only cleanse the aura of negativity, but also put reliable protection for the future. In order to strengthen the effect of this prayer, it is necessary to say a prayer for holy water. After the end of the prayer, you yourself need to take a sip of water and give it to your household to drink.
The prayer text reads as follows:
“Saint Cyprian, you are the comforter of suffering souls known to all believers, a faithful saint of God and a real defender of the righteous people from evil spells! I beg you, servant of God (proper name), help me and do not leave me and my household in perdition. Protect us from human envy and anti-theft witchcraft to God. Drive away from us troubles and misfortunes directed at us by evil people. Do not let them influence our godly life. Grant us the opportunity to live in harmony and harmony in order to glorify the name of our Lord the All-Merciful and accept His will in everything. Saint Cyprian, hear my sincere prayer and lend a helping hand. Hide us from evil eyes and harmful words. You are my hope and I trust in you with all my heart. Amen".
If you have a feeling that there is an envious person next to you, then you should mentally turn to the Holy Matrona of Moscow for help.
The text goes something like this:
“Oh, Blessed Old Lady Matrona of Moscow, hear my heartfelt prayer and respond. Ask the Lord to protect me, the Servant of God (proper name) from envious people. Help me Matronushka to remove all obstacles from my life path, arising from the strong envy of my enemies. Pray from the Lord God for the salvation of my soul. Amen".
Prayer amulet to protect children from evil people
One of the most powerful ways to protect against evil is a prayer-amulet. The most powerful effect for this case has a special prayer addressed to the Most Holy Theotokos.
“Holy Virgin Mary, Most Holy Theotokos, I turn to you, a servant of God (proper name) for help and support! As you sought to protect your Son Jesus Christ from all bad weather, so protect me from the anger of unkind people and from an envious look. Do not let my enemies harm me with a bad word and black sorcery. I pray before your bright image and I attract your strength to me. Do not refuse me, Holy Mother of God and help me. Save me from the evil one and give me the strength to withstand sinful temptations, keep my soul and body clean. I humbly pray, accept the will of God and glorify your good deeds, Most Holy Theotokos. Amen".
You can also seek protection from human malice from the glorious army of the Lord - Angels and Archangels. One of the most significant is the Archangel Michael, who stands at the Throne of the Lord and is the leader of the Heavenly army.
Prayer from visible and invisible enemies, which is directed to the Archangel Michael, allows you to reliably protect yourself from the attacks of evil people and the slander of enemies. This saint will not allow gossip and slander to harm a sincere believer. Prayer to him is a reliable protective barrier for any witchcraft.
It is very important, when offering a prayer to the Archangel Michael, to maintain spiritual kindness yourself. Only with a pure soul, filled with love for one's neighbor, one can count on the fact that the prayer will be heard. Before offering a prayer asking for protection, you should make an effort on yourself and forgive the offender for all the evil he has done against you.
The text of the prayer is as follows:
“Oh, the holy Archangel Michael, strong and light-like, formidable governor of the King of Heaven! I ask, Servant of God (proper name), your intercession. Have mercy on me, a sinner, but repentant of my voluntary and involuntary sins. Archangel Michael protect me from all visible and invisible enemies, and grant your support so that I can resist the temptation of the devil. Help me keep my soul clean, so that it would be shameless for me to appear before the Lord Almighty at the hour of the righteous Judgment. Amen".
Video: prayer - protection from enemies
God gave people ten commandments back in the Old Testament times. They were given in order to protect people from evil, to warn of the danger posed by sin. The Lord Jesus Christ established the New Testament, gave us the gospel law, the basis of which is love: I give you a new commandment, that you love one another(John 13:34) and holiness: be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect(Mt 5:48). The Savior did not cancel the observance of the Ten Commandments, but elevated people to the highest level of spiritual life. In the Sermon on the Mount, talking about how a Christian should build his life, the Savior gives nine beatitudes. These commandments no longer speak of the prohibition of sin, but of Christian perfection. They tell how to achieve bliss, what virtues bring a person closer to God, for only in Him can a person find true joy. The beatitudes not only do not cancel the ten commandments of the Law of God, but wisely supplement them. It is not enough simply not to commit sin or to banish it from our soul by repenting of it. No, it is necessary that in our soul there be virtues opposite to sins. It is not enough not to do evil, one must do good. Sins create a wall between us and God; when the wall is broken, we begin to see God, but only a moral Christian life can bring us closer to Him.
Here are the nine commandments that the Savior gave us as a guide to Christian achievement:
- Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
- Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
- Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
- Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
- Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
- Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
- Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.
- Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
- Blessed are you when they reproach you and persecute you and slander you in every way unrighteously for me. Rejoice and be glad, for great is your reward in heaven: so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
First Commandment
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
What does it mean to be beggars spirit, and why such people are blessed? Saint John Chrysostom says: “What does it mean: poor in spirit? Humble and brokenhearted.
Spirit He called the soul and disposition of man.<...>Why didn't he say: humble and said beggars? Because the latter is more expressive than the former; Here He calls the poor those who fear and tremble at the commandments of God, whom God also through the prophet Isaiah calls pleasing to Himself, saying: whom I will look upon: the humble and contrite in spirit, and the one who trembles at my word(Is 66, 2) "(" Conversations on St. Matthew the Evangelist. 25. 2). Moral antipode poor in spirit is a proud person who considers himself spiritually rich.
Spiritual poverty means humility, a vision of one's true state. Just as an ordinary beggar has nothing of his own, but dresses in what is given and eats alms, so we must realize that everything we have, we receive from God. All this is not ours, we are only the stewards of the estate that the Lord has given us. He gave it to serve the salvation of our souls. You can be by no means a poor person, but be poor in spirit humbly accept what God gives us and use it to serve the Lord and people. Everything is from God. Not only material wealth, but also health, talents, abilities, life itself - all this is exclusively a gift of God, for which we must thank Him. You can't do anything without me(Jn 15:5), the Lord tells us. The fight against sins and the acquisition of good deeds are impossible without humility. All this we do only with the help of God.
The poor in spirit, the humble are promised Kingdom of heaven. People who know that everything they have is not their merit, but the gift of God, which must be multiplied for the salvation of the soul, will perceive everything sent as a means of achieving the Kingdom of Heaven.
Second Commandment
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are those who weep. Crying can be caused by completely different reasons, but not all crying is a virtue. The commandment to weep means repentant weeping for one's sins. Repentance is so important because without it it is impossible to get closer to God. Sins prevent us from doing this. The first commandment of humility already leads us to repentance, lays the foundation for spiritual life, for only a person who feels his weakness, poverty before the Heavenly Father can recognize his sins, repent of them. The gospel prodigal son returns to the Father's house, and, of course, the Lord will accept everyone who comes to Him and wipe away every tear from his eyes. Therefore, “blessed are those who weep (for sins), for they will be comforted(highlighted by us. - Auth.)". Every person has sins, there is only one God without sin, but we have been given the greatest gift from God - repentance, the opportunity to return to God, to ask His forgiveness. It is not for nothing that the holy fathers called repentance the second baptism, where we wash away sins not with water, but with tears.
Blissful tears can also be called tears of compassion, empathy for our neighbors, when we are imbued with their grief and try our best to help them.
Third Commandment
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are the meek. Meekness is a peaceful, calm, quiet spirit that a person has acquired in his heart. This is obedience to the will of God and the virtue of peace in the soul and peace with others. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls; for my yoke is easy and my burden is light(Matthew 11:29-30), the Savior teaches us. He was in everything submissive to the will of the Heavenly Father, He served people and accepted suffering with meekness. He who has taken upon himself the good yoke of Christ, who follows His path, who seeks humility, meekness, and love, will find peace and tranquility for his soul both in this earthly life and in the life of the next century. Blessed Theophylact of Bulgaria writes: “Some by the word earth mean the spiritual earth, that is, the sky, but you understand this earth as well. Since the meek are usually considered contemptible and worthless, He says that they are predominantly and have everything. Meek and humble Christians, without wars, fire and sword, despite the terrible persecution by the pagans, were able to convert the entire vast Roman Empire to the true faith.
The great Russian Saint Seraphim of Sarov said: "Acquire the spirit of peace, and thousands around you will be saved." He himself fully acquired this peaceful spirit, meeting everyone who came to him with the words: “My joy, Christ is risen!” An episode from his life is known, when robbers came to his forest cell, wanting to rob the elder, thinking that the visitors bring him a lot of money. Saint Seraphim was chopping wood in the forest at that time and stood with an ax in his hands. Having a weapon and possessing great physical strength, he did not want to resist those who came. He laid the ax on the ground and folded his arms across his chest. The villains grabbed an ax and brutally beat the old man with his butt, breaking his head and breaking his bones. Finding no money, they fled. Saint Seraphim barely made it to the monastery. He was ill for a long time and remained bent until the end of his days. When the robbers were caught, he not only forgave them, but also asked to be released, saying that if this was not done, he would leave the monastery. That's how amazing meekness this man was.
Fourth Commandment
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
There are many ways to crave and seek truth. There are certain people who can be called truth-seekers: they are constantly outraged by the existing order, everywhere they seek justice and write complaints, they come into conflict with many. But they are not mentioned in this commandment. It means a completely different truth.
It is said to desire truth as food and drink: Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. That is, very much like a hungry and thirsty sufferer until he satisfies his needs. What is the truth here? About the highest, Divine Truth. A supreme Truth, Truth is Christ. I am the way and the truth and the life(Jn 14:6), He says about Himself. Therefore, the Christian must seek the true meaning of life in God. In Him alone is the true source of living water and Divine Bread, which is His Body.
The Lord has left us the word of God, which contains the Divine teaching, the truth of God. He created the Church and put into it everything necessary for salvation. The Church is also the bearer of truth and correct knowledge about God, the world and man. This is the truth that every Christian should crave, reading the Holy Scriptures and being edified by the works of the Fathers of the Church.
Those who are zealous about prayer, about doing good deeds, about satiating themselves with the word of God, truly “thrive for the truth” and, of course, will receive satiation from the ever-flowing Source - our Savior - both in this century and in the future.
Fifth Commandment
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
Grace, mercy These are deeds of love towards neighbors. In these virtues we imitate God Himself: Be merciful as your Father is merciful(Luke 6:36). God sends His mercies and gifts to both righteous and unrighteous, sinful people. He rejoices in one sinner who repents than ninety-nine righteous who have no need of repentance(Luke 15:7).
And he teaches us all the same selfless love, so that we do works of mercy not for the sake of a reward, not expecting to receive something in return, but out of love for the person himself, fulfilling the commandment of God.
By doing good deeds to people as a creature, the image of God, we thereby bring service to God Himself. The Gospel gives an image of the Last Judgment, when the Lord will separate the righteous from the sinners and say to the righteous: come, blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry, and you gave me food; I was thirsty, and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger, and you accepted Me; was naked, and you clothed me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me. Then the righteous will answer Him: Lord! when we saw you hungry and fed you? or thirsty, and drink? when we saw you as a stranger and received you? or naked and clothed? when did we see you sick, or in prison, and come to you? And the King will answer and say to them, “Truly, I say to you, because you did it to one of the least of these My brothers, you did it to Me(Mt 25:34-40). Therefore it is said that " gracious themselves will be pardoned". And on the contrary, those who did not do good deeds will have nothing to justify themselves at the judgment of God, as it is said in the same parable about the Last Judgment.
sixth commandment
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Blessed are the pure in heart, that is, pure in soul and mind from sinful thoughts and desires. It is important not only to avoid committing sin in a visible way, but also to refrain from thinking about it, because any sin begins with thinking, and only then materializes into action. From the heart of man proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies(Mt 15:19), says the word of God. Not only bodily impurity is a sin, but above all the impurity of the soul, spiritual filth. A person may not deprive anyone of life, but burn with hatred for people and wish them death. Thus, he will destroy his own soul, and subsequently may reach the point of murder. Therefore, the Apostle John the Theologian warns: Whoever hates his brother is a murderer(1 Jn 3:15). A person who has an impure soul, impure thoughts, is a potential perpetrator of already visible sins.
If your eye is pure, then your whole body will be bright; but if thy eye be evil, thy whole body shall be dark(Matthew 6:22-23). These words of Jesus Christ are spoken about the purity of the heart and soul. A clear eye is sincerity, purity, holiness of thoughts and intentions, and these intentions lead to good deeds. And vice versa: where the eye, the heart is blinded, dark thoughts reign, which later become dark deeds. Only a person with a pure soul, pure thoughts can approach God, behold His. God is seen not with bodily eyes, but with the spiritual vision of a pure soul and heart. If this organ of spiritual vision is clouded, corrupted by sin, a person will not see the Lord. Therefore, one must refrain from impure, sinful, evil thoughts, drive them away as being planted from the enemy, and cultivate bright, kind thoughts in the soul. These thoughts are cultivated by prayer, faith and hope in God, love for Him, for people and for every creation of God.
seventh commandment
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.
Blessed are the peacemakers... The commandment to have peace with people and to reconcile the warring is placed very highly in the Gospel. Such people are called children, sons of God. Why? We are all children of God, his creations. There is nothing more pleasant for a father and mother when he knows that his children live in peace, love and harmony among themselves: How good and how pleasant it is for brothers to live together!(Ps 132:1). And vice versa, how sad it is for a father and mother to see quarrels, strife and enmity between children, at the sight of all this, the heart of the parents seems to bleed! If peace and good relations between children please even earthly parents, all the more our Heavenly Father needs us to live in peace. And a person who keeps peace in the family, with people, reconciles the warring, is pleasing and pleasing to God. Not only does such a person receive joy, tranquility, happiness and blessings from God here on earth, he acquires peace in his soul and peace with his neighbors, he will undoubtedly receive a reward in the Kingdom of Heaven.
Peacemakers will also be called “sons of God” because in their feat they are likened to the Son of God Himself, Christ the Savior, Who reconciled people with God, restored the connection that was destroyed by sins and the falling away of mankind from God.
eighth commandment
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are the persecuted for the sake of righteousness. The search for Truth, Divine Truth has already been mentioned in the fourth beatitude. We remember that the Truth is Christ Himself. It is also called Sun of truth. It is precisely about constraint, persecution for the truth of God that this commandment speaks. The path of a Christian is always the path of a warrior of Christ. The path is difficult, difficult, narrow: narrow is the gate and narrow is the way that leads to life(Matthew 7:14). But this is the only road leading to salvation; there is no other way given to us. Of course, it is difficult to live in a raging, often very hostile world to Christianity. Even if there is no persecution and harassment for the faith, it is very difficult to simply live like a Christian, fulfill the commandments of God, and work for God and neighbors. It is much easier to live “like everyone else” and “take everything from life”. But we know that this is the path that leads to destruction: wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction(Mt 7:13). And the fact that so many people follow this direction should not confuse us. A Christian is always different, not like everyone else. "Try to live not as everyone else lives, but as God commands, because ... the world lies in evil." - says the Monk Barsanuphius of Optina. It does not matter if for our life and faith we will be persecuted here on earth, because our fatherland is not on earth, but in heaven, with God. Therefore, to those who are persecuted for righteousness, the Lord in this commandment promises Kingdom of heaven.
ninth commandment
Blessed are you when they reproach you and persecute you and slander you in every way unrighteously for me. Rejoice and be glad, for great is your reward in heaven: so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
The continuation of the eighth commandment, which speaks of oppression for the sake of God's righteousness and Christian life, is the last commandment of beatitude. The Lord promises a blessed life to all who are persecuted for their faith.
It speaks of the highest manifestation of love for God — the readiness to give one's life for Christ, for one's faith in Him. This feat is called martyrdom. This path is higher, it has great reward. This path is indicated by the Savior Himself. He endured persecution, torment, cruel torture and painful death, thus giving an example to all His followers and strengthening them in their readiness to suffer for Him even to the point of blood and death, as He once suffered for all of us.
We know that the Church stands on the blood and perseverance of the martyrs. They defeated the pagan, hostile world by giving their lives and laying them at the foundation of the Church.
But the enemy of the human race does not calm down and constantly raises new persecutions against Christians. And when the Antichrist comes to power, he will also persecute and persecute the disciples of Christ. Therefore, every Christian must be constantly ready for the feat of confession and martyrdom.
A person who lives only by material interests and physical sensations does not think about such "abstract" questions as the existence of God, the existence of a spiritual world with good and evil spirits, and the afterlife. He is completely absorbed in his daily worries. But suddenly some unexpected shocks shake him up, and he begins to feel the need to comprehend his life and see the purpose of his existence. And so, when he thinks about the spiritual and moral side of life, he quickly becomes convinced that science, in which he still believed so much, is completely powerless to help him understand his most pressing and burning issues.
If the religious feeling is not completely killed in him, then he will feel the need to turn to God, begin to pray and read the Holy Scriptures. And if this is not only a fleeting and superficial deviation, but a really serious turning point in life, a sincere desire to become better, then God will begin to renew his heart and open new horizons to his inner gaze. A person will begin to clearly feel the leading hand of the Lord, His nearness and Fatherly love. He will begin to understand that the world is much wider and richer in content than he previously thought. He will become more sensitive to distinguish good from evil, will begin to realize that there is a spiritual world and invisible beings that influence his life: some in a good, others in a bad direction, that, besides God, there are angels and demons.
Acquaintance with the spiritual world is interesting and important. But how can you find out about it? The literature on this topic is very extensive, contradictory, filled with fiction and all sorts of fantasy. However, the teaching of Holy Scripture on this subject, although concise, is very clear and precise. Holy Scripture teaches that there are bright and kind angels and that every Christian has his own guardian angel. A special booklet is dedicated to angels (see missionary sheet number 14, "Angels").
Besides angels, there are demons. Holy Scripture and life experience convince us that they really exist and represent for everyone not an apparent, but a real and constant danger. As in human society, along with normal and well-meaning people, there are all sorts of criminals, degenerates, psychopaths, sadists, and so on, so in the world of spirits, in addition to bright and kind angels, there are "scum" of the spiritual world - the devil and demons. Just as in our world no one is born a criminal, a sadist or a lecher, but becomes so due to his disorderly and sinful activities, so in that invisible world all beings were at first good and well-meaning, and then some of them, having chosen a bad path, became corrupted and became consciously evil. As a result of their criminal activities, their angelic minds were clouded, and they became angry, impulsive, and disorderly. They take pleasure in causing suffering to others and sowing all sorts of evil.
In this little book, we will introduce the reader to the Orthodox teaching about fallen angels, explain what purpose they pursue, their methods of seducing people and sowing evil, explain how to protect yourself from their machinations. We devote a special chapter to the topic of modern occultism and demonism, which are increasingly capturing human society. Watching with dismay the progress of modern "black spirituality" comes to mind the prediction of Scripture: “Woe to those who live on land and on the sea. Because I came down to you in a strong rage, knowing that a little there is still time left for him "(). But it is comforting that the very success of the prince of darkness portends the nearness of his complete defeat and punishment, when the Lord comes to earth again, surrounded by angels and saints. Then "the devil will be cast into the lake of fire and brimstone ... and he will be tormented there day and night forever and ever... Rejoice in this heaven, for judgment has been made His over him "! (). After the defeat of all the forces of the underworld kingdom, a new phase of being will begin, and the righteous, who have overcome the temptations of the seductive spirit, will be enlightened like the sun in the Kingdom of their Father.
Holy Scripture about evil spirits
Holy Scripture teaches that in addition to the visible, material world, there is a huge and diverse spiritual world. This world is so different from ours and richer than it that we cannot fully understand it, or even imagine it satisfactorily. Nevertheless, despite the essential difference, the spiritual and physical worlds are in contact with each other to a certain extent. The spiritual world breaks up into two different and even opposite spheres of being. One of them is called "Heaven" - this is the kingdom of light, where it reveals its glory to blessed spirits. Angels and the souls of the righteous dwell there. Another sphere is hell - the kingdom of darkness and a place of suffering, where demons and the souls of sinners are tormented. Demons, like angels, are not original. Though they are immortal, they are not eternal—God alone is eternal. Long before the creation of our physical world, God created the spiritual world, populating it with angels - intelligent and good creatures, whom he endowed with reason, free will and various abilities similar to, but more perfect than ours.
At some period of its existence, obviously, even before the creation of our material world, a tragedy occurred in the angelic world. Some part of the angels, led by Dennitsa (Lucifer) - one of the angels close to God - left the obedience to the Creator and made a rebellion in the angelic world. The Apostle John the Theologian describes this event as follows: “And there was a war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon(devil) and the dragon and his angels fought against them. But they did not resist, and there was no longer a place for them in heaven. And the great dragon, ancient snake, called also Satan, who deceives the whole world, was cast down to the earth, and his angels were cast down with him.”(). The Lord only briefly mentions this event, saying that He "I saw Satan fall from heaven like lightning"(). The apostles Peter and Jude also very briefly mention this event, reporting only that some of the angels did not retain their dignity, but left the dwelling assigned to them. For this they were bound by the bonds of eternal darkness in anticipation of the final judgment of God upon themselves (; ).
Note: On the first reading of the text just quoted, the reader may think that the war took place in the angelic world when the earth already existed. However, given the fact that the book of Revelation often combines in one vision several events that are interconnected not by a chronological sequence, but ideologically, it seems that the apocalyptic picture does not mean that the earth already existed when it fell away from God, but that there was a war, which the devil is now waging with us on earth, actually began in Heaven, and just as he lost that war, so he will lose the present war when the Lord comes and executes judgment on him.
From a comparison of various places of Holy Scripture, it follows that the reason for Dennitsa's falling away was his pride (;). The prophet Isaiah vividly depicts Dennitsa's arrogance when he depicts him as a proud pagan ruler: “How you fell from the sky, morning star, son of the dawn! crushed on the ground, trampling the nations. And he said in his heart: I will ascend to heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God, and I will sit on a mountain in the assembly of the gods, on the edge of the north. I will ascend to the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High. But you are thrown into hell, into the depths of the underworld"(). This picture of Isaiah is supplemented by the prophet Ezekiel, drawing Dennitsa in the image of the proud king of Tyre: “You are the seal of perfection, the fullness of wisdom and the crown of beauty. You were in Eden, in the garden of God; your clothes were adorned with all kinds of precious stones; ruby, topaz and diamond, chrysolite, onyx, jasper, sapphire, carbunk and emerald and gold, all skillfully planted in your nests and strung on you, was prepared on the day of your creation. You were the anointed cherub to cover, and I put you on it. You were on the holy mountain of God, walking among fiery stones. You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, until iniquity was found in you. Because of the vastness of your trade, your inner being was filled with iniquity, and you sinned; and I cast you down as unclean, from the mountain of God I drove you out, O cherub that covers you, from the midst of fiery stones. Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty, because of your vanity you destroyed your wisdom; therefore I will cast you to the ground, before kings I will put you to shame.” ().
Thus, one of the highest angels, the bearer of divine light, out of pride fell away from the Source of Light and became darkness and a sower of darkness. He wanted to equal his Creator, to delight in His glory and power, but only revealed his insignificance and ingratitude. Being powerless to give others anything truly valuable, he made lies his main instrument of seduction, so that lies, as it were, became his essence. Everything he says, does and promises is the most blatant lie, although sometimes skillfully clothed in a toga of plausibility. Because he constantly lies, the Holy Scriptures called him Satan - which in Hebrew means a slanderer. In Greek, this corresponds to the name of the devil. His other names, such as: serpent, dragon, Beelzebeul, Belial, prince of darkness, prince of demons, adversary, prince of this world, enemy of the human race, evil, and the like, indicate his ferocity and perniciousness of his activities. The angels who followed him are called by Scripture demons, demons, unclean or evil spirits.
Having lost access to Heaven, the devil focused all his attention on people - created pure and innocent. The details of the temptation of the first people are given in the third chapter of the book of Genesis. Realizing that Eve will be more malleable than Adam, the devil turns to her with a crafty question: “Did God really forbid you to eat from every tree in paradise?” Eve, not noticing the deceit in such a question, explains to the tempter what is allowed and what is forbidden to them. Having found a naive and talkative interlocutor in Eve, the devil begins to convince her and explains that God, out of envy, did not allow them to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, but if they listen to him, the snake, they themselves will become like gods and will know all the secrets. Having persuaded Eve to break the commandment of God, he also seduces Adam with her help. Thus, with the deadly poison of sin, the devil strikes human nature. Pointing to this tragic moment in the life of our forefathers, the Savior names "a murderer from the beginning" ().
By sinning, people have lost the joy of fellowship with God and the opportunity to live in Eden. The balance between spiritual and physical forces was disturbed in them, they became morally weak and prone to sin. Having become sinners, they lost access to the tree of life and became mortal. The writer of the book "The Wisdom of Solomon" sees in the devil the root cause of all the misfortunes of mankind: “God created man for incorruption and made him the image of his eternal existence, but death entered the world through envy” ().
Having struck the naive people with his deadly sting, the serpent triumphed. But the Lord foretold him that the war he started had not ended, but had just begun. He, the seducer of his wife, will someday himself be defeated by her offspring: “I will put enmity between you and between your wife, between the seed(offspring) yours and her Seed. It will hit you in the head, and you will sting it in the heel.(). This wonderful prediction determined the further history of mankind, which in essence became a war between the seductive spirit and people who are looking for God. In the closest sense, this prediction was fulfilled when the Lord, having suffered on the cross (suffering a sting in the heel), crushed the head of the ancient dragon. Then on the cross the Lord “took away powers in the principalities and authorities[Realms of Darkness] having powerfully put them to shame, having triumphed over them with Himself ”(). In a broader sense, this prediction is also fulfilled in the life of every Christian, when he, armed with the power of Christ, repels the tempter (), although he himself sometimes, like Christ, is also subjected to physical suffering.
Further narratives of the Old Testament Scripture say little about the devil. Nevertheless, they invariably depict him as a crafty seducer and sower of all evil. So, for example, he struck the righteous Job with fierce pus from head to toe (); he took possession of King Saul and tormented him (). The devil inspired David with the conceited idea of taking a census of his people (). The demon Asmodeus killed the husbands of Sarah, the daughter of Raguel (). With the same properties of envy, cunning and craftiness, an evil spirit is depicted in the book of Kings () and in the book of the prophet Zechariah ().
Given the natural religiosity of mankind, the devil tries to pervert this religiosity, to direct it in the direction of superstition and fanaticism. It was he who taught people to deify all sorts of false gods - the forces of nature, stars and planets, legendary heroes, animals, monsters and everything that could stir up the imagination of primitive man. Darkened by superstitions, the pagans did not understand that, deifying various objects, they thus pleased the demons, who accepted their honors as related to them (;).
New Testament Scripture on Evil Spirits
The spread of idolatry and all kinds of superstitions by the time of the Nativity of Christ contributed to the excessive dominance of evil spirits in human society. An external indicator of this dominance was the presence of a large number of demoniacs - people possessed by evil spirits. Coming into our world out of pity for people, the Lord Jesus Christ, first of all, began to free them from violence (; ; ). On the pages of the Gospel the reader will find many cases of the healing of the possessed (; ; ). More than others, the cases of healing a demoniac lad (), a daughter of a Canaanite woman () and two Gadarene demoniacs (,) are described. In the latter case, it is remarkable that not one, but a whole legion of demons moved into a person, i.e. a huge number of them.
A careful study of the gospel stories about the healing of the possessed convinces us that they are not talking about epilepsy or other nervous diseases, but about the expulsion of completely real, although invisible, consciously evil beings who enjoy when they torture others.
In order to reveal to those who doubted all the ferocity of demons, the Lord once allowed them to move from a human to a herd of pigs that grazed nearby. And before the eyes of the astonished crowd, a huge herd of enraged pigs rushed to the cliff, rushed into the lake and drowned in it (). This fact alone of the instantaneous transmigration of spirits from one being to another completely rules out any ordinary mental illness. Reading the Gospels and other stories about the exorcism of demons, a number of specific symptoms of possession come to light. First, the possessed show a specific negative reaction to everything sacred and Divine. So, for example, at the sight of Christ, the possessed began to convulse. Often, the demons that settled in an unfortunate person recognized the Son of God in Christ and, through the mouth of the demoniac, prayed to Christ to delay the punishment and not send them into the abyss (;). Moreover, during their conversation, the voice of the demoniac became unnatural, inhuman. It was clear to those around him that it was not a person who was speaking, but someone through him. Finally, immediately after the exodus of the demon, the former possessed became normal people, and all signs of demon possession disappeared without a trace. These specific symptoms of possession can be observed in modern possessed. If skeptics do not want to believe in miracles, then let them at least conclude from the behavior of demoniacs that there really is a spiritual world. We will come back to the topic of anxiety later.
Casting out demons by the apostles. While preparing the disciples for the forthcoming mission of worldwide preaching, the Lord, among other things, instructed them to continue the work of freeing people from the violence of the devil: “And He began to send them two by two,[to towns and villages] and gave them power over unclean spirits to cast them out."(; ; ). The apostles did not expect that the unclean spirits would dutifully obey their word, and therefore, returning after their first preaching journey, they joyfully told the Savior: “ Lord, even the demons obeyed us in Your name."(). Then the Lord confirmed even more definitely that He instructs them to drive away any impure otherworldly power: “Behold, I give you power to tread on serpents and scorpions and on all the power of the enemy, and nothing will harm you.”(). Before His ascension to heaven, the Lord foretold that the trampling of the power of the devil would be the hallmark of the Church: “These signs will follow those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons…”().
Indeed, the spread of the gospel was invariably accompanied by the expulsion of unclean spirits. From the book of the Acts of the Holy Apostles, there are known cases of the healing of the possessed by the Apostle Peter (); then by the Apostle Philip, when "Unclean spirits came out of many who were possessed by them with a great cry"(), then by the apostle Paul, who expelled the prophetic spirit from one girl (). Moreover, the grace of God acted at times so abundantly that when, for example, things that belonged to the Apostle Paul were applied to the possessed, the demons came out of the sick ().
Since apostolic times, incantatory prayers against demons have become an indispensable part of the sacrament of Baptism. Nevertheless, although the Lord Jesus Christ defeated the prince of darkness, took away from him all power over people and gave the Church great power to fight him and his unclean spirits, it must be remembered that until the time of the Last Judgment of God, unclean spirits will represent for each of us a great and constant danger. For this reason, the Lord Jesus Christ taught us to constantly ask God: "Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one." "Be sober, be awake,- Apostle Peter calls Christians, - because your devil's adversary walks about like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour" ().
Being cast out from Heaven, the devil and his demons concentrated their activities in an area close to us - in the so-called "air sphere." People who oppose the faith of Christ or live sinfully, the devil considers his subjects and uses to fight against. According to the apostle, these people live “According to the will of the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience” ().
Now let's take a closer look at how the devil works among people and what methods he uses. In particular, we will talk about demon possession and possession, about the methods of seducing and enslaving people through the occult and magic.
Possession and obsession
Holy Scripture distinguishes demon possession from both obsession and natural mental illness (; ; ). Due to the extreme complexity of human nature, it is difficult to accurately explain the essence of possession. It is clear, however, that it is different from simply demonic influence, in which the dark spirit tries to incline the will of man to sin. Here a person retains power over his actions, and he who has found temptation can be driven away by prayer. Possession is also different from that obsession, in which the devil takes possession of the mind and will of a person.
Apparently, when possessed, an evil spirit takes possession of the nervous-motor system of the body - as if intruding between its body and soul, so that a person loses control over his movements and actions. It should be thought, however, that when possessed, the evil spirit does not have complete control over the forces of the soul of the possessed: they only turn out to be incapable of manifesting themselves. The soul remains to a certain extent capable of independently thinking and feeling, but is completely powerless to control the organs of the body.
If we imagine the soul as a pianist, and the body as a piano, then the evil spirit can be likened to an evil gorilla that crawls between the pianist and his instrument and madly beats the keys. Not having control over their bodies, the possessed are the victims of an evil spirit that has enslaved them, and therefore they are not responsible for their actions. They are the slaves of the evil spirit.
Possession can take different external forms. Sometimes the possessed rage and crumble everything around them, terrifying those around them. At the same time, they often reveal inhuman strength, such as, for example, the Gadarene possessed, who broke any chains with which they tried to bind him (). At the same time, the demoniac inflict all sorts of injuries on themselves, such as, for example, a demoniac youth who, on the new moon, threw himself either into fire or into water (). But often, possession is expressed in a quieter form, when people lose their natural abilities for a while. Thus, for example, the Gospels tell of a demon-possessed mute who, as soon as the Lord freed him from the demon, began to speak normally again; or, for example, a crouched woman who was able to straighten up after the Lord delivered her from the devil. The unfortunate woman was in a bent position for 18 years ().
In some cases, demoniacs show the ability of clairvoyance and divination. So, for example, from the book of the Acts of the Holy Apostles, there is a case about a soothsayer girl who brought considerable income to her masters by predicting the future for people. When the apostle Paul cast out a demon from her, she lost this ability (). Although demon possession began to disappear with the spread of the Christian faith, it still exists today.
What leads to possession and who gives the right to an evil spirit to take possession of a person and torment him? According to Professor Kurt Koch, a German pastor who devoted more than 40 years of his life to the problem of possession and wrote a number of major studies on this topic, in all cases known to him, the cause of possession was the fascination with the occult: or the person himself at some period of his life engaged in the occult, or he sought the services of the occultists, or before in his family someone did this. By occultism, we mean such activities as evocation of spirits, spiritualism, divination and access to fortune-tellers, yoga, psychic treatment, white and black magic, and in general activities in which a person turns to the services of fallen spirits (though not consciously). Thus, people involved in the occult endanger not only themselves, but also their children and grandchildren.
In our time, a time of apostasy from Christianity and an ever-increasing passion for the occult, more and more people begin to fall under the violence of evil spirits. True, psychiatrists are embarrassed to admit the existence of demons and, as a rule, possession is classified as a natural mental illness. But a believing person needs to understand that no medicines and psychotherapeutic agents can drive away evil spirits. This is where the power of God is needed.
Here are the hallmarks of possession that distinguish it from natural mental illness.
Aversion to everything sacred and related to God: Holy Communion, cross, Bible, holy water, icon, prosphora, incense, prayer, etc. Moreover, the possessed feel the presence of a sacred object even when it is hidden from their eyes: it irritates them, makes them sick, and even leads them into a state of violence.
Voice change
Clairvoyance
The demons do not know the future, just as the angels do not know it: it is known only to the Lord God. However, demons know the past and see the present to a greater extent than ordinary people. Being spirits, they can almost instantly tell the clairvoyant what is happening somewhere far away, even in another part of the world, so that it may seem to the listeners that the clairvoyant knows the future. When a clairvoyant predicts the future, it is always just guesswork. Demons, having a lot of worldly experience and knowing many more people, are sometimes able to quite successfully foresee what will happen. Of course, they are often wrong. In addition, sometimes their predictions come true not because it was destined to happen that way, but because the person himself, having inspired himself with something related to his future, begins to subconsciously strive for this himself and thereby contributes to the implementation of the predicted.
sudden cure
It may take a psychiatrist several years to cure his mentally ill patient. The liberation from the demon occurs instantly, after which all signs of possession disappear, and the person becomes normal.
sudden relocation
There is a danger that the evil spirit that lived in the demoniac may suddenly move either into the one who is trying to expel him, or into members of his family. This symptom is distinct from the danger of "contagion" to which doctors and psychiatrists are exposed. It is known that people who have constant dealings with the mentally ill may themselves begin to discover various mental abnormalities. At the same time, the patient himself does not receive any relief from the fact that his doctor "has become infected." In cases of demonic transmigration, the former possessed is completely freed from possession, and the other person just as suddenly falls under the influence of this spirit.
Although the Lord Jesus Christ gave His disciples powerful means to cast out demons, not every person should take up this work. One striking fact about unclean spirits is clear from the New Testament Scriptures, namely, that they absolutely cannot stand before the name of Christ: the Lord Jesus Christ has absolute and inescapable power over them. Even during the earthly life of the Savior, the apostles drew attention to the fact that some man cast out demons in the name of Christ. Embarrassed, they told Christ about this and asked permission to forbid the stranger to use His name. But the Lord answered them: "Do not forbid, for whoever is not against you is for you"(). Obviously, this stranger sincerely believed in Christ, although he kept himself apart.
However, it is dangerous for an ordinary person to enter into a struggle with unclean spirits, even having a weapon in the name of Christ. The book of Acts tells of the great impression that the apostles performed miracles in the name of Christ, and, in particular, the exorcism of demons, made on everyone. And so, the sons of a certain Jewish priest Skeva, not Christians themselves, but engaged in spells for the sake of income, wanted to try a new method used by the apostles. And so they began to call on the name of Christ in order to cast out an evil spirit from some demoniac. Suddenly the demoniac said to them: “I know Jesus, and I know Paul, but who are you?”() And then he rushed at the spellcasters and, having defeated them, took such power over them that they ran naked and beaten out of that house.
From this case, it should be concluded that the name of Christ must be invoked with great faith and reverence - for the sake of human salvation, and not for practical purposes or out of vanity. At the same time, it is extremely important to be protected by the power of Christ, which comes from the Christian way of life. In general, the work of casting out demons is best left to people authorized to do this - priests, bishops, spiritual elders. Here any personal enthusiasm and daring is extremely dangerous. The devil is a very dangerous and insidious enemy. A person who presumptuously enters into an open struggle with him can pay dearly for his frivolity.
Possession differs from possession in that in possession the devil takes possession of the very mind and will of a person. When possessed, the devil enslaves the body of a person, but his mind and will remain relatively free, although powerless. Of course, the devil cannot enslave our mind and will by force. He achieves this gradually, as the person himself, by his disgust with God or by his sinful life, falls under his influence. We see an example of devilish possession in Judas the traitor. Gospel Words: "Satan entered into Judas"() - they are not talking about possession, but about the enslavement of the will of a traitor student. At first, Judas joined the apostles out of good and unselfish motives. But soon he lost interest in Christ and became disillusioned with the expediency of his mission. So that his labors would not be completely in vain, he began to secretly reward himself from the general fund, into which good people donated to the needs of the apostles and to help the poor. He himself did not notice how the devil gradually darkened his consciousness and began to guide his will. Finally, at the Last Supper, the devil completely took possession of the unfortunate disciple and led him first to vile betrayal, and then to suicide.
We see another example of devilish possession in the Jewish leaders and scribes who were at enmity against Christ. Whatever He said, they all disputed and rejected, whatever He did the most great and noble, they all condemned and ridiculed. These proud people did not see how the devil took possession of their consciousness and will in order to impede the cause of the salvation of mankind. That is why the Lord said to them: "Your father and you want to fulfill the lusts of your father"(). There have been many such theomachists throughout the history of the Church, especially during the days of the revolution in our long-suffering homeland.
But the main method of the devil, with which all his activity and essence is saturated, is a lie - everywhere and always a lie - the most brazen and shameless, but often skillfully seasoned with grains of truth, for greater credibility! That's why the Lord characterized him "a liar and the father of lies" ().
The devil tries to pervert everything beyond recognition in our imagination: he represents a small failure as a great, irreparable tragedy; and an insignificant pleasure or temporary gain - the most important thing, almost the goal of life. Forcing us to sin, he reassures us with the thought that this is a completely natural and excusable weakness. And when a person sins, then the devil plunges him into despondency and inspires him that he has angered the Creator forever and therefore it is useless to repent. The devil convinces a person who indulges in some kind of passion that he is too weak to try to improve. And a person who leads a holy way of life, the devil tries to incline to pride. He presents the delusions of philosophers and various religious fabrications as wonderful revelations, and the teaching of the Gospel as boring and strange. A person striving with all his might for spiritual life, he tries to seduce through pride and arrogance. Sometimes he even appears in the form of a bright angel or Christ Himself, so that he begins to think of himself that he is better than others (). In the lives of the saints, one can find many stories about how with such visions he seduced ascetics who had reached great spiritual heights.
Breathing an indomitable thirst for power, the devil spares neither strength nor time to turn every natural weakness of a person into an indomitable and disgusting passion. He wants man to completely defile himself and become worse than an animal. Then, through the devil, he gains power over him and makes him his slave and obedient instrument.
But thanks to the Lord Jesus Christ, this power of the devil is not strong, and his iron chains are weaker than cobwebs. It is enough for a sinner to turn to God in repentance, and all the power of the devil falls apart like a house of cards. “For this reason the Son of God appeared, to destroy the works of the devil”(). It is the Lord who is the Strongest, who bound the strong and plundered his vessels (). Therefore, let us hasten to the Savior for help and protection. With strong faith and a virtuous life, we will resist the fallen spirit, and according to the promise, he will flee from us ().
The lure of the occult
“But the Spirit clearly says that in the last times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and teachings of demons.” ().
Like a child to a mother, so a person instinctively reaches out to God - especially in difficult moments of life. In God, he sees his Heavenly Father, Who wishes him well and can do even the impossible. The Lord Jesus Christ promised: “Ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find, knock and it will be opened to you”(). Who asks for physical healing, for help in work, for strengthening the family, for the good of children; some - about strengthening faith, learning to pray, about acquiring the Holy Spirit - each according to his spiritual level. he accepts the prayers of all who, with sincere and ardent faith, turn to Him.
So, while a healthy religious life enlightens and morally ennobles a person, an unhealthy pseudo-religious occult activity morally cripples and destroys him. All kinds of occultism inevitably lead to communion with fallen spirits. And although at first these activities bring success in business and create the impression that they open up unlimited possibilities for a person, in the end a person has to pay very dearly for the services received from fallen spirits. “What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? ().
Means of protection from evil spirits
It is difficult for a person to imagine how ferocious and insidious the fallen spirits are, how restless and inventive they are in seducing man and in sowing all sorts of evil. But with all this, they do not dare to arbitrarily harm someone, since he is under the protection of the Almighty. Only when a person, by his sinful way of life, moves away from God and plunges into the darkness of unbelief and passions, does he fall under the influence of fallen spirits that enslave him. Unbelievers and sinners are the material, the army that the devil uses to spread temptations and evil in human society and establish his kingdom of darkness. His kingdom, like a raging sea, surrounds us on all sides and threatens our salvation.
In opposition to him, the Lord Jesus Christ created His Kingdom of Light on earth - in which the believer finds a quiet island, a safe haven and protection from evil spirits. Indeed, the very entry into the Church during the sacrament of Baptism is accompanied by special incantational prayers, which the priest reads over the catechumen (preparing for baptism):
“O Jehovah, Lord God, You free this servant of Yours from slavery to the enemy, accept into Your Kingdom of Heaven ... Combine his life as a bright angel, delivering him from all the machinations of the enemy, from meeting with the evil one, from the demon of the midday and from evil dreams . Cast out from him every evil and unclean spirit that hides and nestles in his heart - the spirit of delusion, the spirit of deceit, the spirit of idolatry and all lust, the spirit of lies and all uncleanness, acting at the suggestion of the devil. And make Thy servant a verbal sheep of the holy flock of Thy Christ, an honest member of Thy Church, a sanctified vessel, a son of light and an heir to Thy Kingdom.
Then, by immersion in water three times, the newly baptized is cleansed of the filth of sin, which gave the devil access to him, and is clothed with the grace of God, which, like a light robe, covers him from all sides (;). From this moment on, a new member of the Church, in the figurative likeness of the Savior, enters the fence of the sheepfold, which He, the Good Shepherd, vigilantly guards from predatory wolves - the devil and other fallen spirits. The Savior said of this: "I give them (believers) eternal life, and they shall never perish, and no one shall snatch them out of my hand.”(). Therefore, all that a baptized person needs to stay under the protection of the Lord is to avoid sins and keep the received grace of the Holy Spirit.
The Lord Jesus Christ armed us with a number of means that attract the grace of God to us and repel evil spirits. This includes, firstly, the invocation of the name of Christ. We have been taught to ask Heavenly Father daily: "He did not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one" (the devil). Many prayers, such as, for example, morning and evening, contain petitions for preservation from the wiles of the devil (see the prayer book). At the end of this chapter the reader will find several special prayers against evil spirits. Of the power of His name, the Lord said: "In my name you will cast out demons"(). Holy Scripture and the lives of the saints give countless examples of the efficacy of the name of Christ in casting out demons.
The centuries-old experience of the Church convinces us that demons cannot resist the image of the holy cross and the sign of the cross - they are for them like fire for insects. Rev. Nikita Skifat says on this topic: “Demons often disturb spiritual feelings and take away sleep, but a courageous soul with one life-giving image of the Cross and invocation of the name of Jesus Christ, with the help of God, destroys their ghosts and puts them to flight”(Philokalia, vol. 2 p. 118). Likewise, St. John Chrysostom explains: “Not just with the fingers should depict the Cross, but with a cordial disposition and complete faith. If you depict it on your face in this way, then not one of the unclean spirits will be able to approach you, seeing the sword with which he was wounded and received a mortal wound. After all, if we look with trepidation at the places of execution of criminals, then imagine how horrified the demons are when they see the weapon with which Christ destroyed all their strength and cut off the head of the serpent. When the Cross is with us, then the demons are no longer scary and dangerous.(Discourses on the Gospel, ch. 2, ed. 5, pp. 432-433). Since ancient times, it has become a custom for Christians to wear a pectoral cross.
It is also important to sanctify your apartment. Sometimes the house we have moved into can be defiled by the previous occupants if they lived sinfully, used foul language, dabbled in violent music and bad movies, or engaged in the occult. Often, evil spirits settle in dwellings where a murder or suicide has occurred. To cleanse your home, you should sprinkle it with holy water by reading the appropriate prayers, or even better, invite a priest to bless the apartment.
In general, we must remember that demons are attracted. If, having sinned, we have not repented with all our heart, then this gives the demons access to us. The sinful state is like a tunnel through which they penetrate to our subconscious and influence us. Therefore, in order to get rid of their influence, one should purify oneself by sincere repentance and confession, after which one should reverently partake of the holy Mysteries of Christ. Then, having entered into us, the Lord, like an all-burning fire, will destroy all filth and cut off access to us from the side of dark spirits. It is good to accustom ourselves to take communion regularly, at least once a month, then we will constantly carry within ourselves the fire of God's grace. Christians of the first centuries took communion every Sunday.
All these means that the Lord Jesus Christ has given us for salvation and attracting His grace must be looked upon not as magic formulas, but as vehicles of God's mercy, given to us to strengthen our faith and to establish ourselves in a virtuous life.
Here are some prayers against unclean spirits.
Troparion to the Life-Giving Cross
in Church Slavonic
Save, O Lord, Thy people and bless Thy inheritance; giving victory to the Orthodox Christians against the opposition, and your keeping your residence by your cross.
Russian translation
Save, O Lord, your people and bless your inheritance. Grant Orthodox Christians victory over their enemies and protect those who belong to You with the Cross.
Prayer to the Holy Cross (read at bedtime)
That will be the time when Satan, hitherto held back by the power of the risen Christ, will for a short time gain a certain freedom to deceive people who have turned away from God. The book of Revelation in the 20th chapter designates the entire period of time from the resurrection of Christ to the end of the world with a symbolic number of a thousand years. The Apostle John saw in a prophetic vision “An angel descending from heaven, who had the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. He took the dragon, the ancient serpent, which is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. And he cast him into the abyss, and shut him up, and set a seal over him, so that he would no longer deceive the nations until the thousand years were ended. After this, he must be set free for a little time... And he will go out to deceive the nations...”(). According to the Holy Fathers, the “binding of the dragon” refers to the moment of the resurrection of Christ, when Satan lost his former power over sinners, redeemed by the blood of Christ, and turned out to be limited, “bound” in his activities in the world. A thousand years embraces the entire period from the resurrection of Christ until the time before the end of the world, when Satan, taking advantage of people's apostasy from the faith, will again gain power over them - but for the shortest possible time. Then, according to the figurative vision of the book of Revelation, his spirits, like hellish locusts, will, as it were, fill the very atmosphere that people breathe, i.e. penetrate into all aspects of public life: “And smoke came out of the pit of the abyss, like smoke from a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by the smoke from the well. And the locusts came out of the smoke to the earth, and power was given to them, such as earthly scorpions have... And she had the angel of the abyss as king over her.[devil] whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek Apollyon (destroyer) ... Woe to those who live on earth, because the devil has come down to you in a strong rage, knowing that he does not have much time left! ().
Hurrying to destroy the maximum number of people, the devil will transfer all his power to the Antichrist (the world ruler and enemy of Christianity), “whose coming according to the working of Satan will be with all power, and signs, and lying wonders”(). His chief assistant, the False Prophet, will deceive people with various false miracles and “perform great signs, so that fire also brings down from heaven to earth before men”). But this will be only an external and apparent success. She herself will remain unshakable, as the Lord promised: "I will build mine, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it"(). Under the Antichrist, it will only go underground.
But the very success of the devil in those days will portend his quick and final death. Finally the ancient prophecies will come true: “On that day the Lord will strike with His heavy sword, and great and strong, Leviathan, the straight-running serpent, and Leviathan, the coiling serpent, and will kill the monster of the sea”(). The occult John the Theologian saw in a prophetic vision how "the beast was captured[Antichrist] and with him the false prophet, who worked miracles before him... and both of them were thrown alive into the lake of fire, burning with brimstone... After this... the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet, and will be tormented day and night forever and ever" ().
Such is the complete and all-destroying end of the proud morning star, the spirits who retreated with him, and their entire gloomy kingdom! With their overthrow into Gehenna, all temptations, violence, lies and all evil in the world will end, and the eternal bliss of the saved will begin. This joyful time is drawing near, but we must be especially vigilant in our devotion to Christ and force ourselves to burn with faith, lest we be carried away by the flood of temptations that Satan will send against mankind on the eve of his complete defeat. “To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, just as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.” ().
Conclusion
So, the devil and demons are real, not imaginary beings that pose a great and constant danger to us. Although they have no power over those who believe in Christ, they use the sinfulness of people to enslave them and push them to various crimes. Therefore, we must in every possible way beware of sins and try to live righteously and holyly. It must be remembered that fallen spirits are very skillful in seducing people and have vast experience. They direct all their time and efforts to lead us away from the Lord and destroy us. The Lord limits their activities and protects us from their wiles. However, He allows them to tempt us for our own spiritual benefit, so that we do not become lazy, but live vigilantly and grow spiritually.
The Lord Jesus Christ has given us powerful means to ward off evil spirits: His Name, prayer, the Cross, holy water, and especially Holy Communion. Let us use these means and live for good until we reach the quiet haven of the Kingdom of Heaven! Amen.
Appendix
A warning to exorcists
Based on an article by Professor of the Moscow Theological Academy Alexei Osipov.
Just as no one should treat dangerous infections without the necessary knowledge and precautions, so no one should arrogantly take on the role of an exorcist (professional exorcist). Demons are extremely insidious and vindictive, and a person who enters into a duel with them, if not armed with deep faith, humility and the grace of the Holy Spirit, can pay a very painful price.
Probably for this reason the Council of Laodicea (364) decreed: “Not authorized by bishops should not conjure either in churches or in houses”(Ex. 26). St. John Cassian the Roman warns self-proclaimed miracle workers: “Whoever wishes to command unclean spirits, or miraculously give health to the sick, or show before the people any of the wondrous signs, even though he calls on the name of Christ, he is a stranger to Christ, because, in arrogant pride, he does not follows the Teacher of humility... That is why our fathers never called those monks good and free from the infection of vanity, who wanted to be known as exorcists..."
The “Apostolic Regulations” (3rd century) forbid the supply of exorcists, arguing that “the glorious feat of conjuration is a matter of the voluntary favor and grace of God through Christ, by the influx of the Holy Spirit, because he who has received the gift of healing shows through revelations from God, and grace, which is in him is manifest to all." .
The Orthodox Church has always followed the teachings of the Savior that "this kind is driven out only by prayer and fasting"() - that is, a correct ascetic life, thanks to which a Christian, in the measure of humility, achieves dispassion and receives from God the gift of conquering evil spirits. Only he who has attained dispassion is capable of entering into an open struggle with the spirits of darkness without harm to the sick and to himself. However, there were only a few of them in ancient times, but there is no need to talk about the present tense. Therefore, a priest, even the most pious, but who dares to exorcise (reprimand) evil spirits with the help of special prayers and sacred rites (“ex opere operate”), runs the risk of not only subjecting himself to reproach from them, but also plunging the demoniac into even greater illness and suffering. Without the gift of the Holy Spirit, one cannot create the appearance of the effect of His gift. Saint Ignatius bitterly exclaimed about such attempts: “Soul-destructive acting and the saddest comedy are the elders who take on the role of the ancient holy elders, not having their spiritual gifts.”
There were saints who cast out demons - but not from everyone in a row, but only from those whom the Lord Himself pointed out to them. At the same time, they healed “simply” by prayer, mostly internal, invisible to others, less often external (see, for example, the prayers of Sts. Basil the Great, John Chrysostom), performing the sacraments of Repentance, Unction, the Eucharist, but without any special incantatory rites , since this is already performed on all believers before the sacrament of Baptism and is part of their act of conscious renunciation of Satan and all his works.
Here are a few sayings of the holy fathers on this issue.
In the epistle “On Virginity” under the name of St. Clement of Rome, ascetics are instructed “... to visit those possessed by evil spirits and pray over them. Let them conjure with fasting and prayer, not with red, selective and refined words, but as men who have received the gift of healing from God.
Abba Pitirion “discussed with particular force about the discernment of spirits, saying that certain demons watch our passions and often turn them to evil. So, children, he told us, whoever wants to cast out demons must first enslave the passions: for what kind of passion whoever conquers, such a demon will he cast out. Little by little you must enslave the passions in order to drive out the demons of these passions.
Rev. Barsanuphius the Great: “It is not good to pray with an effort to receive healing, not knowing what is useful for you.” He: “It is not fitting for everyone to contradict the devil, but only those who are strong in God, whom the demons obey; if one of the weak ones contradicts, the demons swear at him, that, being in their power, he contradicts them. Also to forbid them is the work of great men who have power over them. How many of the Saints forbade the devil, like Michael the Archangel, who did this because he was about to fall? We, the weak, can only resort to the name of Jesus.
The Monk John the Prophet, at the request to pray for the demoniac: “Let him fast and pray as much as he can, then those who pray for him will be heard, for "the strengthened righteous can do much" (13 .
The quoted statements of the saints eloquently testify to their attitude to the issue of healing the demon-possessed, so serious for our people.
Reprimanding is a phenomenon of the same spiritual order as the so-called Pentecostalism, charismaticism, the “new age” movement, which is now widely spread throughout the non-Orthodox West, and in the secular environment, the so-called extrasensory perception. All this cripples both souls and bodies of people.
The magical perception of the cult is one of the main reasons for the degeneration of the Christian religion, its distortions, the reason for the growth of paganism, especially atheism, occultism and Satanism.
