Spiritual nourishment from a priest in a hospital is quite possible. It all depends on the patient's desire and his mental state.

19. Question: Are there hospital churches in psychiatric institutions?

In recent years, by the grace of God, psychiatry has again begun to talk about spirituality. For example, a prayer room was opened at the Research Institute of Clinical Psychiatry, and a church was restored on the territory of the I.M. Sechenov Moscow Medical Academy. The temple was consecrated at the V. P. Serbsky Institute. Spiritual nourishment of patients also takes place in the hospital churches of the clinics named after P. P. Kashchenko, O. V. Kerbikov, and the Scientific Center for Mental Health. Divine services are held in the hospital church in the name of the Holy Martyr Boniface in the Regional Psychiatric Hospital. Now scientific and scientific theological conferences are often held with the participation of the clergy and psychiatrists. A number of very useful meetings were devoted to this problem in the publishing department of the Moscow Patriarchate. In December 1995, the first seminar on monastic medicine was held with the invitation of psychiatrists. A pastoral seminar held at St. Daniel's Monastery in early 1997 was devoted to this topic.

In the psychotherapeutic encyclopedia, published in 1999, there is a substantial article entitled "Orthodox Psychotherapy".

A number of books, brochures and articles covering the problems of spirituality in psychiatry, psychotherapy, and psychology have been published. In short, work in this important area has begun, but much remains to be done.

The modern stage of psychiatry is being created today and depends on us, dear colleagues, on our faith and spirituality. Our Lord Jesus Christ will ask us for every day, for every patient. Do we work for the glory of God or not? This question remains open for now.

20. Question: Tell us about the Orthodox view of the causes of mental illness.