Thus, for example, the influence on people and nature is spoken of in the 13th canon of the Nomocanon, located at the end of the Great Trebnik18 (I give it in my translation. — Author): "A sorcerer, who is also a sorcerer, if he does a husband and wife by sorcery, let them not copulate (the modern term: "turning away") or make a storm by sorcery, let him not commune for 20 years according to the 65th and 72nd canons of Basil the Great."

The harmful influence (damage) that sorcerers exert on the body and soul of a person with the help of demons (or rather, demons who use sorcerers) is stated in the 14th canon of the Nomocanon: "The sorcerer and the worshipper are one and the same (one is). Enchantment (i.e. inducing damage. – Author) is a spell with the invocation of demons to perform a certain act to harm other people, such as: weakening of the limbs (observed in paralysis. – Author), prolonged illness, as well as to chain a person to bed for life, or so that a person would live a bad life, or so that he would become disgusted with life, and so on. Sorcerers and wizards are called idolaters."19

We read on the back of the same sheet that sorcerers (magi), or, in modern terms, sorcerers and psychics, can heal with the help of demons: "Magi are those who supposedly summon "beneficial" demons for a good purpose, but they are filthy murderers and liars." And further, in the 16th canon, we read: "Those who bring a sorcerer (read: a sorcerer or a psychic, even on TV. — Author.) in their home to the sick for the sake of healing by sorcery, let them not commune for five years according to the 24th canon of the Council of Ancyra."20 This category also includes people who spent many hours in front of the TV in the hope of healing promised by A. Kashpirovsky and similar psychic sorcerers.

"PASSIONS" ON SORCERY

NOWADAYS

Indeed, most of our contemporaries turn to sorcerers for help in illnesses, who most often call themselves non-traditional healers. It is about these cases that the above-mentioned 16th canon of the Nomocanon speaks. But "beneficent demons", healing one thing, invariably cripple another. Some "healers", in order to gain the trust of patients, use Orthodox icons, prayers and even a cross during their sessions, but at the same time they imperceptibly commit some blasphemous actions, as in the case of the Spirit-bearing Greek elder Paisios of the Holy Mountain (1924-1994). This is how he describes it: "During her séances, the sorceress takes a cross in her hands and sings various church hymns. For example, she sings "O Mother of God, Virgin, rejoice..." and, having reached the words 'Blessed is the Fruit of Thy womb,' she spits next to the cross, that is, in this way she blasphemes Christ, and therefore the tangalashka (as the elder called the demon – Author) helps her."21

In addition, with the help of demons, a sorcerer can cast a spell on pets, or make it unbearable to stay in a house or any place (usually manifested in the form of poltergeists, "voices", etc.). This is quite unequivocally stated in the "Prayer Service Against Enchantments, Worship of People and Cattle, Houses and Places Scorched by Evil Dreams", which is contained in the third part of the Trebnik of Metropolitan Petro Mogila of 1646 (Reprint, Kiev, 1996, page 386). In the guide to this "Sequence" it is said (I give in my translation. – Author): "The demons, having a very great hatred for people, not only people, but also animals and other things given to us for use by God, are accustomed to harm, as the God-bearing Fathers, who had the authority from God to cast out demons, told us... And these demons are for the most part evil people, as they do with their tools. However, they cannot do more than God allows them... God usually allows such executions for the sake of testing faith and virtue in order to receive crowns, but more often He strikes them as a punishment for sinners." Here we also find recommendations for people who have been exposed to the influence of evil spirits in one form or another: "The beginning of healing is true repentance of one's sins and the correction of what you have sinned against God and your neighbor. Then one should seek help in church prayer through the Divine Liturgy, moleben singing, almsgiving, prayers and fasting." Further, the Trebnik indicates how to deal with the bewitched (bewitched and planted) objects: "It is also necessary to look for the hidden bewitched things, and burn what is found."

IMPROVISED MEANS

"PORTEZHNIKOV"

The fact that sorcerers use various objects to inflict damage has been known for a long time. They still use it, as evidenced by Elder Paisios of the Holy Mountain. Here is his story about a man who was injured by a sorcerer, to whom he turned for help. When the man became very ill, he came to Athos to the elder, seeking his help.

"I said to the man who was injured by this sorcerer,

"Go and confess, because you accept the demonic influence."