***

During the life of the Savior there were demon-possessed, and they still exist. At great solemn divine services, at processions of the cross, at the tombs of the saints of God, one often sees these demon-possessed. Is possession really possible? The world remains one and the same, and the enemy of the human race is the same, although it lost its power after the coming of the Saviour, it is the Christian who can now crush and conquer the enemy. And if in the time of the Savior there were demoniacs, then they can be now. When the enemy possesses a person to a strong degree, then he produces those fits that we observe in the possessed; at the same time, various evil spirits enter into a person, but for the most part the spirit of fornication and blasphemy against God. It is this evil spirit that suppresses a person's consciousness and feelings, and thus gains the upper hand. But human power, and especially of a Christian sanctified by the Holy Spirit, does not easily succumb to the spirit of malice, and it is this outward struggle that is revealed in the form of fits, frenzy and breaking. There is even a frenzy of an entire society, for example, a sectarian society, during their zeal.

But if some are really subject to possession, possessed by spirits of malice, then at the same time there are deceivers who put this possession on themselves in order to confuse the people, to do their own things, such as theft, or simply by possession they think to evoke compassion from those present and thus lure out an allowance, etc. Imaginary possessed people are usually accompanied by a company of people; some seem to help the sick during possession, while others accomplices at this time, when all attention is concentrated on the possessed, search their pockets - in a word, there can be feigned possession, even a mania of possession can develop, especially in nervous women. They say that there was a time when there was such a mass of cliques in the churches that it was necessary to fight this phenomenon with police measures, and the cliques disappeared. In any case, true possession is possible. It is attested to in the Gospel, it is known to all of us. What means can you use to get rid of it? The Lord said: this kind is not expelled by anything else but prayer and fasting. Demonic possession can be combated only by means of holy things. But who should fast and pray? The sick themselves are often incapable of this, then relatives should strengthen their prayer for the sick; and also the sick themselves should be surrounded with holy things, given holy water, led to holy places, venerated with holy relics, the Sacrament of Unction should be performed over them, and, if they are able, then they should be communed of the Holy Mysteries.

Usually, those ascetics of faith acquire power over evil spirits, who themselves have struggled much with the age-old enemy of the human race, who have led or are leading a life in purity and constant prayer. The enemy of the human race knows this, and what is it? "He is trying to harm the truth here too. He instructs many imaginary ascetics, for example, the so-called brothers, etc., to perform false healings on the imaginary possessed in order to deceive the people. This happened, at least with the Moscow "brothers": they brought an imaginary woman to the "brother", he laid his hands, anointed her with oil and allegedly healed her. A real deception. Is healing possible here when the "brothers" are seducers?

In connection with possession there is the question of the so-called corruption. One often hears that they have spoiled at a wedding, or they say: so-and-so has been jinxed, he has an evil eye... How to look at it? Is spoilage possible? The influence of man on man undoubtedly exists. After all, we often say: he influenced him, influenced... If there is a good influence, then a bad one is also possible, which has different degrees, and sometimes such degrees that become noticeable to us. If a person is evil, if he has made friends with an evil spirit, then how can he not influence someone badly? But can we be afraid of corruption, and if a bad influence has already been produced, how can we get rid of it? A bad force must try to resist with one's own spiritual, grace-filled power, which every Christian has, a Christian must always protect himself with the sign of the cross, prayer, holy things, constant confession, communion of the Holy Mysteries, then it will not be so easy for the enemy to overcome us.

***

You have sinned, you have fallen under the power of some passion - use this for good. Build on your fall a sincere repentance, develop a contrite spirit, a humble feeling. Perhaps before you were exalted by your purity, your purity, and therefore you treated vicious people with contempt and condemnation; Now do not dare to overlook anyone in sins, always remember your sins, be always humble in heart, quiet and meek. Perhaps before you prayed little, relying on your outward righteousness, considering it alone sufficient without the feats of prayer and fasting; but now, when you feel your guilt, arm yourself with prayer and, first of all, with the Jesus Prayer – this bulwark against all the slanders of the enemy, be diligent in good deeds, for firmly know that faith, according to the words of the Apostle, is dead without works (James 2:17).

***

On September 4, 1911, the Lord vouchsafed me to be a witness to the great triumph of the Orthodox Church – to be present at the opening of the relics of St. Joasaph, the Wonderworker of Belgorod. In the face of the new sorrower for Holy Russia, given by God, in view of the new stronghold of Orthodoxy, erected in Belgorod by God, the heart rejoiced with tenderness and spiritual joy. But at the same time, it was sad to remember those many sons of our Church who, like the prodigal son, moved by a spirit of disobedience, left their mother for a distant land (Luke 15:11-32); and now, it seemed, they were strangers to this spiritual triumph, they did not understand it, and through misunderstanding they did not recognize even the newly-appeared shrine. Resisting the grace of God, they do not want to understand that the glorification of God's saints takes place according to God's special providence. This is clearly obvious to every Orthodox believer, among other things, from the circumstances of the death and further storage of the remains of St. Joasaph.

Behold, he is dying... He dies, mind you, not at home, but during a trip to the diocese, 70 versts from his diocesan city. It was necessary to transport his remains to this city. For the burial of Saint Joasaph, the Bishop of Pereyaslavl was appointed by the spiritual authorities. The latter, due to the muddy roads, could come to Belgorod only two months later. Thus the burial of Saint Joasaph was naturally postponed, and they had to wait for this burial for 70 whole days. It was then that it was seen that the body of the saint remained incorrupt. It was decided after the burial not to bury his coffin in the ground, but to place it in a cave, where the people of Belgorod began to descend to pray, firmly believing in the heavenly intercession of their saint who had reposed in peace.

Once, about 15 years ago, I happened to be in Belgorod. At that time there was no talk of the glorification of Saint Joasaph, but having already visited his shrine, it was felt that this time was approaching. The desire of the people of Belgorod to venerate the saint in the morning, the daily service of the pannikhida after the early Liturgy, accompanied by the ringing of a 1000-pood bell, the constant pronunciation of the name of St. Joasaph at all private panihidas - all this told the heart that the day and hour was about to come when St. Joasaph would be glorified. Now it has come true.

Oh, how unjust are those who dare to see in the glorification of God's saints the work of human hands – so do our sectarians look at it. For us, the faithful sons of the Church, God's Providence in this glorification is as clear as God's day. When the venerable relics of St. Seraphim of Sarov were opened,[40] resisting the grace of God, not understanding that the Lord glorifies the saints in various ways, they said: "If only his whole body had remained incorrupt, then we would have believed." But now, sectarians and all unbelievers, go and look at the incorruptible repose of St. Joasaph. His relics have been preserved magnificently.

On August 12, before the unveiling of the relics, I happened to be in Belgorod and behold the face of the saint. Venerating the venerable relics of the saint, I asked to open his face, and - oh delight! - the face of the saint appeared before me, similar to his image on the icon. Behind me, the people standing behind me, seeing the face of the saint, trembled, and then the cave resounded with sighs of tenderness, tears of spiritual rapture.

What will you say now, sectarians? You need the incorruptibility of the relics... So please go to Belgorod and make sure of this truth. Only do not dare to say then that there are no relics, for you will be telling, in your burned conscience, a deliberate lie. When it is impossible to object to incorruption, they say: what kind of saint is he, if he was very strict and oppressed the clergy.. And what is zeal for God? - after all, he, the saint, on the one hand, lived entirely in God, lived for God, and on the other hand, he was an archpastor, a superior; he could not tolerate betrayal of God, he demanded of his flock to render their due to God, to serve Him with fear and trembling. Zeal for God devours Me... (Cf. Psalm 68:10; John 2:17). The severity of St. Joasaph is only one more proof of his closeness and devotion to God, as all God-pleasers do.