Prayers, conspiracies, amulets for all occasions. Very strong prayer, conspiracies and amulets

Preface

Let us turn to the meaning of the word “prayer.” This is a person’s spoken or mental appeal to God or gods. Prayer includes: confession of sins, requests, gratitude, vows. Prayer is an attempt by a person who feels weak to call upon or tune in to higher powers and receive help from them. Therefore, I sincerely hope that this book will help you in difficult times.

Here are collected powerful conspiracies, prayers, amulets for all occasions. They will help you protect you and your family from misfortunes and enemies, maintain respect at work and mutual understanding in the family. Here are also collected conspiracies that will help improve your health and protect your family and friends from diseases. You will learn what damage can be and how to remove it; how to increase your fortune and protect it from envious people.

If you go at night, you will be invisibly protected by a shield of amulets; If you give birth, pain will not torment you; and old age will not disfigure your face, for God’s prayer will adorn you with beautiful features.

Having learned my teachings, you will receive rare, invaluable knowledge. If you are patient and don’t give up, you will be rewarded: you will be able to talk to spirits, master hypnosis and read the thoughts of others. And this will help you get out of any seemingly hopeless situation. Let this book become your friend and assistant for many years.

If any of you don't quite understand what I'm talking about right now, please be patient. Study my works, and have no doubt, I will keep my word and reveal to you all the knowledge that I possess. All those of you who will reach the last stage of training with me will learn truly incredible things. You will live a long time, having learned from my books how shortevity is accounted for. And when the angel of death comes for you, he will carry you in his arms and will pray for you before God.

The book is divided into four sections, which represent the four most exciting topics for everyone: “Luck and success”, “For health, against illnesses”, “Love and family” and “From damage, from the evil eye”.

I share with you the knowledge, experience and skills accumulated by many generations and passed on from mouth to mouth.

I am often asked why I reveal my secrets, because it would be much more profitable to organize courses or a health department.

The whole point, my dears, is that the Lord God has endowed me with sincere love for people. My grandmother taught me this too. To put it very briefly, I will say this: I really want you and your loved ones to live happily ever after, and this is exactly what my books should help you with.

By collecting all my books, you will build a protective wall for yourself that no enemy will be able to break through. You will always be able to protect yourself and your children with the great power of holy life-giving prayer, which means your days will multiply, because protected people live much longer!

My dear readers, followers and students, write to me, I will answer all your questions, I will be very happy to help you and give advice. Everything you learn from this book will bring you luck, success and prosperity.

I thank everyone who congratulates me on the holidays. This always worries me a lot. I sincerely pray for those who respond to someone else's distress. It is gratifying to read letters from people who ask not only for themselves, but also for strangers. After all, the Lord himself said: a merciful heart will be received with mercy.

I bow to everyone and say thank you for your support in my work.

I wish you health and long life.

With respect to you, Natalya Ivanovna Stepanova

Luck and success

Plot for happiness

It has been verified many times that those people who came to me in tears, complaining that there was not a single happy day in their lives, having done everything as I told them with this conspiracy, seemed to be born again. Happiness turned its face to them, and life changed for the better.

So, read this plot three times: once before you go to church, once near the church and the third time when returning from church.

Upon entering the church, they light twelve candles in honor of those who walked with Christ. They put it next to any icons where the soul desires. And forty days - fasting, after you read it for the last time.

The church is golden,
There is a silver throne in it,
Above it is an icon speaking and looking at me.
I will stand in the golden church
Before the silver throne,
Under the icon speaking, the Mother of God looking.
Give me, Mother of God,
From this day on you will be happy.
I take happiness with my hands and go out with my feet.

Amen.

Plot for luck

Luck in life is also important. Now I will tell you in detail how to improve life not only for your children and yourself, but also for those whom compassion points you to. This plot is read on the full moon on Sunday. They read while looking at themselves in the mirror. The mirror should hang on the wall or at least lean against the wall. Under no circumstances should a mirror be placed on the table!

Baba the sorceress
The one who lies in the coffin and guards her coffin.
You walked the earth boldly,
You did your magic work.
I collected happiness and took it away from people,
I stole luck and gave it to myself.
Give me, dead thing, good luck.
Give me, sorceress, happiness in addition.
I command you the fortieth psalm
And Psalm forty-one
And from Black Magic the first.
I’m taking away your luck and happiness to boot.
Amen. Amen. Amen.

How to get your luck back

Read on black bread and morning water. They eat the bread and drink the water.

How true it is
That the Lord gave five loaves
And that Jesus Christ is God's son,
It is so true that the Lord is merciful.
Turn, Lord, my luck
From west to east,
From North to South,
Give her more than three roads,
And one road
To my doorstep.
And you, woe-misfortune,
Find your way
Into the womb of the snake.
There's a place for you there
That's where you live,
There is your being.
And I’ll put on a talisman,
I'll tie myself in gold and silver.
I can't count the money,
Do not know grief and misfortune.
I close the lock with the key.
I throw the key into the sea.
Key, lock, tongue.
Amen. Amen. Amen.

Conspiracy for well-being

When you wash your face, you need to say the following conspiracy:

Christ is Risen!
I am baptized with the cross, I fast during fasts.
Mother of God, cover me with the Holy Cross,
With Your Most Pure Finger.
And how smooth an egg is,
So that everything would go smoothly in my life.
In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

How to get rid of unhappiness

At midnight they boil the millet and, as soon as it is ready, they go with it to the river. There they take a handful of millet with their left hand and throw it over their shoulder into the river with the words:

Misfortune, misfortune,
There are seventy-seven of you, here you all, eat, swallow,
And don't pester me anymore.
In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Now and ever and unto ages of ages.
Amen.

You need to leave without looking back at the river, so as not to take misfortune as your fellow traveler again.

A conspiracy against all sorts of dirty tricks

They slander the water with which they wash their faces at midnight.

God's water, wash away, rinse
The affairs of sorcerers, enemies, adversaries, heretics,
Cunning healers, drooling horses, evil people.
Be a guardian against all dirty tricks.
In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Amen.

If you are being bullied

If someone harasses you with nagging, there is no need to shed tears. Take a piece of lard, stick a rusty nail into it and say:

Get away, devil, from my house,
Get away, evil, from my corners.
How did this nail freeze in the fat?
So the slave (name) will freeze,
Won't scream
Grow angrily at me (name).
Amen.

Plot for a truce

Turn the pectoral cross onto your back. They read while looking at the table where they usually eat.

Mother of the morning
Zarya Maria,
Evening dawn Maremyan,
The mother of cheese is the earth Ulyana.
Have you seen the Queen of Heaven?
Did they light the paths for her?
How She carried Him in her arms,
I kept it more than anything in the world,
She didn’t let it go, she took care of it,
And the hour came, I gave it to the world.
May you, peace, be a truce
For servants of God (names).
In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Amen.

Amulet from troubles

Read on Wednesday mornings, before washing.

Wednesday, middle, let's talk about some water.
I am baptized by Christ, I am covered with faith.
I am protected by a guardian angel.
My guardian angel, have mercy,
Sit on your right shoulder
Guard me from morning to evening
From the beast and the wolf,
of a spoken needle,
From evil people
And forest animals,
From trial and punishment,
From knife and poison,
From the witch's pinches,
From gossipy whispers.
Lord, add more age to me,
And when you die, save you from pain.
In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Amen.

To tame evil hearts

They talk about poppy seeds and scatter them into the pockets of a child or a loved one.

I sit in a sleigh covered with beavers,
Both sables and martens.
Like foxes and martens, beavers and sables
Honest and dignified between lords and priests,
Between the world and the village, so is my born son
I would be honest and dignified between lords and priests,
Between the world and the village.
I’m riding on a reptile, he’s already driving, but he’s hefty.
The lords and judges have a yard full of pigs,
And I will eat those pigs.
Judgment - judgment, century - century!
I sow poppy.
All the judges will disperse, and they will sit and eat me.
They won't eat me, I have a bear's mouth,
Wolf lips, pig teeth.
Judgment - judgment, century - century!
Who will pick my poppy,
He will bring judgment against me.
I'll hide my poppy in an iron tub,
I'll throw the tub into the ocean-sea.
The ocean-sea does not dry up,
Nobody takes out my cadi,
And no one picks up my poppy seed.
Judgment - judgment, century - century!
I close my teeth and lips to evil hearts,
And I throw the keys into the ocean-sea,
In your iron tub.
When the sea dries up, when the poppies from the kadi are eaten,
Then I won't be there.
Judgment - judgment, century - century!

Shield from slanderer

At your request, we are returning to this topic again. And indeed, how easy it is to slander a person, to bring false accusations against him. And the rumor will bring everything to its black end. But there are amulets against such people, against their dirty tongues. Think about how many people have died in the world who could not cope with the despair to which the slander of evil-pagans led them.

It is necessary that you and even your grandchildren know these amulets in order to protect yourself from slander.

Every person in his home has a first aid kit in which pills are stored in case of colds. Let all the prayers and spells that my grandmother taught me, and her ancestors taught her, be your shield in the house.

Read at midnight:

Get out of your black tongue, arrow.
Walk past me, past my horse,
Walk past my table
My oak table, my stone house,
Icons of my righteous one,
Past mortal bodies, Past imperishable souls.
My shield is strong
The plot is my sculpt.
Go away, arrow, from the black tongue:
On a swamp hummock,
To the devil's daughter
To a dry forest.
There you fall,
There you will be lost.
I bite with my teeth,
In a word, I lock it.
Go, don't look.
Lord,
My kind of vegetable garden.
In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Amen.

Conspiracy for the favor of ill-wishers

The minute thunder roars, you need to cross yourself and shout loudly:

In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,
Always and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
How can all people hear you, thunder?
How do all people see you, lightning,
So that they respect me
They held for their relatives
All my enemies, all offenders.
We honor Elijah the prophet,
And I respect any threshold.
In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
And now and ever and unto ages of ages.
Amen.

This conspiracy is really strong. Personally, I have observed that those people who arouse antipathy in those around them, after this conspiracy, easily establish good relationships with those around them, even with their long-time enemies. This should be done without witnesses, or, as a last resort, only in the presence of a master. Time, moon, date do not matter, the main thing is that thunder roars and lightning flashes at this time.

Safe words in any dangerous situation

Angel the Baptist, savior of my soul,
You save my soul
You close the doors to the enemy,
You come to the bed, you guard,
You drive away the adversary enemy.
Have mercy, save, save and preserve.
In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Now and ever and unto ages of ages.
Amen.

To protect yourself from harm

The plot is read once out loud, once in a whisper, once to oneself:

In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
I'm standing at the Cross.
The cross is church beauty.
Cross - praise to the martyrs,
And help the guards.
I’ll come closer to the Cross and bow to it lower.
Protect and defend from enemies and foes,
From their tongues, their batogs,
From their fire and sword, from their infliction.
Lord, send blessings
So that I stand unshakable and indestructible,
Like the Holy Cross.
Amen. Amen. Amen.

Protection from the enemy

They take a worm from the stem of a mushroom, drip wax from a candle bought on Friday onto it, and so, having sealed the worm, put it in a dug hole, pour a mound on top, like on a grave. Crossing themselves, they leave. As you drip wax onto the worm, whisper:

I put the enemy to sleep,
Not on a feather bed, but on unction.
You, enemy (enemy's name), do no harm,
And, like a worm, sit in the ground.
While my seal is intact,
I will not have an enemy.
Key, lock, tongue.
Amen.

So that your enemy is afraid of his own thoughts

If you know that evil is being planned against you, you need to read the water spell nine times and pour the water on the threshold.

The mother river runs, erodes the banks,
It takes out the roots and exposes the sands.
Likewise, the thoughts of slaves (name of enemies) become blurred,
Be afraid of your thoughts,
Don’t come back to me, slave (name),
Think about yourself, not me,
God's servant (name).
Amen.

How to talk yourself out of all troubles, from all enemies

You have probably heard people say about some people: “Nothing ever happens to him: he is under a spell.” We will teach you this conspiracy. He will protect you from all evil and vain death.

You need to collect water under the bridge and go with it to the cemetery. Wait for the dead man to be brought and buried. When they leave, cast a spell on this water and wash yourself over the fresh grave with this water. Leave the remaining water there.

Lucifer, Astaroth, Satan,
I call everyone, call out, reprimand,
I ask everyone: “Take me between two pillars
To the side of life where there is the mystery of the sleep of the dead,
The secret of a living dream, in the secret there is the visible and the invisible.
Where black crows peck dead eyes,
They drink cold blood,
There is a hut-monastery where death, melancholy, sadness live.
There is a secret cell there,
In it sits the fate of the baptized slave (name),
A candle is burning in front of her.
She will call to herself three at once: death, melancholy, sadness -
And he will order them from this moment,
To preserve the Lord's hour,
Keep the “cup of salvation” of God’s servant (name).
She will not burn between twelve fires,
One cannot die from the great number of swords,
Don't drown in the water, be bypassed by an arrow,
The thief will not notice her, the villain will greet her with kindness,
The enemy's arms and legs will be taken away,
The night will be like the clear sun,
Illness will not take her, melancholy will not crush her,
Damage will pass by, the beast will not touch, the snake will not bite,
He won’t fall from a height, he won’t falter on the ground,
The blood will not leak out, the eye will be saved,
Your hands will forever have dexterity, your legs will forever have agility,
There is joy in her soul, peace in her heart.
From now on she will sit on the Sovereign Throne forever.
Spellbound by the hand of fate
With three witnesses: death, melancholy, sadness;
With three guards: Lucifer, Astaroth, Satan.
Amen.

If you want to cast this spell on your child, do it in the presence of the godmother.

From evil tongues

I'm not going on my own
I'm flying like a black raven,
I swing the ring, I drive the fire,
I step on the threshold with my right foot,
I take away the tongue of my enemies.
So that they clap their lips and remain silent,
There was no grinding or chattering of teeth.
Lie around my body, circle.
From the tongued, toothy,
Envious neighbors in the yard,
In the field, in the service.
Don't let them, circle, let their tongues run wild.
Like fish in water they are silent,
That's how people don't talk about me.
Amen.

Conspiracy against harm and violence

Read after three o'clock in the morning on Women's Day (Wednesday, Friday). You have to read it in one sitting. On the ninth day after reading the spell, no one is allowed into the house so as not to interrupt the spell.

Three nails after the enemy,
I can't remove the spell.
Can’t be removed by two or three,
Not seven and not twelve.
My word is strong: don’t knock it down,
Do not interrupt if on the ninth day
The door can't be opened.
In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Amen.

Conspiracy from a grumpy neighbor

Go to your neighbor’s door, clasp your hands and say:

In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
I will get up, blessing myself, and walk, crossing myself.
From wall to door, from door to gate.
I will go out of the gate into a field, into a wide expanse.
A fast river flows in that field,
That river has paper banks.
I'll bend over and rinse off,
I will wipe myself with the heavenly heights.
I will become a ridge to the west,
I will face the east.
How can you not get sand from a deep river,
You can’t chew all the paper shores,
So no one could say a bad word
About me, God's servant (name).
Paper shores, bake yourself,
Evil lips, shut up.
It would seem to everyone more than the world,
Everyone would look for my words and greetings.

Luck and success

I tie my tongue, I roll my eyes.
Alien, evil eyes, look past me.
And I'm going Basque,
People treat me kindly.
How can people not love themselves?
So they won’t be able to blaspheme me.
Dear God, Lord, I wish you peace with Easter -
And so that all people would treat me with affection.
Be strong, my words.
Be, my works, modeling.
The key to the word
Word to God.
In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Now and ever and unto ages of ages.
Amen.

Conspiracy for peace and good agreement

Heat the bathhouse. When you see that the water in the tank has boiled, say three times:

Water-water, river-river,
You came to me from seventy streams,
You wash all the yellow sands, steep banks,
You roll it up and remove all human dirt.
Take it off, take it off, roll it off me (name)
And from my daughter-in-law (name)
Everything is evil, abusive, obnoxious, kitschy.
Wash away, rinse off all the squabbles,
All the gossip, nagging, biting,
Screams, evil silence, resentment, jealousy,
Longing, sadness, contempt, heartache.
Water is water, sister of mother earth,
Wash me and God’s servant (name) with your water.
In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Amen.

Conspiracy for the current day

In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
There is a holy ocean-sea,
In that ocean-sea the cradle rocks.
A maiden bird sleeps in that cradle.
Get up, bird-maiden, wake up, rise up,
Cover me with your wings from the haze,
From frying, from vileness and bite,
Diseases, gossip, the enemy's envious eyes,
From fire, water, from a flying arrow,
From horror in the night, from ruts and illnesses,
Trouble and witchcraft,
From demonic pampering.
Cover me, maiden bird, with your wings
Before all existing enemies.
My work is strong, my word is molded.
Key, lock, tongue.
Amen. Amen. Amen.

Conspiracy for a good life

They buy twelve apples, every second apple will need to be given to a beggar, and six will need to be taken to the house. Then, the next day, every second apple from the remaining ones is given to a beggar at the church, and three are left at home. Let these apples lie at home overnight, and then they are taken to church and placed on the funeral table, saying to themselves:

Remember my poverty for peace,
And wealth and health are with me.
Amen.

Spell for a joyful life

If you take a black chicken egg on Wednesday, roll it in the dust of a road intersection, then give it to a male dog to eat, then there will be more bright days in your life. You will feel stronger, younger and luckier.

Words to say when giving an egg to a dog:

Egg for a male dog
Help to my Guardian Angel.
Amen.

Shopping for a happy life

Place a piece of pie in the cemetery, on someone's grave, place a jug of milk and scatter coins.

Bow three times and say:

Remember, dead man,
Everything is bad from me, everything is bad
For now, for eternity, for infinity.
In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Now and ever and unto ages of ages.
Amen.

Leave without looking back.

For those whom fate does not favor with luck

If you realize that luck has not begun to look into your house, if everything is very bad for you, do this: buy eight eggs from five sellers. There is an icon of forty saints. These forty purchased eggs are spoken in front of this icon, and then the eggs are given as alms. If you do not have this icon or are not confident in your abilities, contact a strong, knowledgeable healer. They speak like this:

In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Forty holy men walked
They carried forty eggs for Easter.
They carried them and dropped them,
The testicles were broken.
So would my troubles and misfortunes
They were shattered into pieces,
They wrapped themselves in a ball around me.
Oh, you holy hands,
Take my torment.
How are these eggs broken before eating?
So my torments and misfortunes will leave me.
Key, lock, tongue.
Amen. Amen. Amen.

Conspiracy for a happy destiny

Word for word, deed for deed.
I will pray to the holy forefathers:
Jacob, Joseph the Beautiful.
How are you, Jacob and Joseph the Beautiful,
Passed before Pharaoh the king of Egypt
And how he couldn't sit still
And I gave you honor above all,
So that me, the servant of God (name),
All ranks, all princes, boyars and all earthly sovereigns
We met and saw off affectionately,
They gave me honor and glory.
Their hearts would be tamed,
The authorities would always forgive me everything.
They would value me as a soul in a body,
Eye in the forehead
On all days, at all hours of the day,
For months born, months shortened,
Damaged and full.
Shine everywhere and always, my God-given star.
Key, lock, tongue.
Amen.

Conspiracy for good luck in all matters

My angel, my archangel, my patron,
Lead me, help me.
I'll go on the bright path.
Doors would all open for me,
People would all smile at me,
All my deeds, all my dreams came true.
There are three fish in the blue sea,
Those fish have three crowns on them.
Who can count the teeth on those three crowns?
Only he will interrupt my luck.
My first word, second deed,
And my enemies don’t care.
Key, lock, tongue.
Amen. Amen. Amen.

To always be held in high esteem by people

When they go to meet people, they say poppy and hide it in their bosom.

How to protect yourself and your family with the help of a talisman prayer?

Our life is always associated with certain fears and anxieties. How often in life do we have to feel defenseless against evil, enemies or life's troubles. Who or what can protect us?

These are prayers, amulets, wonderful spells, time-tested, “working” and sometimes simply miraculous. They exist for all occasions, help protect yourself and your family from the evil eye or damage, from evil people and from enemies, from negativity in life. You need to know these prayers and you can apply them always, every day.

Each prayer-amulet is a kind of shield. How it works? You probably know about the power of words. Each word has its own subtle vibrations. Thus, an evil word can bring misfortune and illness, and a curse spoken in the hearts can ruin a person’s whole life.

Prayers and conspiracies have special vibrations and energy. When you read such a conspiracy, a certain energy field is created that does not allow negative energy to pass through and provides reliable protection from bad energy vibrations. What kind of prayers exist, and for what purposes?

• Amulets from envious and evil people, from enemies and ill-wishers.
• Conspiracies for family and home protection, from illness, conflicts, poverty.
• Prayers and amulets for the birth of children, for a son and daughter - from the evil eye, from illness and damage.
• Conspiracies for every day - for work, good luck, to ward off problems.
• From evil, from witches, black witchcraft and curses.

There are universal conspiracies - for all occasions, they are good for every day. There are special ones that are used in specific cases. Choose the amulet you need and use it for the benefit of yourself and your family!

Magic words

Since ancient times, a large number of prayers have appeared that serve as amulets for people. For the amulet to have effect and benefit, the main thing is to believe in its divine power and have no doubt that it will help. It’s worth reading it out loud, but you can also read it silently if this is the situation. It is better to know several main amulets by heart in order to use them if the need suddenly arises.

1. There is a prayer-amulet for every morning, it helps throughout the day, protects from bad people, from evil and various misfortunes. Read three times:

2. If suddenly some danger arises, you feel fear from evil people, enemies or some circumstances, there is a quick defense. Read this short plot three times:

Cross yourself and imagine an invisible shield around you that protects you from any evil.

3. A very powerful protection is the “Dream of the Blessed Virgin Mary.” This miraculous prayer spell is good for all occasions, it is very powerful, it helps against evil, damage, the evil eye and all negative energy.

4. The famous, ancient prayer spell “Seven Crosses” also needs to be known. The “Seven Crosses” prayer should be read every morning at home, or at work, it will protect you and the whole family, your daughter and son, your spouse, from any evil. Read seven times:

5. If you feel worried about yourself or about your son, daughter, or husband, read the “Forty-Strong Amulet” spell and think about who you are sending protection to. This powerful shield will protect you and your loved ones from any evil and misfortune.

For other cases

What other prayers and amulets exist? There are special ones, intended for specific purposes, or those that are read only once a year.

A prayer from a witch or sorcerer can sometimes come in handy, especially when your intuition tells you that an ill-wisher is nearby, that someone is plotting evil witchcraft against you or your family. This prayer will help protect you from the witch and prevent her evil spells from affecting you.

“Angel of my birth” is one of the most miraculous and powerful prayers. The magical prayer “Angel of my birth” gives strength to fight any troubles and evil, protects and preserves the whole year! You need to read “The Angel of My Birth” once a year - on your own birthday, early in the morning, just getting out of bed, and without saying a word yet. Read sincerely and with faith, and you will immediately feel the power of this conspiracy!

To protect your son from all troubles and all evil while he sleeps, stand at his head and whisper this request to God.

So, arm yourself with miraculous conspiracies, and know that they will definitely help you, and the stronger your sincere faith, the more powerful the protection that these prayers give you.

And the most important advice

Amulet prayer will help protect your loved ones and everything that is dear to you

Prayer-amulet is the strongest protection that protects us from any troubles, adversity and suffering. Many generations of people are confident that with the help of words addressed to God and the saints, you can protect yourself, protect your loved ones from enemies and envious people. Prayer will also help in protecting the house, which is also susceptible to negative influences.

Prayer-amulet for home

Quite often, not only we, but also our home are under attack. Sometimes black magicians, when they want to cause damage to a person, damage his house so that the place of residence becomes cursed, drawing strength and energy from the person. To do this, however, you need to seriously offend the sorcerer, because damaging a house is a difficult task. The most powerful effect will be the curse imposed during its construction. But in this case, you will first have to remove it, and only after that install the amulet. A more common problem is the evil eye. Its consequences can also be very unpleasant.

To avoid becoming a victim of a negative housing-targeted program, it is necessary to put strong protection on your home. Before starting to create magical armor, it is necessary to carry out a cleansing ritual to get rid of existing negative programs.

There are many rituals that will help protect your home from magical attacks. Before performing this simple ritual, you need to arm yourself with a special candle.

You need to buy it for Easter. After purchasing, without leaving the church, light a candle and immediately extinguish it with your breath. This can be done in any part of the temple, as long as you are inside it. After this, at any time you can light this candle at home and walk around the entire house (apartment) 12 times clockwise. At the same time, cross each corner and say:

Father of Hosts, erect the Cross of Crosses from heaven to earth. Protect my house, close it from the black eye. The House of Christ is the Lord's cover. Here is the Most Pure Mother of God with her all-powerful guards and guardians, protect us from all enemies, adversaries. Amen. Amen. Amen.

You can also take the help of St. John to protect your home from curses and black magic. In this case, you will need a church wax candle, with which you need to walk around the entire apartment three times clockwise. For each corner read like this:

Saint John is a warrior, call your soldiers to my estate, around my house, on the windows and on the doors. Take care of my house and everyone who lives in it. Amen.

Prayer for family protection

Often a black magician not only poisons the life of one person, but also curses his family. There are various reasons why an evil sorcerer might use such a terrible weapon. But even such a strong curse as damage to the family can be resisted.

To do this, you will need to read this simple prayer every morning. It is advisable that no one disturbs you during the ritual, and that you are alone in the room. When reading a prayer, you can stand in front of an image of saints or simply in front of a window.

In the sea-in the ocean

There is a white fish fish.

Like that fish sick without water on a dry shore,

So let my enemy be sickened.

So that my family is strong and strong,

Who will eat that whitefish?

He won’t sleep for an hour, he won’t live a day.

In the name of God Christ,

No one will break up my family.

How scales attach to fish

From head to tail,

So my family may be strong and whole.

Seven crosses

This prayer is rightfully considered one of the most powerful and is used as a talisman for the whole family. If you are making a charm exclusively for yourself, then read it three times and say your name; if the amulet is made for all relatives, then read the text once for each of your relatives.

To carry out the ceremony, arm yourself with seven candles. It is advisable to purchase them in advance from the church. As soon as the sun rises, stand in front of the window, line up the candles in one line, light them and read the text of the prayer.

I lay down the first cross from the Holy Spirit,

The second cross from the Lord God,

The third cross is from Jesus Christ, the son of God,

The fourth cross from the Guardian Angel of the servant of God (name),

The fifth cross from the Mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary,

The sixth cross from the west to the rollout,

The seventh cross of earth to heaven.

Seven crosses will close the house with seven locks.

The first castle - from all kinds of troubles,

The second is from poverty, poverty,

The third - from burning tears,

The fourth - from theft,

Fifth - from spending,

Sixth - from illness and infirmity,

And the seventh is the strongest, closes the six, locks it forever, guards my house.

Prayer amulet for pregnant women

It is very important for a pregnant woman to be strong, healthy, and to be able to resist any forces that may prevent her from bearing a child. Therefore, be sure to turn to the Lord and the saints during pregnancy so that they can help you bear and give birth to a healthy child.

This can be done using one of the prayer texts. It is read, like most similar prayers, in the morning. But if you feel an inner impulse that pushes you to repeat these words several times a day, do not resist. Light a church wax candle and say the text of the prayer three times:

The body grows the fetus with the power of the Lord’s goodness, and I ask God to help in the birth of a new life and give me the strength to carry my long-awaited child to term. May the Lord protect him from evil, from the black eye, from dashing thoughts and not give me dangerous paths, so as not to interfere with the correct distribution of the forces of life and development will not be distorted and disrupted, for the Lord’s hand will help me and at the right time will reveal into the world that one, who is under my heart. Amen.

Try not to let anyone bother you while reading. Contact God with pure intentions and good thoughts. You must understand that nothing should interfere with your communication with the Almighty.

You should not turn to saints if you are very angry. It’s better to try to calm down, and only after that ask for divine grace. Otherwise, your prayers will not reach God, as they will be said in a fit of anger.

Conspiracy prayer to protect a child

It is very important for every mother that everything is fine with her child. In order to protect your child from negative energy, you can use special amulets, protective rituals, or read special prayers daily. There are different conspiracies that can be read at different times of the day. In the morning, as soon as the child wakes up, you can read the following prayer spell over him:

May my Son of God (name), arrive in health forever and ever, and pass through all obstacles, O Lord. Amen.

Before going to bed, over your son’s bed, it is best to read the following conspiracy prayer:

Lie down in a soft cradle, then turn over on your side, go to sleep and don’t be afraid of anything. May the Holy Mother of God protect you, and may all bad things go away.

This prayer will help both the baby and the adult child. It will protect you from nightmares, help you sleep well, and gain strength.

The third text must be read before important moments in your child's life. The prayer is suitable for both small and adult children. Everyone needs divine help and mother's support, so do not be lazy to use this prayer before any serious trials that await your son.

An angel of heaven, from birth for his protection only. With white wings, protect me from enemies, all those villains, villains and enemies with fire, and frighten me with the Sword, but save my child. Oh Lord. Amen.

Prayers from enemies

Almost every person has to face enemies. If you are a successful person, there will always be people who want to cause damage. Special prayers and conspiracies from enemies will create protection both from damage or curses, and from more material methods of revenge.

In order to protect yourself from enemies, you can ask the Mother of God for help. She never refuses a just request from a praying person. In order to find yourself under the divine protection of the Mother of God, you need to read the following prayer in the morning:

Mother Theotokos got up early,

I read a prayer for my son Christ:

"Be you, my beloved son,

Under the gaze of the Most High Creator, Your Father God,

Everywhere saved, protected,

Defended against any misfortune until a certain time.”

The angels heard the prayer,

All her words were conveyed to the Lord God.

So would it be for me, God’s servant (name),

To know this mercy

To avoid trouble in your home.

Lord, bless, Holy Trinity, help!

In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen"

From enemies you can also read a prayer to St. John. This method is only suitable for protection from one specific enemy whose name you know. Remember, if you know exactly who wants to harm you, you should not be angry and do harm to this person; on the contrary, you need to ask God and the saints for love, kindness and harmony to appear in his heart. This conspiracy-prayer has nothing to do with damage and conspiracies for revenge, it is an appeal to the saint for protection from the enemy. There is no need to fear consequences, there will be none.

In order to ask St. John for help, you should go to the temple. Before the service, you will need to buy a candle, defend the service, and then place the candle near the image of St. John with the words:

Father John, you conquered the enemy regiments, conquer the heart of my enemy (name).

After saying the prayer, bow deeply 9 times.

Amulet from evil people

If, due to circumstances, you are in a group where people may envy you or wish you harm, be sure to protect yourself with prayer. Such a talisman against evil people creates a strong protection that no black magic can penetrate.

Every morning before work or before going to school, you need to go to the window, cross yourself and read this text:

Mother, Mother of the Most Holy Theotokos of Three Hands, you protect all the righteous people, pray for me before God. Yes, cover me with your miraculous cover from all enemies and evil adversaries. Let it be so from now until the end of time. Amen.

Amulet prayer is truly the strongest protection for all your loved ones. Every person is able to protect himself, his relatives, his home. Therefore, be confident in your own abilities, turn to the saints and the Lord. Pray sincerely, then your prayers will be heard, and you will find yourself under divine protection.

• Fortune telling
• Conspiracies
• Rituals
• Signs
• Evil Eye and Damage
• Charms
• Love spells
• Lapels
• Numerology
• Psychics
• Astral
• Mantras
• Creatures and

On this day there were extensive celebrations, people drank and walked. It was believed that it was not a sin to drink a lot if the bins were full. It was not for nothing that they said: “I got stuck!” On winter Nicholas, it is customary to make conspiracies against alcoholism. You can order a prayer service for the health of a relative with alcohol addiction. On December 19, Saint Nicholas brings gifts to children, and relatives read prayers for their health.

Amulet-prayer. The power of prayer. Protective prayers for all occasions

The life of every person in the modern world is filled not only with joyful experiences, but also with numerous fears and anxieties. Often a person feels complete helplessness in the face of life's difficulties, negative emotions and undesirable events. What can help you overcome difficulties and trials of fate?

The power of protective prayer

Prayers, conspiracies and amulets have a miraculous effect on the human lot. Some of them were tested more than once, and in all cases there was confirmation that they possess colossal power. Amulet prayers for all occasions have saved more than one person from evil fate. The trouble immediately recedes, the negativity dissipates, and the enemies no longer cause trouble. The power of such a prayer increases when you read it for your loved ones. To avoid another misfortune, it is better to read them daily.

Protective prayer is a kind of barrier or shield. Why is she so powerful? The word has enormous power. Each has its own vibration. Unkind speeches can easily bring trouble; a curse, even an unconscious one, can even ruin a person’s life.

But prayer, which protects from evil and troubles, carries a special energy. When a person pronounces prayer words and spells, he creates a protective energy field around himself, through which no negativity can pass. This is protection from bad vibrations.

What kind of miraculous prayers are there and how to pronounce them correctly?

Types of protective prayers

• A talisman-prayer against human envy, anger and ill will.
• Protective to prevent conflict, disease and poverty.
• Prayers against damage and the evil eye, for children.
• Daily conspiracies for all occasions against all problems and adversities.
• From malicious intent, curse or black magic.

There are protective prayers that can and should be read daily, and there are also those that should be said only in specific cases.

The power of prayer also depends on the state of mind in which it is said. One must concentrate fully on the words and read them with faith and sincerity.

The magic of words

If there is a need for protection from magical influence or an evil person, there is a good method, the effect of which lasts for a long time. A talisman-prayer is not simple words spoken unconsciously. This is a whole range of actions with which a person can protect himself and his loved ones from all adversity and misfortune. He can get rid of problems in family life, at work, with health and in other areas of life.

Strong prayer-amulet

The words of prayer must be said at least once a month. The prayer will be more effective if you read it with lit church candles. You will also need holy water, paper and a pen. It is especially favorable to read during the waxing moon. On paper you can write down everything you are afraid of, for example, divorce, illness or problems at work. You just need to formulate your fears clearly, so the power of prayer will only grow. Then the leaf must be sprinkled with holy water and set on fire. While the paper is burning, you need to read the following phrases: “I burn all serious problems. I take them away from myself. Let the dense forests, deep ponds and tree bark accept them. I will send all the bitter misfortunes and problems of life away from myself. From the evil eye, from unkind people, from evil sorcerers and witches. Prayer to the Lord will become my protection, Water and fire will purify my destiny and strengthen my protection. The Servant of God (name) is free from all evil, he got rid of all evil spirits and drove away all misfortunes. It will be exactly like this and no other way. Amen".

The amulet-prayer is read three times. After the leaf burns out, the ashes from it should be scattered in the wind, saying the following words: “I blow away all misfortunes, let them leave me today and in the future!” After the ritual, candles must be extinguished and not used again.

Protective prayer to the Mother of God

A prayer to protect against the evil eye and damage is read early in the morning. “I appeal to you, Most Holy Theotokos! For help and support! Just as You protected Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, from all evil, so protect me, the servant of God (name), from evil intent, bad people and the evil eye, from black magic and curse words. I appeal to you with prayer and repentance. Save me from all evil, keep my soul and body pure! Thank you for your help and support. I always praise your name. Amen!" The amulet-prayer is read seven times. After this, you need to wash your face with the words: “Everything bad is washed away from me, the protection is strengthened with water.”

Orthodox prayers against the evil eye

Any negative influence from the outside can be neutralized with Christian prayers. For example, the amulet prayer “Our Father” is considered very effective. Of course, it is better to worry about your safety in advance and read prayers daily. It will be difficult for dark forces to penetrate your life. But if there is already damage, then certain conspiracies are needed, and you need to clearly understand what words to pronounce, at what time and in what place. Prayers against corruption are real magical conspiracies with creative energy. The Orthodox Church advises reading Christian prayers to all saints every day.

Ritual against damage

In order to carry out the ritual correctly, you need to collect spring water. The vessel with water must be crossed and the prayer said: “Forgive me, Lord, and have mercy.” Then you need to place three pieces of coal in a cup of water and read the spell: “The Most Holy Mother of God drew water, took it and baptized it, she saved from evil fate. All tests are for men and women, lessons for girls and boys have been rewritten, everything is provided for, everything is erased. Do not let evil fate happen, do not live in the body of the servant of God (name), do not spoil the blood and do not torment the heart. To the glory of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen".

After reading, you need to monitor your well-being. If the condition has worsened, drowsiness overcomes, weakness and malaise envelops you - this means that the negative is leaving your body. In this case, you need to wash your face with holy water. But if you didn’t feel anything at all, it means there is no damage to you, and the reasons for your worries should not be sought in magic.

Prayer for the road

Those who go on a long journey especially need the protection of the Lord. Any trouble can happen on the road, and in order to prevent it, you should humbly turn to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, who is considered the patron saint of travelers. The amulet prayer for the journey sounds like this:

“Oh, Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker, hear our prayer,

Ask the Lord our God for us (names) to forgive us all our sins,

He was lenient towards us and did not pour out His anger on us.

Save us from troubles on the road,

Let me not drown in the abyss of sins.

Pray to God for us, Saint Nicholas,

For our peaceful life and for the salvation of our souls. Amen".

Archangel Michael – protector of the righteous

The great protector Archangel Michael has gained great fame and reverence in many religions. This is the first Angel, called by the Lord himself to fight evil and negativity. A prayer to Michael the Archangel - the strongest protection and amulet - is inscribed in the Miracle Monastery in the Kremlin. Anyone who turns to Saint Michael in this place will certainly receive protection and His patronage. It is this prayer that is recommended to be read in danger, even if it has not yet come.

Ancient prayer to Saint Michael

The prayer itself has a certain preface, which says that everyone who repeats it will get rid of the devil's influence, damage, and the envy of others. And even when a person leaves this world, his soul will not go to hell. The text of the prayer itself is as follows:

“Lord Jesus Christ, send Your servant, Angel Michael, to quickly help Your servant (name), to deliver him from all visible and secret enemies! O protector, Archangel Michael, destroyer of demons, eliminate all evil people who fight with me, wipe them out like sheep, and scatter their ashes to the wind. Oh, Great Lord, heavenly Archangel Michael, first intercessor and commander of all heavenly powers! Awaken in me, a sinner, a great intercessor and helper in troubles and sorrows, insults and sorrows, a quiet refuge on deserted land and deep rivers, seas and oceans. Deliver me, O great Archangel Michael, from all wickedness, hear me, the sinful servant (name), who falls in prayer within you and calls on your name, come to my aid and hear my humble prayer. Defeat all my enemies by the power of the Life-Giving Cross of the Lord Christ and the intercessory prayers of the Blessed Virgin Mary, our intercessor, all the holy angels, prophets and apostles, in the name of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, St. Andrew the Fool, all the greatest martyrs and Divine powers. Oh, Holy Angel Michael! Help me, your sinful servant (name), deliver me from tremors, floods and burning fire, sudden death and other evils, from fierce enemies and deceit. Now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen".

Fruits of Prayer

This prayer can provide reliable protection to the person praying and all his loved ones. It is better to read it every day at any time.

A person who turns to Archangel Michael with this prayer is always under the patronage of the saint. No evil, disasters, enemies, witchcraft and temptations, and even the torments of hell are capable of causing trouble to the one praying. Sincere prayer will always be heard.

Some people do not know how to pray with Orthodox texts. In this case, you can appeal to the saints in your own words, coming from the depths of your heart.

For example, you can say: “Hear my humble request, help and intercede for me or for my loved ones!” This phrase is a talisman. But it is better that these short words should first of all be addressed to Saint Michael.

You can also pray in your own words any day and at any time. After this appeal, it is not forbidden to voice any specific request of yours - to name what exactly you need the help of St. Michael the Archangel.

Who can pray to the saints?

Every person (even an avid atheist) can call upon holy persons. For Archangel Michael, it does not matter who addresses him, what gender, nationality or religion. In difficult times, he always comes to the rescue and provides support.

A strong prayer-amulet to all saints has enormous power. It can protect not only from external enemies and troubles, but also from internal discord, for example, from confusion, despondency, grief, confusion of thoughts.

Often, requests for protection are addressed to holy personalities in fear, natural disasters, worries, doubts, and troubles. These are strong conspiracies against damage, evil people, wars and death.

The Lord hears all souls calling to him. The main condition is the sincerity of the request and the belief that they will definitely help you. And it doesn’t even matter what words you say, read or your own, invented. Sometimes prayer in your own words, coming from the depths of your soul, has a greater effect than phrases from a prayer book read mechanically.

This book is your key to understanding the forces of light and a guiding thread on the path to them. You will learn everything about the hierarchy of angels and demons, who since the beginning of time have been waging an irreconcilable struggle for human souls. Armed with a powerful shield of miraculous prayers, you will protect yourself and your loved ones from any attack of dark forces: be it the evil eye, damage, love spell, curse, or a word thrown in anger. Learn to ask for protection from your guardian angel and the Forces of Light. You will find out which icon to venerate by turning to the patron saint with this or that request. Prayers, spells, amulets containing a powerful energy charge will give healing from illnesses, love and harmony to your family, and to your children - health, obedience, love of life, academic success and personal happiness.

* * *

The given introductory fragment of the book A powerful prayer shield for all occasions. Prayers, amulets, conspiracies (L. N. Melik, 2013) provided by our book partner - the company liters.

Part one

Forces of Light and Darkness

Look for the greater meaning in everything. All events that happen around us and with us have their own meaning. Nothing happens without a reason...

Nectary Optinsky

And, calling His twelve disciples, He gave them power over unclean spirits to cast them out and heal all manner of illness.

Gospel of Matthew

God and His strength are with us

“All heavenly ranks, Seraphim, Cherubim, Thrones, Dominions, Powers, Powers, Principalities, Archangels and Angels, pray to God for me, a sinner, being kind and merciful to you...”

This petition is set out in the rules for Divine Communion, which were published in 1906 at the Pochaev Lavra, and is pronounced during prayer for the coming sleep.

My father, constantly reading and studying religious literature, often brings back very interesting data. And this time he discovered an interesting fact about the prayer to the Honorable Cross, printed in the Psalter in 1651–1652 in Moscow during the time of the Tsar and Grand Duke of All Rus' Alexei Mikhailovich. This is the prayer:

“May God rise again, and let His enemies be scattered. And let those who hate Him flee from His presence. As smoke disappears, let them disappear, as wax melts from the face of fire, so let demons perish from the face of those who love God and signify themselves with the sign of the cross, and let us rejoice loudly: Rejoice, Most Honest and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord, let the demons drive away by force our Lord Jesus Christ, who was buried on You. , who descended into hell and trampled upon the power of the devil and gave us His Honest Cross to drive away every adversary.

O Most Honest and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord! Help me with the Most Holy Virgin Mary and all the holy heavenly powers, always, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen".

Later the words “by heavenly powers” ​​were removed from the prayer. Why? But we, Orthodox Christians, need to know and remember what these forces, to which we turn in our prayers, represent for us. And of course, calling on heavenly powers for help is of great importance. Most often, when referring to heavenly powers, we mean angels and archangels. What do we know about them?

In the beginning, first of all the visible world and man, God created heaven out of nothing, that is, the spiritual, invisible world, or angels.

All orders of angels, all the heavenly hosts, united together, cannot be compared with the Holy Spirit. God created all spirits, and created them all good and graceful. Some of them remained good of their own free will. Others, also of their own free will, departed from God and became the beginning of all evil.

Good spirits are called angels and are divided into other powers, live in heaven, descend to earth and perform actions on it.

Evil spirits are called demons, demons, devils, but the most important of them is called the devil, or Satan. Their place of residence, according to the definition of the Apostle Paul in the Epistle to the Ephesians, is the heavenly places, or the air, the surface of the Earth, or the underworld. In all these spheres they act according to the law of limited beings; angels are also subject to this law (that is, they are limited in their actions). Angels always appear to people in the form of people glorified by the grace of God.

Scripture speaks of their face, chest, arms, skin, clothing, that they fly, sit, speak, and hear what is said to them. Scripture ascribes to them the same senses that a person has: sight, hearing, smell, touch.

Two angels came to Sodom in the evening in the form of men. Lot invited them into his house as travelers, not knowing that they were angels. The angels warned Lot that Sodom and Gomorrah would be burned with brimstone and fire from the Lord from heaven.

The movement of an angel from place to place, his occupation of a certain place, is especially depicted by the Evangelist Luke when he describes the Archangel Gabriel, who appeared to Zechariah and preached to him the birth of the Forerunner of the Lord. At the same time, the archangel stood on the right side of the incense altar.

The same archangel Gabriel was sent by God to the Galilean city of Nazareth to the Blessed Virgin Mary and announced to Her that She would become the Mother of God. He entered her dwelling, fulfilled the command of God and left Her.

The Gospel of Mark says that the myrrh-bearing women, having come to the tomb (cave) in which the body of the Lord was laid, saw there a young man dressed in white clothes and sitting on the right side. It was an angel. Evangelist Matthew says that this angel, descending from heaven, rolled the stone into the tomb cave and sat on the stone. The appearance of his face was like lightning, his clothes were white as snow.

Demons also have the ability to move from place to place to wander through different places. The Lord said about the unclean spirit that when it leaves a person, it passes through waterless places, seeking rest. And he returns again, but with a large number of even more evil spirits, and lives in a dwelling. Spirits have their own place of residence, their own abodes.

So, let's start with the Light Forces, called angels and archangels.

Angels and Archangels

Angel – in Greek and Hebrew means messenger.

Angels represent the lowest rank of the hierarchy, which communicates directly with people.

Angels are incorporeal (therefore invisible) and immortal spirits, like our souls, but God endowed them with higher powers and abilities than humans. Their mind is more perfect than ours. They always fulfill the will of God, they are sinless and occupy the highest level in the ranks of creation.

According to the definition of St. Athanasius the Great, “Angels are living, intelligent, incorporeal creatures, capable of singing, immortal.”

Many times angels appeared visibly, taking on bodily form, when God sent them to people to say or proclaim His will.

At baptism, God gives every Christian a guardian angel who invisibly protects a person throughout his entire earthly life from troubles and misfortunes, warns against sins, protects him in the terrible hour of death, and does not leave him after death.

Angels appeared in Christian art at the end of the 8th century. Seraphim and cherubim are often depicted with six wings, which may have eyes. Angels usually have halos and a pair of wings and may hold scrolls, crucifixion-related objects, or musical instruments.

In Jewish, Christian and Muslim mythologies, these are ethereal beings who serve the one God, fight his enemies, give Him praise, and convey the will of the Divine to the elements and people. Those angels who fell away from God turned into demons. God created countless numbers of them.

As for the appearance of angels, it is impossible to describe it with any certainty, for the true angelic appearance is inaccessible to human perception.

Saint Demetrius of Rostov points out that “Angels were created in the image and likeness of God, just as man was subsequently created.” According to Saint Ignatius Brianchaninov, the image of God in angels, as in man, lies in the mind from which thought is born and in which thought is contained, and from which comes the spirit that promotes thought and animates it. This image, like the Prototype, is invisible, just as it is invisible in people. He controls the whole being in the angel as well as in man. Angels are beings limited by time and space and, therefore, having their own external appearance.

Angels most often appear to people in the form of fiery symbols, and, as Pseudo-Dionysius says, theology “represents fiery wheels... and fiery animals, and lightning-like men,” sometimes they take the form of people, animals and plants.

Guardian angel

As soon as we emerged from the holy font of baptism, as soon as we were born into spiritual life, each of us is presented with a spiritual guardian, one of those holy blessed Spirits who “behold the face of the Heavenly Father.” This guardian is our guardian angel. He is inseparable from us all our lives, protects us from all dangers, warns us from all troubles, inspires good intentions, holy thoughts, helps us in good, distracts us from evil, rejoices with us when we do some good, and grieves and cries when we fall in sin, when we darken our soul with some kind of evil. He constantly prays for us, he will be with us when the angel of death appears for our soul, he will accompany us after death through the terrible transitions (ordeals of the soul) to the throne of the Most High, he will be with us at the Last Judgment of Christ, when the book of our life will be opened, our behavior, will be ready to defend us, to pray for us to the Lord.

The early Christian theologian Origen believed that every person had one good angel who guided him, and one evil one who tempted him throughout his life. In the Middle Ages, the belief in guardian angels became widespread.

We must admire God's mercy towards us sinful creatures, since the Lord has appointed His holy angels to guard us from evil spirits who always seek to harm our bodies and souls. As Psalm 91 says: “For He will command His angels concerning you, to guard you in all your ways. They will carry you up in their hands, lest you dash your foot against a stone.”

And now that you have become a little familiar with the concept of angels, I want to bring to your attention the interpretation of the ancient saints about angels. Read them carefully and think about them. There's really a lot to think about here.

About angels

So, an angel is an entity endowed with intelligence, always moving, possessing free will, incorporeal, serving God, and by grace receiving immortality for its nature. What kind of essence and definition only the Creator knows. It is called incorporeal, and also immaterial in comparison with us, for everything that is compared with God, who alone cannot be compared with anything, turns out to be both gross and material, because only the Divinity in truth is immaterial and incorporeal.

So, an angel is a rational nature, endowed with intelligence, and possessing free will, changeable at will, that is, voluntarily changeable. For everything that is created is changeable, but the only thing that is unchangeable is that which is not created. And everything rational is endowed with free will.

He is incapable of repentance because he is incorporeal. For man received repentance because of the weakness of the body.

He is immortal, not by nature, but by grace. For everything that begins also ends because of its nature. But God alone is eternally existing, or rather, He is even higher than eternity. For the Creator of times is not dependent on time, but He is above time.

Angels are the second, comprehended only by the mind, retinues who have light from the first and beginningless Light: having no need for language and hearing, but without a spoken word communicating their own thoughts and decisions to each other.

They are describable, for when they are in heaven, they are not on earth, and sent by God to earth, they do not remain in heaven, but they are not limited by walls, and doors, and door locks, and seals, for they are not limited . For by nature, and in the proper sense, only that which is not created is not limited. For every creation is limited by God who created it. They have sanctification from the Spirit, they prophesy with the assistance of Divine grace, and have no need for marriage, since they are not mortal.

And since they are minds, they are also in places that are comprehended only by the mind, not being described in a bodily way, for, as for their nature, they do not take on a form like bodies, and do not have a threefold dimension, they are spiritually present and act , wherever they were ordered, and cannot be here and there at the same time and act.

Whether they are essentially equal or different from each other, we do not know. Only God, who created them, knows, and He knows everything. They differ from each other in light and position, or have a position according to the light, or participate in the light according to the position, and illuminate each other due to the superiority of rank or nature. But it is clear that those angels who stand above impart both light and knowledge to those below.

They are strong and ready to fulfill the Divine will, and due to the speed inherent in their nature, they immediately find themselves everywhere, wherever the Divine signal commands, and protect the regions of the earth: and govern peoples and countries, depending on how the Creator commanded them, and manage our affairs and help us. In general, both by Divine will and by Divine command, they are above us and are always near God.

They are hardly inclined to evil and are unshakable not by nature, but by grace and attachment to the good alone. They see God as far as it is possible for them, and they have this as food.

Being above us, as incorporeal and free from all passion, they, however, are not dispassionate, for only the Divine is dispassionate.

They are transformed into whatever the Lord God commands and thus appear to people and reveal to them Divine secrets. They reside in heaven and have one occupation: to sing the praises of God and serve His Divine will.

Angels differ among themselves in the degree of perfection and in the type of their service and are divided into several ranks.

Initially, the angels were united, but later, in the Kabbalistic tradition, a division into nine angelic ranks appeared. These nine ranks are divided into three triads. According to this hierarchy, the angels themselves, together with the archangels and principles, belong to the third triad, which is characterized by close proximity to the world and man.

And as the most holy, and most sacred, and most excellent in theology, Dionysius the Areopagite, says, all theology, that is, Divine Scripture, named nine heavenly entities, the Divine Hierarch distinguishes them into three threefold classes. And he says that the first class is that which is always near God and which is allowed to be united with Him most closely and directly: the class of the six-winged seraphim, and the many-eyed cherubim, and the most holy thrones.

The second: the class of Dominions, and Powers, and Powers, and the third and last: the class of principles, and archangels, and angels.

The rank of archangels “communicates with the first by turning through the authorities to the premium Principle, conforming to it as much as possible, and maintaining unity among the angels in accordance with the leadership. It is communicated with the latter by the fact that he, as a rank designated for teaching, receives Divine insights through the first Powers according to the property of the hierarchy, transmits them with love to the angels, and through the angels informs us to the extent that one is capable of Divine insights.”

Some, of course, say that angels came into existence before all creation, just as Gregory the Theologian says: “First of all, He invents angelic and heavenly powers, and this thought became deed.” Others say that they occurred after the appearance of the first heaven. And everyone agrees that they occurred before the formation of man. I agree with the theologian. For it was necessary that first of all an essence comprehended only by the mind should be created, and in such circumstances an essence perceived by the senses, and then this very person, consisting of both.

Those who say that angels are the creators of any essence are mistaken. For being creatures, angels are not creators. The Creator of everything, and the Provider, and the Preserver is God, Who alone is uncreated, and is sung and glorified in the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Thus, all this can be represented in the form of a diagram, which is mentioned in the works of Pseudo-Dionysius (in the 15th century AD) and in the Epistles of the Apostle Paul (Col. 16; Eph. 21):

Hierarchies

The ranks of angels are divided into three hierarchies: highest, middle and lowest. Each hierarchy consists of three ranks. All ranks of heavenly powers bear the general name of angels - in essence, their service. The Lord reveals His will to the highest angels, and they, in turn, enlighten the rest. Thus, the secrets of God go in a descending hierarchy from the seraphim to the angels, and each subsequent hierarchy is dedicated only to the knowledge that it can accommodate at a given level of its spiritual development.

Only the last two faces have contact with people: this is where all the angels of biblical origin enter, named and unnamed.

Seraphim - this is the name of the highest and closest to God of the nine ranks of angels. Translate literally - “those that burn, warm.”

Pseudo-Dionysius explains this by saying that the seraphim are in constant rotation around God, and therefore the heat they emit is like lightning.

They surround the throne of the Lord and, therefore, are the closest servants, executors of the will of the King of Heaven. According to the description of the prophet Isaiah, they had wings (6) - belonging to birds, faces - belonging to humans and legs - belonging to all animals. But this does not mean that the seraphim were like earthly creatures. The closest servants of the Heavenly King, as incorporeal and most perfect beings, cannot be such. The prophet's description only shows in what visible form he saw them. The song of the seraphim contained a threefold repetition of the name Holy, indicating the trinity of persons in God.

In the vision of the prophet Isaiah, the seraphim have a human appearance, different from ours, with six wings, symbols of higher spiritual abilities. The first pair of wings signifies the fear of God, the consciousness of one’s insignificance before the Creator. They cover their faces with them, as unworthy to look at the Lord of hosts. The second pair of wings covers the legs, as unworthy for the Lord to look at them. The third pair of wings is for constantly flying and tirelessly fulfilling the heavenly commands of your King and Lord and incessantly singing the song: “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of Hosts! All lands are full of His glory! And at the sound of their voice the foundations of the building shook, and the temple was filled with the smoke of incense.”

Seraphim are always depicted in flames, chanting God, and rule the heavens. They are also considered fiery, as they are engulfed in the flame of eternal love.

As you know, Lucifer left the rank of seraphim. The fallen prince was actually considered an angel who outshone all others until he lost God's mercy.

As for the name of the seraphim, it clearly shows their incessant and everlasting desire for the Divine, their ardor and speed, their ardent, constant, unflagging and unwavering swiftness, as well as their ability to truly elevate those below to what is above, to excite and ignite them to similar heat, to have an enlightening a force capable of driving away and destroying all darkness.

Cherubim - in the heavenly hierarchy of Dionysius the Areopagite they are placed next to the seraphim in the first rank, thus occupying second place in the row of nine angelic ranks. Cherubim play the role of guards. The Cherubim was appointed to guard the path to the Tree of Life. Their images in human form, but with wings, were placed in the Holy of Holies - above the Ark of the Covenant and in the atonement.

The word "cherub" appears for the first time in the Book of Genesis in the words: “And (God) placed in the east of the Garden of Eden a Cherubim with a flaming sword to guard the way to the tree of Life.” Cherubim are mentioned during the creation of Solomon's temple. They are depicted in the form of a man, but with wings. The Lord appears to be seated on cherubim, which shows their special closeness to God. Cherubim surround the throne of the Almighty and the Lamb in heaven and incessantly day and night glorify His endless perfections, not only in the great work of creation, but also in our redemption. They contain the fullness of the highest life and the highest reflection of the glory of God. Dionysius says: “The name Cherubim signifies their power to know and contemplate God, the ability to receive the highest light and contemplate the Divine splendor at its very first manifestation, their wise art of teaching and communicating to others the wisdom bestowed upon them.”

Thrones – “many-eyed” – are represented as wheels of fire, symbolizing Divine greatness. They are the third rank in the hierarchy of angels. These are the angels of justice, and their duty is to carry out God's decisions.

And when Dionysius says that “God executes fair judgment on us,” he means thrones. Thrones seem to be the most unusual angels in appearance, since they are depicted as wheels of fire. Corresponding descriptions are found in Elijah, who was taken to heaven by a fiery tornado.

According to the medieval mystic Jan Ruisbrock, seraphim, cherubim and thrones never take part in human conflicts, but are with us when we peacefully contemplate God and experience the constant love of our hearts. They generate Divine love in people.

Pseudo-Dionysius reports: “The name of the highest Thrones means that they are completely free from any earthly attachment and, constantly rising above the distant ones, approximately strive for the heavenly, with all their might they are motionless and firmly attached to the truly Highest being, accepting His Divine suggestion in complete dispassion and immateriality, also means the fact that they carry God and slavishly carry out His Divine commands.”

Dominations - This is the first rank of beings who are given free will to ensure the daily functioning of the Universe. It is believed that this rank “rules the Angels, who constantly glorify God, through them the mercy of God flows, and therefore the Dominions are sometimes called “paths of mercy.” The Dominions are the face from which come the angels who “dominate” over entire countries.

According to Pseudo-Dionysius, “the significant name of the holy Dominions... means some non-servile and free from any low attachment to earthly things, exaltation to the heavenly, standing above all humiliating slavery, alien to all humiliation, removed from all inequality to oneself, constantly striving for true Dominion and, as far as possible, holyly transforming into perfect likeness to Him, both of itself and of everything subordinate to Him, not clinging to anything that exists by chance, but always completely turning to what truly exists and constantly participating in the sovereign likeness of God.”

The forces known as "sparkling" or "shining" are angels of miracles, help, blessings that appear during battles in the name of faith. It is believed that David received the support of the Forces to fight Goliath. The powers are the angels from whom Abraham received power when God told him to sacrifice his only son Isaac. The main duties of these angels are to perform miracles on Earth. They are allowed to interfere with everything that concerns physical laws on Earth, but they are also responsible for enforcing those laws.

To these ranks, the fifth in the scheme of Dionysius, valor is given to humanity, as well as mercy.

Together with the Dominions and Powers, the Forces form the second triad (rank). Pseudo-Dionysius says: “The name of the holy Powers means some powerful and irresistible courage, if possible imparted to them, reflected in all their God-like actions in order to remove from themselves everything that could reduce and weaken the Divine illumination bestowed by them, strongly striving for God-like imitation, not remaining idle from laziness, but steadily looking at the highest and all-strengthening Power and, as much as possible, becoming Her image according to its own strength, completely turned to Her as the source of Power and Godlikeness, descending to the lower powers to impart power to them.”

Authorities have a special place in the hierarchy due to the fact that God created them first. Authorities protect the world from being taken over by demons, protect our souls and act as God's helpers against evil. They are believed to live in the region between the first and second heavens and patrol it to prevent “diabolical infiltration.”

At the personal level, the Authorities intervene whenever the struggle between good and evil begins.

“Let every soul be subject to the higher authorities, for there is no authority except from God, but the existing authorities were established by God...”

After our death, the Authorities help us move on to another world.

In Christian mythological ideas, the Powers are angelic beings. According to the Gospels, Authorities can be both good forces and minions of evil. As Pseudo-Dionysius says, “the name of the holy Powers signifies an order equal to the Divine Dominions and Powers, harmonious and capable of receiving Divine insights, and a structure of premium spiritual dominion, which does not autocratically use the granted sovereign powers for evil, but freely and decently to the Divine, both self-ascending and leading others to Him and , since it is possible, being likened to the Source and Giver of all power and depicting Him... in the completely true use of their sovereign power.”

Beginnings are legions of angels protecting religion. They constitute the seventh face in the hierarchy of Dionysius, next immediately before the archangels. The beginnings give strength to the peoples of the Earth to find and survive their destiny. Dionysius claimed that this face “watched over the human leaders.” They are also believed to be the guardians of the peoples of the world.

In the Epistle to the Romans the Apostle Paul says: “For I am confident that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, neither the present nor the future, will be able to separate us from the love of God in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Pseudo-Dionysius says: “The name of the heavenly Principalities means the God-like ability to command and control in accordance with the sacred order befitting the commanding Powers, both to turn completely to the Beginningless Beginning, and in others, as is characteristic of the Principality, to guide Him, to imprint in oneself, as far as possible, the image of the source Beginning and , finally, the ability to express His supreme superiority in the improvement of the commanding Forces...

The heralding order of the Chiefs, Archangels and Angels alternately rules over the human Hierarchies, so that there is order in the ascent and turning to God, communication and unity with Him, which from God beneficially extends to all Hierarchies, is implanted through communication and is poured out in the most sacred harmonious order.” .

All earthly leadership activities must be aimed at pleasing God and protecting faith in God from all attacks on the true interpretations of serving God, protecting the true path to God, according to the Holy Gospel and the commandments of Jesus Christ.

Archangels - in the Christian faith they represent senior angels.

The host of angels, according to Holy Scripture, is numerous. And only the seven main angels in the Orthodox Church have personal names known, namely: Michael; Gabriel; Raphael; Uriel; Salafail; Yehudiel; Barachiel.

Of the seven archangels, the Holy Church recognizes Michael as the Supreme Spirit.

“Who is like God” means his name; who, like God, expresses all his deeds, the Hebrew “likeness of God” is the protector of people. He was the first to rebel against Dennitsa (Satan), when this one rebelled against the Almighty. And we know how this first terrible war ended: with the overthrow of Dennitsa from the sky.

Since then, Michael has not ceased to work for the glory of the Creator and Lord of all, for the cause of salvation of the human race, for the Church and her children.

Therefore, the Archangel Michael is always depicted in a warlike form, with a spear or sword in his hand, with a dragon under his feet, that is, the spirit of evil. The white banner that adorns the top of his spear means the unchanging purity and unshakable loyalty of the angels to the Heavenly King, and the cross with which the spear ends makes it known that the battle with the kingdom of darkness and the victory over it by the archangel himself is accomplished in the name of the Cross of Christ, accomplished through patience and humility , selflessness. Sometimes depicted with scales (symbolizing justice), with which he weighs souls on Judgment Day.

Michael the Archangel. His name appears three times in the book of the prophet Daniel, in the Epistle of the Apostle Jude and in the Revelation of St. John. The prophet Daniel (X:13) calls it one of the first princes, and in chapter HM (v. 1) great prince, standing for the sons of his people. Saint Jude the Apostle calls him Michael the Archangel (v. 9). The book of Revelation (XII:7) describes the battle in heaven in which Michael and his angels fought against the dragon and the dragon and the angels fought against him (XII:7). The veneration of the Holy Archangel Michael in the Orthodox Church dates back to ancient times. His memory is celebrated on November 8 and September 6 according to the old style.

Second place in the row of Archangels belongs to Gabriel , his name means “Power of God” (Hebrew). This Archangel, in the work of serving human salvation, is especially a righteous messenger and a servant of the omnipotence of God.

Therefore, the Church calls him a minister of miracles. The Holy Church depicts him sometimes with a branch of paradise in his hand, which he brought to the Mother of God, and sometimes with a lantern in his right hand, inside of which a candle is burning, and in his left hand with a mirror made of jasper, or with lilies, or handing lilies to the Virgin Mary (white lilies are a symbol of purity).

Gabriel (Luke I:19) is one of the seven main angels, offering people’s prayers to God. First of all, God commanded the Archangel Gabriel to explain to the Prophet Daniel the vision of the ram and the goat, as well as the mystery of the seventy weeks (Dan. VIII:16; IX:21). In the Koran of Mohammed, he is given special honor and praise.

Rafail , or “Help and healing of God” (Hebrew “healer of God.” Tov., III:16), is the name of the third archangel. There is a whole book in the Holy Scriptures that describes how this archangel in the form of a man accompanies the righteous Tobiah. He freed his bride from the evil spirit, restored sight to his elderly father Tobit, and then ascended from them to heaven. Therefore, this archangel is depicted with a healing vessel in his left hand, and leading Tobias with his right.

The angel who protects humanity, especially pilgrims, is usually depicted in the garb of a pilgrim with a pilgrim's staff, a shell and a bottle of water.

The name of the fourth archangel is Uriel , that is, “Light, or fire of God” (Hebrew), an angel who sends the light of Divine wisdom to man, is most often depicted with a scroll and a book or with a sword, and in his left hand with a flame descending. As an angel of Light, he enlightens the minds of people with open truths that are useful for them, and, like an angel of Divine fire, he inflames hearts with love for God and destroys impure earthly attachments in them. This archangel is the patron of people devoted to science.

Uriel (3 Rides, IV:1; V:20). An angel sent by God to Ezra to instruct and explain to him the hidden ways of God.

Salafiel

The fifth archangel is the supreme servant of prayer - Salafiel .

Pure and fiery prayer itself can serve instead of a cherub for the soul, protecting it from hostile forces. But what are our prayers? Weak, short, unclean, cold. And so the Lord gave us a whole crowd of prayer angels with their leader Salafiel, so that with the pure breath of their lips they would warm our cold hearts to prayer, so that they would lift up our petitions to the throne of grace. When you see on the icon an archangel standing in a prayer position, with his eyes downcast, with his hands attached to his chest, then know that this is Salafiel.

Salafiel – Prayer to God (3 Rides, V:16).

Yehudiel

The sixth archangel has a golden crown in his right hand, and in his left hand a scourge (lash) of three red branches. This is because the duty of this archangel, with the face of angels, is to encourage with the reward of eternal blessings and to protect in the name of the Holy Trinity and the power of the Cross of Christ people who work for the glory of God, which is why he is called Yehudiel (Yehudil), or Praise of God (3 Ezra, IV:36).

Barachiel

The seventh archangel “The Blessing of God” (4 Ezra, 36), as his name means, Barachiel . He is depicted with many pink flowers in the depths of his clothing.

Since God's blessings are varied, His ministries are also varied.

Angelic powers

In the Holy Scriptures we most often encounter three archangels by name:

1. Heavenly Archangel Michael.

2. Participant of the Annunciation Gabriel.

3. Healer Raphael.

The place of residence of the holy angels is heaven. The Lord told us this: “The angels in heaven always see the face of My Father in heaven.” From many other passages of Scripture it is clear that heaven is the abode of angels.

As we already know, while in heaven, they are sent by God to earth to carry out various commands of God. At His second and terrible coming, the Lord will send His angels with a great trumpet blast, and they will gather His elect from the four winds from the end of heaven to the end.

Angelic forces are a huge protection and support for us. Since ancient times, there is evidence of the appearance of angels to people and the help they provide. By turning to the angels in prayer, we have great help and protection.

The Church has chosen November, the ninth month from March (with which the year previously began), to celebrate the Council of the Holy Angels, in accordance with the number of the 9 ranks of angels. These 9 ranks, according to the teachings of the Holy Church, are divided into 3 hierarchies: highest, middle and lowest, each hierarchy contains 3 ranks. You've already read all about hierarchy.

“Archangels of God, servants of divine glory, rulers of angels, and guides of men, ask for what is useful to us and great mercy, like disembodied archangels.”

(Kontakion, chapter 2).

Divine Light

You have all noticed that what is common in the depiction of all saints is a halo, or a luminous disk that surrounds their heads. It is also called halo. It comes from the Greek “halos” (a wooden round flooring on which a bull walks, turning the millstones in a mill). The word was brought back to life in the 16th century when astronomers began using it to name the aurora caused by the refraction of light due to fog that they saw around the sun, moon and other planets. Theologians adopted this word to designate the “crown of glory” over the heads of angels, saints and martyrs.

The halo as a symbol of the light emitted by the Divine Person is not exclusive to Christianity. In ancient times, this concept was widely used to denote power and greatness.

Let me digress a little from the topic of Christianity and want to say that, for example, Buddha in Indian art is sometimes depicted with an impressive red halo. Greek and Roman deities were also often depicted with halos; Zeus and Jupiter had blue halos, and Roman emperors, who considered themselves deities, were also depicted with halos, especially in outdoor sculptures: an impressive halo protected their heads from birds. In Byzantine art, Satan was depicted with a halo, symbolizing the radiation of power. Nowadays we will never depict evil with a halo, but it turns out that there were such times.

The first time halos appeared on Christian images was during the reign of Constantine in the 4th century. Until the 12th century, the halo resembled a golden plate. Later an ornamental border and radial rays of light were added. For simplicity, by the end of the 16th century, this form was reduced to the familiar golden circle.

There are four main types of halos: for living saints and persons such as the pope, the halo has a square shape; when depicting one of the characters of the Trinity, especially Christ, the shape of a cross or three rays; for God, the halo is triangular. The fourth shape is the mandorla, an oval halo enclosing the entire body, derived from the symbol for fish. At first, the symbol depicted the cloud in which Christ descended.

Evangelists

These symbols come from two biblical stories. In the Old Testament, the Hebrew prophet of the 6th century BC. e. Ezekiel recorded his vision of the throne of the Lord, with four beasts around: “They four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion on the right side, and they four had the face of a bull on the left side, and they four also had the face of an eagle.”. The Revelation of Saint John mentions the same four beasts: “And the first living creature was like a lion, and the second living creature was like a calf, and the third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle.”

Early Christians interpreted this as follows: man, the king of the earthly world, corresponds to the love of Christ, the bull, the king of domestic animals, symbolizes strength and sacrifice and corresponds to the Suffering of Christ on the Cross, the lion is the king of beasts, it symbolizes pride, royal dignity and corresponds to the Resurrection of Christ , the eagle, as the king of birds, symbolizes dignity, mercy, divinity, it corresponds to the Ascension. This interpretation of the symbols of the evangelists was given by Saint Jeremiah, who wrote: “The first, with the face of a man, denotes Matthew, who began to write, as a man, the book of all generations about Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham, the second is Mark, in which the voice of the Lion is heard roaring in the desert: “Prepare yourselves for the way of the Lord.” “." Similarly, Jeremiah identifies Luke as a bull, because he begins his Gospel with a scene of sacrifice performed by the priests in the temple, and later emphasizes that the main thing in the life of Christ was self-sacrifice, while the eagle corresponds to John (according to tradition it is believed that this is the one the same John, who was the apostle and author of Revelation), for he began his Gospel “like an eagle rushing at once to the best,” and began with the Divine Word: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God "

These symbols also appear as an emblem next to or behind the figures of the evangelists, who are often depicted with pen, ink, and scrolls or books. Sometimes Luke was depicted with a portrait of the Virgin Mary because he was believed to have painted one. Matthew and John have other emblems as apostles.

Emblems and symbols of the apostles

I had never come across the emblems and symbols of the apostles before, and this information interested me very much, I think it will be interesting to you too, because we have one goal - to the Light, to God.

In the earliest depictions, the apostles were depicted as 12 sheep standing on either side of Christ - the “shepherd”, or Agnus Dei - the Lamb of God. But in the Middle Ages, each apostle acquired his own symbols in painting, sculpture and stained glass. Here are the emblems and symbols of the 14 apostles (the original 12, as well as the later additions of Matthias and Paul).

Andrey symbolized by an oblique cross (usually silver or gold on a blue background, since it was assumed that it was on a cross of this shape that he was crucified). Like other saints who were fishermen, he sometimes had a fish as an emblem. Andrew is the patron saint of Scotland.

Bartholomew traditionally depicted with a butcher's knife, in memory of the fact that he was skinned alive, and is also depicted with a piece of skin on his hand.

Jacob the Elder , the first of the apostles to be executed, is sometimes depicted with the saber with which he was beheaded. He is considered the patron saint of pilgrims - primarily to the Holy Land, and therefore sometimes his image contains such details as a staff, a travel bottle and a folded shell. Pilgrims often placed shells in their hats as a symbol of good luck on their journey, but the shells also had a practical meaning - they were used as spoons. James is the patron saint of Spain.

Jacob the Younger (brother of Christ) is depicted with a stick, with which he was killed by Simeon with a blow to the head.

John may be depicted with a cup from which a snake slithers, a reminder of the legend that John was served a poisoned drink, but John was not harmed by the poison because he crossed the cup.

Judas Iscariot is sometimes depicted with a money bag, which recalls the words from the Gospel of John spoken by Judas to Mary Magdalene: “Why not sell this ointment for three hundred denarii and give it to the poor?” He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief. In paintings, Judas's beard is often depicted as red - this is the color of both cowardice and betrayal.

Judas is depicted with a mace - a symbol of his martyrdom in Persia, a staff or with a carpenter's quadrant - an allusion to his profession, as well as an oar, a boat hook or a ship - symbols of his missionary travels.

Matthew , like an apostle, carries a bag of money, as an allusion to his position as tax collector for the Roman state (hence he is considered the patron saint of bankers and accountants). Sometimes he carries a carpenter's ruler and quadrant, or the objects of his martyrdom - a pike, an executioner's ax or a halberd. In the 15th–17th centuries he was often depicted with an ax placed on a pike.

Matthias was not the first apostle, he was chosen to fill the place vacated by Judas Iscariot. His emblem is the objects of his martyrdom - the battle ax with which he was killed and an open book.

Paul often depicted as a short man with a bald head at the front and a long beard. Maybe with a book, as a sign of the contribution he made in promoting the teachings of Christ. His main emblem is the saber with which he was beheaded and which also serves as a reminder of his words addressed to Christians - to arm themselves with the “sword of the spirit.” Paul is the patron saint of preachers.

Peter also carries a saber, in memory of the fact that he cut off the ear of the high priest's servant in the Garden of Gethsemane. Other emblems include a fish and a rooster, as a sign of his renunciation. As Christ said at the Last Supper: “Not even the rooster crows today until you deny Me three times.” The rooster is also a symbol of Peter's repentance and his service as the first pope. His main symbol is an inverted cross and two crossed keys, since Christ handed him “the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven.”

Philip often depicted with a T-shaped cross, as it is believed that Philip was hanged by his head from a high stake. Also, his symbol is a basket of bread - in memory of the fact that he fed five thousand people.

Simon sometimes he appears with a fish in one hand, which contains an allusion to his occupation, and also with a saw, the subject of his martyrdom in Persia.

Thomas carries a spear because he was pierced by it. He is also the patron saint of masons and architects, and his symbol is the carpenter's quadrant.

Judas Thaddeus (Judas Jacoblev or Levvey) brother of Jacob Alpheus. The Gospels of Matthew (10:3) and Mark (3:18) mention Thaddeus or Lebeus, nicknamed Thaddeus; according to the unanimous opinion of interpreters, this is the same Judas.

In the Gospel of John, Judas asks Jesus at the Last Supper about his coming resurrection. Moreover, he is called “Judas, not Iscariot” to distinguish him from Judas, the traitor. Nowadays, most biblical scholars consider the apostle Judas and Judas, the “brother of the Lord,” to be different persons. According to legend, the Apostle Jude preached in Palestine, Arabia, Syria and Mesopotamia and died a martyr in Armenia in the second half of the 1st century AD. e. The alleged grave is located on the territory of the Armenian monastery of St. Thaddeus in northwestern Iran.

The sacred meaning of seven

For centuries, the number seven has had great esoteric meaning. In Christianity, this number has a sacred meaning.

We call upon the seven holy angels of God for help. This:

Monday: Archangel Michael - “Who is like God”;

Tuesday: Archangel Gabriel - “The Power of God”;

Wednesday: Archangel Raphael - “God’s Help and Healing”;

Thursday: Archangel Uriel - “Fire and Light of God”;

Friday: Archangel Salafiel - “Prayer to God”;

Saturday: Archangel Yehudiel - “Praise God”;

Sunday: Archangel Barachiel - “Blessing of God.”

But it turns out there is also an eighth day. I myself found out about this not so long ago.

Eighth day: Archangel Jeremiel - “The Judgment of God, the height of God.”

The eighth archangel Jeremiel is the angel of the new day of the world, the day of the future century, which began with the salvation of mankind by our Lord Jesus Christ and continues mysteriously in the present century by counting weeks.

Although the number of angels is immeasurably large: tma (tma - a thousand), according to the expression of the Holy Scriptures, there are only seven archangels. Why are there only seven main archangels, no less and no more? This is the secret of creation, known only to the Lord, the Creator of angels.

We can note with reverence that the septenary number is a sacred number: for if we look at the kingdom of grace, we will receive the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, the seven sacraments. Let's look at the kingdom of nature, we find seven rays of light, seven tones of sound, seven days of creation, and so on.

How to comprehend this great, sacred number?

The number “seven”, as perfected from the beginning of the world by God Himself, was chosen and sanctified to reflect many of His sacraments and actions: on the seventh day the Lord rested from all works; The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are counted by the prophet Isaiah; many other images and symbols with the word “seven” are revealed to man.

If you truly seek the Light and if you bring Good, you will definitely do:

Seven works of spiritual mercy

1. Correct the sinner

2. Those who cannot teach

3. Give good advice to those in doubt

4. Pray to the Lord for the salvation of your neighbor

5. Comfort the sad

6. Tolerate lies with patience

7. Forgive enemies

Seven works of bodily mercy

1. Feed the hungry

2. Give drink to the thirsty

3. Clothe the naked

4. Let a wanderer into the house

5. Visit the patient

6. Go to those in prison and ransom prisoners

7. Bury the deceased

Seven Sacraments of the New Testament:

Baptism, confirmation, repentance, communion, priesthood, marriage and consecration of oil.

Seven gifts of the Holy Spirit:

Wisdom, reason, conscience, strength, knowledge, piety and fear of God.

Seven mortal sins with their opposite virtues:

Pride - humility;

love of money - lack of covetousness;

fornication - chastity;

anger - patience;

voluptuousness - fasting;

envy - brotherly love;

despondency - prayer.

Apocalypse - The Revelation of John the Theologian about the second coming of God and the Last Judgment contains the mysterious symbolism of the number “seven”.

Seven Ecumenical Councils:

They developed the Rules of Church Life and freed the Church of Christ from unrest and heresy.

1st Nicene(325) - formulated the first part of the Creed, defining the Divine Son of God.

1st Constantinople(387) - established the second part of the Creed, defining the Divinity of the Holy Spirit.

Ephesian(431) - defined Jesus Christ as the incarnate Word of God and Mary as the Mother of God.

Chalcedonian(451) - defined Jesus Christ as true God and true man in one person.

2nd Constantinople(553) - once again confirmed the doctrine of the Holy Trinity and Jesus Christ.

3rd Constantinople(680) – confirmed the true Humanity of Jesus Christ through the knowledge of His human will and actions.

2nd Nicene(787) – proclaimed the icon as a true expression of the Christian faith.

The Creed contains seven sections:

1. I believe in one God, the Father, Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, visible to all and invisible.

2. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Only Begotten, begotten of the Father before all ages, Light from Light, true God, from true God, begotten, uncreated, consubstantial with the Father, by whom all things were. For our sake, man and our salvation came down from heaven and became incarnate from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became human. He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered, and was buried. And he rose again on the third day according to the Scriptures. And ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father.

3. And again the coming one will be judged with glory by the living and the dead, and His Kingdom will have no end.

4. And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Life-Giving One who proceeds from the Father, who is with the Father and the Son, we are worshiped and glorified, who spoke the prophets.

5. Into one Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.

6. I confess one baptism for the remission of sins.

7. I hope for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the next century. Amen.

The Lord's Prayer is divided into: invocation, seven petitions, or seven requests, and doxology.

Church week. Resurrection:

Counts seven days, seven days in a row.

Resurrection, or a week, its main holiday (free from earthly labor, from business - not practical). The people said: “We are not doing anything today,” that is, “we are celebrating.” On this day he went to church to glorify God, to pray for the Fatherland, for the health of the living and the repose of the departed Orthodox Christians. The remaining days are weekdays, that is, days of vigil, vigor, and labor.

The Orthodox Church has established a special veneration for each day:

Resurrection, or a week, - little Easter.

Monday- disembodied ranks (angels and archangels).

Tuesday– John the Baptist and Forerunner.

Wednesday and Friday– Theotokos and the Holy Cross.

Thursday- to the apostles and Saint Nicholas.

Saturday- to all the saints and departed.

Evil forces and their hierarchies

... And the angels who did not retain their dignity, but left their home, he keeps in eternal bonds, under darkness, for the judgment of the great day.

Jude 1:6

But besides the angelic world, there is also a world of evil spirits. These are angels, according to the word of the Apostle Jude, who did not retain their dignity, but left their home. These are fallen angels. They are in eternal bonds, under darkness, until the judgment of the great day. This is the devil, Satan, demon.

All angels were created good, so that they would love God and each other and have constant great joy from this life of love. But God did not want to force love, so He allowed the angels to freely choose whether they themselves wanted to love Him - to live in God, or not. As long as the devil was bright and holy, he lived in heaven. And then an unfortunate transformation took place there, and a large gathering of angels separated from the holy host of heavenly powers and became a gathering of gloomy demons, with a fallen cherub at their head. One, the highest and most powerful angel, named Lucifer, became proud of his power and strength, did not want to love God and do the will of God, but wanted to become like God himself. He began to slander God, oppose everything and deny everything, and became a dark, evil spirit - the devil, Satan. The word “devil” means “slanderer,” and the word “Satan” means “adversary” of God and all that is good. This evil spirit seduced and carried away many other angels, who also became evil spirits and are called demons.

As a result of this transformation there was a great battle in heaven. Then one of the highest angels of God, the Archangel Michael, spoke out against Satan and said: “Who is equal to God? No one like God!

And a war took place in heaven: the Archangel Michael and his angels fought against Satan, and Satan and his demons fought against them. And as a result of this battle, the serpent (Satan) and his angels were thrown down.

This is how evil arose in God's creation. Everything that is done against God, everything that violates the will of God is called evil.

The place of residence of the fallen angels became the heavenly space, the earth's surface and the abyss, or hell. There they suffer in their anger, seeing their powerlessness before God. All of them, due to their unrepentance, have become so entrenched in evil that they can no longer be good. They try to seduce every person by cunning and cunning, instilling in him false thoughts and evil desires in order to destroy him.

Currently, the seat of the devil, the head of the fallen angels, is the abyss, tartarus, hell, the underworld, and the interior of the Earth.

The holy prophet Isaiah foretold this dwelling to the fallen archangel: “But you are cast into hell. Into the depths of the underworld." And this was accomplished over the prince of aerial power by the power of the Savior of mankind, the God-man. This Savior is a great angel - God, who has the key of the abyss and who came down from Heaven, becoming human, and used his flesh, prostrate on the Cross, to bind the serpent, the ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan.

Being imprisoned in a material prison, the devil must necessarily have a material nature, otherwise no prison will be able to hold him. Before the second coming of the Lord, Satan will be released from prison and will come out to deceive (tempt) people all over the world.

“And there was war in heaven: the Archangel Michael and his angels fought against 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 was cast out, the ancient serpent, called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole Universe, was cast out to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

They defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony and did not love their souls even to death.

And so rejoice, O heavens and you that dwell in them! Woe to those who live on earth and sea, for the devil has come to you in great rage, knowing that he does not have much time left!”

(Rev. 12:7–12).

Demons They have by nature the same external appearance as angels, that is, the appearance of a person in his body. Because of this resemblance to man, the Lord called the devil man.

Demons have distorted themselves by destroying good within themselves and by the birth and development of evil. For this reason, Scripture calls them beasts, and the main one of them is the serpent: “The serpent was the wisest of all the beasts that lived on Earth.”

The evil and fall of the demons was reflected in their appearance. Job saw the devil as a terrible monster.

Devil (slanderer, seducer) is an evil angel in his cunning and attempt to seduce people and instill in them false thoughts and evil desires.

Satan - a Hebrew word meaning generally adversary and enemy. In the Holy Scriptures, this name is applied to the devil, who is the leader of evil spirits, the enemy of God and the tempter and destroyer of human souls. The Apostle Peter was tempted by Satan.

Demons - servants of the devil. They send the evil eye and damage, harm people and through them God in every possible way. They especially hate marriage. It is impossible to come to an agreement with demons, since they are ossified in evil and do not want to do anything related to good.

Christianity identifies demons with fallen angels. From their angelic past they retained supernatural abilities, namely: power over space and the elements, the ability to instill thoughts and deeds in people. In addition, they retained the property of becoming invisible and changing their appearance at will. As a rule, a characteristic sign of the appearance of a demon is the suffocating smell of sulfur. They can appear in the guise of angels, take the form of one or another person, or turn into monsters or animals - reptiles, birds or black dogs and cats.

Among the hosts of demons, the most famous are the main servants of Satan - Beelzebub, Azazel, Belial, as well as Mephistopheles, who tempted Doctor Faust.

Sorcerers classify spirits in various ways. There are spirits of the seven planets, each day of the week, each hour, and so on. There are also elementals.

The spirits of each element also have their own characters and habits. For example, air spirits are very angry and cruel.

Water spirits appear in the form of women, they are deceitful and cruel.

Earth spirits usually live in forests. They are sociable and try to lead the traveler off the road, “fooling”.

Underground spirits are especially harmful. However, sorcerers resort to the help of fallen angels.

Devil(With Greek- slanderer, seducer) - evil angels in their cunning and attempt to seduce people and instill in them false thoughts and evil desires.

“Your father is the devil,” says the Lord to the unbelieving Jews, “and you want to fulfill the desires of your Father. He was a murderer from the beginning and did not stand in the truth; for there is no truth in it. When he speaks a lie, he speaks his own: for he is a liar and the father of lies.”

(John VIII:44).

Devils do not manifest themselves in our world; they must be summoned with special spells and a special ritual. The already summoned devil can be driven anywhere by persons with certain abilities. Just as the devil is summoned with a special ritual, there is a special ritual used by exorcists to cast him out. There are a lot of devils, and they are all divided according to their sphere of influence and have different ranks.

Some demonologists of the past built a hierarchy of demons according to their ability to induce people to commit the seven deadly sins.

Binsfeld (1589) gave the following list:

Lucifer - pride

Mammon - greed

Asmodeus - debauchery

Satan is anger

Beelzebub - gluttony

Leviathan - envy

Belphegor - idleness.

Among the evil spirits there is a special mention of Beelzebub, the prince of devils, and Asmodeus, the seducing devil.

Many devils are the source of disease. The most powerful devils are Lucifer, Beelzebub and Astaroth.

Later, in 1801, Francis Barrett, an occultist born two centuries later, changed the list of devils and classified sins. Mammon became the prince of tempters and seducers, Asmodeus - the avenger of evil done, Satan - a symbol of deception (serving witches and spellcasters) and Beelzebub - false gods. In addition, Python was presented as the prince of the spirits of lies, Belial - the repository of vice (cards and dice), Merihim - spirits that cause infectious diseases, Abaddon - wars and Astaroth - accusers and inquisitors.

Since the devils were rebel and fallen angels, they established their ranks according to the type of angels, creating a demonic hierarchy.

First face

1. Beelzebub was the prince of the seraphim and next after Lucifer.

Since all the princes, that is, all the leaders of the nine angelic choirs, are fallen, you should know that the first to fall away from the choir of seraphim were Lucifer, Beelzebub and Leviathan, who led the entire rebellion. But the fourth was Michael, who was the first to oppose Lucifer, and all the good angels followed him, so that now he is the most important of them. Beelzebub inclines people to pride. And just as John the Baptist took the place of Lucifer in Paradise thanks to his humility, so Beelzebub has his opponent in heaven - the Apostle Evangelist John the Theologian.

2. Leviathan is a prince of the same degree, inclining people to sins that are directly contrary to faith.

Opponent: apostle Peter.

3. Asmodeus , a fallen seraph who has enormous power, which he has not lost to this day, and is the prince of base desires.

Opponent: Apostle Luke.

4. Balberite was the prince of the cherubim. It inclines people to commit suicide and all sorts of quarrels that occur for almost no reason. He inclines people to slander and use indecent words.

He is opposed Saint Barnabas.

5. Astaroth inclines people towards idle pastime: all kinds of drinking parties, cheerful companies, idle and empty pastime - this is what he imposes on people. It also inclines people towards idleness and laziness.

He is opposed Apostle Bartholomew.

6. Verren , also the prince of thrones, next after Astaroth, inclines people to intolerance towards each other and thereby to quarrel. This is an evil and treacherous devil.

He is opposed Saint Ananias And Holy Martyr Alexander of Rome.

7. Gressil . The third in the row of Thrones, inclines people towards uncleanness and slovenliness. It gives him pleasure to watch people crawling in the mud, smiling with dirty forelocks and exuding a stench.

He is opposed Saint Simeon.

8. Sonnelon - the fourth in a row of thrones, arouses people’s hatred of their enemies. And this is what annoys God.

He is opposed apostle paul.

Second face

9. Carro , the prince of powers, inclines people to hardness of heart. He is happy when God’s commandment “love your neighbor” is not fulfilled...

He is opposed Apostle Evangelist Matthew.

10. Carnivan - also the prince of authorities, inclines people to obscenity and shamelessness. He enjoys watching low scenes of debauchery, he laughs and laughs when women are humiliated, he brings people to bestiality, bisexuality, oral sex and other shamelessness.

He is opposed Simon Zelotes.

11. Elle - Prince of Dominions, incites people to take possession of other people's property.

He is opposed Apostle Philip and holy unmercenaries and wonderworkers Cosma And Damian.

12. Rosier - the second in the row of Dominions, with sweet speeches he inclines people to lust.

He is opposed Evangelist Saint Mark.

13. Verrier - the prince began, inclining people to violate the vow of obedience and inciting them to blasphemy.

He is opposed Apostle Thaddeus.

Third face

14. Belial - the prince of powers, inclining people to arrogance and vanity. It gives him pleasure to watch how a worthless person boasts of his position.

He is opposed Saint Josiah.

15. Olivia - Prince of the Archangels. Incites people to be cruel and merciless to the poor, destitute and orphans.

He is opposed Saint Cleopas and Reverend Sampson the Stranger.

How can you put into practice what you just learned? Knowledge about the saint or apostle who opposes the reigning devils will help you choose the right prayer, depending on whose name you will call for help during prayer for the deliverance of the tormentor given over to the devil.

The number of devils was legion. Saint Macarius of Egypt prayed to the Lord to allow him to see the forces of evil, the saint’s eyes opened, and he saw devils “as numerous as bees.”

The number of devils is more than half of the total population of the world, but nevertheless, in the fight against evil they are opposed by the following archangels and angels:

Michael – “Who is like God”;

Gabriel – The Power of God;

Raphael - God the healer;

Samuel - The Strongest;

Anael - Hearken to me, Lord!;

Sashiel - Justice of God;

Cassiel – Throne of God;

Uriel - Fire and light of God;

Jeriel - Height of God;

Salafiel - Prayer to God;

Jehudiel - Praise of God;

Barachiel - Blessing of God.

Their life is eternal, so in your prayers you need to resort to the help of these archangels.

Devil's snares

The evil fisherman, the devil, daily catches each of us in his net. And how many of these networks are there, and how many unwary people fall into them! And each of them has its own name. These are the most common networks in which he catches us: a network of anger and enmity, a network of covetousness, a network of addiction to pleasures, entertainment, a network of pride, doubts about the truths of faith, a network of unbelief, a network of envy of one’s neighbor and ill will, a network of stinginess or passion hoarding money, a network of gluttony, drunkenness, a network of lustful passion, a network of addiction to clothes, when a person thinks only about decorating the body and does not even think about decorating the soul with virtues, a network of despondency, grumbling, a network of false shame, a network of condemning one’s neighbor, a network of idle talk and slander.

And you never know how many of these nets are thrown by the enemy of the human race to destroy our souls!

Life is the sea, we are fish, the devil is our fisher, his cunning and cunning, together with the cunning of our flesh and the world, make up the net with which he perfectly fishes for his fish.

Beware of such a skillful fisherman and such dangerous nets! Avoid them!

A powerful weapon against the devil

There is a strong weapon against the spirits of evil prayer- fervent, humble, pure prayer. There is no time in which prayer to God would not be necessary for us; prayer is for our inner man what breathing is for our outer man. When a person stops breathing, he also stops living. In the same way, a soul that is not accustomed to prayer ceases to live the life of God and becomes dead to God and to the Kingdom of Heaven. Thus, the Christian soul, with any temptation, immediately mentally rushes to God. Protect yourself with a cross and prayer and thereby win!

In the “Prayer Shield” part of the book, I present wonderful prayers that have extraordinary power. Reading them, you will see this for yourself. They are your weapons.

Phenomena of evil spirits to people

We have all repeatedly heard eyewitness accounts of how they encountered evil spirits. Moreover, these manifestations can be very different from each other, and can be almost identical both in impact and in visible outlines. Very often people encounter brownies, devils, poltergeist phenomena, all kinds of spirits and, less often, demons, devils and higher ranks of the devil. Let's touch a little on the phenomenon of poltergeists.

Poltergeist

Poltergeist– a German word meaning a spirit (geist) that makes noise or uproar (polter). In the Demon Legion, these are the demons with the lowest potential for evil. Very often they get along with some people, and they, in turn, affectionately call them little drummers. And yet these are demons, not spirits. The manifestation of the presence of these demons is characterized by such features as noises or knocking, steps on the floor or ceiling, and by the speed of the step and its severity you can judge what rank the demon has settled in your house. Objects can move around and spontaneously ignite in your home, and writing can appear anywhere. Manifestations of levitation and telekinesis very often unsettle the residents of a house or apartment. Very often the demon steals small objects, and subsequently these objects can be found in the most unexpected places.

Poltergeist demons are very fond of the clanking of chains or the ringing of a small bell, therefore, in order to “catch” such a demon, since ancient times they have used the noise of chains followed by their sharp twisting or the ringing of a bell in order to drive the demon into a trap, that is, into a separate room or door which were closed, special seals were placed on them while Psalm 90 was chanted, the same seals were placed on the windows, and the one who lured the demon entered into single combat, and it was not always possible to defeat the demons. But if the one who volunteered to expel the demon turned out to be weak, he either died or ran away from the room, in which case the demon escaped and began to commit such atrocities from which it was simply impossible to escape.

Brownie is a fairly common phenomenon in our lives. Various stories about brownies fill our lives, and we cannot fully find out what he threatens us with. They live in close proximity to people, without causing them much harm, occasionally showing their appearance, if they are dissatisfied with something, they can strangle their owners (meaning people living in the house where the brownie has settled). The sizes of brownies are very different - from a small shaggy man to a giant covered with thick fur. As a rule, he is not expelled, but if he begins to cause harm, they try to get rid of him.

The devil rarely shows himself to people. There are many eyewitnesses who have encountered devils in their lives, and everyone has the same description of the devil, and it does not differ from its generally known appearance. He settles in energetically dysfunctional houses and in houses where the name of the devil is very often invoked. The harm from his presence is significant. Devils are excellent telepaths, they know your innermost thoughts, and they begin to play on them. If you are a greedy person, the devil constantly supports and inflames your greed to the point of fury; if evil has settled in your heart, the devil will inflame your feelings until you have a desire to kill a person. The devil can push a person to commit any crime. If the devil encounters resistance from a person, he pushes him to commit suicide. You can resist the devil through fasting, prayer and personal resistance and rejection of sinful deeds.

The demon manifests itself in the physical body even less often than the devil; he prefers to remain invisible. Its effect on a person is more powerful than the influence of the devil and is extremely destructive.

Witches prefer to work with demons, and they, in turn, easily agree, because after the death of a witch, these witches become completely dependent on the demon and serve him in the most menial work. They promise their witch many benefits. But the witch should know that the human race is hated in the “kingdom” of evil, because it was precisely because God created man that the war arose in heaven. The devil and his legion of evil spirits need to humiliate the human race, disfigure their souls and, laughing, show God: “Look what you created, this is what they did, but they were created in the image and likeness of God.”

It is not easy to cast out a demon, since the person in whose body there is a demon becomes very strong physically, and when casting out a demon, the patient must be restrained, and it is very dangerous if a person possessed by a demon breaks out, since in a rage he can kill more than one person who has become his path.

Spirit vision

(according to the works of St. Ignatius)

According to the saying of the Holy Fathers, who belong not only to the Eastern Church, but also to the entire Ecumenical Church, it is clear what a great difference there is between the being of God and the being of an angel, demon and soul, although the Holy Scriptures and the Holy Fathers call God the Spirit, and angels, and demons, and human souls are spirits. They are called incorporeal, immaterial for the reason that they do not have our flesh, our gross materiality, and are not subject to our senses, which is why they differ from the category of material objects that are subject to our senses. They are called rational, mental, according to the main distinctive property, mind or spirit, the ability not only to think, but also to feel spiritually.

The way ancient Christians understood the nature of spirits and the word “spirit” is accurately explained by Saint Cyril of Jerusalem. Under the general name of spirit, much and various things are said in the Holy Scriptures. We must especially distinguish that spirit which is called the Holy Spirit. Thus, the name spirit is applied to many natural objects. And an angel is called a spirit, and a soul is called a spirit, and a blowing wind is called a spirit, and a great power is called a spirit, and an unclean deed is called a spirit, and an adversary demon is called a spirit. Be careful when you hear the word "spirit" so as not to confuse the name of one instead of the other. When talking about spirit, it is necessary to add words to each specific case with words that reflect the quality of this spirit.

If Scripture speaks of the spirit of the human soul, then it adds the word “man” (human spirit); if it speaks of the wind, then the spirit of the storm is expressed; if it means a demon, it calls it an unclean spirit, so that we know what subject I am talking about, and so that we didn't think it was talking about the Holy Spirit.

No creature is equal to the Holy Spirit.

There are quite a lot of skeptics who will say with a smile: “Perfume, what nonsense, there are no spirits and there cannot be.”

However, let's not rush to conclusions and statements. After all, what you don’t know doesn’t always really exist. We can't know everything, so let's see what they say about it...

In the modern world, many doubt the existence of spirits, many reject them. The existence of spirits is rejected even by those who acknowledge the existence of the soul. If souls exist after their separation from bodies, then we can say that spirits also exist. If we admit that the souls of evildoers exist on a par with the souls of good people, then this means that there are spirits of good and evil. We can say with complete confidence: “They exist!”

He who denies the existence of spirits denies the existence of Christianity. Therefore, the Holy Scripture says, the Son of God appeared to destroy the works of the devil and by His death to abolish him who has the power of death, that is, the devil. If there are no fallen spirits, then the incarnation of God makes no sense.

Due to our weak knowledge of Christianity, it is difficult to find the correct teaching and vision of the spirits to which we belong in soul and must share eternal bliss (heaven) and eternal torment (hell).

The vision of spirits is purely personal for everyone. You can see the spirit sensually with bodily eyes, and you can see spiritually, that is, with spiritual eyes: with your mind, your heart, purified by God’s grace. In the ordinary state of his sinful life, a person does not see spirits either sensually or spiritually, since he is struck by sinful blindness.

To fight the enemy, you need to see him all the time. Without seeing spirits, fighting them is pointless. One can only get carried away by them and fall into slavish obedience to them.

But let's think about the sensory vision of spirits.

Sensual vision of spirits

When man was created by God, his body was immortal, alien to diseases and carnal sensations inherent in it at that time. With such a body, with such sense organs, a person was capable of sensually seeing spirits and could communicate with them.

The holy body of a person did not serve as an obstacle to communication with spirits. Dressed in it, a person was able to live in paradise, and now only saints are able to stay there.

With the sinful fall of man, his soul and body changed. This fall for a man became his death.

Visible death is the separation of the soul from the body (previously those who have already died due to apostasy from the true life that God gave us).

We are born already killed by death.

The diseases of our body are a consequence of the fall of sinful man. Our body has become on a par with animals. The body serves as a prison and a coffin for the soul. In this state, our bodily senses are unable to communicate with spirits and cannot see, hear or sense them. The holy spirits abandoned man as not worthy of such communication, and fallen spirits hold the soul of man in captivity in order to strengthen their power over him.

We, sinners, need to know that communication with holy angels is not typical for us and that communication with rejected spirits who sensually appear to a person in sin is characteristic of us - these are demons, not holy angels. Although demons, when appearing to people, take the form of bright angels to deceive, they try to convince them that they are human souls and not demons, although they reveal secrets, they cannot be trusted. They mix truth with lies for the most convenient deception.

In my practice, I often came across people who claimed that Jesus is always with them, that he dictates what they should do, what object to take and in what order, even dictates how to cook borscht.

But you must understand that these can only be demons, since Jesus would have taught different truths. He would help the soul to find Spiritual Light, and not please the body and stomach.

In the Second Epistle to the Corinthians, the Apostle Paul says: “And no wonder: because Satan himself takes the form of an angel of light. Therefore, it is not a great thing if his servants disguise themselves as servants of righteousness: but their end will be according to their works.”

Every person should know that one cannot trust spirits when they appear in a sensual image, not enter into conversation with them, not pay any attention to them, and consider their appearance the greatest and most dangerous temptation. During this temptation, all thoughts must be directed to God with a prayer for mercy. The desire to see spirits, the curiosity to learn something about them is a sign of great recklessness. Knowledge of spirits is acquired in a completely different way. Open communication with spirits for the inexperienced is the greatest disaster or serves as a source of the greatest disasters.

The Bible says that during the fall of the first people, God pronounced judgment on them even before their expulsion from paradise, making them leather garments and clothing them in them. Leather vestments signify our sinful flesh. In our sinful body evil is mixed with good, and we are drawn either to evil or to good. Demons are always directed towards evil.

For a successful entry into the world of spirits, each person needs a certain time to wander the earth, according to the law of God. We call this wandering earthly life. Frivolous people who do not know Christianity are carried away by curiosity, ignorance, and unbelief, not realizing that by entering into such communication with spirits, they can cause themselves the greatest harm: people who have given themselves over to sinfulness and have departed from God enter into this communication for the most vicious reasons for the most vicious goals.

At the discretion of God, spirits appear only in times of extreme need for the purpose of saving and correcting a person.

The sensual vision of spirits without the spiritual constitutes a superficial concept of them.

Only true Christians achieve a spiritual vision of spirits, while people of the most vicious lives are most capable of a sensual vision.

Who sees spirits and is in sensual communication with them? Magi, people exhausted by drunkenness and debauchery.

Only through Christian asceticism is the correct, legal entry into the world of spirits achieved. The true ascetic of Christ is brought into vision by God Himself; sensual vision of spirits is granted only to some ascetics.

Evil spirits are bound (powerless) in their actions in relation to the ascetic of Christ by the power and wisdom of God guiding him, and, despite the fact that they breathe malice against the servant of God, they cannot cause him the harm that they would like. If the demons see that one of the Christians is beginning to strive and succeed towards God, then they approach him and begin to put obstacles in his path: sinful thinking. Not having time to seduce the heart through secret action through lust, they approach in another way and attempt to frighten with empty ghosts, taking on various images - now women, now animals, now reptiles, now the greatest giants. If during this attempt they find a soul strengthened by faith and hope, then they bring with them a leader (the devil).

There is only one God we should fear. Demons should be despised and not feared. The great weapon against them is honest life and faith in God. They know the grace that the Savior gave against them to the believers and said to His seventy disciples: “Behold, I give you power to tread on snakes and scorpions, and nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits obey you: but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

If demons come to you at night and start talking about the future, talking about themselves - we are angels, then do not believe them. They are lying. Do not listen to them and do not pay attention, but immediately mark yourself and your home with the sign of the cross, turn to prayer, and you will see that they will disappear. They are timid and extremely afraid of the sign of the cross, because the Savior with the cross deprived them of their strength and handed them over to shame. You can quickly distinguish the presence of good spirits from the presence of evil ones. The appearance of holy spirits does not cause confusion in the soul. The prophet Isaiah said about the holy angel: “He will not cry out or lift up His voice, he will not let him be heard in the streets.” This is because the Lord, who is our joy and the strength of God the Father, is present with the holy angels.

On the contrary, the invasion of evil spirits is accompanied by noise, knocking, sounds and screams, similar to that produced by ill-mannered children, pirates and robbers. Their presence causes fear, melancholy, disgust from achievement, laziness, despondency, fear of death, and sinful lusts to appear in the soul.

Do not be afraid when you see evil spirits, be calm, pray: joy and such a state of soul are a sign of the presence of holy spirits.

The Lord does not allow us to be deceived by evil demons. When the devil approached the Lord with temptations, the Lord forbade him with the following words: “Get thee behind Me, Satan, for it is written: “Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him alone shalt thou serve.”

Do not be proud of the power of casting out demons and the gift of healing diseases. He who does not expel does not deserve surprise. As long as the Lord is with us, enemies will not be able to harm us.

The fallen spirits hate the human race so much that if they were allowed to do so by the right hand of God, they would destroy us instantly.

Man arbitrarily rejected communication with God and the holy angels, arbitrarily entered into communication with evil spirits, rejected by God, hostile to God, and submitted to evil spirits. Salvation was granted to fallen man by God: by granting the right to choose to accept or reject this salvation. For a person, either captivity or struggle are inevitable. Fallen spirits try to keep a person in their captivity.

A person is helped by the Divine grace given to him at Holy Baptism, without which the struggle with spirits and liberation from captivity is impossible.

The Lord Jesus Christ, our Savior, set an example in His asceticism, taking on all our weaknesses, except sin: first the tempter the devil appeared to him in the desert, then, after the victory over the devil, the holy angels came to the Lord and served him. This is what the Gospel proclaims to us.

Experienced mentors forbade young monks from the intense feats of fasting, vigil, and seclusion, during which deeds spirits soon began to appear sensually and deceive the ascetic, leading him to injury and death.

Very few people are capable of openly fighting demons. The only correct entrance into the world of spirits is Christian asceticism. God himself introduces spirits into this vision.

Anyone who intrudes into the sensory vision of spirits independently acts incorrectly, contrary to the will of God: it is impossible for such a person to avoid deception and the damage that follows deception.

The very intention of entering into the knowledge of spirits has its origin in deception and self-delusion.

Spiritual vision of spirits

Man is less protected for sensory vision than for spiritual vision of the spirit. Saint Tikhon of Voronezh said a lot about blindness of spirit in his cell letters. What kind of blindness of spirit is this? “What kind of blindness of spirit?” - the sages of the world may ask and, without expecting an answer, will call all this idle talk. And this blindness is such that it can be called death. Jesus said, “I came into this world for judgment, so that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.” Some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard this and said to Him, “Are we also blind?”

The absence of blindness is not a sign of vision. Fallen people, who did not want to admit their blindness, remained blind, and those born blind, who recognized their blindness, received their sight in the Lord Jesus Christ. Blindness is in our minds and hearts. For this reason, our mind cannot distinguish between spiritual sensations and spiritual and sinful sensations, especially when the latter are not very gross.

Because of the blindness of the spirit, all our activities become false. And the Lord called the scribes (scholars) and Pharisees blind leaders who do not enter the Kingdom of Heaven and do not allow man to enter it.

With true spiritual achievement, the grace of God, planted in us through Holy Baptism, begins to heal us little by little from spiritual blindness through tenderness.

In contrast to blindness, we begin to enter a state of seeing. In the state of vision, the viewer is the mind, and it is called mental.

The state of spiritual vision is brought about by the Holy Spirit, and it is called spiritual.

This is what distinguishes it from contemplation. Anyone can contemplate, whenever they want.

Vision is inherent only to people who purify themselves through repentance, and it comes not by the will of man, but from the touch of the Spirit of God to our spirit, that is, by the all-holy power of the All-Holy Spirit.

The doctrine of spiritual and mental visions is well expounded by the Holy Martyr Peter, Metropolitan of Damascus.

Tenderness is the first spiritual sensation delivered to a heart overshadowed by Divine grace. From spiritual sensation comes spiritual vision, and as the 33rd Psalm of the Holy Scripture says, “Taste and see how good the Lord is! Blessed is the man who trusts in Him." From doing with compulsion, warmth is born that kindles in the heart. Doing this helps our mind and heart to see, and deep down it is called seeing. These visions give rise to warmth of soul and heart. From this warmth comes an abundance of tears.

As long as the sensation exists, the vision operates. If the sensation stops, the vision will stop. The gateway to spiritual vision is humility.

Vision is the reading and acceptance in the spirit of the New Testament. With the cessation of tenderness, communication with the New Testament ceases.

Instead of humility in the soul, which does not resist evil, there is justice, which extorts “an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.” We involuntarily move from the New Testament to the Old.

The first spiritual vision is the vision of one’s sins, which are hidden behind oblivion and ignorance. From the vision of our fall we move on to the vision of our being struck and the reasons for its fall. Then the world of fallen spirits gradually opens up. The seductive and deceptive view of earthly life, which seemed endless, and its visible facet is death, is taken away. In the Gospel, as in a mirror, we clearly see our fallen nature, and the fall of humanity, and evil spirits. In order to distract us from living according to the Gospel commandments, from spiritual vision, from liberation from the slavery of passions, from the resurrection of the soul, in order to keep us in blindness, in death, in captivity within ourselves, fallen spirits wage a fierce struggle. Cunning and malice are characteristic of fallen spirits.

Fallen spirits were created good, alien to evil, but through their arbitrary fall they internalized evil and became alien to good.

It was said above: the fall of people consists in mixing good with evil, the fall of demons is in the complete rejection of good, in the complete assimilation of evil.

“I recognize all Your commandments as just: I hate every way of lies,” says the Holy Spirit about His guidance of man to salvation, and the opposite - the spirit of malice - opposes any commandment of the New Testament, hates every God-pleasing life.

According to the Gospel commandments, fallen spirits are recognized, a sense of seeing them and fighting them is acquired. Fallen spirits act on us with various thoughts, various “dreams” and touches.

All these actions are mentioned in the Holy Scriptures. Demonic daydreaming has a harmful effect on the soul and leads to sin. The touches of demons arouse carnal passions and give rise to diseases that are not affected by ordinary human healing.

“Let us ask God to reveal our passions to us and grant us healing from them. So that He would reveal our sins and grant us true repentance. He revealed to us the fall of humanity, its redemption by the God-man, the purpose of our earthly journey and the eternity awaiting us either in endless pleasures or in endless torment, prepared us and made us capable of heavenly bliss, in order to remove those seals from us and destroy those manuscripts according to which we must be cast into the dungeons of hell! Let us pray to God to grant us purity and humility, the fruit of which is spiritual reasoning, accurately distinguishing good from evil. Let us ask God to grant spiritual vision of spirits, through which we could discern them in the thoughts and dreams they bring to us, break off communication with them in our spirit, throw off their yoke, and get rid of captivity.

Our destruction lies in communicating with fallen spirits and enslaving them.

Let us refrain from striving for sensual visions of spirits, in an order not established by God. We do not need a sensual vision of spirits to complete our difficult earthly journey. For this we need another lamp, and it has been given to us.”

“Your word is a lamp more than my night, but I do not forget Your law.”- it is said in Psalm 119, verse 105. In due time, appointed by the one God and known to the one God, we will certainly enter the world of spirits. This time is not far from us!

“May the All-Good God grant us to spend our earthly life in such a way that, even during it, we break off communion with fallen spirits and enter into communion with holy spirits, so that, having left the body (temple), we are numbered among the holy spirits, and not among the rejected spirits. Then, in indescribable joy, we will see both the ranks of holy angels and the ranks of holy men in their wonderful miraculous abodes, at their eternal spiritual holiday.

Then we will recognize and see the fallen cherub with his dark hordes, then the God-given vision of demons will satisfy our curiosity, without any danger for us, as sealed by the finger of God in immutability and inability to be seduced and damaged by evil.”

The Teaching of Fallen Spirits

Fallen spirits and the reasons for their fall

As you already know, until the time the devil was a bright and holy angel, he lived in heaven. An unfortunate transformation took place in heaven, and a large gathering of angels separated from the holy host of heavenly powers and became a gathering of gloomy demons, with a fallen cherub at their head. Many of the highest angels, from the Dominions, Principalities and Powers, were carried away into fall and destruction (Eph. 6:12). Here is what Saint Cyril of Jerusalem says about this: “So, the first culprit of sin and the founder of evil is the devil. It is not I who say this, but the Lord who said: “For the devil sinned first” (1 John 3:8). No one had sinned before him. He sinned not by nature - out of necessity, having received an inclination to sin, otherwise the guilt of sin would again fall on the One who made him this way. On the contrary, having been created good, by his own will he became a devil, receiving a name for himself from his deeds (devil translated means “slanderer”). Having been an archangel, he was later called the devil for slander, he was a good servant of God, and became Satan in the full meaning of this name, because Satan means “enemy.” And this is the teaching of the spirit-bearing prophet Ezekiel. He, lamenting about Satan, says: “You are the seal of perfection, the fullness of wisdom and the crown of beauty. You were in Eden, in the garden of God" (Ezek. 28:12, 13). And a few words later: “You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, until iniquity was found in you” (Ezek. 28:15). It is very well said: “it was not found in you”; evil was not brought in from outside, but you yourself gave birth to it. In the following words the prophet said the reason: “Because of your beauty your heart was lifted up, because of your vanity you have destroyed your wisdom; therefore I will cast you to the ground” (Ezek. 28:17). In accordance with this, the Lord also says in the Gospel: “I saw Satan fall from heaven like lightning” (Luke 10:18). It is clear that the Old Testament agrees with the New. “The devil fell and carried away many with him into apostasy. He puts lusts in those who submit to him. From him comes adultery, fornication and everything that is bad. Through him, our forefather Adam was cast down and exchanged that paradise, which by itself bears wonderful fruits, for the land that bears thorns.”

After the descent of evil spirits from heaven into the region of the heavens or the air (Eph. 2:2), the world of the celestial beings became completely inaccessible to them, and therefore all their malicious attention is exclusively focused on the land close to them, in order to sow evil here among people. Evil, thus, is the urgent need of demons, who think of nothing but evil, and find no peace or pleasure in anything except evil activity. The feeling of good, like the Kingdom of God, is hateful to them.

The Holy Apostle Paul calls the fallen angels “spirits of heavenly wickedness” (Eph. 6:12), and their head “the prince of the power of the air” (Eph. 2:2).

According to the teachings of Saint Ignatius Brianchaninov, “... fallen spirits descended from the heights of spiritual dignity, they fell into carnal wisdom more than humans. People have the opportunity to move from carnal wisdom to spirituality; fallen spirits are deprived of this opportunity. People are not subject to such a strong influence of carnal wisdom, because in them natural goodness is not destroyed, as in spirits, by the fall.

The main sin is frantic hatred of God, expressed in terrible, incessant blasphemy. They became proud of God himself; they turned obedience to God, natural to creatures, into continuous opposition, into irreconcilable enmity. That is why their fall is deep, and the ulcer of eternal death with which they are struck is incurable.

Demons cannot do anything to the Creator, who, being the omnipotent God, is beyond the reach of any influence from the creature. Therefore, they turned all their anger towards man, who is the image of God, and, knowing that the Lord loves His creation, they strive to harm the object of His love as much as possible.”

About the devil and demons

“Of these angelic forces, that angel who stood at the head of the earthly rank and to whom the protection of the Earth was entrusted by God - was not born evil by nature, but was good and came into being for a good purpose, and was completely not received into himself by the Creator and a trace of depravity - unable to bear both the light and the honor that the Creator bestowed upon him, by autocratic will he changed from what was in accordance with nature to what was against nature, and became proud against the God who created Him, wanting to resist Him, and the first, having fallen away from good, found himself in evil. For evil is not anything other than the deprivation of good, just as darkness is the deprivation of light, for good is spiritual light, and in the same way evil is spiritual darkness. So, the light that was created by the Creator and came into being is good, for God saw everything that was created, and everything that was good, became darkness by autocratic desire. But together they were carried away and followed him, and together an infinite number of angels who stood under his power fell.” So, being of the same nature with the angels, they became evil, voluntarily rejecting the disposition of their hearts from good to evil. Further, they have neither authority nor power in relation to anyone unless they receive permission from God to carry out the purposes of His Economy, just as happened with Job, and in the same way as is written in the Gospel about pigs. With permission from God, they have power, and change, and are transformed into the form they want in accordance with their imagination. And, of course, neither the angels of God nor the demons know the future, but they predict: angels, when God reveals to them and commands them to predict, therefore what they say comes true. Demons also predict: sometimes because they see what is happening in the distance, sometimes because they guess why they often lie, and they should not be believed, even if they tell the truth many times in the way that we said . They also know the Scriptures. So, every vice was invented by them, as well as unclean passions, and although they are allowed to attack a person, they do not have the power to act violently with anyone, for it is up to us to withstand the attack and not to withstand it, therefore the devil and his demons also For his followers, unquenchable fire and eternal punishment are in store. One must know that what exactly death means for people is what fall means for angels. For after the fall, repentance is impossible for them, just as it is impossible for people after death.

External, bodily composition and properties of fallen spirits

Saint Macarius the Great says that angels have an image and appearance, just as the soul has its own image and appearance, and that this image, the outer appearance of both the angel and the soul, is the image and appearance of the outer man in his body. The same saint of God notes that angels and souls, although very subtle in their essence, however, for all their subtlety, are still bodies. According to Saint Ignatius Brianchaninov, “... they are subtle, ethereal bodies, since, on the contrary, our earthly bodies are very material and gross... Angels, like the soul, have: members, head, eyes, mouth, chest, arms, legs, hair - in a word, the complete likeness of a visible person in the body. The beauty of virtue and God’s grace shine on the faces of the holy angels, desperate malice constitutes the character of the fallen angels, their faces are similar to the ugly faces of villains and criminals among people.” Demons have distorted themselves by destroying the good in themselves, the birth and development of evil in themselves. This was reflected in their appearance. For this reason, Scripture calls them beasts, and the chief of them a serpent (Apoc. 12:9). “Do not deliver over to the beasts the soul that confesses to You” (Ps. 73:19). “Their natural appearance is terribly terrible and unsightly, so Job saw the devil as an ugly monster and depicted him with a terrible painting of the word” (Job, 39-42).

Holy Scripture indicates that demons have the same senses as humans: sight, hearing, smell, touch, it attributes to them the ability to speak, and to fallen spirits it attributes the shortcomings of fallen humanity, dumbness and deafness. The Lord himself called one of the demons deaf and dumb. “The spirit is deaf and dumb,” the Lord told him. “I command you” (Mark 9:25), and the deaf spirit, who did not hear the voice of the holy apostles and did not obey their command, heard the voice of God, and immediately, terribly tormented and groaning, fulfilled God’s command. In another healing of a person possessed by a demon, the Gospel says that this demon was mute (Luke 11:14).

The substance of which spirits are made is much more subtle than the substance of the human body, precisely for this reason, according to Saint Ignatius Brianchaninov, “spirits are much freer in their actions, much more developed in their abilities than people.” The Acts of the Apostles states that an angel of the Lord “caught Philip” and carried him to Azoth (Acts 8:39–40). In the book of the prophet Daniel, we read that an angel brought the prophet Habakkuk from a distant place so that he would feed the prophet Daniel, who was languishing in a den of lions (Dan. 14:31-39).

Not only angels, but also demons have the ability to quickly overcome space. Demons have the ability to transport from place to place not only gross earthly matter, but also people. In the Gospel of Matthew we read that the devil, tempting the Lord Jesus Christ, took Him to the holy city and placed Him on the roof of the temple, then took Him to a very high mountain (Matthew 4:1-11). In the life of Saint John, Archbishop of Novgorod, it is written about the journey he made riding on a demon from Novgorod to Jerusalem and back. Moreover, the entire journey took place in the second half of the night, that is, it took about two to three hours. This indicates that the speed of movement of fallen spirits, although very high, is far from unlimited.

Demons, like angels, have the ability to produce amazing changes in visible nature. In the Book of Job we read about how, under the influence of the devil, fire, which seemed to human eyes to fall from heaven, burned Job's flocks of sheep along with the shepherds. Here we learn how, as a result of the actions of the unclean spirit, a hurricane began that destroyed the house where Job’s children were gathered, and they died (Job 1:9). In the book of Tobit it is written about the demon Asmodeus, who killed seven husbands, to whom Sarah, the daughter of Raguel, was married in turn (Tob. 3:8). The action of spirits on matter through a substance unknown to us, as well as many other properties of angels, are depicted in the following story of Holy Scripture. The angel appeared to the future Israeli judge Gideon, and when he prepared the sacrifice, “The angel of the Lord stretched out the end of the rod that was in his hand, touched the meat and unleavened bread, and fire came out of the stone and ate the meat and unleavened bread, and the angel of the Lord disappeared from sight.” him" (Judg. 6:21).

Location of fallen spirits

As much wisdom as there is in the angels, there is just as much deceit and cunning in the spirits of hell.

According to the teachings of the Orthodox Church, spirits have their own place of residence, their own abodes, corresponding to their nature and arbitrarily acquired qualities.

The most insidious of all spirits are those who lived in evil and who at the same time internally acted deceptively, because deception penetrates deeper into thoughts and intentions and destroys all spiritual life in a person. The main part of them are called geniuses. They become invisible, fly like ghosts, and secretly instill evil. However, the Lord protects from these geniuses that person for whose transformation there is hope, for they have such an ability that they can not only destroy conscience, but even awaken in a person that hereditary evil that would remain hidden. Therefore, in order for a person not to be drawn into such evil, the Lord established that hell would be completely closed.

Hell is the place where fallen angels reside, the heavenly space, which is otherwise called air, the abyss, the lower layers of the spiritual world, this is a place distant from God, devoid of light and bliss. Satan reigns there. In relation to souls, the word “hell” means a state of intense sorrow and torment.

The cunning of hellish spirits is evident from their terrible tricks, which are so numerous and varied that just listing them would fill a whole book, and a description would require more than one volume. Rotating in close contact with humanity, they instill terrible thoughts, influencing the senses through suggestion. The inhabitants of hell torture each other with these tricks.

The entrances to hell are called gates. There is a main gate to hell, a small gate leads to it, they are visible when they dissolve to let the hellish spirits through. These small gates leading to the main ones open from the side of the spirit world. These entrances are everywhere.

In hell there are peculiar “floors”; according to the shade of evil, one or another spirit ends up on its “floor” and suffers a well-deserved punishment there.

Hell constantly attacks heaven and tries to destroy it, but the Lord constantly guards heaven.

According to the testimony of Saint Ignatius Brianchaninov, “... the space between heaven and earth, the entire azure abyss visible to us, the air, the heavenly realm, serves as a dwelling for fallen angels cast out of heaven. In the Book of Job, the fallen angel already appears to be wandering in the immeasurable space of heaven; he wandered through it, quickly flew through it, tormented by insatiable malice towards the human race” (Job 1:7). So, the fallen angels are scattered in great numbers in the air.

The influence of evil spirits on people

“The devil tortures from everywhere,” says Saint Gregory the Theologian, “he looks out for where to overthrow, where to wound and find what is unprotected and open to attack, the more purity he sees, the more he intensifies to defile... The evil spirit takes on a double image, scattering both , then another network: he is either the deepest darkness (obvious evil), or turns into a holy angel (hides behind the appearance of goodness and deceives minds with a gentle smile), which is why special care is needed so that instead of light, one does not encounter death.” The Holy Apostle Paul also warns about the need for special attentiveness and vigilance, saying, “... that Satan himself takes the form of an angel, and therefore it is no small matter if his servants also take the form of servants of righteousness, but their end will be according to their works.”

(2 Cor. 11:14–1 5).

And in the struggle with a person, fallen spirits affect his mental, sensory and volitional spheres. Demons can kill people, make them sick, and enter them (that is, take over their body).

They enter the human body with their whole being, just as air enters it.

The demon, having entered a person, does not mix with the soul, but remains in the body, violently possessing soul and body. According to the instructions of Saint Ignatius Brianchaninov “gases have a special development of the property of elasticity, that is, the property of taking on different volumes, it is obvious that demons also have this property, according to which many of them can fit in one person, as the Gospel says about this”(Luke 8:30). Having entered a person, according to the testimony of St. John Cassian, “demons bring a terrible darkness to the rational feelings of the soul,<это происходит>similar to the phenomena that occur from wine, fever or excessive cold.” But the demon cannot make our soul its container. "Unclean spirits" this same saint claims - they penetrate into the bodies of those possessed by them in no other way than by first taking possession of their minds and thoughts. Having stripped their minds of the clothing of the fear of God, the memory of God, evil spirits attack them, as if they were disarmed and deprived of God’s help and God’s protection, and therefore conveniently defeated, and finally, setting up dwellings in them, as if in the possession presented to them.” Saint Gregory the Theologian speaks about this: “The devil cannot completely take possession of us by any means: if he strongly takes possession of some, it is only by the own will of those who are taken over without resistance.”(James 4:7). Thus, from all of the above, we can conclude that the direct possession of an evil spirit in a person occurs only with the special connivance of the Lord and is often a consequence of the passionate and frivolous life of a sinner.

Not possession, but the possession of a person through the external subordination of the forces of the soul to his demonic will is observed much more often than possession. A typical example of this is Judas. The words of the Gospel “Satan entered into Judas” should not be understood to mean that Judas became possessed in the full sense of the word. Saint John the Theologian says that through the passion of the love of money, Satan first penetrated the disciple’s soul (John 12:6), then he more fully took possession of his heart (John 13:2) and finally decisively moved into him (John 13). :27). Here we see a vivid example of the demon’s gradual takeover of the soul of a sinner through the ever-increasing passion of love of money.

One of the main images of the influence of unclean spirits on people is the impact on their mental sphere by introducing various sinful thoughts there. Being out of reach of a person’s bodily senses, demons, influencing his mind, bring there various thoughts that a worldly person, who does not lead a spiritual life, accepts as his own. And if he accepts them without any resistance, agrees with them, then through this action, or rather, inaction, he becomes a conductor of someone else’s evil will, which gradually takes possession of him completely. " Often,- says Saint Anthony the Great, - being invisible ourselves<злые духи>, present themselves as reverent interlocutors in order to deceive with the likeness of an image and draw those deceived by them into whatever they want.” Demons, knowing that people love the truth, take on the guise of truth and by this means pour poison into their followers. This is how the devil once deceived Eve, telling her not his own words, but allegedly repeating the words of God, while perverting their meaning (Gen. 3:1). So he seduced Job’s wife, teaching her excessive love for her husband, and hence blasphemy against God. “Blaspheme God and die” (Job 2:9), she said, believing that for blaspheming God a person immediately suffers death and thereby ends his grave earthly torment. Thus the devil deceived and deceived all people, perverting the essence of things, and drew everyone into the abyss of evil.

In addition to the mental sphere, fallen spirits can also have an adverse effect on the sensual and volitional sides of the human soul. Here is what St. Neil of Sinai writes about this: “When the envious demon does not have time to bring memory into motion, then he acts on the blood and juices in order to create imagination in the mind through them and fill it with images.” By influencing the body, the demon arouses in a person feelings of lust, rage, anger, and the like. This is clearly seen in the example of Saint Justina, in whom a demon sent by a sorcerer incited feelings of lust and sensuality, but was driven away by the saint’s prayer.

Influencing the volitional sphere of the human soul, the demon, as it were, deprives a person of strength, energy, the ability to take decisive actions and any action in general, but he leaves during prayer, being defeated by the power of Christ.

Evagrius, a monk, writes that demons differ in the degree of evil and strength, performing different ministries. This is confirmed by Saint John Cassian, saying that “Some of them delight in unclean and shameful lusts, others love blasphemy, others anger and rage, others are consoled by sadness, others by vanity and pride - and each instills that passion in human hearts, which he himself actually enjoys, but not all of them arouse passions together, and alternately, depending on how the time, place and acceptability of the tempted require.” The same ascetic testifies to spiritual invisible warfare: “The weakest spirits are allowed to attack the beginners and the weak, and when these are defeated, then the strongest are sent” but this happens as the spiritual strength of the warrior of Christ increases.

As you can see, demons have a kind of “specialization”; being in evil, they have some freedom, because they can choose from many evils the one that is most pleasant for them. They live by this passion, they try to kindle it in a person, through this gaining access to his soul and body. In addition, it is quite acceptable to assume that demons can be nourished and strengthened by human energy transformed in passionate pleasure. If, in the words of Saint John of Damascus, angels “contemplate God as far as is possible for them, and have this as food,” then demons, for whom contemplation is impossible, apparently can receive energy indirectly, through a person, adapting his energy for their nutrition. To do this, they must first liken the person to themselves, thereby gaining access to his soul. A passionate and sin-loving person is an excellent breeding ground for fallen spirits. Inflating the energy of passions in him, devouring his vital forces, the demon feeds and strengthens in such an environment. In addition, having taken possession of a sinner, the fallen spirit uses his body as a tool to obtain greater pleasure from passion. This is another reason why a passionate and sin-loving person is literally surrounded by demons.

At the same time, it should be noted that fallen spirits can endow their servants with a special demonic type of energy, which allows obedient executors of the will of the forces of evil to work tirelessly in the field of multiplying sin. But due to their destructive nature, deprived of the ability to create, demons ultimately destroy their followers.

Why do demons need sacrifices?

Another type of food for demons is sacrifice. Here is what Saint Basil the Great says about this: “Demons, being devoted to voluptuousness and passions, largely enjoy and feed on victims. While the victims are burned, the blood turns into vapor through combustion and, having thus decomposed into thin parts, passes into a state corresponding to the nature of demons.

All of them, of course, feed on vapors, not so that they eat them or fill their bellies with them, but like some animals, oysters and others of this kind, which take food with their whole being. For this reason, demons greedily devour the gases resulting from the burning of victims, and draw in the smoke of smoking incense, as substances adapted by them for food.

Reasons why God allows the existence of evil spirits

For people, the devil has become an instrument of testing, with which they are tested and with which the faithful to Christ are separated from the lovers of sin. For God does not force a person to salvation, but provides everyone with the opportunity to either fight the devil or enter into an alliance with him. As Saint Ignatius Brianchaninov testifies, “The commandment given by God in paradise and prohibiting eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil has not been canceled. It stands unshakably, like the commandment of God. A person is constantly tested by it until now. The devil is constantly present to him and advises him to taste the forbidden fruit, forcibly attracting him to this tasting, as if he had received the right to do so - the right from our initial obedience to the devil. He never ceases to seduce us with thoughts of sin and the world, inflaming our passions beyond measure. This fiery weapon moves in the hand of the fallen cherub, and the tree of life - good, unmixed with evil, becomes inaccessible to us according to the righteous judgment of God.

Temptations and thoughts allow our autocracy and purity of heart to manifest. Saint Isaac the Syrian teaches that the grace of God leads everyone into temptations in order to gradually teach them wisdom and the ability to despise the spirits of evil: “Grace allows for those to be sent to him<человека>temptations corresponding to the extent of it, so that man may bear their strength.” He goes on to say: “Know that to the extent that the soul does not have sufficient strength for great temptations, it is equally insufficient for great gifts... God does not give a great gift without a great temptation.”.

Saint Gregory the Theologian also testifies to the need for such temptations in the formation of the personality of a new person, saying that cruel warfare is necessary in order to “... so that the devil would be subjected to terrible shame here, fighting with those who are weaker than him, so those who strive in virtues will always have their glory, being purified like gold in a crucible.”

Spiritual Remedies to Fight Evil Spirits

“No one should think about the devil that he is so strong that he can prevent us from following the path leading to virtue. True, he seduces and tempts the careless, but he does not forcibly restrain or force,” “If we live immorally, we become easy prey for the devil.” “Because of my negligence, demons always take the opportunity to rebel against me,” Saint Maximus the Confessor testifies (Philokalia. T. 2. P. 322). That evil arises in us, the Lord Himself says: “ Because from the heart, - speaks , - evil thoughts emanate"(Matt. 15:19). This happens to those who, through negligence, leave the natural seeds of good within themselves uncultivated, as it is said in the parables: “I passed by the field of a lazy man and the vineyard of a weak-minded man: and behold, it was all overgrown with thorns, its surface was covered with nettles, and its stone wall collapsed.”(Prov. 24:30–31). And the soul, from such negligence, desolate and abandoned, of necessity remains to grow thorns and thistles and experience what has been said over itself: “I expected him to bring good grapes, he brought wild berries.”(Isa. 5:2, 4), while about this same soul it was previously said: “I planted a choice vine”(Isa. 5:2). There is something similar to this in the prophet Jeremiah, who on behalf of God says: “I planted you like a noble vine, the purest seed, how come you turned into a wild branch of someone else’s vine?”(Jer. 2:21).

Athanasius the Great says: “The devil himself admits his powerlessness, and thus, let us not lose heart, nourish fear in our souls, and let us not invent for ourselves incentives to fear.”, saying: “Wouldn’t a demon come and shake me? Would he not have delighted me and cast me down? Or: “Wouldn’t you attack suddenly and cause confusion?” We will not give room to such thoughts and grieve like those who are perishing. Let us imagine and always think that since the Lord is with us, our enemies will not do anything to us. The way they find us when they come to us is the way they themselves become in relation to us, and what thoughts they find in us, such are the ghosts they present to us (offering us temptation in what we are susceptible to).

The Lord destroyed the power of Satan and his hordes of demons, taking away from them all power to commit violence against us: “Having taken away the strength of the rulers and authorities, he imperiously subjected them to shame, having triumphed over them with Himself.”(Col. 2:18). " Only through sin and passions do demons cling to the soul, and while it is in sin, it is blinded by them and appears, as it were, dressed in them. This is the kind of clothing made from demons that the Lord removed from our nature by the fact that we have been given a new life, the points of contact with us or sticking to us have been taken away from the demons and, on the contrary, a force has been infused that reflects them.”

The Holy Fathers of the Church testify to the possibility of deliverance from demons with the help of God’s grace.

Saint Cyril of Jerusalem: “The most evil adviser is the devil; he encourages everyone, but he will not overcome those who do not obey him. Therefore shut your door and put him away from you, and he will not harm you. If you accept a lustful thought without disgust, then through thoughts it will take root in you, bind your mind and drag you into the abyss of evil.”

Saint John Chrysostom: “If the devil is a predator, then it is up to us not to let him steal.”

Saint Gregory of Nyssa: “When our nature fell into sin, God did not leave our fall by His Providence, but to help everyone’s life he assigns a certain angel from among those who have accepted an incorporeal nature, but, on the other hand, the corrupter of nature contrives to do the same through a certain crafty and malicious demon, who would harm human life. A person, being among an angel and a demon, himself makes one stronger than the other, choosing a teacher from the two with his free will. A good angel foretells to the thoughts the benefits of virtue, which are revealed to those who succeed in hope, and the other shows material pleasures, from which there is no hope for good. Therefore, if someone shuns what attracts him to the worse, having directed his thoughts towards the better and, as it were, putting vice behind him, and turning his soul like a kind of mirror towards the hope of good things, so that in the purity of his own soul all the images and ideas of the virtue indicated to him will be imprinted, then his brother meets him and helps him: for by the gift of speech and the intelligence of the human soul, the angel in some way is a brother to man.”

But angels are only our helpers, and we must fight for our souls ourselves.

"Resist the devil, and he will flee from you"- says the holy Apostle James (4:7). You just need to not weaken in the fight against the enemy and wage the war with patience, remembering the covenant of the Lord: “Through your patience save your souls”(Luke 21:19). For your victory over the devil, an eternal reward awaits you in the Kingdom of Heaven. If the devil attacks us especially strongly, then this is the first sign of his weakness, for if we were defeated by him, he would have no reason to enter into a fight with us.

Saint John Climacus: “No one can so testify to the defeat of the devil and demons as their brutal attack on us.” “The God of peace will crush Satan under our feet.”(Rom. 16:20).

The Holy Fathers and teachers of the Church indicate very effective means for fighting the devil: Faith, the word of God, calling on the name of Christ our Savior for help, fear of God, humility, sobriety, prayer, the Sign of the Cross. We ourselves can and should use them in the fight against evil spirits, but there are also those that can only be used with the help of clergy.

Now let's take a closer look at these concepts.

1. Faith is an immaterial shield against an invisible enemy. The devil throws various poisonous arrows at us, but we have a strong defense - faith. “Above all, take up the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the arrows of the evil one.”(Eph. 6:16). The devil often throws the arrow of lust for shameful pleasures, but faith, recalling judgment and cooling the mind, quenches this arrow. If we believe in God, then we are not afraid of demons, for the Lord sends us His help. “The Destroyer will not find a place for itself in us if we are protected by the shield of faith.”

2. The Word of God. “The spiritual sword for fighting the devil is the word of God,” “Oppose him<искусителю>the word of life, which is the bread sent down from heaven and giving life to the world."- says Saint Gregory the Theologian. “The Destroyer will never find a place for himself in us if we repel him with the sword of the Word of God.” “Demons must be driven out, following the example of Christ, with the words of Holy Scripture.”

3. Invocation of the name of Christ our Savior. “In My name they will cast out demons”, said the Savior (Mark 16-19). The Church Fathers and teachers testify to the fulfillment of Christ's promise. Saint Justin the Martyr says: “We always pray to God through Jesus Christ to preserve us from demons who are alien to the reverence of God and whom we once worshiped, so that after turning to God through Christ we may be blameless. For we call Him Helper and Savior, from the power of whose name the demons tremble, and now we conjure in the name of Jesus Christ, Crucified under Pontius Pilate, they obey us, hence it is obvious to everyone that His Father gave Him such great power that even the demons submit to the name and the dispensation of His former sufferings.”

Saint Cyril of Jerusalem: “All kings, having died, lose their power along with their life, and the whole Universe worships the Crucified Christ. We proclaim the Crucified One, whom the demons tremble. There were many crucified at different times, but did the calling of another crucified one ever cast out demons?... And to this day demons still tremble at the name of Christ, the power of this name is not weakened by our vices. But we are not ashamed to insult the venerable name of Christ and Christ Himself...,... We are not ashamed to hear how they reject Christianity silently, speaking out in defense of Christ our Savior, as if ashamed to be His believing sons... The mind cannot defeat the demonic dream by itself, yes never dares to do this, for, being cunning, our enemies pretend to be defeated, plotting to overthrow the fighter through vanity, but when calling on the name of Christ, they will not tolerate standing for a minute and maliciously against you... Our weak mind, which still calls on Jesus Christ against the spirits of malice (with the help of the power of this name), conveniently drives them out with skillful skill, puts to flight the invisible, military forces of the enemy, and if he foolishly dares to rely on himself alone, he will fall and be broken.”

4. Fear of God. He who, out of love, is afraid of offending his Creator and constantly carries in his heart a grateful memory of God’s mercies and the fear of being ungrateful for them, neither the devil nor man is afraid of him: for he is not afraid of death, trusting in eternal life given by God .

Saint Ephraim the Syrian: “The fear of God is a strong pillar in the face of the enemy; do not destroy this pillar and you will not be taken prisoner.”

“He who fears God is not afraid of the demons rushing against him.”

5. Humility. The humble man is not afraid of anyone, for the humble man does not raise a hand, he is not afraid of deprivation and torment, for humility does not allow him to feel wounded by the persecution of the enemy; all evil will be broken against the wall of his humility. Saint Simeon the New Theologian says: “What is more courageous than a contrite and humble heart, which without difficulty puts to flight the armies of demons and completely drives them away.” The Monk Abba Dorotheos testifies: “When Saint Anthony saw all the snares of the devil spread out and, sighing, asked God: “Who can escape them?”, God answered him: “Humility avoids them.”, – and added: “They don’t even touch him,” that is, to humility.”

6. Sobriety- spiritual wakefulness. " Negligence and absent-mindedness of the soul, says Saint Basil the Great, the attention of the mind must be more concentrated and strict, and every minute the soul must be constantly occupied with thinking about what is beautiful (that is, what is truth). When the devil begins to plot his machinations and with great force tries to let his thoughts into a silent and at peace soul, like some kind of kindled arrows, suddenly ignite it and produce in it long-lasting and ineradicable memories of what was once imprinted on it, then with sobriety and the most intense one must repel such attacks with attentiveness, just as a wrestler, with the strictest caution and resourcefulness of the body, deflects the blows of opponents.”

Saint John Chrysostom: “Yes, it is scary, beloved, to be caught by the wiles of the devil, for then the soul, as it were, becomes entangled in a net and, like an unclean animal, wallowing in the mud, enjoys it, so they, having indulged in a sinful habit, no longer feel the stench of sins - therefore it is necessary to be vigilant and vigilant, so as not to give the evil demon any access to us from the very beginning, so that he, having darkened our minds and blinded the eye of the soul, does not force us, who are unable to look at the light of the Sun of Truth, like those deprived of visible sunlight, to strive for abyss." “If we manage our actions with caution, we will receive great mercy from the Lord and avoid the wiles of the devil. When the devil sees that we are vigilant and careful, then, knowing that his attempts (on us, to tempt us) will be useless, he will leave in shame.”

Venerable Hesychius, Presbyter of Jerusalem : “The devil, like a roaring lion, walks with his hordes, looking for someone to devour.”(1 Peter 5:8). “May our heartfelt attention, sobriety, contradiction of the thoughts driven upon us by the devil, and prayer to Christ Jesus our God never be stopped, for you will not find better help than Jesus throughout your entire life.”

Venerable Neil of Sinai: “If you want to successfully fight the hordes of demons, then block the gates of your soul (feelings) with solitary silence and apply your care to fatherly words, so that, having thus learned to recognize the thorns of thoughts, you can burn them with anger (at evil thoughts and rejection).”

Saint Theodore the Studite: “Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against the spirits of wickedness in high places.(Eph. 6:12) and against our evil adversary the devil, who deceived our forefather and through this was the reason for his expulsion from the sweet paradise to this earth. Since then, from generation to generation he has persecuted the human race, teaching it all kinds of evil. He now stealthily enters and exits and captures souls that are not affirmed and do not listen to themselves. That is why we need great sobriety, great vigilance, great prudence and diligence against him, so that he does not attack us and hurt us. Knowing his plans and intrigues, we will arm ourselves in every possible way and begin to fight and repel him, without being lazy and without relaxing either ourselves or him, just as he does not act or make concessions, seeking our destruction. Even if he attacks many times a day and fails, everything stands on its own, no matter how he has not yet begun to fight, and again attacks even stronger, taking with him other spirits of malice, so we should not retreat or relax ourselves, with such daily and hourly attacks on us. Even if we show a lot of attention and intense effort, with success we will not change it (that is, despite our success), but we will always maintain equal zeal, excitement and resistance against it.”

Saint Nicephorus: “The devil with his demons, after through disobedience he made a person an exile from paradise, gained access to mentally shake the rational strength of a person... And there is no other way to protect yourself from this than by the unceasing memory of God. So, only the unceasing memory of God and His mercies, the constant vigil of a warrior in the service of the Heavenly King to subdue His enemies can give a person salvation from the machinations of the devil and his demons, and, consequently, from all human misfortunes on earth and beyond the grave.”

7. Prayer. Prayer is a means of our communication with God: our soul talks with God, so through prayer we ascend to heaven. Faith is gained from prayer, for in prayer a person feels the happiness of grace coming from God, and can no longer doubt the existence of God. Through prayer a person is cleansed, protected, saved. In prayer, a person feels his soul, recognizes himself as a spirit independent of the body, capable of ascending to his Creator Himself and seeing Him with his spiritual eyes. (We are talking about real prayer, coming from the soul, and not about just pronouncing words of prayer, learned by heart, when they do not delve into what is being said, do not feel what is said due to the lack of thought, occupied with earthly thoughts, extraneous to prayer.)

The power of prayer does not lie in many words, but in sincerity. In prayer, the first place is not our will, but the will of the father (Matt. 6:10).

Thy will be done

Our life passes in constant plans that we make for long periods of time, and none of us is given the opportunity to know whether we have found the best solution. Nor can we be sure whether our actions are correct in relation to anyone. We can judge another and do not even remember the commandment of God: “Do not judge... With whatever judgment you judge, you will be judged.” We constantly pray to God to send us the blessings we ask for, but we ourselves cannot know in any way whether what we ask for is actually good. Everything is open to God, and the Lord does not accept all our requests, since he does not want a bad end for any of us. And our requests very often in the final stage can lead to undesirable consequences, and in the end we do not get what we would like. God desires for us something greater and better than what we ask Him for in prayer. Therefore, every prayer must end with the words: “Thy will be done.”

Saint Basil the Great says: “If during prayer the devil began to introduce evil dreams, the soul will not stop praying, but, having judged that the appearance of such thoughts happens in us due to the persistence of the inventor of evil, let us fall all the more intensely to God and pray to Him to scatter the evil barrier of obscene things remaining in the memory<молитвенному состоянию>thoughts, so that by the striving of your mind, unhindered, without any delay and instantly, to rise to God, then the invasion of evil thoughts will not stop the path to prayer, but if such an uprising of thoughts continues, due to the insistence of fighting with us, then in this case We should not fall into despair and leave the feat halfway through, but endure, continuing to pray until God, seeing our perseverance, illuminates us with the grace of the Holy Spirit, which puts the attacker to flight, cleanses and fills our mind with Divine light and gives us that that our thought in silence serves God with joy.”

Saint Isaac the Syrian believed that if you do not reject help against evil, that is, prayer, then the Protector and Helper will never move away from a person.

Saint Simeon the New Theologian: “A Christian who performs prayer as if it were some kind of work and feels<во время молитвы>as if he endures violence, coercion and torment against his will, let him not think that he has freed himself from the hand of the devil, let him know that he is mentally<его мысль>still held under the yoke of the evil tormentor.”

Consequently, in communication with God we need free, unconstrained prayer, which would constitute the life of the soul.

Saint Gregory of Nyssa: “We must pray, for the consequence of prayer is that we are with God, and whoever is with God is far from an opponent.” And further: “He who fears the affection of the evil one, let him pray so that he will not be in the power of the evil one.” And so let us pray, for in prayer we come into communion with God and come to know Him.

8. Sign of the Cross- according to the expression of the church song: “The Cross is a destroyer of demons” (Canon of the Cross, paragraph 3, tr. 2), “a demon driver” (p. 6, tr. 4), “The cross is erected - and the spirits of soulless ranks fall” (p. 6, tr. 4).

His Grace Theophan the Recluse speaks about the meaning and power of the Cross of the Lord as follows: “By the cross heaven was reconciled with earth, the Spirit of grace was sent down for the sanctification of all, and for the conviction of all with the power to attack<силою Креста>Despite all the power of the enemy, demons cannot even look at the Cross: at the very sight of it they run away as if in the face of the wind. The sign of the cross is a protection for believers and a victorious weapon against invisible enemies.”

Saint John Chrysostom says: “The Cross must not just be depicted with a finger, but this must be preceded by a heartfelt disposition and complete faith. If you depict him on your face like this, then not one of the unclean spirits will be able to approach you, seeing the sword with which he was wounded, seeing the weapon from which he received a mortal wound. After all, if we look with trepidation at those places where criminals are executed, then imagine how horrified the demons are when they see the weapon with which Christ destroyed all their power and cut off the head of the serpent. So, imprint the Cross on your mind and both<мысленно>a saving sign for our souls. When we have the Cross with us, then demons are no longer scary and dangerous.”

Saint Anthony the Great says, “that demons are especially afraid of the sign of the Cross of the Lord, for with the Cross, having taken away their power, the Savior put them to shame.”

The same thought is expressed by Saint Ephraim the Syrian: “Never forget to protect yourself with the Cross, and you will tear apart the snares that the devil has hidden for you, for it is written: “In the way that I walked, they secretly laid snares for me.”(Ps. 41:3). Always seal yourself with the Cross, and evil will not touch your spirit.”

Saint Gregory Palamas, Archbishop of Thessalonica: “And not only to the image of His Cross, because it is a sign of Christ’s victory over the devil and over the entire horde of opposing forces: why do they tremble and run when they see it depicted.”

9. Repentance and Communion. Saint Ephrem the Syrian says: “Blessed are those who, having fallen into the enemy’s net, managed to break his bonds and disappeared, fleeing from him, like a fish escaping from the deep end. A fish in the water, if, when caught, breaks the net and disappears into the depths, it will be saved, but when it is taken to land, it can no longer help itself. So we, while still in this life have the power from God, to break the bonds of the enemy’s will and through repentance throw off the burden of sins and be saved. And if this terrible command overtakes us and the soul comes out and the body is committed to the earth, then we will no longer be able to help ourselves, just as a fish taken from the water and enclosed in a vessel can no longer help itself.”

Saint John of Damascus: “It depends on us to remain in virtue and obey God, who calls us to it, or to move away from virtue, that is, to live viciously and follow the devil, who, not against our will, draws us to vice. Repentance is a return from the devil to God.”

10. Spell. According to the definition of Saint Gregory the Theologian, “the spell is the expulsion of demons”(Part 5, p. 286).

Saint Justin Martyr: “We who believe in the Crucified Jesus our Lord conjure all demons and evil spirits and keep them in our power.” And again: “Every demon is conquered and subdued through a spell in the name of the Son of God.”

“Watch and pray so that you do not enter into temptation”(Matt. 26:41).

The fight between light and darkness

The light of heaven is not natural, but spiritual, because it comes from the Lord God, that is, Divine love.

Light for angels is Divine truth, because angels are spiritual beings, not natural ones. Angels borrow their reason from Divine truth, and reason is inner vision.

Light is given to angels as they accept Divine truth. Therefore, heavenly angels are called angels of light. People accept the love of the Lord God differently and receive light from God according to their ability to accept this light. The purer a person’s life, the finer the vibrations emanating from his body, the more Divine Light fits into it: “... Jesus spoke to the people and said to them: I am the light of the world; whoever follows Me will not walk in darkness, but will to have the light of life (John, VIII:XII). As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world” (IX:5). “Then Jesus said to them: The light is with you for a long time; walk while there is light, lest darkness overtake you, and he who walks in darkness does not know where he is going; while the light is with you, believe in the light, that you may be sons of light, I light has come into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness” (John XII:35, 36, 46). “Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness rather than light” (III:19). John says about the Lord: “There was the true light, which enlightens every man” (John 1:4, 9). “The people sitting in darkness have seen a great light, and the people sitting in the shadow of death have seen light” (Matt. II:16). “I will make You the light of the people, so that My salvation may reach to the ends of the earth” (Isa. XLIX:6). “The saved nations will walk in its light” (Rev. XXI:24). “Send Your light and Your truth, they will bring me” (Ps. XLII).

“When the Lord was transfigured before Peter, James and John: and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as snow, or became shiny, very white, like snow, as on earth a whitener cannot whiten” (Matthew, XVII) :2; Mark, IX:3).

“In the word, garments mean truth, which is why it is said by David: You are clothed with light as with a robe” (Ps., see 2).

When angels look at a person, then if he is good, then they see him as a man of beauty corresponding to his goodness, but if he is evil, then as a monster, the ugliness of which corresponds to his evil. From this it is clear that in heavenly light everything becomes clear, because heavenly light is Divine truth.

Every Christian knows from the word of God that a person’s own life remains with him after his death; in many places in the word it is said that a person is judged and protected according to his deeds and actions.

Those who live in evil do not want to believe that their state after death will be consistent with their life in the world, but they think, especially when they are sick, that the Kingdom of Heaven can go to everyone, by God’s mercy alone, no matter how anyone lives, and that it is given to each according to his faith. About the fact that a person is judged according to his works, it is said: “For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward everyone according to his work” (Matthew, XVI: 27).

“And I will reward each of you according to your deeds” (Rev. II:23).

“And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and the books were opened, and another book was opened, which is the book of life, and they were judged dead by what was written in the books, according to their works. Then the sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and hell gave up the dead that were in them, and each one was judged according to his deeds” (Rev. XX:12, 13).

“Therefore, everyone who hears these words of Mine and does them will be likened to a wise man, who built his house on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand” (Matt. VII:24, 26).

“Many will say to me on that day: ‘Lord! God! Have we not prophesied in Your name? and was it not in Your name that they cast out demons? and in Your name did they not perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them: ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of iniquity.’” (Matthew VII:22, 23).

“Then you will begin to say: “We ate and drank before You, and You taught in our streets.” But He will say: “I tell you, I don’t know you, where you are from; depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity” (Luke XIII:26, 27).

“...And I will repay them according to their deeds and according to the works of their hands” (Jer., XXV:14).

“... the great and mighty God, whose name is the Lord of Hosts, great in counsel and mighty in deeds, whose eyes are open unto all the ways of the sons of men, to reward every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings” (Jer., XXXII:19).

“... And to each according to his ways I will reward him according to his deeds” (Hos., IV:9).

“... As the Lord determined... to deal with us according to our ways and according to our deeds, so he did to us” (Zech., I).

After death, a person remains forever as he is according to his will and according to the love that dominates him.

Faith alone does not remain in the soul if it is not based on heavenly love.

Our life is always associated with certain fears and anxieties. How often in life do we have to feel defenseless against evil, enemies or life's troubles. Who or what can protect us?

These are prayers, amulets, wonderful spells, time-tested, “working” and sometimes simply miraculous. They exist for all occasions, help protect yourself and your family from the evil eye or damage, from evil people and from enemies, from negativity in life. You need to know these prayers and you can apply them always, every day.

Each prayer-amulet is a kind of shield. How it works? You probably know about the power of words. Each word has its own subtle vibrations. Thus, an evil word can bring misfortune and illness, and a curse spoken in the hearts can ruin a person’s whole life.

Prayers and conspiracies have special vibrations and energy. When you read such a conspiracy, a certain energy field is created that does not allow negative energy to pass through and provides reliable protection from bad energy vibrations. What kind of prayers exist, and for what purposes?

• Amulets from envious and evil people, from enemies and ill-wishers.
• Conspiracies for family and home protection, from illness, conflicts, poverty.
• Prayers and amulets for the birth of children, for a son and daughter - from the evil eye, from illness and damage.
• Conspiracies for every day - for work, good luck, to ward off problems.
• From evil, from witches, black witchcraft and curses.

There are universal conspiracies - for all occasions, they are good for every day. There are special ones that are used in specific cases. Choose the amulet you need and use it for the benefit of yourself and your family!

Magic words

Since ancient times, a large number of prayers have appeared that serve as amulets for people. For the amulet to have effect and benefit, the main thing is to believe in its divine power and have no doubt that it will help. It’s worth reading it out loud, but you can also read it silently if this is the situation. It is better to know several main amulets by heart in order to use them if the need suddenly arises.

1. There is a prayer-amulet for every morning, it helps throughout the day, protects from bad people, from evil and various misfortunes. Read three times:

2. If suddenly some danger arises, you feel fear from evil people, enemies or some circumstances, there is a quick defense. Read this short plot three times:

Cross yourself and imagine an invisible shield around you that protects you from any evil.

3. A very powerful protection is the “Dream of the Blessed Virgin Mary.” This miraculous prayer spell is good for all occasions, it is very powerful, it helps against evil, damage, the evil eye and all negative energy.

4. The famous, ancient prayer spell “Seven Crosses” also needs to be known. The “Seven Crosses” prayer should be read every morning at home, or at work, it will protect you and the whole family, your daughter and son, your spouse, from any evil. Read seven times:

5. If you feel worried about yourself or about your son, daughter, or husband, read the “Forty-Strong Amulet” spell and think about who you are sending protection to. This powerful shield will protect you and your loved ones from any evil and misfortune.

For other cases

What other prayers and amulets exist? There are special ones, intended for specific purposes, or those that are read only once a year.

A prayer from a witch or sorcerer can sometimes come in handy, especially when your intuition tells you that an ill-wisher is nearby, that someone is plotting evil witchcraft against you or your family. This prayer will help protect you from the witch and prevent her evil spells from affecting you.

“Angel of my birth” is one of the most miraculous and powerful prayers. The magical prayer “Angel of my birth” gives strength to fight any troubles and evil, protects and preserves the whole year! You need to read “The Angel of My Birth” once a year - on your own birthday, early in the morning, just getting out of bed, and without saying a word yet. Read sincerely and with faith, and you will immediately feel the power of this conspiracy!

To protect your son from all troubles and all evil while he sleeps, stand at his head and whisper this request to God.

So, arm yourself with miraculous conspiracies, and know that they will definitely help you, and the stronger your sincere faith, the more powerful the protection that these prayers give you. Author: Vasilina Serova

1) These words should be said if you suddenly feel unwell, as if you are getting sick:
Adam's grandfather and Adamush's grandmother died, taking away all the illness. Amen.

2) If crumbs fall from your mouth while eating, good luck awaits you. In order not to miss it, you must immediately say:
The birds will fly in, peck the grains, and bring me good luck.
And as the amulet said, put the largest crumb into your mouth unnoticed.

3) When you drink milk, you don’t need to pour it into an empty cup; it’s better to throw a tiny piece of bread or roll into it. This will protect you from ruin and make your house a full cup. When pouring milk into a cup with a baby, you need to say careful words:
Just like a cow’s milk flows down its shoulder and hoof, so we get milk and butter, cheese and cottage cheese, like sweet honey.

4) When you cook soup or dumplings, take one bay leaf and three minutes before the end of cooking, say protective words to the leaf so that there is peace and happiness in the house. Throw it into the pan.
And the protective words are:
The grass grew, it brought goodness, whoever gets it gets happiness.

5) As you close the doors, especially if you are leaving for a long time, you must say the following talisman words:
The key was hidden by water, the doors were forever closed from thieves. Amen.

6) When you bathe your child:

Take a ladle, pour warm water on the child’s head and say:
King of the water and king of the sea, give water on the belly for the health of the servant of God (name), for his purity, for his beauty.
And when you wash the baby, whisper:
Thank you, little lady, I washed it and steamed it, it’s good for our health. A clean dress on the body, health and beauty in the body.

7) These careful words should be said when you wash your face: in the morning, afternoon or evening:
Dew of Solomonia, water of Iritsa, wash away the sickness from God’s servant. Amen.

8) If bread falls on the floor while eating, then squabbles and scandals may begin in the family. To avoid this, you need to say careful words when picking up the bread from the floor:
I turn back whatever I want, as it should be, that’s how it is. Forgive me, Lord Jesus! Amen.

9) If you suspect someone of causing damage:
Take a sprig of rowan and say:
Some from the yard, and some to the yard. May you like it as much as I didn’t.

10) If you are not yet married and your loved one leaves you home, so that he returns to you, you need to whisper words into his back:
Footprint after footstep, step after step, don’t lag behind, don’t leave, so that he knows my name and never forgets.

11) If a baby’s tummy hurts, he doesn’t sleep, he cries, then take him in your arms and say this:
Little night, little night, don’t play with my child, but play with a coal and a pebble.
And when a child is put to bed, the following words must be said:
Little sleepyheads, come here, little howler monkeys, come away.

12) When you repay a debt, then silently say the following words to yourself when transferring the money:
So that you have money and accumulate money in mine.

13) When you start to get tired at work, you need to say these careful words:
Just as grass never gets tired, so does my back never get tired. Amen.

14) If you often get burned, light a wax candle, tear off the top leaf from a head of cabbage, drip wax onto it and whisper:
Like soft water, a fiery spark subsides and does not bother anyone. My words can be a key-lock. Amen.

15) If you are afraid that something bad might happen at night, a fire, before turning off the lights, say:
Father fire, mother spark, sleep quietly, don’t wake up loudly. Amen.
Cross yourself three times and sleep peacefully.

16) If the baby whines, then put a heated diaper on his tummy and whisper:
I rock the baby, swaddle him, shoo him away, give baby (name) peace and a sound sleep.

17) If a child screams, won’t calm down, is worried, then rock him in your arms, walk from door to door and whisper all the time:
Hey you, door creaking, take a child's cry.

18) If you buy cookies, crackers or bagels in a store, then you can say as a talisman for love, friendship and peace in the house:
I have planned the flour, baked everything, I will give it to everyone, I will not forget myself, I will be loved forever and ever.
Distribute cookies to everyone in your family, and you can also take them to your friends so that your friendship never ends.

19) Amulet words to say in a store or at the market will help you protect yourself from troubles in retail places during various purchases. And you need to say these words to yourself before you make a purchase:
Nikolai, pleaser, protect! From trade deception, from rotten goods, from wasteful spending. Amen.

20) Warming words for housewarming
If you are just entering a new home that has become yours for the first time, you need to do this. Open the doors wide, stand on the threshold and say these amulet words:
Master sir! Let's go to a new house, to a rich yard, to life, to life, to wealth.
And then step aside a little, let the brownie pass, who will now protect your home, family and household.

21) If your milk runs out, then this means trouble. To avoid them, you need to say the following words to the milk that has escaped:
The milk ran away and came back. Chur, chur, chur!

22) Spilled milk is not good, therefore, if it is spilled, you need to say a talisman-word and invite the cat to lick it. And the words are:
No one noticed what happened, and whoever noticed had his mouth shut and the key in the chest. Amen.

23) When you buy a new cup, pour tea or juice for the first time and drink it all down, and say a talisman on the empty cup and do this once a day for a week, then you will always have order, cleanliness and goodwill in your house . The words are:
It’s empty, not crowded, there’s room to pour some water, to give good people something to drink.

24) If someone pours something on your doorstep, take an old rag and wash the floor three times with the words:
Evil to unclean, go away, find a way into the earth.

25) To protect yourself from losses, so that money always arrives, you need to say three times during a thunderstorm between thunder and lightning:
Fire, brought wealth from heaven!

26) If you are leaving home for several days, when you leave the house, read the amulet words at the threshold to protect the house:
The owner is a brownie! Don’t be a fuss in the night, lie down on the stove, take care, house-house, I’ll put the dishes, I’ll arrive soon. Rotok key lock. Amen.

27) Agrafena the intercessor (Agrafena Kulkova) advises in the evening, when you close the door and windows at night, to pronounce the following amulet words:
The bird flew, did not sit down, folded its wings, closed its eyes. I began to sleep as if nothing had happened. That's how I'll get some sleep. Amen.

28) You need to say these amulet words so that everyone is healthy during the waning month:
The moon is golden horns, I bow to your feet. Give me health. Amen. Amen. Amen.

29) In order for everyone to be healthy, we must say the following protective words during the new month:
A month for profit, and for me good health. Amen. Amen. Amen.

30) The first pancake, if it’s lumpy, put it aside and say protective words to it:
The baked pancake, praised friend, bathed in butter, people got it, for a thousand years for a good lunch.
Give this pancake to the child. But let the last pancake lie in the frying pan until the end of the meal, and then feed it to the birds or the dog, then you will always have prosperity in the house.

31) In order for trade to proceed briskly, you must immediately take the first bill that you received from the buyer in your right hand and say the following conspiracy words:
Money goes for money, and there is a profit. The lock hangs and does not tell you to touch it. Amen.
And the wallet where the bill was put away must be crossed.

32) If the dishes begin to fall out of your hands and break:
Throw a rag on the floor with the words:
As you hit, so I drop, I will not cut you, but I can cripple you. Amen.
Take the rag away from your home.

33) If lunch turns out to be tasteless:
Scatter millet on the table, light a candle and say:
They will peck the chickens, give them to the roosters, and take the servant of God (name) away from all undead. Amen.
Collect the millet, take it outside and scatter it along the road.