Superstitions in the Church: What not to believe
Author Daria Sivashenkova
02/16/2012 16:00 (Updated: 02/22/2019 18:02)
Religion » Religions of Russia » Orthodoxy
Christian faith and superstition are completely opposite concepts. A believing Christian does not pay attention to black cats, women with empty buckets, is not afraid to pass things over the threshold and does not knock on wood. But human nature is incorrigible: even in churches there are superstitions. We bring to your attention a selection of funny superstitions that an Orthodox person should not believe in.
The freedom proclaimed and granted to man by Christianity is not something everyone can achieve. No matter how much the Bible teaches that it is not good for a Christian to believe in all sorts of superstitious nonsense, no matter how much it explains that a believer should trust only in the will of God, human nature does not change. And superstitions live and flourish - even in temples. Who hasn’t heard from overly “churched” parishioners and parishioners that you can’t light a candle and pass it with your left hand and you can’t walk between the candlestick and the icon - “otherwise God will be offended.”
What is superstition? Nothing more than an attempt to “fix” and subjugate some invisible “spiritual” law, to find a direct and unambiguous connection between what is happening now and the future. After all, if the connection is found, then it is possible to manage and control what will happen in the future. Trusting in the incomprehensible and inexplicable will of God is much more difficult. It’s easier to know for sure that meeting a black cat is bad luck, and spilling salt means a quarrel. That’s good: it seems like it’s not your fault that you spoke impolitely to your loved one, but it’s just fate: the salt spilled out. Or the mirror broke.
But I still want to consider myself a Christian. So strange superstitions are born, slightly “ennobled” by Christian and church flavor and because of this having a “pious” appearance. So what do our brothers and sisters often believe? Let’s try to give examples, comment and at the same time try to understand where the legs of “church superstitions” come from.
Church superstitions
Surprisingly, but true: for the Church, which is obliged to fight prejudices, these same prejudices are one of the most serious problems, and they are connected with nothing other than church tradition.
Since the time of Prince Vladimir, the Church has denounced superstitions, books have been written, but, unfortunately, many of the parishioners prefer to trust oral sources of information - our unforgettable grandmothers, and what is noteworthy: educated, intelligent people become the “spiritual children” of these grandmothers. This means that our people’s love for superstitions cannot simply be explained by illiteracy; everything here is much more complicated. So what is religion in our Church, and what is myth? And how do religion and myth differ from each other? A person is characterized by a desire for spiritual life; everyone has a thirst for communion with God, regardless of nationality, age or profession. But if a person is deprived of knowledge about revealed religion, then his spirit begins to work “offline”, and natural religious feeling begins to synthesize its religion. Sometimes it happens en masse, sometimes individually, long-term or short-term.
God does not oppress freedom. But it is impossible to invent true religion - it is given directly by God in Revelation. In the pre-Christian period, such a religion was Old Testament Judaism, but superstitions and prejudices were also found there: this is the constant desire to fall into idolatry, and the other extreme is the traditions of the elders, often condemned by Christ. (Mark 7:3, Matthew 15:3).
If a person is deprived of faith in the True God, then whatever he does not believe in, he is a pagan; paganism permeates all areas of his life, his worldview, especially at the level of everyday life. Deprived of a religious component, paganism is transformed into ideological and social forms, let us recall at least the Soviet era: there was no religion, in the usual sense of the word, but the cult remained: faith in a “bright future” replaced the aspiration for life in the next century. Paganism is psychology, it is when spirituality is replaced by soulfulness, this is the state of the soul without God. This, oddly enough, can often be observed in the church fence.
The sister of paganism is magic, i.e. man's desire to subjugate the spiritual world, to be like God (Gen. 3:5). Here's what Fr. writes about it. Alexander Men: “For a magician, the joys of mystical communion with God are an empty phrase. He seeks only the achievement of power in everyday life - in hunting, farming, in the fight against enemies, this antagonism remained even when magic began to be intertwined with religion. Magism expects only gifts from Heaven, it wants to enslave nature, and it introduces violence in human society. Tribe and power become over the spirit. A person, merging with his family, falls under the hypnosis of collective ideas.” Thus, the basis of magic is the principle: “you - to me, I - to you.”
This attitude towards God can often be observed among our contemporaries; remember the proverb: “If thunder doesn’t strike, a man doesn’t cross himself.” Oh, how often we behave this way, and in the Catholic Church this is generally the norm.
People run to the temple to light the thickest candles, as if God needs them to be completely sure that all the problems in life are due to the fact that they were “spoiled” by the neighbor’s sorcerer. With the same success, such comrades turn to all kinds of “grandmothers” and psychics.
The other extreme is when the ritual is not religious, but a purely psychological concept without a deep spiritual component. Such people go to church to “cry.” I had to see how some lady, after a tearful “prayer” and raising her hands to grief, could say absolutely nothing in confession, arguing that she “has no sins.” And when I refused to give her communion, all her “piety” disappeared, and a whole stream of indignation fell upon me. For her, the priest and church rules are nothing. She came to the temple to “consume” grace without giving anything in return.
Returning to the topic of “candle piety,” I cannot help but notice that for many people the most elementary act of lighting candles in a church is almost the most fundamental thing in their spiritual life. (It’s the same as if a person who wanted to buy a piece of jewelry would only confine himself to unscrewing the doorknob in a jewelry store and, head over heels satisfied, without even entering the store, would go home, proud of his purchase). God forbid someone passes a candle with their left hand, or rearranges candles someone else had previously placed. This will instantly cause a storm of anger, and someone who encroaches on someone else’s candle may even be accused of witchcraft.
Many parishioners simply need to be “bathed” during the water blessing prayer; the words “a drop sanctifies the sea” are not for them - they say, they poured water on me - now I will be healthy and my sins will be forgiven.
Unfortunately, some members of the clergy are not free from superstitions and prejudices. Thus, it is known that in some villages there is a custom: when the time comes for a fellow villager to give birth, the priest hurries to the temple to open the Royal Doors, blasphemously associating them with the female womb, in order to ensure a successful birth. This is the so-called homeopathic (imitative) magic, So among Voodoo sorcerers, a rag or clay doll is associated with the person himself, to whom the harm done to the doll extends.
There are priests who forbid parishioners to receive communion on the twelve feasts without any special motivation - all of you, they say, are unworthy today, forgetting that the Eucharist is the center of Christian life.
In the list of church superstitions, a special place must be given to gerontomannia - the search for elders, or, to be more precise, for prophets and wise men who would satisfy the thirst for spiritual slavery by taking upon themselves the care of someone else's salvation. Moreover, we are now experiencing a time of yet another eschatological psychosis in the form of INNenism and the authority of the so-called. “elders” who oppose themselves and their doctrine to the Church and its teaching.
This also includes technophobia - fear of progress. According to technophobes, computers, ATMs, cell phones, etc. are demonic. The “old man,” fear of technology, and identification of the Taxpayer Identification Number with the “seal” of the Antichrist usually go hand in hand.
It is worth mentioning the so-called church nationalism. For example, some believe that it is impossible to read the books of some Orthodox theologians only under the pretext that they have non-Russian surnames (Kern, Meyendorff, Schmemann, Blum); in everything incomprehensible they see the machinations of the enemies of Orthodoxy, driven into the framework of one Local Church. Thus, the psychology of the “small shopkeeper” replaces the conciliar consciousness. Even insignificant differences in traditions between different parishes are not accepted: “...but in our church they always bring lunch notes to the prayer service!”
As a priest, I very often have to deal with a whole complex of superstitions that can be combined under the name necrophobia - fear of the dead and everything connected with them. This primitive magical fear has nothing to do with the Christian attitude towards death.
People who practice witchcraft try to get hold of the water that was used to wash the deceased, or the rags that were used to bind his legs and arms, in the vain hope that these objects will help them in ungodly matters. The relatives of the deceased do not lag behind the sorcerers. After lifting the coffin, they turn over the stools on which the coffin stood so that no one alive would sit on them. They cover mirrors and other reflective surfaces, but not so as not to preen themselves on the day of mourning, but so as not to see the soul of the deceased in the mirror, and they are afraid to carry the earth home after the funeral service in absentia. But no one is afraid to turn a funeral dinner into a bacchanalia.
Of course, I have not listed all the superstitions and prejudices that are firmly established in church life. I have not yet mentioned the superstitions associated with Communion, the fact that it is the best remedy for stomach diseases and increases hemoglobin. But how one “should” take communion and what to do before and after it is a topic for a separate article.
Another thing is important: people are looking for magic, worldly benefits in Christianity, without seeking to cleanse their souls and devote their lives to God, as required by the Orthodox Church. Of course, there is some pastoral guilt in this. Priests themselves often do not explain the basics of the Orthodox faith to parishioners well enough. But I am sure that if a person believes in Christ, then he strives to learn as deeply and in more detail as possible about his faith, just as a truly loving person wants to know everything about the object of his love.
Therefore, the best cure for lies and delusions is love for God, for His holy law and for the Church as the receptacle of Divine grace, and this love is achieved through repentance, awareness of one’s own sinfulness. Every believer needs to understand that he himself, due to his sinfulness, is the cause of his spiritual and everyday problems, and not the witch living next door. This awareness of one’s sinfulness is the most unpleasant, but also the most necessary thing in the life of a Christian. It is precisely this trouble that many people run from as if from fire.
Undoubtedly, there is a great temptation to turn Christianity into a mystical everyday appendage, but Christianity is a religion of salvation. We must not forget about this. The sleep of the spirit can give birth to even greater monsters than the sleep of the mind.
Signs about churching
But many superstitions have emerged around baptism. It is important that there is no skull at the base of the pectoral cross - the child will become unhappy. And it is not recommended to wear it, because the loss of a cross is a negative omen. It is also impossible to pick up someone else's cross that you find - it will take over the fate of another person.
In a leap year, godparents are chosen from blood relatives. But this is not the main thing; it is important that a person sincerely loves a “spiritual” child and is not afraid to accept responsibility for him. Guests present at the ceremony carefully watch the wax that is thrown into the font. When one drowns, the baby will not live long.
There are prejudices about the baby’s behavior during the sacrament. Cries, sneezes or tries to dodge - he will live. If he is silent or asleep, he will die soon. For a similar reason, the first 40 days of a baby’s life are not shown to anyone except relatives. They are afraid of the evil eye. On the day of christening, spiritual parents are prohibited from giving alms, otherwise they will waste the child’s life through it.
When damaging a person, he needs to “cross himself” (which is impossible to do). And take another name that will protect you from sorcerers. When choosing a saint, be careful - you will encounter problems more often with those numbered among the martyrs.
Memorial service and witchcraft
To perform divination, you need church attributes or something that is equivalent to them. Therefore, occultists try to take away the water after washing the deceased, as well as the ropes and scarves with which he was bound.
Relatives, according to superstition, after removing the body, turn over the stools from under the coffin so that none of the living accidentally sits down. Mirrors are covered with dark dense matter so that the soul of the deceased does not see itself. Otherwise, she will remain restless on earth.
And a memorial service for a living person will certainly cause his death. This is a clear example of magical manipulation. People believe that through church sacraments it is possible to achieve certain effects.
Damage and evil eye
Anyone will feel uncomfortable if they say that they have been bewitched or jinxed. Often people see the root of troubles and problems in the fact that they have been damaged and justify themselves. It is much more difficult to say: I lived wrong, and this is the result of my sinfulness.
Sin also lies with those who practice divination and magic. Such people place their own will above the divine will.
Can Orthodox Christians believe signs associated with the horoscope? Seemingly harmless, horoscopes make us biased towards other people and towards ourselves.
The attitude of the church fathers to superstitions, omens and fortune telling
Orthodox priests believe that believing in omens is a sin and temptation unworthy of a true Christian. The word superstition is similar to the word “vanity”. Such believers violate the first commandment of Christ.
Its violation is a sin that many people do not realize. People do not recognize that all power comes from God, and endow objects and animals with divine power. The spread of heresies, which are superstitions, is a lie about God.
In difficult life situations, people resort to the help of witches and sorcerers. This is also a grave sin and superstition: a manifestation of distrust in God. All trials are given from above; by trying to avoid them with the help of guile, a person harms himself even more. In times of distress, it is better to go to church, confess and receive communion.
Advice. Go to confession in church!
The Holy Church warns against fortune telling. It is believed that they are the essence of the mockery of dark forces over man. When telling fortunes, a person entrusts his fate to evil spirits. If the fortuneteller's prognosis is unfavorable, she can program for failure. Negative signs are also programmed.
The essence of the sin of superstition is that it leads the believer away from true, authentic knowledge and replaces the sublime with an alluring magical ritual. It’s scary when church shrines are used in magical rituals, especially in black magic. This is the murder of the soul and desecration of the purest thing that people have.
Superstitions about icons
“This icon is strong, be sure to buy it for your home” or “Buy the Seven Shot and hang it over the threshold, it will protect you from evil spirits.”
In Christianity there is no such thing as a “strong” or “weak” icon. The claims are astounding when possessing the face of a saint does not bring the desired effect. And it is not possible to explain to people that the simple act of acquisition is not enough to receive help.
The falling of an icon is considered a negative superstition. It is interpreted as a herald of the imminent death of one of the household members. But when the icon breaks, it means it was poorly secured or installed. The purpose of having an image of a saint in the room is to be able to look at it during prayer. The Christian will put the icon in place and pray and apologize for his negligence.
A separate category of signs concerns icons on the dashboard of a car. It is believed that this is a talisman against accidents. Dense prejudices. The best protection against road accidents is careful driving, following the rules and respecting other road users.
There are legends about holy faces that received amazing power thanks to the prayers of parishioners. They believe that when you touch such an object, illnesses recede, and fate turns 180 degrees. There are definitely strange superstitions. Like the sign of the cross, prayer and ringing of bells have bactericidal properties.
Read the article: Is it possible to give an icon?
What signs do clergy believe in?
Representatives of the clergy also cannot completely get rid of prejudices. In villages, the custom of opening the Royal Doors is still alive to make it easier for a woman to give birth. This action belongs to “homeopathic” magic, along with Voodoo dolls, golems and others. There are also priests who forbid parishioners to receive communion on important holidays unless absolutely necessary.
Not the last place in this series is occupied by gerontomania - the search for wise men, soothsayers, or simply elders who want to save the whole world. And church ministers have technophobia. They insist that the products of progress - mobile phones, computers, ATMs - are demonic inventions. As a rule, these two phenomena run parallel to each other in one person.
Church “nationalism” deserves mention. Some priests prohibit reading the works of Orthodox priests with foreign names - Kern, Meyendorff, Schmemann. These teachings are considered a threat to faith.
Signs about candles in church
More often, people appear in a sacred place during periods of despair. When other remedies were tried, but the problem remained. Then they buy thick candles, thinking that this indicates the level of religiosity, and also hoping to get more attention from the saints, they go to church.
For many, the fact of lighting a church candle is the main indicator of spirituality. They approach this with all reverence. You cannot pass a candle with your left hand or rearrange the burning ones. This will cause a surge of negative emotions or accusations of witchcraft.
When a flame creates smoke or goes out, it is perceived as a bad sign. But this indicates one thing: the candle was made in violation of technology. Such “horror stories” and aggression have a negative impact on the perception of the church.
Where do church signs come from?
True religion cannot be invented. She is a revelation that is received from the Heavenly spheres. Who shares such knowledge with people and why are philosophical questions, and outstanding Theosophists have not found an answer to it throughout human history.
Before the advent of Christianity, Judaism served as a monotheistic faith. But it also had elements of paganism. A close relative of polytheism is magic. When they use it, a person expects to solve his own problems and gives nothing in return.
Magic subjugates nature and the way of life of people, creating a feeling of mutually beneficial relationships. When there is an opportunity to get what you want in an easy way and get away with impunity, a person will certainly take advantage of it and remember his soul at the critical moment of inevitable justice.
Many people come to the temple in search of magic, and do not strive to spiritually cleanse themselves and change, as required by Christian teaching. The priests are also to blame for this. Not everyone knows how to explain the essence of the Orthodox faith. The signs that are associated with the church have no basis. But it's hard to realize this.
