Vlad the Impaler as Romanians See Him

For a short yet concise treatment on how the historical figure Vlad Tepes, popularly known as Vlad the Impaler, who served as an inspiration for Bram Stoker's Dracula, has been viewed and is still viewed by his native Romanians, see the following article by Elizabeth Miller:

Dracula: The History of Myth and the Myth of History

Among the things she writes, is the following:

St. Artemios and the Exorcism of the Black Crow

In the seventh century an Anonymous author compiled a number of miracles of Saint Artemios the Great Martyr (Oct. 20), whose healing activities were predominantly centered in the Church of Saint John the Forerunner in Constantinople and who "specializes" in healing hernias and diseases affecting the genitals of mostly male patients. Below is one example of many:

A certain sailor for many years had problems with his testicles and approached the holy Martyr. His name was Isidore and he was about 53 years old. But he was unaware that he was being agitated by an evil spirit.

Now in the aisle of the church at the left, the Saint is accustomed to make his rounds as if he were a Chief Physician in charge of a hospital, just as many have often been convinced by experience, and to be sure one night the Saint in full view approached the man, while many of those awaiting the cure looked on, at the very place where the possessed man was lying down. Then the Saint stood over him, as we were saying, with an invisible force. Isidore arose from his bed and ran toward the image, and holding up his outstretched hands, he hung suspended as though his hands were tied to chains, hovering one cubit above the floor, and yelling loudly, so that all were astonished by the sight and were cowed by fear.

The Haunted Monastic Cell Of A Heretic

 

By St. John Moschos

Abba John the Cilician told us that while he was staying at the ninth mile-post from Alexandria, an Egyptian monk visited them. He said:

"A brother from foreign parts came to the Lavra of the Cells and wanted to stay there. He prostrated himself before the priest and requested that he might stay the night in the cell of Evagrius*. The priest told him that he could not stay there.

The brother said: 'If I may not stay there, I will go away.'

The priest said to him: 'My child, the fact of the matter is that a cruel demon inhabits that place. It led Evagrius astray, alienating him from the true faith, and it filled his mind with abominable teachings.'

The brother persisted, saying: 'If I am to remain here, that is where I am going to stay.'

Then the priest said: 'May it be on your own head. Go and stay there.'

Halloween Resource Page

 

A Brief History of Halloween for Orthodox Christians 

 

How To Explain Halloween to Christian Youth 

 

Halloween: An Orthodox Christian Perspective 

 

Orthodoxy and Halloween: Separating Fact From Fiction 

 

Why Bother to Save Halloween? (Richard Seltzer) 

 

The Christian, Not Pagan, Origins of Halloween 

 

How Christians Made Halloween A Satanic Holiday 

 

Halloween as a Mockery of the Devil 

 

Elizabeth Krebs, the Founder of our Modern Halloween 

 

Halloween, Jack Chick, and Anti-Catholicism 

 

Halloween and the Cowardly Christian

 

Ten Things I Won't Do On Halloween  

 

A Critical Examination of One Orthodox Christian Article on Halloween 

 

A Critical Examination of an Announcement on Halloween by Orthodox Christians in Greece

 

Halloween and the Aesthetic of Evil 

 

The Truth About Halloween 

 

Being a Kind and Generous Representative of Your Household on Halloween 

 

Halloween Safety Tips and Crime Myths 

 

Exposing the Real Dangers of Halloween 

 

Popular Christian Myths About Halloween 

 

The True Origins of the Jack O' Lantern 

 

How Candy and Halloween Became Best Friends 

 

Tricks in the Treats: The Myth of Poisoned Halloween Candy 

 

Fear of the Devil in the 1980's and Today 

 

Who’s Afraid of Halloween? 

 

Jesus Likes Halloween a Little Bit, Doesn't He? 

 

The Halloween Debate In Russia 

 

Did St. Nikolai Velimirovich Write Against Halloween? 

  

A Useful Tip for Organizers of Haunted Attractions    

 

Seeing is Believing: A Halloween Reflection   

 

21 Horror Movies That May Interest Orthodox Christians 

 

November 29-30 is Romania's Halloween 

 

The Georgian Orthodox Church Issues a Bizarre Statement on Halloween

 

The Saturday of Souls of Saint Demetrios: A Macedonian-Thracian Ecclesiastical Tradition

 

Saint George the Drunkard, Saint George the Poor, Saint George the Sower

 

 

Other

 

Ghosts and Hauntings Resource Page

 

Vampires and Vampirism Resource Page  

 

Horror Movies Resource Page

 

“White” Magic: Its Effect On People

By Archimandrite Vasilios Bakoyiannis

It’s called “white” because it’s said to only do good. This is a gross error. How is it possible for the homicidal i.e., murdering devil ever to do anything good?

How Does Magic Happen?

The Materials

Priests of Christ, through their priesthood, bless water and sanctify it. When we drink this sanctified water, we drink the blessing, namely, the grace of God which is indwelling in the water, that is, in the matter. In other words, the grace of God, His blessing, is also transferred through matter.

Something analogous also happens on the side of the devil. His “priests” (magicians), “bless” matter when they do “magic.” It’s through this matter that satanic energy is passed to people.

These materials are used for magic:

• nails, needles, soap, egg, oil and figurines.

• bat or snake bones.

• soil from graves or skulls.

• human or animal blood.

• women’s soiled sanitary equipment.

• Holy Communion.

Weapons Against Satanic Influence

By Archimandrite Vasilios Bakoyiannis

The Cross, Relics, Prayer and Fasting

The Cross

In Thrace, Greece, Christians and Muslims live together in harmony.

There was once a good, well-intentioned shepherd who was a Muslim, and, on comparing the religion of Muhammad with Christianity, came to the conclusion that Christianity was much better than Islam. His interest in Christ increased all the time. He began to talk, to study, to ask about Christianity. Then he decided to renounce Islam and become a Christian. His father learned about it and did his best to change the young man’s mind. He was unable to do so, though, because his son was convinced. In the end, the father had recourse to an occultist. “I want you to stop my son from thinking about Christ,” he told him. The sorcerer, certain of his success, set to work.

The first time he failed, so he tried again. He failed again. Third attempt, third failure. Then he realized what was wrong. He called the father and told him directly, “If you want the magic to work, tell your son to get rid of those bits of wood he wears round his neck!”

What was it? The young Muslim had seen that Christians wear a cross round their necks, and so he did the same. He took two bits of wood, made them into the form of a cross and wore them around his neck. And thanks to the cross, which the devil fears, the magic didn’t work. Remember, when the demons heard Arthur the missionary talking about Golgotha, where the Lord was crucified, they became furious and told him to stop.

Another Weapon Against the Devil : Exorcism

By Archimandrite Vasilios Bakoyiannis

What a Tibetan Occultist Saw

In 1970, an occultist from Tibet visited Athens. As he was walking along the street, he saw, by divine dispensation, devils who had attached themselves to people.

There was a devil on the neck, another on the ears, another on the nose, another on the mouth and so on. But the occultist also saw something that set him thinking, namely, that the devils were unable to approach priests. They went all around them, circling to find an opening, but were unable to do so.

“Who are these people with beards and black clothing?” the occultist asked a passerby.

“They are the priests of our Church, etc.” explained the other.

“And if you want to see a lot of them, and good ones at that, go to the Holy Mountain.”

He went to the Holy Mountain, where the monks directed him to Father Paisios (+ 1994). As a result, the occultist became aware of certain things. He repented. He was baptized . He became a Christian and took the name Theodore.

Why couldn’t the devil attach himself to priests? Because they belong to Christ’s priesthood. And through this office, they perform sacraments, which, as we shall see, cause the devil to tremble.