Sergei Filimonov Archpriest. Archpriest Sergiy Filimonov - “During the operation, I read the Jesus Prayer

Archpriest Sergiy Filimonov, rector of the Church of the Reigning Icon of the Mother of God, answers the questions of the Russian House

Archpriest Sergiy FILIMONOV - Member of the Executive Committee of the Society of Orthodox Doctors of Russia (OPVR), Chairman of the Society of Orthodox Doctors of St. Petersburg named after St. Luke (Voyno-Yasenetsky), candidate of theology, doctor of medical sciences, professor at St. acad. I.P. Pavlova, practicing ENT surgeon of the highest category, editor-in-chief of the journal "Church and Medicine"

- Father Sergius, the enumeration of your posts is already impressive. Following the example of St. Luke, you combine serving God with the work of a doctor. Why did you choose this particular profession?

– From the cradle my life was connected with medicine. The smell of childhood for me was the smell of the clinic. I literally absorbed it with my mother's milk. As a baby, I lay on a stretcher in an ambulance when my mother went to calls. In the intervals between examinations of patients, she breast-fed me. Later, when I was taken away from kindergarten and elementary school, I was left among the sick and doctors.

I graduated from high school in 1982. He loved physics and mathematics. According to the results of the Olympiads, I could be enrolled in a specialized university. But my mother said that in medicine I will be able to realize all my abilities. Of course, I did not set such lofty goals as the young Valentin Voyno-Yasenetsky, but I wanted to serve people, help them in their sorrows and illnesses.

Mom studied and worked at the Research Institute of Prosthetics. Albrecht in Petersburg. I often had to be among children with a damaged psyche. Father worked at the Military Medical Academy. CM. Kirov, participated in two wars - the Ethiopian-Somali and Afghan. He had extensive experience in the surgical treatment of gunshot and mine-explosive wounds, taught cadets of the academy and treated patients. I saw that my parents always treated their patients with great attention, love and responsibility - sick children and adults with amputated limbs.

– There is a well-known phrase from the autobiography of St. Luke “I loved suffering”: “The wounded saluted me with their feet.” What does this saint mean to you?

– Until the age of 21, I knew nothing about St. Luke. When I was a cadet of the Military Medical Academy, on the course of operative surgery, the teachers recommended to us "Essays on Purulent Surgery" as a classic and excellent work on medicine. In Soviet times, we were not told that its author was a clergyman. When I became a believing doctor and began to go to church, my spiritual father, Archpriest Vasily Lesnyak, having learned that I had not heard anything about St. Luke, brought his autobiography with the wish that I become like him, so that his life would become an example for me. I studied the iconography of St. Luke, even made a report on this topic. Having read the works and sermons of the saint, he was struck by his versatility, titanic height and the power of his thought. It became clear to me that a person cannot do anything like this in his life if God does not help him. So for me, through St. Luke, the light of Christ shone. At that time I was an officer and was torn between the desire to be a priest and at the same time not to leave medicine. As a doctor, I was then extremely dissatisfied with medicine. There was a professional crisis.

Why didn't you leave medicine like some other priests?

– To find out the will of God, I went to the island of Zalit to the elder Nikolai Guryanov. He blessed me not to give up medicine, but to unite the service of God and neighbor. The autobiography of the saint struck me to the depths of my soul, and I strove to imitate him spiritually. I always prayed and pray during the operation, I put a cross on the surgical field with iodine or make the sign of the cross. During the operation, I continuously read the Jesus Prayer. In difficult moments of surgical intervention, I prayerfully turn to St. Luke for admonition and help, and I always receive it. Non-standard solutions lead to an effective result of the operation. It became clear to me that healing the body without cleansing the soul of a sick person from sins has an imperfect and half-hearted character. The basis of the disease is buried deep in the depths of the soul of the sinner, and it provokes a new disease of the body with its external healing and visible well-being. Often resorting to the Sacraments of the Church in my clinical practice, I quite clearly discovered cardinal changes in the pathophysiological processes in the body of my patients, which did not succumb to either general medical canons or logic.

When I made my choice, St. Luke began to "accompany" me everywhere. On my life path, people began to meet who had this or that relation to the saint: patients whom he operated on, doctors who personally knew him or studied with him. Unfortunately, at that time I did not write down these testimonies, because I did not understand their importance for myself and for others. I just memorized them. Once, on a train, I accidentally met Professor Belova from the St. Petersburg Mining Institute, whom Vladyka had baptized as a child during his exile in Plakhino. In the mountains, she repeatedly found herself in life-threatening situations during the exploration of glaciers. Always intuitively feeling the approach of danger, in the last minutes she avoided death and attributed help from above to St. Luke. She believed that it was his blessing that kept her all her life. And isn't it a miracle to meet in a country of many millions of people the only living witness to baptism? After all, during his life the saint baptized only two or three children. And other children had died by that time.

– What other interesting meetings do you remember?

– I met Archimandrite Innokenty, great-grandson of the famous saint – St. Innocent, Metropolitan of Moscow, Apostle of Alaska and Siberia, whom St. Luke blessed in his youth to be a surgeon before accepting monasticism. In 25 years of his surgical work, none of his patients died. In Soviet times, he, like St. Luke, put an end to the operation, although he was very afraid that he would be extradited and fired by godless employees. I also met with the writer Lyalin, whom St. Luke operated on.

A parishioner of my church is Nikolai Nikolaevich Sidorkin, the great-nephew of the saint, who accompanied him in his old age and helped him as a cell attendant. Communication with him helped to get to know the saint's family, his parents, children and descendants, among them the doctor Tatyana Voyno-Yasenetskaya. I understood that these meetings were providential - St. Luke revealed himself to me in all the breadth of his life.

– How and for what purpose was the Society of Orthodox Doctors of Russia created?

– OPVR was created as a result of the decrease in the spiritual and moral level of modern domestic medicine, the disunity of medical workers who profess the Orthodox faith, due to the low level of spiritual and Christian compassion for people in need of medical care, the activation and widespread use of extrasensory perception, magical and other occult techniques impact on the population. In 1998, the clergy blessed me to create the Scientific and Educational Society of Orthodox Doctors of St. Petersburg. St. Luke (Voyno-Yasenetsky), Archbishop of Crimea. We began to pray to him.

On the logo of the OPV St. Petersburg against the background of the Russian flag, there is an angel on the Pillar of Alexandria and a red cross - a symbol of medical care and medical art, enclosed in a circle - a symbol of eternity, uniting heaven and earth. It was one of the first such Societies in the resurgent Russia. It was born on the initiative of the charitable department of the diocese and the two largest sisterhoods of mercy: Intercession and St. mts. Tatiana. Then I was the rector of the hospital parish of St. Great Martyr and Healer Panteleimon on the Creek. The creation of the Society was preceded by scrupulous preparation of the draft Charter and regulations on internal activities by a specially created working group. In 2001, at the Institute of Traumatology and Orthopedics, we opened the first chapel in St. Petersburg in honor of St. Luke, through which thousands of trauma patients have passed.

- Society of Orthodox Doctors of St. Petersburg named after St. Luke (Voino-Yasenetsky) is a regional branch of the Russian Society of Orthodox Doctors named after St. Luke (Voino-Yasenetsky). How was the OPVR created?

– Nine years ago, on September 29-30, 2007, I had the honor to participate in the founding conference dedicated to the creation of the OPVR (opvr.ru), which took place in Belgorod as part of the First All-Russian Congress of Orthodox Doctors. On October 12, Patriarch Alexy II blessed the activities of the OPVR, giving it the name of St. Luke (Voyno-Yasenetsky), Archbishop of Simferopol. It was amazing and joyful to see that the seed sown by the confessor and the doctor more than 50 years ago gave such abundant sprouts both in our country and abroad.

Interviewed
Irina Ramizovna AKHUNDOVA

Archpriest Sergiy Filimonov, rector of the Church of the Reigning Icon of the Mother of God, answers the questions of the Russian House

– There is a well-known phrase from the autobiography of St. Luke “I loved suffering”: “The wounded saluted me with their feet.” What does this saint mean to you?

Why didn't you leave medicine like some other priests?

– What other interesting meetings do you remember?

– How and for what purpose was the Society of Orthodox Doctors of Russia created?

Interviewed
Irina Ramizovna AKHUNDOVA

The help and support of Archimandrite Panteleimon (Borisenko), a resident of the Holy Dormition Pskov-Caves Monastery, was of great importance in the formation of the parish, in determining its functions and tasks in state medical institutions, in preparing the community for the construction of the church of the “Reigning Icon of the Mother of God”.
With his advice and prayers, constant help to the parish, he inspired a small group of people at first to build a church in honor of the “Reigning” icon of the Most Holy Theotokos. Each step in the design and construction took place under the watchful eyes of an old man, on the advice and prayers of Archpriest Vasily (Lesnyak), Archpriest Nikolai (Guryanov), Archimandrite John (Krestyankin) and Archimandrite Panteleimon (Borisenko).
The temple was founded in 1995 with a large gathering of people. During the laying, a huge four-pointed cross appeared in the sky, which then turned to the east and took on the correct eight-pointed shape.
Three house churches and five chapels were created: at the TsMSCH-122 (St. Panteleimon), at the hospital of the Russian Academy of Sciences (St. Sergius of Radonezh), at the orphanage No. 9 (St. George the Victorious), 5 chapels: at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of St. Petersburg GMU them. acad. I. P. Pavlova (St. Bethlehem Infants), at the RNII of Traumatology and Orthopedics. Vreden (St. Luke, Archbishop of Crimea), at Blok CJSC (St. Royal Martyrs), at the Children's Hospital of St. Blessed Princess Olga (branch No. 4). Sisterhood of Mercy of St. mts. Tatiana, which is part of the parish and carries out obedience in these hospitals, has grown in number to 100 people.
The walls of the temple are currently being erected. The first divine liturgy was served on March 10, 2001. The services that began with Easter 2001 became permanent and regular.
The future temple of the "Reigning Icon of the Mother of God" is intended to become a center for service and training of sisters of mercy in the northwestern part of St. Petersburg, religious assistance to doctors and patients of the 34th medical quarter.
Under the spiritual guidance of the priest of the parish, Priest Grigory Antipenko, and the labors of Mother Yulia Antipenko, a suburban family settlement is being developed in the name of St. teacher Seraphim Vyritsky s. Toroshkovichi. The structure of the parish includes a suburban monastic settlement in the village of Toksovo, dedicated to Sts. Optina elders, designed to restore the health of the sisters of mercy after illness or injury. The experience of parish hospital work is reflected in many books and textbooks that came out of his womb.
Priest Sergiy Filimonov - founder and chairman of the Society of Orthodox Doctors of St. Saint Luke (Voino-Yasenetsky), Archbishop of Crimea. Organized in 1999
The reasons for the creation of the OPV in St. Petersburg was the desire to unite the Orthodox doctors of the city for joint activities, as well as to consolidate the efforts of representatives of professional traditional medicine against various kinds of occult "healing".
The society has its own distinctive sign: an angel adorning the head of the Alexandrian pillar, against the background of the Russian flag, combined with a red cross - a symbol of medical care and medical art, enclosed in a circle - a symbol of eternity, uniting heaven and earth. The heavenly patron of the society is Archbishop Luke (Voyno-Yasenetsky), confessor and doctor, canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church in 1995. On the day of his death (June 11), a solemn initiation into the Society of Orthodox Doctors takes place. During the Divine Liturgy (after the ambo prayer), doctors take the oath of an Orthodox Christian doctor.
Currently, there are 110 full and associate members of the Society. Full members - 86, candidates for full members - 6. Among the members of the OPV of St. Petersburg there are 6 doctors and 8 candidates of sciences, 39 doctors have the highest and first qualification categories, 10 people have work experience in their specialty for 10 years, 15 - more than 30 years. An honorary member of the Society is the rector of the St. Petersburg Theological Academy and Seminary, Ph.D. honey. Archbishop Konstantin (Goryanov) of Tikhvin.
The practical tasks performed by the members of the OPV include:
– coordination of actions of fraternities, sisterhoods and individual laity to provide medical assistance to the poor and socially unprotected segments of the population;
– assistance in the revival of charitable and social medical care in parishes and monasteries;
– assistance in the revival and creation of temples in medical institutions, etc.
One of the areas of practical activity of the Society is the work in the Counseling Center of the OPV St. Petersburg, which provides assistance to patients who have suffered from occult, psychic and similar influences, as well as those suffering from alcoholism, drug addiction, victims of totalitarian sects, patients with somatic disorders.
The OPV is engaged in scientific and educational activities: it discusses the problems of modern medicine and biotechnology in order to adopt a single concept and subsequently make judgments on medical issues by the hierarchy of the Russian Orthodox Church; develops projects in the field of spiritual education and charity. The society is engaged in publishing activities, regularly releasing brochures of the “Library of an Orthodox Doctor” series.
The educational department of the OPV is working on optional education for students.
The work of the Society is based on the principles traditional for academic (clinical) societies. The OPV has seven sections: surgical, therapeutic, psychological and psychiatric, pediatric, narcological, general medical, associative.
At plenary meetings held monthly (on second Tuesdays) at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, St. Petersburg State Medical University. IP Pavlova, The Society of Orthodox Doctors of St. Petersburg cooperates and provides advisory assistance to Orthodox doctors in other cities, contributing to the formation of similar societies in different cities of Russia.

Priest Sergiy Filimonov

From the compiler

Homeopathy as a method of treating human diseases causes a lot of controversy, both in the medical and in the church environment.

The Society of Orthodox Doctors of St. Petersburg twice in the last three years held joint meetings with prominent homeopaths of the city to develop: a correct and unbiased opinion on this issue.

The results of the analysis of this problem and the conciliar opinion of the Orthodox doctors of St. Petersburg are presented in this brochure.

Chairman of the Society of Orthodox Doctors of St. Petersburg, Candidate of Medical Sciences, Priest Sergiy Filimonov

Priest Sergiy Filimonov - graduate of the Military Medical Academy. CM. Kirov and St. Petersburg Theological Academy;

Chairman of the Society of Orthodox Doctors of St. Petersburg, Candidate of Medical Sciences, doctor of the highest category;

Rector of the Hospital Parish and the healer Panteleimon, at the same time a practicing physician, assistant at the Department of ENT Diseases of the St. Petersburg State Medical University. I.P. Pavlova;

Head of the Counseling Center for Assistance to Those Affected by Magic, Occultism, Drug Addiction, and Alcoholism;

Chairman of the Center for Mercy of St. Tatiana;

I. INTRODUCTION. WHAT IS HOMEOPATHY?

From the history of homeopathy. Beginnings

... The year 1831 broke into the life of Europe with a terrible, and, it seemed, insurmountable disaster: funeral bells rolled across the squares without ceasing, strings of mournful processions stretched endlessly to cemeteries, bonfires blazed in the streets, devouring the contaminated belongings of the dead poor, and rich carriages with Prosperous citizens were hastily carried away with tightly closed windows - away, away from the cities where death feasts, whose name is: - cholera ...

A man of venerable age, with a shabby doctor's bag, hurried as best he could, wandered through the streets of a frozen city, accompanied by several young companions - his students. From house to house, where those who fell ill with a terrible disease called for help ...

It was Dr. Hahnemann, already known by that time in Germany.

Alas! In the 19th century, mankind did not yet own the discovery of antibacterial drugs, and traditional medicine was powerless against cholera. However, Dr. Hahnemann and his associates selflessly entered into the struggle for the life and health of their fellow citizens - despite the horror of the epidemic, and, most importantly, relying on their own - homeopathic a method of treatment which, he, Hahnemann, had discovered as a young physician, and then defended and perfected it almost all his life. However, it was precisely then, in the alarming 1831, when the cholera epidemic devoured entire villages and cities - after an unexpected healing by his method of many and many, despite the usual fatality of the disease - homeopathy was really seriously and widely spoken all over the world.

What - many years before the epidemic described here - prompted the then young doctor to take a different look at the "habits" of human ailments, and therefore on the way to their cure? .. Answers to these questions must be sought for every milestone of his long life, saturated with incessant scientific search.

Samuel Hahnemann was born on April 10, 1755 in the city of Meissen, which was famous for the famous Saxon porcelain, painting which fed his large family and his father.

Even at school, Samuel showed considerable ability in the sciences. He was especially attracted by medicine and pharmacy, foreign languages. It is no coincidence that Hahnemann, who had already mastered several foreign and ancient languages, was graduating from school and presented an unusual graduation essay - “On the amazing structure of the human hand” ... The grades were brilliant!

Then, from 1775, the medical faculty of the University of Leipzig, where he also impressed his teachers with his abilities and diligence. However, after a two-year - due to lack of money - break in training, when he, as a family doctor and librarian, entered the service of the governor of Transylvania, Baron Brukenstahl (which in itself already speaks of the level of his medical knowledge even at that student time) - Hahnemann continued his studies in Erlagen, more accessible to his wallet.

In 1779, after graduating from the university and at the same time defending a dissertation on the topic of convulsive conditions, he finally enters the field of independent medical practice. Ten years later, the young doctor was already famous in many cities where he worked: among patients - thanks to successful healings of patients; among colleagues - thanks to his scientific research and translations into German of foreign medical treatises.

But, obviously, the key event in the scientific and medical fate of Samuel Hahnemann was the decision to undertake the translation of Cullen's book "Medicine" (1790), which played an important role in the birth of homeopathy.

The fact is that just at that time for the treatment of malaria - for the first time, they barely began to use cinchona. Translating an article about the action of this still little-known drug, Hahnemann noticed that the symptoms of cinchona poisoning described in it are very similar to the clinical picture of malaria. Characteristic fever, with a frequency of 3-4 days, trembling without chills, dulled senses, stiff joints, thirst, a kind of oppressive numbness - Hahnemann, who himself had once suffered from malaria, immediately recognized it in these symptoms! .. It turned out that malaria and an overdose of cinchona cause the same, similar states in a person. The discovered phenomenon did not let go of his attention. For the purity of further research and reflection, it was required to either confirm or refute the facts stated in the article. And Hahnemann decides on a dangerous, selfless experiment: he himself takes large doses of cinchona.

And what? All the described symptoms of quinine poisoning he felt exactly on his own body, making sure that they really were similar to the symptoms of malaria. But if cinchona, in large doses, causing symptoms similar to malaria - in small doses, on the contrary, it is malaria that cures - perhaps other poisonous substances known to people are capable - in small doses! - also heal the corresponding diseases? .. Those that have symptoms, similar symptoms of poisoning with such a substance? ..

Answering such questions required an examination of the clinical picture of poisoning as reliable as with cinchona for each of the other poisonous substances that had come to Hahnemann's attention. And he took this step, exceptional in terms of scientific heroism, starting to test poisons on himself, consciously laying his own health, well-being, and, possibly, life itself on the altar of mercy and science ... It is noteworthy that later, when Hahnemann taught at the University of Leipzig, Colleagues and students, carried away by his developments, also selflessly joined in these dangerous studies ... Thus, the first 60 items were investigated, which were then included in the four-volume edition of his work “Pure Medicine Science”.

Hahnemann carefully compared the course of poisoning to which he subjected himself to the symptoms of all diseases known at that time and, having found coincidences, tried to treat the “recognized” disease. In the same way as in the case of cinchona: small doses of the corresponding poisonous substance. And often - the disease succumbed!

However - both failures and results of treatment with varying success - Hahnemann analyzed with all scrupulousness. And he noticed: the effect of treating a particular disease with the same drug in different patients could be very different from others. The strength of the impact of the same medicine manifested itself, literally, depending on the external type, appearance of a person, his mental characteristics, preferences in one or another food, and even on which events or circumstances of the environment make it easier and which make it worse for him. course of the disease.

It was obvious that the same drug equally effectively affects people, as a rule, with similar external and mental data, and - with similar sets of symptoms of the disease ... So Dr. Hahnemann came to the conclusion that it is necessary to divide all medicines according to their constitutional type. And - gave a clear formulation of this concept.

The toxic substances that he selected for use in treatment - be it a solution or a powder - were diluted to a very low concentration. Moreover, Hahnemann was convinced that the more he diluted the substance, the weaker its toxic properties were manifested. But, the therapeutic effect - increased!

He also discovered another amazing phenomenon: the healing properties of the preparations he prepared became stronger, the more vigorously and for a longer time the container in which the substance was diluted was shaken.

The conclusions from the experiments carried out allowed Hahnemann to formulate the main principles of a new method of treatment founded by him, which was called "homeopathy" - that is, , "similar to a disease", from the Greek words "homoion" - similar, and"pathos" - disease.
The basic principles of homeopathy are:

1. Similia similibus curentur which translates from Latin as " like cures like."
2. To obtain a medicine, it is necessary to dilute the corresponding poisonous substance strongly by shaking the vessel vigorously and for a long time. This phase of the preparation of a homeopathic remedy is called potentiation or - dynamization.
3. To determine constitutional type drugs - it must be tested on a group of healthy people.

In fairness, it should be noted that the principle of similarity, as well as its combination with the principle of the opposite, has been known in medicine since the time of Hippocrates. The famous physician of the Middle Ages Paracelsus (under this pseudonym Theophrastus von Hohenheim treated Europeans), reflecting on the fact that rheumatism often flares up from hypothermia of the legs in icy water, also, according to the principle of similarity, once took a different look ... at an ordinary willow.

Doesn't she look like a person standing in water? Both in winter and in summer, her legs-roots are in icy moisture. And no rheumatism. So, this tree has some protective properties against the miasm (that is, the so-called "infectious beginning") of rheumatism? aspirin. By the generic name of willow (Salix) - these powerful anti-inflammatory (later - synthesized) substances were named salicylates, and have served and continue to serve the health of mankind.

Since ancient times, in the selection of medicines, people somehow relied on the principle of similarity, which, first of all, was taken as the basis of the homeopathic method of treatment. However, in general, homeopathy as a science - the very emergence and initial stage of its development is due to the German doctor of the 18th century, Samuel Hahnemann.
Having first formulated the basic principles of homeopathy, he also:

Compiled directory medicines (Materia Medica)
- gave an idea homeopathic constitution;
- created miasma theory.

But most importantly, Samuel Hahnemann achieved real success in medical practice with this new method, contributing to the development and assertion of the authority of homeopathy throughout the world.

The breadth of his medical views is also evidenced by the titles of the books he wrote - "Organon of Medical Art" (six editions), "Pure Pharmacy", "Chronic Diseases", "On Heleborism of the Ancients", "Experimental Medicine", "Aesculapius on the Scales" and many other.

Samuel Hahnemann, the founder of homeopathy, lived a long life. He died in Paris on July 2, 1843 at the age of 88.

However, his life's work did not stop: since then, dozens of brilliant names have been given to the world by each new generation of researchers and homeopaths. Among them is the Russian landowner S.N. Korsakov, a talented fan of homeopathy, who, even without formal medical education, managed to develop the production of hundreds of dilutions of preparations, and this method still bears his name.

An epochal contribution to the development of homeopathy was the repertorization system developed by scientists J.T. Kent and K. Goering. They compiled complete multi-volume reference books of symptoms and their corresponding remedies - the so-called repertories.

With their help, a table is compiled of the symptoms and their corresponding homeopathic remedies. Based on this table, their healing complex is selected for each individual patient.

In addition, Hering formulated the law of the regression of the disease, which allows timely, according to changes in the clinical picture in the course of treatment, to judge whether it is correctly chosen, and if necessary, to make the necessary adjustments to the treatment program in time.

Development of homeopathy in Russia. Chronology

1821-1823 The first evidence of the penetration of homeopathy in Russia. The new method of treatment came to St. Petersburg from Europe, most likely through Poland and the Baltic states.

Professor Bizhel - this name is closely associated with the founding of homeopathic practice in St. Petersburg. He is a member of the St. Petersburg Medical and Surgical Academy, a family physician to His Imperial Highness Grand Duke Konstantin Pavlovich. He is also the author of a multi-volume translation into Russian of Hahnemann's treatises ("Pure Medicine" presented as "Consideration of the healing method" called - Homeopathy).

1831 Cholera epidemic in Russia. As in Europe, this disaster suddenly becomes an incentive for a wider introduction of homeopathy - the new method gives, encouraging results! For example, in a registered group of 1273 patients with cholera and treated with homeopathic remedies, 108 people died, which is less than 8%. The vast majority - survived, having overcome the disease.

Homeopathy is also gaining a lot of active supporters in non-medical circles - Admiral N.S. Mordvinov, who collected the above and other statistical materials on the fight against the epidemic by homeopathy.

1833 On September 26, the State Council adopted a resolution on permitting the practice of homeopathic doctors and on opening homeopathic pharmacies. (In many respects - thanks to the Emperor Nikolai Pavlovich himself, his favor for a new method of treatment, which gave such success in the outbreaks of the epidemic, saving hundreds and hundreds of lives.)

1834 The first homeopathic pharmacy in Russia was opened in St. Petersburg. Its owner is Fedor Karlovich Bakhman.

1835 The first translation into Russian of Samuel Hahnemann's book "The Organon of the Art of Medicine, or the Basic Theory of the Method of Homeopathic Treatment..." is published.

Further - following the above events - the opening of special homeopathic departments in St. Petersburg hospitals for workers follows. A lot of work was done for this by Dr. L. German and V.I. Dal - widely known as the author of the Explanatory Dictionary of the Living Great Russian Language

1861 The Journal of Homeopathic Treatment is published. Founder - doctor V.V. Deriker.

1867 In Russia, a translation into Russian of the monograph by Dr. Wilmar Schwabe "Guidelines for the preparation of homeopathic medicines" was published, which is still used as an unofficial homeopathic pharmacopoeia.

1868 The "Society of Homeopathic Doctors" was created, also closely associated with the name of the doctor V.V. Deriker. There is a sharp increase in the output of literature on homeopathy.

1870 Nevsky prospect, 82. A homeopathic clinic for visitors is open at this address in St. Petersburg. The idea was implemented at the expense of the "Society of Homeopathic Doctors" (Now it is the St. Petersburg City Homeopathic Polyclinic No. 82, located on Prazhskaya Street, 12).

Next - the years of regrouping of a single homeopathic community, which after the death of V.V. Deriker was divided into two parts: the "Society of Homeopathic Doctors" and the "Society of Followers of Homeopathy", which united non-medical people. Bo head of the "Society of Homeopathic Doctors" - B.B. Gering, editor of the Journal of the St. Petersburg Society of Homeopathic Physicians.

1888 At the head of the named "Society" - L.E. Brazol, who owes much to the subsequent development of homeopathy in Russia. His lectures on homeopathy, the monthly journal "Homeopathic Bulletin", the practice of a homeopathic doctor - attracted many, many, convincingly promoting a new method of treatment.

1913 I Russian Congress of Homeopaths. By this time, the Society of Homeopathic Physicians had already joined the International Community.

After 1917... The negative attitude of the Ministry of Health towards homeopathy greatly complicates the further development of the homeopathic method in Russia. Among other repressive measures is the dissolution of the Society of Homeopathic Physicians.

But - scientific thought does not slumber. There is an "underground" exchange of typewritten "samizdat". Thus, the works of Z.I. Golovach, V.M. Person, T.N. Grannikova.

1923 Reconstruction of the "Society of Homeopathic Doctors", which lasted until 1935.

1935 The merger of the Moscow and Leningrad "Societies" - into the "Society of Homeotates of the RSFSR".

1936 As in 1927, a study cycle on homeopathy is being read. Under the leadership of V.M. Persona is undergoing scientific research both within the country and in cooperation with the International Homeopathic League. N. Gabrilovich becomes its vice-president.

1941-1945. Homeopathic doctors fight for the life and health of the wounded at the fronts, in hospitals, on the front line. In Leningrad, one homeopathic pharmacy was opened again.

1958 The Moscow Scientific Medical Society of Homeopaths is re-established. Its chairman is V.I. Fisherman. At the society - courses for doctors, where the most famous homeopaths taught: N.M. Vavilov, A.F. Alexandrov, K.V. Grachev, V.I. Varshavsky, S.A. Mukhin, M.F. Feldman, G.M. Lipnitsky.

1968 d. Renewed persecution of homeopathy. The well-known order of the Ministry of Health of the USSR No. 610 “On strengthening control over the work and regulation of the further activities of homeopathic doctors and the use of homeopathic medicines in medical practice” is issued. It bans many of the best homeopathic remedies - even the proven-working aconite. In total, there are about 50 forbidden items. The "Society of Homeopathic Physicians", proposed to dissolve itself.

Until the end of the 80s- a strange semi-legal position for almost 15 years. In Moscow, Leningrad and Kyiv - homeopathic polyclinics are still open, and in other cities - solitary homeopathic doctors still practice.

From the end 80s and now. The new century also brought a new interest in gentle treatments. And homeopathy, apparently, will have its say here.

On the attitude towards homeopathy of representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church

In 1891, L. M. Chichagov, later Metropolitan Seraphim of Leningrad and Gdov, said: “Exactly 100 years ago, a new system of treatment called homeopathy arose, but, despite this period, neither representatives of the medical sciences nor the intelligentsia have yet become familiar with with her enough to have a true and clear understanding of what homeopathy is. Men of science, even out of prejudice, do not read a single book on homeopathy, but they attack it with suspicious fury. In society, people are accustomed to understand by the word "homeopathy" an immeasurably small dose of medicine offered in the form of a grain of sugar, but no one talks about Hahnemann's system as a new method of treatment, as a science based on a known principle, on a law" [L.l] . Another 100 years have passed since then, but these words have not lost their meaning. It is known that Metropolitan Seraphim (Chichagov) of Leningrad and Gdov, canonized as a saint, had successfully practiced medicine for over ten years before his priesthood and developed an original medical system. He argued that “besides the homeopathic law of similarity, there is no other guiding principle for the action of drugs. Some systems, such as allopathy, apply it unconsciously, instinctively, not wanting to delve into the reason for their actions and explaining everything only by experience, but, positively, this is stubbornness with a preconceived goal. Chichagov's medical activity was accompanied by fierce criticism, slander, and persecution, which the founder of homeopathy also experienced [L.2].

In the light of the above facts, it is interesting to know whether there was a single interest in homeopathy in the history of the Russian Orthodox Church, and if not, what were the opinions of Russian saints about this direction of medicine?

In the 19th century, homeopathy flourished in Russia, it was considered one of the most rational methods of therapy. So, for example, all the Optina brethren were treated with homeopathic methods [L.3].

In the 80s of the 19th century, the Holy Synod proposed a program of teaching the basics of medicine in theological seminaries, which included the study of the basics of homeopathy. At the end of the century, about a thousand clergymen were subscribers to the magazine "Doctor Homeopath" and more than a thousand priests used homeopathic medicines from three homeopathic pharmacies in St. Petersburg [L.4].

From the biography of St. Ignatius (Bryanchaninov) and his works, it is known that he mastered this method to perfection, and received patients in the Nikolo-Babaevsky Monastery for three years [L.5].

St. Theophan the Recluse carefully studied medicine and mastered the homeopathic method. He recommended homeopathy to those who turned to him for advice. Here is what he writes in one of his letters: “What homeopathy! Where allopathy failed for five weeks, tactile had an effect in half a day. A monument to her must be erected! [L.6].

Schiarchimandrite Gabriel (Zyryanov) from the Savior-Eleazar Desert also resorted to homeopathic medicines, giving drops and grains to the sick, and cured many of serious and difficult diseases. He himself loved homeopathy, and was treated by it. His spiritual children were Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna and His Grace Innokenty [L.7].

Elder Hieroschemamonk Seraphim (Vyritsky), who was the confessor of Metropolitan Seraphim (Chichagov) and many brilliant scientists of Russia, such as I. P. Pavlov, M. I. Gramenitsky (one of the founders of the modern pharmacological school), V. A. Fon (physicist ), L. A. Orbeli (biologist, follower of I. P. Pavlov), blessed to be treated by homeopaths, among whom were many of his spiritual children. One of them is a homeopathic professor S. S. Favorsky, well-known throughout Russia [L.8].

Experiments started already in the 20th century by Academician N.P. Kravkov, confirmed many of the ideas expressed by the founder of homeopathy. Kravkov managed to catch biological reactions when a cell is exposed to a solution of a substance with a concentration of 10 -12 and 10 -32 degrees. He also found a two-phase action of poisons, which constricted blood vessels in high concentrations, and expanded them in small doses [L.6].

In his work “Medical Conversations”, Metropolitan Seraphim (Chichagov) placed the words of Claude Bernard: “If there are facts that contradict the theory, then you need to refute the theory and accept the facts.”

However, it should be noted that at present, both in medicine and in the Orthodox environment, there is a wary attitude towards the homeopathic method. The reason for this is the lack of knowledge of the mechanisms of action of homeopathic remedies, as well as the use of homeopathy by "healers", psychics and occultists. In addition, there is a view of homeopathy as; suggestive (i.e. suggestive) method of influence using the effect placebo.

Here it is appropriate to recall the words of St. Theophan the Recluse, who wrote: “You consider magnetism to be the work of evil spirits. Assuming, however, that magnetism is involved in homeopathy, and this belongs to the same category. It's not fair. Magnetism is not involved in the preparation of homeopathic preparations. Here everything is done openly and simply, and everyone can see how everything happens. There is no hidden power here. You can be treated and not treated with homeopathy, but no one should think about it that way” [L.9].

Confessors and elders of our time, such as Metropolitan Anthony of Surozh, Archpriest Nikolai Guryanov, Archimandrite Kirill (Pavlov) and others bless doctors and those who are ill for the use of homeopathy. Archimandrite John (Krestyankin) in his “Sermon on small good deeds” says: “Life itself gives amazing similarities and images of the importance of small deeds. And in medicine, which itself deals with a small and strictly limited number of drugs, there is still a whole area - homeopathic science, which recognizes only very small medicinal quantities on the grounds that our body itself produces extremely small quantities of substances valuable to it, content with them. to maintain and flourish one's life…” [L.2].

In conclusion, let us quote a statement that, in our opinion, accurately reflects both the essence of homeopathy and the attitude of Russian saints towards it. So, on October 17, 1892, at the opening and consecration of a homeopathic pharmacy in St. Petersburg, the holy righteous John of Kronstadt said: “Your method is the most reasonable and true. Divine wisdom itself has not found a surer means of healing mankind who is afflicted by sin and innumerable diseases than the healing of like with like. Before the Cross, His death and Resurrection, Christ established for all ages for the most effective healing of sinful mankind the greatest Sacrament of Communion of the Cross Body and His Blood, united with the Divine. This means that in the God-Man Himself we have an example of the healing of like by like. May the God-Man Himself and the Almighty Creator and Physician of sick humanity always be your all-powerful helper in your generally beneficial actions!” [L.2].

Basic principles of homeopathy

So, let's try to highlight the main thing from the previous one.

What is homeopathy? From the point of view of the mechanism of action, homeopathy is a form of medicinal regulatory therapy that mobilizes and normalizes the body's defenses (G. Köhler), as if "forgotten" - due to illness - about these own reserves of self-healing. What is the basis for such an awakening and further regulation of the defenses of the human body? The basic principles of the homeopathic method of treatment were formulated by the German doctor of the 18th-19th centuries, Samuel Hahnemann, who, back in 1796, in the medical work “The Experience of a New Principle of Finding the Healing Properties of Medicinal Substances”, published his conclusions on the first, fundamental principle - the principle of similarity. And then, over the decades, developing and refining his theses, put forward on the basis of the results of subsequent experiments and medical practice - in the book "Organon of Medical Art" (in its sixth edition!) - he finally outlined the four basic provisions of the new homeopathic method of treatment he founded:

1. Like is treated by like (similarity principle).
2. Potentiation of substances is necessary for obtaining homeopathic medicines.
3. Testing drugs - on healthy people.
4. Accounting for the individual picture of the disease.

Let's dwell on them in a little more detail.

Similarity principle

“In order to treat correctly, safely, quickly and reliably, select in each specific case only such a medicine that can cause a condition similar to the suffering (homoion pathos) that is to be healed” - this is how Hahnemann himself formulates this principle.

Thus, the essence of the principle of similarity is that the symptoms that we see in a sick person are similar to those painful manifestations that the desired homeopathic remedy will cause in a healthy person who has a suitable constitutional type.

Considering that a homeopathic remedy, when it enters the body, causes the so-called “drug disease”, which should replace the “natural disease”, Hahnemann emphasized in his treatises that this is possible only when the “drug disease” is strong enough. And - the more similarity will be in the symptoms of "medicinal" and "natural" diseases - the stronger will be the healing effect of such a medicine.

Potentiation of substances

In turn, the strength of the “drug disease” necessary for successful healing depends not only on the degree of similarity of symptoms, but also on the activity of the drug, which can be increased by potentiation(or dynamization). The obligatory implementation of this process during the preparation of the medicine is the named principle.

How does potentiation happen?

It turns out that the future drug acquires the above-mentioned activity when multiple breeding its parent substance (chosen according to the symptoms) - if the dilution is carried out simultaneously with a long and vigorous shaking containers in which the substance is diluted.

If we are talking about an insoluble substance, from which a homeopathic preparation was obtained by rubbing the starting material with sugar, then potentiation in this case occurred when prolonged rubbing each of the following dilutions.

However, what does it mean - "with prolonged rubbing"? In the writings of Hahnemann, it was noted that the potentiation of dilution alone requires rubbing for at least ... three hours!

Testing drugs on healthy people

Checking on his own body the reaction of a healthy person to the effect of cinchona peel - a reaction described in a foreign treatise, and so similar to the symptoms of malaria, which was cured by the same cinchona - Hahnemann logically came, in fact, to substantiate a new homeopathic method of treatment. Therefore, the principle of homeopathy named here was formulated by him one of the first.

Later, the development of the theses of this particular principle led to the emergence of the concept of homeopathic medicine. constitutional type drug, which turned out to be very important for the accurate choice of medicine.

As it turned out, the characteristic symptoms of a “drug disease” did not occur in all participants in the trials of this drug (and the volunteers for the tests were specially selected from both sexes, different temperaments, ages, and different appearances). It turned out that the "drug disease" was clearly manifested only in some people who were somewhat similar to each other: in terms of external and mental characteristics, according to the anamnesis of previous years of life. According to these features, a description of the constitutional signs of people who are especially sensitive to the test drug was created.

It should be noted that the clinical picture of the "drug disease" of healthy people is often referred to as fine toxicological,(i.e. in a light and not always complete manifestation) - in contrast to the term gross toxicological- this is what specialists call the characteristic of a substance in which All manifestations of obvious poisoning by its poisonous substance. (This kind of data is obtained, of course, no longer from tests on healthy people, but from publications and scientific reports of specialists in emergency medical care, resuscitation, treatment of occupational diseases, etc.)

The principle of taking into account the individual picture of the disease

Its essence is that even in the same constitutional type of people - the disease can have different modalities symptoms. And this, in turn, - it would seem, with the same diagnosis! - requires the appointment of sometimes completely different drugs. It is clear that this principle partly echoes the above principle of similarity.

Finally, summarizing what has been said, one can also imagine that “homeopathy is a field of medicine that studies the effect of dynamized substances on the body of a healthy person, and uses such substances to treat patients, based on the principle of similarity” [L.10].

Preparation of homeopathic medicines

Structure of raw materials
(Homeopathic Materia Medica).

Let's start with the fact that the persistent opinion about homeopathy - as about herbal treatment - is not entirely true.

All homeopathic Materia Medica consists of only 70-75% of remedies vegetable origin.

Approximately 20% of homeopathic medicines are prepared from minerals, acids, alkalis and other chemicals. And only 5% - accounts for products animal, organic origin.

The main difference from phytotherapy

There is a decisive difference between homeopathic medicines and herbal remedies - the medical science of the treatment of medicinal herbs, with which homeopathy is most often confused. What is their difference?

The fact is that in herbal medicine, mainly water and alcohol herbal extracts are used, where clearly present biologically active substances of plants, under the influence of which a healing transformation accumulates. But in homeopathy - on the contrary: such - at the chemical level - the presence of bioactive substances in the basis of the drug, in practice, No. Or - their presence is extremely small. Why? Yes, because all homeopathic pharmacology is built, in fact, on multiple - from 10 to 100,000 or more times! - dilutions raw materials, when only a certain “trace” of the primary medicinal material remains in the carrier base (alcohol, water, sugar) of the finished homeopathic preparation.

What does “drug dilution” mean, and what are they?

Index degree of attenuation concentration of the starting substance (as it is gradually diluted) - is called dilution of the drug or - drug potency. This- key concepts in the science of homeopathic medicines and their preparation, which simultaneously dilution of the drug also provides for its potentiation (dynamization) - that is, vigorous and prolonged shaking of the vessel in which it is diluted, or - prolonged rubbing of powdered dilution in a mortar. After such a procedure, the healing power of the drug increases significantly. That is why "dilution of the drug" means the same as "potency of the drug."

Dilutions are decimal(denoted by the letter D with a number corresponding to the number of times the drug has been diluted tenfold: for example, D3), and - centesimal(denoted by the letter C, with a number corresponding to the number of times the drug has been diluted 100 times: for example, C30).

The whole variety of dilutions of homeopathic remedies is divided into groups:

Low dilutions (D3-C3);
- medium dilutions (C6-C12);
- high dilutions (C30-C100);
- ultra-high dilutions (above C100).

Decimal dilutions. The preparation of homeopathic medicines from plants (according to the "Guide" by Wilmar Schwabe) begins with their collection, usually at the time of flowering. Moreover, unlike the rules of herbal medicine, plants for the future homeopathic medicine are most often harvested as a whole, with roots and flowers. Then it is crushed - all in one container - and poured with a small amount (1:1 or 1:2) of 96% ethyl alcohol. And leave for 1-2 weeks.

Such an infusion of a crushed plant in strong alcohol is called maceration. In the process of maceration, plant cell membranes “burn out” and let biologically active substances into the tincture.

After straining the entire volume, a 50% or 33% tincture was obtained, which was then diluted with the appropriate amount of 45% alcohol.

The tincture obtained in this way is called fita, or - tincture.(In the recipe, it is indicated by the sign T or?). Its concentration corresponds first decimal breeding.

How to get a medicine of a higher dilution from phyta? The logic of the actions necessary for this is clear: for the next decimal dilution, 1 ml of fita is measured, placed in a clean test tube, and 9 ml of diluent (alcohol, or water) is added there. Thus, a total of 10 ml of solution is obtained, but with a concentration already 10 times weaker. Vessel with dilution immediately begin vigorously shake, no less than a few minutes. For in this way, according to Hahnemann, set forth in his treatises, the “healing power” of a substance, due to potentization, passes into a diluent and is enhanced, while the toxic properties of the substance, on the contrary, are weakened ...

So, when the dilution vessel has already been shaken sufficiently, the medicine obtained in it corresponds to second decimal breeding, which is indicated either by the number 2 with a cross (2x), or - as already explained - by the Latin letter D in front of the number 2 (D2). The dilution mark of the drug is affixed behind its Latin name: for example, Calendula D2, or Arnica 2x.

All subsequent decimal dilutions - the third, fourth, fifth, etc. - are obtained in a similar way. However, 1 ml of dilution solution is no longer taken from a vessel with phyta, but from a test tube of the last, just obtained dilution. So, they took, for example, 1 ml of a solution of the fifth decimal dilution. Placed in a clean test tube. Added 9 ml of diluent. Shake. Received the sixth decimal dilution (D6 or 6x). 1 ml is taken from it for the seventh decimal dilution. And so on, until they get to the required decimal dilution prescribed in the recipe.

Hundreds of dilutions. They are obtained in the same sequence as decimal dilutions - however, not 9 ml of diluent, but 99 ml are added to 1 ml of phyta. In this way, only 100 ml of the solution is obtained, which is why they call it then, after prolonged shaking - first hundredth dilution, and are indicated in the recipe by a number without cross, or - 1SN.

For second hundredth dilutions from the resulting 1CH solution are transferred 1 ml into the next, clean test tube and 99 ml of the diluent are added to it in the same way. After proper shaking, it - second centesimal dilution of the drug. And so they do as many times as hundredths of dilutions are prescribed by the recipe for the future medicine. At the same time, each next dilution is also carefully potentiated, then transferring 1 ml of the solution into a new test tube - from the previous one.

The described method of preparing medicines was first tested by Hahnemann, which is why the dilutions are sometimes called "Hahnemann's hundredths". It is the first letter of his surname - “H”, on preparations from Europe, that we sometimes see next to the Latin letter “C”, put down after the number indicating the number of hundredths of dilutions.

In Russia, such solutions are designated either by a single number, or by the letter C with a number. For example, Asonitum 3 or Aconite C3 (that is, the third centesimal dilution of aconite).

Another method for preparing centesimal dilutions was developed by the Russian fan of homeopathy S.N. Korsakov, and throughout the world this method is still called by his name. It attracts with its simplicity: phyta (1 part) is poured into a glass, then 99 parts of diluent, and shaken vigorously. Further, instantly overturning - empty the glass. But - a certain amount of the former content remains on its walls. Korsakov calculated that this amount is approximately 1/100 of the original volume.

Therefore, to obtain the next centesimal dilution, you just need to add 99 parts of the diluent to the glass and potentiate. Thus, repeating this simple sequence the required number of times - and finally reach the desired dilution of the drug.

What are triturations? When a ready-made, concentrated solution - phyta is taken as the initial medicinal material, it is clear that in order to obtain a preparation of a certain dilution, it is subjected to stepwise dilution with a solvent (alcohol, water). And if in the role of source material - insoluble substance? For example, metal?

In this case, homeopathic pharmacology uses rubbing, or ointment, which are called triturations, and in the medicinal prescription are indicated by two Latin letters - tr.

The starting material is poured into a mortar, the calculated amount of sugar or lactose powder is added to it, and this mixture is rubbed with a pestle for a long time: almost “to dust” - to a very fine powder consistency. Only now can subsequent dilutions be obtained from it. To do this, by analogy with the tinctures mentioned above - 1 part of the powder is transferred from the previous trituration into a clean mortar, and 9 parts of saxapa are added to it - when prepared decimal dilutions, or - 99 parts if required centesimal breeding.

Moreover, at each stage of such a “dry” dilution, again and again, the same long rubbing is necessary as at the beginning. In this case, it is this procedure (as well as shaking the vessel with tincture) that is dynamization for powder formulation.

Note that even from an insoluble powder - homeopaths have learned to obtain and drip form of medicine. For this purpose - as a rule, after the third decimal grinding - the powder obtained for the preparation of further dilutions can be dynamized already in a solvent. And then make dilutions in the same way as with tincture. However, mineral medicines of the first, second and third decimal dilutions - the doctor prescribes, basically, only in the form of trituration.

It only remains to add that drugs from organic substances - like, say, apis (source material - dried bees), or - sepeya (source material - dried cuttlefish ink) - are prepared by any of the above methods: it depends only on how sufficient their initial solubility in alcohol is. If it is not possible to obtain a full-fledged phyta from such substances, then triturations are first applied, and so on.

Dosage forms of homeopathic medicines

All homeopathic remedies according to the method of use are divided into two groups of preparations: for internal and for external use.
For internal reception:

Drops on alcohol and water bases (the most common);
- powders;
- granules;
- tablets (used less often);
- ampoules for injections (so far very rare, as novelties of recent years).

How medicines are prepared drops And powders- has already been said above.

Pills pressed from the sugar mass, which is impregnated with a liquid preparation of the required dilution. Sometimes special grades of wax are used to make tablets.

Granules can be prepared in two ways. Or - from ready-made small sugar dragees, which are then simply saturated with the tincture of the drug of the desired dilution. Or, as preferred by most manufacturers of homeopathic medicines - just like tablets: from a whole mass, already saturated with the appropriate medicinal tincture.

Ampoules for injections- only in recent years, so far, units of homeopathic names have appeared. These are complex treatment drugs Mucosa-compositum, Gepar-compositum, Traumeel and others.
For outdoor use:

Ointments;
- oils;
- opedeldocs;
- pure phyta, or its dilutions;
- sprays.

Ointments prepared on the basis of vaseline or lanolin, to which the indicated dilution of the drug is added.

homeopathic oils prepared on the basis of peach, sunflower, or other vegetable oil, to which the necessary dilution of the homeopathic preparation is also added.

Oils and ointments, most often, can be bought in pharmacies in finished form. Especially such popular formulations of complex ointments as Apis-Belladonna (anti-inflammatory, anti-edematous and anti-allergic action); Fleming's ointment (with varicose veins, with severe pain, to reduce skin itching), Calendula ointment (wound healing, anti-inflammatory).

Opodeldok - This is an emulsion based drug. Today they are used quite rarely.

Fita(for example, calendula) is prepared by the method of infusion described above and corresponds to the first decimal dilution. Pure phyta and its further dilutions are used in the form of rubbing, baths, dressings, drops for the nose, eyes, or ears.

Homeopathic sprays- (as well as homeopathic ampoules for injections) are just beginning to be mastered in the field of homeopathic pharmaceuticals. Like, for example, Euphorbium-compositorium nasal spray (nasentropfen). How justified and necessary such developments - time will tell.

II. MODERN SCIENTIFIC DATA
ABOUT THE HOMEOPATIC FACTOR

The lack of a generally accepted explanation of the mechanisms of homeopathic action remains one of the main problems that hinder the recognition of homeopathy. Nevertheless, progress in the study of the homeopathic phenomenon is obvious and is largely due to the orientation of modern research towards the universal laws of nature.

Today, the medical literature contains a lot of information about the very high sensitivity of biological objects to low-intensity influences, including homeopathic influences. Thus, an energy of only 10 -24 W creates an impulse from the hair auditory receptors, and the hearing threshold is determined by a membrane deviation of only 10 -10 m, which approximately corresponds to the diameter of a hydrogen atom. Olfactory cells react to single molecules of odorous substance, and visual receptors - to individual light quanta.

Diluted 125 thousand times! garlic juice inhibits the growth of staphylococci, streptococci, vibrios.

Experiments launched at the beginning of the 20th century by N. Kravkov and successfully continued in recent years by many researchers have shown that biological objects are able to respond to the presence of various substances in concentrations less than 10 -12 M. However, the effect of small doses often observed in the course of research toxic substances is usually regarded as an artifact, because it does not correspond to the idea: "The stronger the stimulus, the stronger the effect."

The general biological problem of the response of living organisms of different levels of evolutionary development to ultra-small effects of environmental factors and the influence of ultra-small doses of biologically active substances is of interest today to representatives of different fields of knowledge.

An adequate assessment of the effectiveness of ultra-low doses of biologically active substances used in homeopathy largely depends on taking into account the results of research in new scientific disciplines, denoted by the terms hormesis, ultra high dilution (super high dilutions), ultra low doses (super low doses), etc.

Currently, the study of the fundamental foundations of homeopathy is based on the generally recognized methods of other natural science disciplines. The results of numerous works became the basis for the recognition of homeopathy as an official science and stimulated the active use of this method not only for the treatment of various diseases, but also for protection against all kinds of exotoxins. Many studies have found significant differences between homeopathic therapy and placebo influence, testifying in favor of homeopathy.

Back in 1924, the outstanding French researcher Zh. Lakhovsky experimentally showed that every living cell is a transmitter and receiver of information. In our time, these ideas have been developed by a number of original experiments by Academician of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences V.P. Kaznacheev and his collaborators.

Research in the field of ultra-low doses, the development of physical chemistry, achievements in physiology and pharmacology, the discovery of the role of enzymes and trace elements that exist in biological objects in doses similar to ultra-high dilutions, discoveries in immunology and genetics have made it possible to identify many aspects of the mechanisms of action on the body of ultra-low doses of biologically active substances .

It has been established that the most effective information carrier in the body is electromagnetic waves of extremely low frequencies (according to J.J. Noval et al.) [L.11]. Most researchers come to the conclusion about the information-wave effect of ultra-high dilutions of active substances on living cells. The basis for such conclusions was laid by the fundamental works of R. Becker, I. Cohen and other scientists. This is also confirmed by C. Bomoroni, J. Beneveniste and others, who discovered a change in the activity of homeopathic preparations under the influence of factors affecting electromagnetic waves (ultrasonic radiation, electromagnetic vibrations, high temperature, etc.).

It is believed that during the impact of ultra-low doses of biologically active substances on the body, the structural-informational property of water plays an important role - the ability to perceive, remember and transmit information.

In the body there are mechanisms for isolating the necessary information from a huge number of electromagnetic waves that are constantly present in the blood and have different vibrational characteristics.

Any dilution of a substance in a solution, as shown by F. Werner, is accompanied by a shift in the phase of an electromagnetic wave that carries information about the dissolved substance. With the complete removal of the xenobiotic, this shift reaches a half-phase, and the voltage of the information trace wave becomes the opposite of the voltage of vibrations of the molecules of the substance itself. As a result of the multidirectional voltage of identical electromagnetic waves, their mutual cancellation occurs, which is the physical component of the homeopathic phenomenon.

S. Hahnemann, substantiating the use of preparations selected according to the likeness in ultra-high dilutions, indicated the presence in the body of unknown protective factors against pathological changes. However, Hahnemann's views did not correspond to the level of scientific ideas of that time about biological processes, and therefore they were simply ignored.

The search for protective factors continued, and in 1884 Ilya Mechnikov presented evidence for a phenomenon he called phagocytosis. His numerous experiments can be schematically represented as follows. From a patient who had an infectious disease, he took blood into which he injected the causative agent of this disease and observed under a microscope the process of absorption of the introduced microorganisms by blood cells, that is, phagocytosis. He had to prove this convincing and clearly presented mechanism of protecting the body from infections for 15 years (Fig. 1).

At that time, medicine was dominated by the humoral theory of body defense, put forward by Paul Ehrlich. His followers demonstrated the same experiment, but all cellular elements were removed from the blood. It was shown that even in cell-free serum, the pathogen was completely inactivated. This experiment confirmed the presence in the body of another protective factor, which is based on antibodies (Fig. 2).

The struggle of two ideas led to the evidence of both and marked the beginning of a rapidly developing science - immunology. At the same time, the undoubted successes of immunology do not give an unambiguous answer to the question of what factor underlies the protective mechanism of the homeopathic phenomenon and what place it occupies in the immune system.

The cellular and humoral theories of immunity finally formed the public horizon, and everything that went beyond it remained incomprehensible and unacceptable. Based on this, in the views of orthodox medicine, the homeopathic phenomenon is unnatural and, in principle, cannot exist.

Nevertheless, the current state of medicine suggests that in a holistic understanding of the body's defenses, precisely those links are missing that can be explained by S. Hahnemann's discovery. However, the role and place of the homeopathic factor in the immune system is still not understood.

It should be noted that, ironically, the least studied of the defense mechanisms, which is based on the homeopathic phenomenon, was presented by S. Hahnemann first, although, according to the logic of events, it should close the chain of historical experiments.

In 2002, on the basis of the St. Petersburg Research Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology. L. Pasteur conducted research aimed at experimental demonstration of the so-called homeopathic factor as one of the mechanisms for implementing the body's defenses. So, the scientists A. A. Komissarenko, L. V. Salycheva and their colleagues continued the classical experiments of Mechnikov and Erlich. The experiments were carried out according to a similar scheme, however, all antibodies were removed from the blood serum by repeated dilution (Fig. 3).

The experiment consisted in the introduction of enteropathogenic E. coli Escherichia coli to mice vaccinated with potentiated serum, which was previously obtained from the blood of a rabbit subjected to standard immunization with the same bacillus.

In mice, after the introduction of potentiated immunized blood serum, in which only information wave trail, developed immunity against this pathogen. Moreover, this immunity cannot be attributed to either humoral or cellular varieties of it, since both phagocytes and antibodies were absent in the serum.

The effect of potentiated immunized blood serum on the virulence of microorganisms was also experimentally determined. The study showed that when exposed to E. coli potentiated immunized blood serum for more than two hours - E. coli loses its virulence and becomes non-pathogenic.

This antitoxic effect creates very favorable conditions for phagocytosis, which occurs 8-10 hours after infection, without toxic damage to the phagocytes themselves.

The experiments carried out confirmed the presence of a homeopathic factor as one of the necessary mechanisms for the implementation of the body's defenses, which largely determines the function of the immune system. Such a mechanism of body defense cannot be attributed to either humoral or cellular immunity, and in our opinion, it can be designated as information-wave immunity.

The influence of this factor on the pathogen makes it avirulent, which allows phagocytosis without the death of phagocytes from absorbed toxins. At the same time, blocking this factor deprives humoral immunity of the protective effect.

Thus, the homeopathic phenomenon and the life processes of the organism are manifestations of the same general biological laws.

III. THE MAIN ISSUES THAT CAUSE DISCUSSION BETWEEN HOMEOPATHY AND OPPOSITORS

Until now, in the Orthodox environment, the question of homeopathy from the point of view of the Orthodox doctrinal truth did not arise at all.

The precedent that stirred up many minds was the articles and speeches of Greek theologians who expressed an extremely negative attitude towards homeopathy and ranked it among the occult sciences. In the brochure of the monk Arseniy Vyankoft [L.12], blessed by the Metropolitan of Cassandria Synedius, it is clearly stated that homeopathy is not a medical discipline. Homeopathy is put on a par with acupuncture(?), meditation, yoga and bioenergetics. As arguments, only those views and statements that belong to well-known homeopathic occultists are used. But, as they say, the family is not without its black sheep, and if some surgeon will be engaged in spiritualism, this does not mean at all that all surgery should be branded as pseudoscience and, as a result, acute appendicitis should not be operated on. The Catholic Church at one time stigmatized Copernicus, Galileo. And the result: "And yet it spins." In our opinion, unsubstantiated attempts to deny what is not yet known is the way to discredit the Church.

As is known, at the end of the 19th century, the outstanding physiologist Sechenov was excommunicated from the Church by Metropolitan Anthony (Vadkovsky) for his innovative work “Reflexes of the Brain”. And now, on the basis of the experiments of an outstanding scientist, such medical specialties as neurology, neurosurgery, neurophysiology, and psychiatry are based.

What is not yet known or incomprehensible does not mean at all that it is wrong: most likely, here is information hidden by God from people for a time.

So, in 1994, Greek theologians condemned homeopathy, and in 2001-2002, scientific data were confirmed that shed light on the action of the homeopathic factor from the point of view of nuclear physics and chemistry.

Let us now try to consider in an unbiased and reasoned way the main points on which there is a dispute between opponents and supporters of homeopathy.

Mode of action of potentized drugs

It is not clear why a homeopathic remedy has medicinal properties. The main argument of homeopathic specialists is the healing of the sick. It does not matter that we do not understand or do not know how these drugs work - the main thing is that the right drug helps. Not today none chemical or physical evidence that some specific property of the original element, such as arsenic, can be transferred in some way to a solution, powder or sugar balls. Moreover, from natural-science ideas - it is impossible to explain the increase in the strength of the drug as it is diluted, combined with shaking [L.13].

A probable "carrier" of information in potentiated drugs may be a group of protein substances present in potentiation media. Let's pretend that active areas are transferred and exist in environments for potentiation as a display. They are perceived by the body and weakly bind to other molecules, the associates are resorbed (i.e. absorbed) and quickly distributed in the body. They only work where their structure fits exactly. The effectiveness and absence of side effects of potentiated drugs are thus explained.

There are limits to the intrusion of science into the macro- and microworld. Einstein's theory has been contested. Quarks were not immediately discovered. There is a limit to our knowledge in physics and chemistry. In the works of J. Strube, P. Stolz, W. Mayer (2002), the preservation of information in water is related to cluster structures [L.14]. (The connection of H 2 O molecules in a group using hydrogen bridges H-OH-…). The well-known model of Nemethy and Scheraga [L.15] indicates that ice and vacuum are independent states of water. Water clusters as stable storages of information are unreliable. H 2 -bridges are destroyed after 10 -10 ° C. Ice is more stable. E. Del Giudice and G. Preparata [L.16,17] indicate that electromagnetic fields in water can induce the formation of special areas. Smith proposed a water model for discussion, according to which a lattice structure of dodecahedrons with a pentagon at the base forms the core of coherent regions - a special compound [L.18]. These structures bind to each other, behave like Josephson junctions, and thus can store vibrational information. Strube reports that dynamization (shaking) produces magnetic fields that can display water structures as spin effects. Existing in the aquatic environment means for potentiation, as well as mobile peptides can change their spatial structure under the influence of molecules of the original substance. Thus, both groups of substances are transformed into structures similar to the original substance. Efficient for the conversion is the electrical interaction of the surfaces - probably supported by the spin fields excited by the shaking of nuclear particles [L.19,20] and coherent regions - which is described in the works of Del Giudice and Preparata [L.16,17]. Previously developed models and hypotheses of potentiation, such as the dipole structure and structural levels in water, remain relevant even with the introduction of the concept of protein trace components [L.21,22,23]. The hydrated protein substances and amino acids contained in the potentiation medium can thus, when shaken, form structures (using factors such as spin effect, coherent regions) that are complementarily similar - as a "negative" - to the parent substance (drug substance to be potentiated). At the next stage (coming as a result of passing through many stages of potentiation), a new complement can be formed to the already existing complementary form, thus forming a “positive”. If this process continues, the next stage will again be the formation of a negative, and so on.

How does the information stored in a potentized preparation realize its physiological effectiveness? This question is related to a special property of water. Amino acids and peptides can be called information carriers.

Placebo effect

The opinion of the opponents of homeopathy

The placebo effect is well known to doctors, and, according to many experts, its role is up to 30% of the total effect of taking any drug. Therefore, from the point of view of pharmacology, even one hundred percent placebo therapy can be quite effective. However, clear pacifiers are generally not considered drugs and are not included in drug registries. Although any doctor has repeatedly used them in the treatment of their patients. The long-term practice of the famous doctor M. Ya. Mudrov, who treated all diseases with three types of powders - gold, silver and plain, is a vivid confirmation of this. In papers of different colors, as it turned out later, there was ordinary chalk powder. But it helped, and how!

Opinion of supporters of homeopathy

Yes, this can happen with any drug if the patient trusts their doctor. For a good doctor, drugs will have a placebo effect in addition to their usual effect. The doctor, at the meeting with which the patient did not feel at least a little better, is a bad doctor.

However, experiments with the action of the homeopathic factor on mice exclude the presence of any placebo effect, since animals are not subject to any suggestion effects and will react to chalk, no matter what color the wrapper is, they will react the same way.

Science or pseudoscience

The opinion of the opponents of homeopathy

Hahnemann is an alchemist. Therefore, the origin of homeopathy is occult, therefore, homeopathy is a pseudoscience.

Opinion of supporters of homeopathy

It must be remembered that modern chemistry owes its appearance to medieval alchemy, in which there really was a lot of extravagance: an attempt to obtain gold from mercury, a philosopher's stone, etc. However, a significant number of chemical reactions were studied in the laboratories of alchemists, many of which then followed the path of natural science and pure scientific experiment and became natural scientists, while others became occult alchemists. In addition, the types of medical effects found empirically or scientifically subsequently acquired a religious coloring of the beliefs of those peoples who lived in this territory.

Europe in the 17th-19th centuries was characterized by a decline in faith and equality. The supremacy of the spiritual values of Christianity in Western Europe was increasingly crowded by a passion for alchemy, poetry, and art. The so-called Renaissance began, which in essence means total secularization (i.e., a departure from churchliness - to secular, worldly) in all areas of society: art, literature, etc. During this period, an unhealthy return to antiquity and paganism is observed against the backdrop of the discrediting of Christianity as a living faith in God. Christianity is clothed in myth, history, legend, tradition, way of life, ritual.

Hahnemann is a child of his time, therefore, along with serious scientific discoveries, an occult element slips through some of his works and views: an attempt to influence the spiritual component of the patient with the help of “peas”, not on the upset psyche, but on the spirit. Here, of course, the error of a person who does not have a solid Christian worldview. However, this does not in the least detract from the significance of Hahnemann's work and his many years of medical experience with conventional remedies.

About the methods of treatment

The opinion of the opponents of homeopathy

Homeopathic doctor, whether he likes it or not, sows a mystically occult gaze on the world and the place of disease in a person's life, and this sin is great, even if it is involuntary. For a sick person who does not know anything about the secrets of homeopathy, there seems to be no great sin in accepting the gift of his recovery from the hands of homeopaths and through some potentized drugs. Of course, being deceived is unpleasant, but if the Lord allows such a recovery, then thank God.

The fact that the homeopath was cunning, speaking about the high efficiency of this particular potency, the patient may never know. Therefore, for the one being treated, this sin is rather a sin of ignorance than a sin of idolatry and eating food sacrificed to idols, which cannot be said about the homeopaths themselves, for they are obliged to know what they are doing.

As a medicinal substance, homeopathic doctors use specially prepared water, ethyl alcohol or sugar, that is, in fact, "spell" products. Homeopathy is therefore primitive magic, where as a secret name invoked medicine spirit, is the Latin name of the corresponding substance. In this case, the ineffectiveness of homeopathic self-treatment also becomes quite understandable, since not only for communication with spirits, but also for a simple sacrifice to soulless idols, one must have some experience and undergo some kind of initiation-training.

Opinion of supporters of homeopathy

Orthodox doctors need to have a fairly balanced position. In the last century, Metropolitan Anthony (Vadkovsky) imposed an ecclesiastical ban on Sechenov for his work "Reflexes of the Brain".

Orthodox Christians must have a deliberate, reasoned, scientifically proven position. Without being able to prove with the help of facts the failure of homeopathy as a science, as a medical direction, one cannot deny its right to exist. In any medical direction, there may be flaws and methods that do not coincide with the Orthodox doctrinal truth, for example, in gynecology. But it is impossible, because of the advocates of in vitro fertilization, contraception and abortion, to defame the entire specialty as anti-religious. There are ten times more non-Orthodox moments in gynecology than in homeopathy. But this does not mean that gynecology should be classified as a pseudo-medical science and the treatment of the rest of the gynecological pathology (cysts, erosions, endometriosis, fibroadenomas, etc.) should be stopped.

Now there is evidence that the molecules of all substances, including medicinal ones, have wave properties, which can also be important when affecting affected and diseased human organs.

The unbalanced position of Orthodox doctors in controversial issues and hasty conclusions can discredit Orthodoxy.

Despite the extremely negative attitude of Helladic theologians to homeopathy, their criticism of the method contains many correctly posed questions that allow one to cut off dubious points and exclude directions that contradict Orthodox doctrinal truth. Simply put, having a complete picture of the relationship to homeopathy, we can outline the circle beyond which it is inappropriate for an Orthodox doctor to go.

IV. SUMMARY

Firstly, the homeopathic physician should not practice the patient's confession, since the collection of anamnesis "morby"(that is, the history of a real illness) and collecting information about the spiritual experiences of the patient and his falls into sin are two different things, since the first is the prerogative of the doctor, the second - the priest. Hence, the intervention of homeopathy in the spiritual realm is unacceptable. Attempts to correct a person's passions with the help of "peas" inevitably lead to occultism. Therefore, an Orthodox homeopath is a doctor who treats the human body, correcting, if necessary, the patient's psyche, but not invading the area of correction of the spirit.

Secondly, some foreign homeopathic firms began to introduce the ideology of non-Christian philosophical systems into the worldview base of homeopathic doctors. For example, the German company "Heel" openly professes the anthroposophic system of Dr. Steiner and, on the basis of this, builds the concept of prescribing certain medicines.

Not having a Christian worldview, the company produces drugs known to homeopaths under the name "nosodes". The composition of these preparations includes substances obtained from the urethra of a gonorrheal patient, syphilitic gums, tuberculous caverns, etc. In the Orthodox Church, the ingestion of such substances, even in a therapeutic dose, is considered as desecration.

A person with defiled lips (oral cavity, etc.) does not have the right to partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ. In order to get this right again, he must come to the church, to the priest, with a request to read a prayer over him from defilement.

Thirdly, the position of a number of homeopaths on endowing preparations with special properties and a certain "spirit" - in one case was associated with the lack of development of terminology (primitive terminology of the 16th-18th centuries), in the other - with the presence of occult views and beliefs inherent in some homeopathic alchemists .

Therefore, the area of activity of an Orthodox homeopath can be outlined by the following boundaries: an Orthodox homeopath is a doctor with a higher medical education; specialized in homeopathy; based in its practical activities and theoretical research on the Orthodox Christian worldview; not practicing in his work drugs from his own secretions of the sick type "nosodes", as well as drugs that act on the spiritual area of the human soul and "change" the degree of sinfulness, and the quality of human morality; not replacing the collection of anamnesis, that is, data on the life and characteristics of the course of the disease - the patient's confession about his sins and spiritual and religious searches and experiences.

LITERATURE

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2. Homeopathic Yearbook. M.: Valang, 2003.

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4. Priest Anthony Ilyin. Is Homeopathy Orthodox? // Nezavisimaya Gazeta, 09.02.2000.

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10. Homeopathy. Complete encyclopedia. St. Petersburg: All, 2001.

11. Noval J.J., Sohler A., Reisberg R.B., Coyne H., Straub K.D., and McKinney H. Extremely low frequency electric field induces changes in rate of growth and brain and liver enzymes of rats // Compilation of Nazrysponsored ELF biomedical and ecological research reports. 1976. V. 3.

12. Homeopathy - Zealot, N5 (12), 1999. (with reference to Plerophoros, N 12, 1997. S. 2-4.)

13. Hieromonk Anatoly (Berestov). Separating the tares from the seeds. January 6, 2002 http://www.orthodoxy.ru.

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16. Del Giudice E., Preparata G., Vitiello G. Water as a Free Electric Dipole Laser // Phys Rev Lett. 1938. V. 61(9). P. 1085-1088.

17. Del Giudice E. Is the Memory of Water a Physical Impossibility / Endler P. C, Schulte J. (eds.) Ultra High Dilution-Physiology and Physics. Oordrecht, Boston. London. Kluwer Academic Publishers. 1994. P. 117-119.

18. SmithWITH. W. Homeopathy, structure and coherence // Homeopathy in Focus-ZDN-Congress Proceedings 1989, Kongressband "Homoopathie im Brenn-punkt" zurn modernsten Stand der Diskussion. Essen: VGM Verlag fur Ganzheitsmedizin, 1989.

19. Strube J. Spinresonanzen physikalische Grundlage einer elektro mag netischen Bioinformation in Homoopathie / ZDM (H): Wissenschaftliche Grundlagen der besonderen Therapierichtungen und naturlichen Heilweisen. Essen: VGM, 1992. P. 231-234.

20. Strube J., Stolz P. Elektromagnet Strukturabbilder (EMSA) als Wirkprinzip der Informationsubertra bei der Potenzieiung von Arzneien // Med. 1999. V. 26(6). P. 294-303.

21. Kumar A; Jussal R.L. A hypothesis on the nature of homoeopathic potencies// Br Hom J. 1979.V. 68. P. 197-204.

22. Resch G., Gutmann V. Wissenschaftliche Grundlagen des Wassers als Informationstrager / Engler I. (Hrsg). Wasser - Polaritatsphanomen, Informationstrager. Lebens-Heilmittel Teningen. Sommer-Verlag, 1989. P. 193-216.

23. Gutman V. Strukturdynamik in sigem Wasser / Wasser und Information - Aspekte homoopathischer Forschung. Heidelberg: Karl F. Haug, 1993, pp. 39-49.

ARCHPRIEST SERGIY FILIMONOV- Rector of the St. Petersburg Church in the name of the icon of the Mother of God "Sovereign", professor, doctor of medical sciences, candidate of theology. One can only envy his seething energy! Father Sergius built 6 hospital churches and chapels, organized a community of sisters of mercy, the center of mercy of St. mcc. Tatiana, a brotherhood of sobriety, a brotherhood of compassion and mercy, a counseling center for the rehabilitation of victims of magic, the occult, alcoholism and drug addiction, a suburban rehabilitation center, founded the Society of Orthodox Doctors of St. Petersburg, contributed to the founding of the Society of Orthodox Doctors of Russia, similar societies and sisterhoods in other cities Russia. About the activities of his last offspring, about what worries Orthodox doctors today, how they relate to certain phenomena, we are talking today with Father Sergius.

Tasks of the organization

- Father Sergiy, tell us about your organization. What are its goals and objectives?

The Society of Orthodox Doctors is a public organization that has united the believing Orthodox doctors of St. Petersburg into a single conciliar body, which allows doctors to have unanimity about the problems that arise in modern medicine, which are now called the special term "biomedical problems". We also set ourselves the goal of helping those citizens - primarily believers who need treatment and do not have the appropriate funds for this.

I know that the organization was originally conceived in order to resist the occult, witchcraft and other dark forces, as well as totalitarian sects.

Yes, and also to engage in the rehabilitation of injured persons, and through this rehabilitation to engage in missionary work, and through missionary work to open people's eyes, what the Church allows to do in relation to the treatment of one's body, and where one should not turn, and what serious consequences this can lead to. Therefore, naturally, it resulted in such scientific and educational goals. We hold various meetings for which people from all over the city can openly gather, we use various kinds of printed publications - newspapers, magazines, we conduct speeches on radio and television, in other words, we use a wide range of all media, including the Internet, in order to mark your positions.

Rejuvenation is a sin

- Please tell us about the conclusions you came to while researching certain topical issues, for example, about your attitude towards rejuvenation with stem cells.

Considering this issue from the point of view of a believer, I believe that one should be very careful. Usually, rejuvenation occurs with the help of stem cells or some kind of technology is used: fetal therapy, fetal creams or special injections. If rejuvenation is an end in itself, it does not give a person anything. Moreover, it comes into conflict with God's plan for man: after all, according to the Creator's plan, man must live a certain number of years and die. And if he aims to rejuvenate in order to be attractive - for example, women want men to react, so that at the age of 50 it would be possible to seduce a man and he ended up with such a 50-year-old or 60-year-old woman in bed, or concluded with her a completely absurd marriage with a 20-30-year difference - then this is not true.

- Because the goals that are set are earthly, sinful?

Yes, they are quite conflicting with God. Another thing is when a person maintains the vital activity of his body through some kind of diet, or abstinence from alcohol, or undergoes a spa treatment, because he has hard work to do during the year, or he has a family and many children, he spends a lot of energy, to feed them - and therefore he goes to preventive treatment, or goes to the gym once a week - this is normal. This kind of “rejuvenation” of the body can be treated positively. This is not contrary to God's plan for man.

Why are GMOs dangerous?

- Tell me, is there any data on genetically modified foods? Are they really harmful to the human body?

Work on genetically modified products was carried out, and we had a specialist who dealt with this issue quite seriously, even had monographs, but at present all scientific work in this area has been curtailed.

- Why?

There are certain reasons. Those companies, let's call them multinationals (they occupy almost the entire market for these products, and their headquarters are in the United States), are interested in this, so that these products are widely distributed throughout the world. And even when a law was passed in Europe to restrict the import of modified products, thanks to the financial resources that the companies gave, they were able to change the existing legislation. This law has been repealed. Grains that are sown from these products, as a rule, do not give more than two shoots. Then you need to contact the manufacturer again. This means that everyone gets on the so-called "food hook", as they will depend on the companies that produce it.

What effect do these products have on the human body?

Research on this issue is not carried out, and it is clear that people who work in the market for the sale of these products are not interested in the information about the negative impact of these products on the human body. Here the interests of big capital, big money, are already emerging, and it is clear that these companies are lobbying for all scientific research in this area. I know that many such laboratories were closed and the scientists who did such research were persecuted.

But do you already know something?

In order to say how modified products can work, one or two generations of people using these products need to pass, and a mass survey of a large sample of one hundred to two hundred thousand people who use these products must be carried out. Then you can determine their positive or negative effect. But we know from the experience of human life that any genetic modifications, any games with genes - they do not pass without a trace for the human body.

I want a baby at any cost?

AFTER THE MEETING OF THE SOCIETY.
Conversation with doctors

- Tell me, how do people relate to such phenomena as in vitro conception or surrogate motherhood?

On these issues there is a conciliar opinion of the Church. The Jubilee Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church in 2000 made it absolutely clear that all types of in vitro fertilization that currently exist are not blessed by the Church, because during these fertilizations things happen that the Church cannot accept. And the most unacceptable thing is the reduction of extra embryos. A type of artificial insemination is allowed, when everything happens naturally without in vitro conception. But, unfortunately, its efficiency is not very high, it does not exceed 20%. Therefore, this is a purely individual issue, but, naturally, the use of someone else's genetic material, no matter how excellent the technique, and even if there is no reduction of embryos, is a violation of the integrity of marriage. There is a foreign genetic set. This means that a stranger appears in the family. It is not visible, but its genes are present in this child. This means that the integrity of the marriage has been violated and the spouses do not follow the will of God, but are looking for a workaround.

- What about surrogate motherhood?

Now a new draft law on reproductive technologies is being prepared (it was prepared by the Russian Ministry of Health), in which surrogate motherhood is legalized. And in the law on the protection of the health of citizens, this type of technology is approved. But it must be said that this legislative decision is absolutely contrary to the law of God. Because raising a child in the womb of someone else's mother is unnatural and violates all sorts of ethical principles. Such a born child can have several parents at the same time. And this is complete nonsense! For example, in Brazil there was a barren daughter, her mother decided to give birth to her child. She became a surrogate mother for her daughter, gave birth to a child. A dual situation has arisen: on the one hand, she is a mother for the child, on the other hand, she is also a grandmother. There is confusion: who is she then - grandmother or mother? Who is the daughter in relation to her now? That is, questions arise both in the medical and social plane, and in the spiritual, moral and ecclesiastical plane. And problems are everywhere. Therefore, of course, such a technique is unacceptable.

- While we have hundreds of thousands of orphans without parents, we can take them calmly and educate them.

Yes, if there is a desire, responsibility and civil courage.

Sins and sickness - connected

Let's talk about diseases. Tell me, is there any logical connection between some human sins and diseases?

Well, there is some connection. Orthodox doctors and priests, based on medical and pastoral experience, see them well. For example, a person is constantly angry, irritated, screaming, yelling, scandalous. What is his sin? He is infected with an angry irritable passion. If he does not fight it and does not educate himself in the spirit of meekness, in the spirit of patience, generosity, humility, then this sin, his sinful passion can result in a stomach ulcer or hypertension. Therefore, those people who often freak out, all the time make noise, shout, and are indignant often get sick with hypertension. If a person has a prodigal passion, then, of course, he can stumble upon a sexually transmitted infection.

Do believers handle illnesses differently?

People who understand that sinful passions must be countered by the virtue of patience and prayer, endure everything complacently, thank God, pray and, thanks to this, overcome depressive states. And those who continue to be in this sin, in this passion, develop various mental illnesses. And if there is no mental illness, then they are in some kind of psychopathic state, and then they poison the lives of themselves and those around them - hence the thoughts not of continuing to fight for life, but of stopping it. That's the connection with this passion. So, if you dig, then, of course, you can see that certain diseases are associated with passions. However, one cannot only engage in the anthropomorphism of passions or say that this particular disease is clearly connected with this passion. There is something that is visible, but there are things that are closed to us and are the mystery of God, and we should not try to reveal something here.

Why confession and communion are important

- What role does confession and communion play in healing people?

Confession and communion play a huge role in the life of a sick person. I must say that, observing what happens to people as a result of confession and communion, at one time, as a doctor, I came to the idea of becoming a clergyman. As a result of deep repentance, the Lord can change the physical condition of a person, and this is a reality, and we are observing it. Our parish is located near the hospitals. There are 3 large hospitals nearby - 122 medical unit, regional hospital, police department hospital. We go to the sick, the sick themselves turn to us. During this time, and we have been carrying out this ministry for 17 years, there have been tens of thousands of appeals. And we clearly see these patterns - how they recover without a planned surgical intervention, when they repent and take communion.

- That is, people received miraculous healing?

There were cases of miraculous healing, and there were cases of successful recovery, there were cases of a favorable course of the operation. There were cases when people could become crippled, were in a state incompatible with life, and came out, as they say, dry from the water. What we managed to see contradicts the very laws of physics. God intervenes in the ongoing processes and continues, like 2000 years ago, to heal people. He Himself sees how and when to apply healing through a doctor, and when He Himself intervenes. Of course, during this time we have become convinced not theoretically, but practically, how the Sacrament of the Church helps the person who addresses it.

- And you advise all patients, before going to the doctors, to go to church and confess and take communion?

Well, it is difficult to advise all patients, because among the patients there are both non-believers and few believers. And not to believe in God is their position. We say that it is necessary, and the person himself makes a choice. We remind them of the words of St. Nil of Sinai that before doctors turn to God and prayer.

Are we a healthy nation?

- To what extent, in your opinion, are we a sick or healthy nation? Are there any statistics?

There are statistics, and these statistics are presented annually at the Christmas Educational Readings in Moscow. It was brought by people of very high rank, those who had access to information. Statistics is a very complex thing, it cannot be fully trusted. But, nevertheless, even with those not always accurate and correct indicators that the statistical authorities have, some trends can be traced, and one of them is known as the “Russian cross”.

- Is it when the death rate exceeds the birth rate?

Yes. We are clearly seeing a demographic decline. We see this both in our city of St. Petersburg and throughout the country. The reasons are known. But at the moment we cannot influence this process, because, firstly, the existing laws do not allow changing the situation, and, secondly, because the voice of the Church is not heard among the people at the moment. People do not hear the alarm of the Church about the danger that hangs over the people. I do not want to scare people with these numbers and upset ...

Well, what is the most alarming for you - perhaps the increasing cases of infertility? I read somewhere that 25% of couples in our country do not have children due to infertility. Or maybe the rise of alcoholism?

The number of people who suffer from infertility actually reaches even, according to some researchers, up to 40%.

- And what is it connected with?

With promiscuous sex life. Today, as it were, everything is permitted, and we are instilled with the Western image of family relations, where a husband and wife are not husband and wife, but partners, or friends for a while, and as a result of this hectic life, people do not give birth to children on time, and then illness, who develop do not allow them to have children. This time. The second is, of course, the high level of alcoholism and drug addiction. In addition, a huge number of abortions, now - 2 million a year. But, nevertheless, abortion is allowed. If the institution of the family is not strengthened and childbearing is not encouraged, then we will not be able to get out of the situation of the “Russian cross” that has developed at the moment.

How to help a dying person?

- Father Sergius, we will all die one day. Perhaps the interview will be read by a person who is mortally ill. How can you help a dying person prepare for death?

First of all, a dying person needs to be reminded that this is still a certain stage of life. That death is such a segment that is part of life. And this is a very important part of life that must be lived, lived meaningfully. And very often this segment helps to dot the "i" in a person's life. The second is for a person who approaches this milestone to remember that death is only a comma, it is not a point in his personal being. Because this comma is followed by eternal life. And therefore, a person who is at this stage must live in the hope of eternal life, and prepare for it accordingly, understand that he will meet with God. And that after this comma, a big, real, unfolded life will only begin. That the life that was here is only a preparation, it is only a test of a person's inclinations, traits of his character, his relationship to God, his relationship to eternity, his devotion, and real life will begin there. There, a person will be given the opportunity to develop all his abilities, and time there will not be limited. Because our God is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living. Therefore, a dying person must believe in life, and not in going into some incomprehensible non-existence. And this should give him a very strong support. But for this crucial moment of transition there, to eternity, he must prepare accordingly.

Often the departure of a person to another world accelerates a huge amount of negative news coming from the TV screen. Tell me, how can you protect yourself?

First, you need to understand that journalists provide information that realizes them as journalists, this is their bread and butter. But this does not mean that every person should react to it all. There are wonderful programs that, for example, make a person think about something, analyze the situation in the country, for example, the programs of Mamontov, a well-known journalist. Then, there are programs where people remember the Great Patriotic War, it is also useful to remember. There are programs from the field of culture, which are important to watch with children, about geography, about animals - some kind of general development. There are very deep programs of spiritual and moral content that make you think about life, look at the problem from some angle - of course, we will choose this program. But this does not mean that we should look at all the negative that pours out on us. We are the masters here.

Before the interview, you looked at our newspaper. Can you tell me how important it is for newspapers like Eternal Call to have a place in society? And what would you advise readers?

Those guidelines that your newspaper gives lead a person to think about how he should build his life spiritually and what conclusions he should draw when analyzing his current state. This should not be idle reading, but reading for action, reading for practice. A person should ask: what can I do, what in me corresponds to what I read, what does it give me? Any spiritual literature, including the newspaper that you deal with, certainly contributes to the fact that this influences the salvation of a person's soul. Everything that influences the salvation of a person's soul is positive, it is blessed by God. And everything that turns him away from this salvation - it harms a person and simply wastes his strength. Therefore, I wish the readers that they are not “tadpoles”, that is, it does not turn out that there is a lot in their heads, but in practice there is very little, but that they slowly introduce into their lives, commensurate with it what they read in the newspaper or in other spiritual publications.

- Thank you very much, Father Sergius!

Interviewed by Sergei Romanov
Photos from the archive about. Sergius