The Evil Eye

Fr. Savvas Anastasiou

Tuesday, 29 November 2011 17:28

For the past few years now I have come across a superstition among the Greek people concerning good luck and bad luck and how one may ward off evil. Some feel that they can protect themselves from evil by wearing an evil eye talisman (τέλεσμα) around their neck; most have it hanging on a chain together with their cross. The cross of Christ is sufficient for our protection. Evil eye jewelry, whether it is a pendant or a bracelet key-chain etc., is not Christian at all. We cannot trust in God and in the evil eye talisman. In the Old Testament, the Israelites were wavering between worshipping the true God and worshipping the pagan god Baal. The Prophet Elias “came unto all the people, and said, How long will ye waver between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.” The second commandant states “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” We cannot have faith in Christ and simultaneously have faith in trinkets which are of demonic origin.

Some would claim that wearing a blue eye next to the cross of Christ as a means to ward off evil is a part of the Orthodox Christian faith; it is most certainly not.

The following is from a company which sells evil eye jewelry called the “Evil Eye Store” (evileyestore.com) which tells the history of the evil eye talisman.

“At almost every stage of human history, man has looked for the assistance of magic objects called talismans to defy evil forces. Talismans with letters, numbers or abstract signs have survived to this day. Even the modern religions with a single god have their own evil eye symbols. [!!!] One of these symbols we find in almost every culture and faith for thousands of years. It’s the figure of an eye. Belief in the evil eye is strongest in the Middle East, East and West Africa, South Asia, Central Asia, and Europe, especially the Mediterranean region.

According to the Native American version, a person who stares fixedly at a pregnant woman or a child or who is too admiring or physically affectionate with children may produce a malicious effect on their lives, whether or not by intent. Our new series is hand hammered evil eye bracelets with cross or hamsa symbol. Hamsa hand evil eye bracelets and necklaces are worn by people who have the faith in a - Supreme Power - and find themselves at a cross-road in life. [But Orthodox Christians have faith in our Lord, God and Saviour Jesus Christ, not in some “Supreme Power”] Carefully crafted pieces - High quality materials and created by master artisans to bring the protection of positivity to the wearer.”

Evil eye jewelry is obviously demonic in origin in that it is present in many pagan religions. Some have told me that “it is a part of our religion”, I can assure you that this has nothing to do with Christianity, it is satanic, something which the Greeks call «λευκή μαγεία» or “white magic”. There is no such thing as good magic, all magic is demonic. Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ has told us “…if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?” It is simply another ruse of the evil one who, as we know, is transformed into an angel of light.

Further evidence that the evil eye talisman is not Christian is that it exists nowhere in Orthodox iconography, vestments or other church adornments. It may be argued that in some Greek Orthodox churches there is an eye contained within a triangle with rays emanating from it, this is not universally accepted and of doubtful origin.

Some have asked me “does the Orthodox Church believe in the evil eye?” The answer to this would depend on what is meant by “the evil eye”. If the talisman is meant as a means whereby evil may be “warded off”, then the answer is “no”. The Orthodox Church does teach that evil exists and that witchcraft exists. People who are envious of other people may harm others through the aid of demonic forces. Protection from demonic forces is found only within the Ark of Salvation, the Church; the Body of Christ, which has Him as Its head. Such things as the «ξεμάτιασμα» or “de-eyeing” which exist in secular Greek culture whereby a woman recites a self-composed illiterate sounding “prayer” using half ecclesiastical Greek and half demotic Greek which usually rhymes and then blows and spits in the person’s face, are a blasphemous mockery of the Mysteries of the Orthodox Church, including Baptism. Evidence that such things are outside of the Church is that it does not exist in any ecclesiastical book and is always performed by women. There is a prayer in the Euchologion for the priest to read for the one affected by a spell which was composed by St Basil the Great.

The Rudder has the following to say about protection from spells: “Some persons recommend that those couples who are about to be wedded, in order to remain unharmed by any such binding (or spell), should first confess all their sins, fast and partake of the divine Mysteries, and afterwards get married, as we have said. Some order that the bridegroom carry on his person the volume of the four sacred Gospels when they are being married. And experience has shown the efficacy of faith in many persons. For, according to divine Chrysostom, wherever there is (an Orthodox edition of) the Gospel, the Devil does not dare to approach, accordingly, it is an ancient custom for women and young children to hang Gospels round their neck by which they obtain great protection (Homily 32 on the Gospel according to St. John etc.)”.

Concerning «φυλακτά» “phylakta”: It is a small pillow with a cross on both sides, there should not be an eye on one side, which is usually pinned on a baby’s clothing for protection from demonic energies. What is contained in the phylakton is as follows: After the consecration of a church there remains in a pot a remnant of wax-masticha and other materials used during the consecration, included in the mixture is Holy Myrrh. This mixture is hot and in liquid form. The white garment which the Bishop wore during the consecration is then put into the pot and the pot is wiped clean with the garment. When the garment dries and becomes hard, being soaked with the mixture, it is cut into small pieces and sown into the “phylakta” and given out to the faithful as a blessing. This is a perfectly Orthodox Christian practice in concert with the above mentioned custom of wearing a Gospel around our necks. After all, we all wear crosses so as to keep Christ close to our hearts.

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