Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill said that the rite of exorcism of evil spirits is useful for the treatment of mentally ill people. He believes that prayers can be useful when doctors are powerless, RIA Novosti reports..

The head of the Russian Orthodox Church notes that "people who do not receive healing, even relieve their illness through treatment to doctors, come to church".

"And since ancient times there is a rank of exorcism from people, special prayers are read, the author of which is Basil the Great.

And many spiritually strong shepherds help people get rid of this terrible obsession, "says the patriarch.

He added that psychiatrists often "come across at times with such psychic phenomena that can not be explained by illness".

Kirill notes that despite skepticism, the church's task is to "remind them that this force is real and that the victim of the impact of this force can be everyone who is deprived of the experience of prayer and who has separated himself from God".