This "black book" did not just talk about magical rituals and practices, but itself possessed extraordinary and destructive power …
The people dubbed it “the Bible of the devil”. At least, under this name it is known in Russia. As the legends say, the history of the manuscript dates back to the time of Byzantium, and it contained information received from the Roman and Egyptian sorcerers-Satanists.
Anyone who managed to get hold of the manuscript and use magic spells supposedly received power over any evil spirits that could fulfill any of his wishes. At the same time, it was impossible to get rid of the book: it did not burn in the fire, did not drown in the water, and each time it returned to its owner. Swearing on it was like selling a soul to the devil.
The book was called black not only because it connected a person with dark forces. They said that its pages were black, and the magic formulas written on them were white. If the book got to someone who had no right to own it, misfortunes fell on him, and if he also tried to use spells, then he himself became a victim of an evil spirit that got out of control and it’s good if he stayed alive!
Elusive book
In Russia, the book of a certain Peter Mogila "Black Magic" claims to be the "devil's Bible". Of course, Metropolitan of Kiev and Galician Pyotr Mohyla has nothing to do with this creation. The author of "Black Magic" was supposedly a very strong sorcerer and lived, according to some sources, during the time of Ivan the Terrible, according to others - in the Peter's era. Or perhaps there was no Pyotr Mogila at all, and all this is pure inventions …
According to one of the legends, the first and last edition of "Black Magic" was printed in Kiev in the 16th century. Upon learning of this, Ivan the Terrible ordered to destroy all copies, and those who were related to the publication, executed or sent to monasteries so that they would repent there for the rest of their lives. According to another version, the books were not destroyed, but walled up in a stone pillar. It is impossible to get them, the imposed spell interferes. However, it is possible that the "black books" ended up in "Libereya" - the famous library of Ivan the Terrible, which everyone heard about, but no one has any idea where to look for it.
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They also say that Ivan IV accidentally discovered a cache in the underground of the Kremlin, equipped on the orders of his father, Moscow Prince Vasily. It contained scrolls in foreign languages and Russian translations made by Maxim the Greek.
On March 18, 1584, Ivan the Terrible died suddenly (by the way, the Karelian Magi called him this date). The body of the king after death was greatly swollen. But he was not ill with anything! And then rumors spread among the people that a curse was imposed on the royal treasury: whoever touches it will die prematurely, a terrible death. And the curse was supposedly imposed by the grandmother of Terrible, Sophia Paleologue, who was reputed to be a witch. It was she who in 1472 brought invaluable books from Byzantium as her dowry. But, apparently, it was not for nothing that the princess ordered the Italian artist and architect Aristotle Fiorovanti to build an underground hiding place for his treasures and brick it up. Was it not the "black" books that was the point?
One way or another, the belief about the curse seemed to come true. Boris Godunov, trying to find the hidden library, ended his life under mysterious circumstances. His successor False Dmitry, who was also looking for the Kremlin treasure, was killed, his corpse was burned, the ashes were scattered, mixed with gunpowder and fired from a cannon …
Rolled into concrete
It is known that the sister of Peter I, Tsarevna Sofya Alekseevna, instructed the clerk Vasily Makariev to examine the underground passages of the Kremlin. Makariev came across an iron door under the Troitskaya tower, locked with several forged locks. A lattice window could be seen in it. Bringing the light to it, Makariev saw a room filled with huge chests all the way to the arch. The clerk told Sophia about his unexpected find. Shortly thereafter, he mysteriously disappeared. And Tsarevna Peter I was sent to the Novodevichy Convent for participating in a conspiracy …
Historian and archaeologist of the first half of the last century I. Ya. Stelletsky devoted most of his life to searching for the lost library. I dug all the labyrinths under the Kremlin … But to no avail.
Perhaps the mystery of the underground passage leading under the Moskva River to the Tainitskaya Tower is connected with the history of the disappeared treasury library. They say that in 1939, old buildings were demolished on the Sofiyskaya embankment and came across a brick vault. It turned out that it was a gallery that went to the Moscow River. The daredevils tried to walk along it, but soon a brick wall blocked their way. They called the NKVD officers, and they sealed and fenced off the entrance to the gallery.
About fifteen years ago, during construction work on the Sofiyskaya embankment opposite the Kremlin, a sinkhole formed in the ground, and a stone gallery with rows of ancient wrought-iron doors opened under it. The management of the construction site was afraid that archaeological excavations would begin and the project would be frozen. As a result, everything was hastily poured with concrete. If there were chances to find a collection of ancient manuscripts, including the "damn Bible", today they are practically gone.
Nevertheless, according to rumors, several copies of the creepy book still went from hand to hand, and to this day they are used by witches and sorcerers.
All that has been said may seem like sheer nonsense, but the decree passed in 1551 by the Stoglav Cathedral is completely real. It lists “denied books” that Christians should avoid. In addition to the already mentioned creation of Peter Mogila, this list includes "Six-winged, Voronogray, Ostromy, Zedey, Aristotle's Gate and other kobi-demonic". “Those of all heretical books in order not to keep and cheat”, - prescribed the spiritual ranks.
Irina Shlionskaya