Moscow holds farewell ceremony for TV psychotherapist Anatoly Kashpirovsky
In short
A farewell ceremony for psychotherapist Anatoly Kashpirovsky, who died on 3 October aged 87, was held on 8 October in the Great Hall of Moscow's Troyekurovskoye cemetery. Relatives, friends, colleagues and admirers attended, and the burial itself was held in a closed format. RIA Novosti reported the ceremony had ended by early afternoon.
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A farewell ceremony for psychotherapist Anatoly Kashpirovsky began on 8 October in the Great Hall of Troyekurovskoye cemetery in Moscow, TASS, RIA Novosti, Kommersant and Vedomosti reported. RIA Novosti said the ceremony was due to start at 12:00 Moscow time, and RIA Novosti later reported that it had ended. TASS and Vedomosti said the funeral itself would be held in a closed format, and Vedomosti, citing TASS, said the coffin was placed in the cemetery's farewell hall. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 ]
Accounts of attendance differed. RIA Novosti and Vedomosti reported dozens of people, including relatives, friends, colleagues and admirers, while Kommersant's correspondent reported hundreds, including colleagues. RIA Novosti said dozens of people with tears in their eyes carried flowers to the hall. [ 2 , 5 , 6 ]
Kashpirovsky died on 3 October aged 87, Kommersant and Vedomosti reported. Vedomosti cited his director, Sergei Rudykh, as saying the cause of death was cardiac arrest. [ 5 , 6 ]
According to RIA Novosti, Kashpirovsky was born on 11 August 1939 in the village of Stavnitsa in western Ukraine; his father was in the military and the family moved often. He graduated from the Vinnytsia medical institute in 1962 and worked for about 25 years as a psychiatrist and psychotherapist at a local hospital named after academician A. I. Yushchenko. [ 2 ]
He became widely known in the late 1980s through television. RIA Novosti said the series 'Health sessions of psychotherapist Anatoly Kashpirovsky' began on central television in October 1989 and that, by his own estimate, about 300 million people watched; viewers placed jars and bottles of water in front of their screens, believing it would become healing. Kommersant said he gave on-air suggestions for health and wealth and 'healed' illnesses, and that his methods were criticised in the scientific community. Vedomosti cited Natalya Konradova's book 'Archaeology of the Russian Internet', which describes the period as a time of mass enthusiasm for parapsychology, when viewers 'charged' water with Allan Chumak and watched Kashpirovsky's broadcasts. [ 2 , 5 , 6 ]
Why it matters
Kashpirovsky became widely known in the late 1980s through televised health sessions that, by his own estimate, around 300 million people watched. Official news agencies and business papers covered the farewell, with Kommersant noting that his methods were criticised in the scientific community.
Key facts
- The farewell ceremony for Anatoly Kashpirovsky took place at Troyekurovskoye cemetery in Moscow on 8 October. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
- Kashpirovsky died on 3 October at the age of 87. [ 5 , 6 ]
- His director, Sergei Rudykh, said the cause of death was cardiac arrest, according to Vedomosti. [ 6 ]
- The ceremony was scheduled to begin at 12:00 Moscow time in the cemetery's Great Hall. [ 2 , 5 ]
- The funeral was held in a closed format. [ 3 , 6 ]
- Kashpirovsky's 'Health sessions' TV series began on central television in October 1989. [ 2 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- The farewell ceremony for Anatoly Kashpirovsky was held at Troyekurovskoye cemetery in Moscow on 8 October. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
- Kashpirovsky died at the age of 87. [ 2 , 5 , 6 ]
- Kashpirovsky died on 3 October. [ 5 , 6 ]
- The funeral was held in a closed format. [ 3 , 6 ]
- Relatives, friends, colleagues and admirers attended the ceremony. [ 2 , 6 ]
- The farewell ceremony ended on 8 October. [ 7 ]
Still unclear
- How many people attended the farewell ceremony. RIA Novosti and Vedomosti reported dozens of people, while Kommersant reported hundreds.
- Cause of death was cardiac arrest. Reported only by Vedomosti, citing Kashpirovsky's director Sergei Rudykh.
- Around 300 million people watched his TV sessions. This is Kashpirovsky's own estimate, as reported by RIA Novosti.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- TASS reports the farewell will be held at Troyekurovskoye cemetery. [ 1 ]
- RIA Novosti reports dozens of people gathering outside the cemetery's Great Hall. [ 2 ]
- Scheduled start of the farewell ceremony. [ 2 ]
- TASS reports the ceremony has begun and that the funeral will be closed. [ 3 ]
- RIA Novosti reports the farewell ceremony has ended. [ 7 ]