Mourners Gather in Moscow for Anatoly Kashpirovsky's Funeral

Family members, friends and admirers gathered at Troyekurovskoye Cemetery in Moscow on Thursday morning to pay their final respects to Anatoly Kashpirovsky, the psychotherapist and hypnotist who became a television phenomenon in the late 1980s. Kashpirovsky died on October 3 at the age of 87, according to the Polish news outlet Fakt. The funeral ceremony brought together people who knew Kashpirovsky personally and supporters who had followed his work.

Some mourners brought flowers and wreaths, while others carried photographs of the late hypnotist, Fakt reported. According to information provided by Kashpirovsky's nephew, complications associated with advanced stomach cancer caused his death. The illness reportedly led to multiple organ failure.

Kashpirovsky rose to prominence in the Soviet Union in the late 1980s, when television broadcasts of his sessions attracted millions of viewers. His popularity subsequently spread beyond the Soviet Union, making him a recognizable figure among audiences in other countries, including Poland.

Polish Television began airing his program, "Health Sessions with Dr. Anatoly Kashpirovsky," in 1989. The broadcasts introduced his methods to a wider Polish audience and helped establish his public profile there.

In subsequent years, Kashpirovsky also held live sessions in Russia and other countries. According to Fakt, these appearances took place in large halls and stadiums, drawing audiences interested in his approach to influencing health.

During his sessions, Kashpirovsky used suggestion and hypnosis techniques and claimed they could affect participants' health. His methods, however, faced criticism from members of the medical and scientific communities. His career became closely associated with the televised sessions that brought him widespread recognition during the final years of the Soviet Union. The funeral in Moscow marked his final farewell, attended by relatives, acquaintances and admirers who came to honor his memory.