The Carpathian Molfar: Protector of Ancient Knowledge and Shamanistic Healer.

Deep in the Ukrainian Carpathian Mountains, among the Hutsul villages, there are people believed to have supernatural ties. They can read the stars, control the weather, create storms, predict the future, and heal others. One of their signature attributes is an iron bartka (a traditional axe). Once a year, they go into a cave and spend twelve days in a fetal position to cleanse themselves. These wizards, shapeshifters, and shamans are known as molfars (or molfarca for women).

The word molfar traces back to pre-Christian times, when paganism was the main religion. Everything—from a wolf’s cry to a storm—was believed to carry a spirit. When Christianity spread throughout the country, both faiths blended together. Molfars became folk-Christian magicians, invoking the Holy Spirit and the spirits of nature in their practices. The concept of a molfar derives from ancient pagan beliefs that predated Christianity in the region.

These magicians usually live on the outskirts of Carpathian villages, typically in wooden cabins. They prefer solitude so that people will not disturb them, and many travel long distances to seek their help. Molfars can serve either good or nefarious purposes and hold great power in their words and songs. Their abilities are often inherited — descendants are born with knowledge or power passed down from their ancestors. They may also receive abilities from a deceased family member (usually a parent), and it is up to them whether they wish to accept them or not.

It is said that if the powers are not passed to the next in line, the molfar may become trapped between the physical and spiritual worlds after death, since magic cannot be taken to the other side. Others gain their abilities through learning and mentorship from experienced molfars. Teachings are passed down orally, blending Christianity, magic, and medicine. Some molfars combine Christian elements and pagan mysticism, invoking nature or the moon while also praying to saints.

Their tools may include herbal mixtures, charms, amulets, incantations, and crosses. While molfars can use either light or dark magic, some choose to follow only one path. Molfars are deeply spiritual and look to God for assistance in their practices. However, those who defy the laws of nature or misuse dark magic are said to lose their abilities.

There are different types of molfars, each specializing in a particular area:

• Healers – use herbs, charms, and rituals to cure physical and spiritual ailments.

• Weather-makers – control rain, wind, and storms, often to protect crops.

• Diviners – read signs, dreams, or natural phenomena to predict the future.

• Protectors – perform rituals to ward off evil spirits or misfortune from their villages.

Molfars are not just healers or magicians. Within the Hutsul tradition, they serve as guardians of harmony between the physical and spiritual realms — mediators between humanity and the spirits of the mountains and storms. If a molfar uses their power for evil, it is said that they must answer to the spirits and the laws of nature.

In modern times, molfars are extremely rare. The last known molfar was Mykhailo Nechay (1930–2011). He was well known throughout Ukraine for his shamanistic practices and prophecies. Nechay even predicted the Russian-Ukrainian war and another future conflict — supposedly between Romania and Ukraine over territorial disputes. People from across the country would visit his wooden home for guidance. Nechay described his gift as “a science given by God and nature,” and believed that power lies within love and faith, not magic. Tragically, he was murdered in 2011 by a visitor to his home.

Today, the few remaining molfars blend folk healing with elements of psychology, while others see themselves as keepers of cultural memory. The molfar is viewed as a guardian of ancient knowledge — a poet of the spiritual realm.