Where faith was mixed with the supernatural

By settling in the Bieszczady Mountains, the Boykos were followers of the Eastern rite and were subject to the jurisdiction of the Orthodox Przemyśl eparchy. After the signing of the Brest Union Act in 1596, part of the administration of the Orthodox Church was subordinated to the Roman Catholic Church in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Nevertheless, the final decisions of the Brest Union were not adopted until 1691, when the Greek Catholic (Uniate) Church was finally established. Since then, it can be conventionally said that Boykos were Greek Catholic Christians.

Boykos, despite belonging to the church and their religiosity, believed (like their ancestors) in the supernatural world: witches, ghosts, and all sorts of familiar and unfamiliar demons. In the eyes of Boyko, evil powers could be lurking anywhere. A witch could turn into a toad and deprive a cow of milk, or make a man sick. A suicide could turn into a ghost and harass the living. The supernatural world penetrated into everyday life, and religiosity was mixed with superstition. Boykos tried to protect against evil both by using magic rituals and by praying in the church. They alternately used the advice and help of the pop, healer, ordering and swarms, thus protecting themselves against evil powers.