"There's a war on today, a holy war..."
"The Zionists want to rule the world",
warned holy monk of Mt. Athos Elder Paissios before his death in 1994
Translated from a Russian translation of the Greek original
Elder Paissios of Mt. Athos
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Editor's note: On a remote, narrow peninsula in the
Aegean Sea lies the monastic republic of Mt. Athos, spiritual
heart of the Orthodox Christian world. For centuries monks have
lived and prayed here for the salvation of their souls and the
world, and every devout Orthodox Christian male strives to make
the pilgrimage to Mt. Athos at least once in his life. Elder
Paissios (1924-1994) is considered by many to have been the
Holy Mount's greatest ascetic of the 20th Century. Over the
course of his life the words of this humble Greek monk, who
came to be honored by believers as an "holy elder"
(geronta in Greek, starets in Russian), were
recorded by the thousands who journeyed to seek his advice and
prophecies. In the following quotes Paissios warns of the great
cataclysms which await us in our Apocalyptic times. His counsel
of spiritual preparedness and how to achieve it will be of use to
all those who strive to do good while maintaining spiritual
equilibrium in a world growing increasingly hostile to our
salvation. Paissios seems to have foreseen everything: the ever
more frequent and senseless wars and the growing totalitarianism
of "Schengen Europe", "Homeland Securitized" America and
"Putinized" Russia, the downward slide of our modern, globalized
world into licentiousness and madness, the approaching Last
Judgement.
"If the Metropolitans are silent, then who will speak?"
hat unsettles me is the reigning mood of
tranquility. Something is in the works. We still haven't
understood properly either what's going on, or the fact that we
will die. I don't know what will come of this. The situation
is very complicated. The fate of the world depends on just a
few people, but God is still putting on the brakes. We have
to pray a lot, and with pain in our hearts, so that God will
intervene: our times are very hard to understand. A lot of
ash, rubbish, and indifference has accumulated, and a strong
wind will be needed to blow it all away.
It's frightening! The Tower of Babel is upon us!
Divine intervention is needed: Great upheavals are happening.
What a bedlam! The minds of whole nations are in confusion.
But in spite of the ferment I feel a certain consolation
inside, a certain confidence. God still dwells in a part of
the Christians. God's people, people of prayer, still remain,
and God in his all-goodness still tolerates us and will put
everything in order. Don't be afraid! We've gone through many
storms, and still haven't perished. So should we be afraid
of the storm which is now gathering? We'll not perish this
time either!
God loves us. In Man there's a hidden power
which comes out when necessary. The difficult years will
be few. Just a lot of thunder.
Don't get upset in the least, for God is above
everything. He rules everyone and will bring all to the
defendant's bench to answer for what they've done, according
to which each will receive his just desserts from God. Those
who've in some way helped the cause of good will be rewarded,
and those who do evil will be punished. God will put everyone
in their place in the end, but each of us will answer for what
they did in these difficult years, both in prayer and in deeds.
Today they're trying to destroy faith, and for
the edifice of faith to fall they quietly pull out one stone,
then another. But we're all responsible for the destruction;
not just those who destroy but we who see how faith is being
undermined and make no effort to strengthen it. As a result
the seducers are emboldened to create even greater difficulties
for us, and their rage against the Church and the monastic
life increases.
Today's situation can be resisted only
spiritually, not by worldly means. The storm will continue to
rage a bit, will throw all the flotsam, everything unnecessary,
onto the shore, and then the situation will become clearer.
Some will receive their reward, while others will have to pay
their debts.
Today there are many who strive to corrupt
everything: the family, the youth, the Church. In our day it's
a true witness to speak up for one's people, for the state is
waging war against divine law. It's laws are directed against
the Law of God.
But we are responsible for not letting the
enemies of the Church corrupt everything. Though I've heard
even priests say: "Don't get involved in that. It's none
of your business!" If they had reached such a non-striving
condition through prayer I would kiss their feet. But no!
They're indifferent because they want to please everyone and
live in comfort.
Indifference is unacceptable even for laymen,
and all the more so for the clergy. An honest, spiritual
man doesn't do anything with indifference. "Cursed be
he that doeth the work of the Lord deceitfully", says the
Prophet Jeremiah (Jer. 48:10). There's a war on today,
a holy war. I must be on the front lines. There are so many
Marxists, so many Masons, so many Satanists and assorted others!
So many possessed, anarchists and seduced ones! I see what
awaits us, and it's painful for me. The bitter taste of human
pain is in my mouth.
* * *
The spirit of lukewarmness reigns. There's no
manliness at all! We've been spoiled for good! How does
God still tolerate us? Today's generation is the generation
of indifference. There are no warriors. The majority are
fit only for parades.
Godlessness and blasphemy are allowed
to appear on television. And the Church is silent and
doesn't excommunicate the blasphemers. And they need to be
excommunicated. What are they waiting for? Let's not wait
for someone else to pull the snake out from its hole so that
we can live in peace.
They're silent out of indifference. What's bad
is that even people who've got something inside have begun to
grow cool, saying: "Can I really do anything to change the
situation?" We have to witness our faith with boldness, because
if we continue to be silent we'll have to answer in the end.
In these difficult days each must do what's in their power.
And leave what's out of their power to the will of God.
In this way our conscience will be clear.
If we don't resist, then our ancestors will arise
from their graves. They suffered so much for the Fatherland,
and we? What are we doing for it?.. If Christians don't begin
to witness their faith, to resist evil, then the destroyers
will become even more insolent. But today's Christians are no
warriors. If the Church keeps silent, to avoid conflict with
the government, if the metropolitans are silent, if the monks
hold their peace, then who will speak up?
* * *
Give thanks to God for everything. Try to
be manly. Pull yourself together a bit. Do you know what
Christians are suffering in other countries? There are such
difficulties in Russia! But here many exhibit indifference.
There's not enough disposition to kindness, love of devotion.
You see, if we don't begin to make war against
evil, to expose those who tempt believers, then the evil will
grow larger. If we throw aside fear then the faithful will be
emboldened a bit. And those who wage war against the Church
will have a harder time.
In the past our nation lived spiritually,
so God blessed her, and the saints helped us in miraculous
fashion. And we were victorious against our enemies, who always
outnumbered us. Today we continue to call ourselves Orthodox
Christians, but we don't live Orthodox lives.
* * *
A lukewarm clergy lulls the people to sleep,
leaves them in their former condition so they won't be upset.
"Look", they say. "By all means don't say that there'll be
a war, or the Second Coming, that one must prepare oneself
for death. We must not make people alarmed!"
And others speak with a false kindness, saying:
"We mustn't expose heretics and their delusions, so as to
show our love for them." Today's people are water-soluble.
There's no leaven in them.
If I avoid upsetting myself to protect my fleshly
comfort then I'm indifferent to holiness! Spiritual meekness
is one thing, and softness and indifference are quite another.
Some say: "I'm a Christian and therefore I have to be
joyful and calm." But they're not Christian. They're simply
indifferent. And their joy is only a worldly joy.
He in whom these worldly seeds are present is
no spiritual person. A spiritual person consists of nothing
but pain. In other words, he's in pain at what's going on,
he's in pain for people's condition. And divine comfort is
bestowed upon him for his pain.
"He Who Goes Low Goes Sure"
Our goal is to live an Orthodox life, not
just to speak or write Orthodox. If the preacher has no
personal experience then his sermons won't go to the heart,
won't change people. To think like an Orthodox is easy,
but to live an Orthodox life requires effort.
Today God tolerates what's going on. Tolerates,
so that evil people will be unable to justify themselves.
God expects patience, prayer and struggle from us. If you anger
when you yourself are offended, your anger is unclean. But if
someone is offended in the service of holiness, that means the
zeal of God is in him. Indignation can be righteous when it's
indignation for God's sake. That's the only justifiable kind
of indignation in a person.
It's unseemly to become angry in one's own
defense. Resisting evildoers is another matter, however,
when it's in defense of serious spiritual matters, when our
holy faith, Orthodoxy, is concerned. Then it's your duty.
To think of others, to counter the blasphemers in order to
defend one's neighbor -- this is pure, because carried out
in love.
* * *
Evil lies within us. There is no love in us,
so we don't feel all people to be brothers and are tempted by
[the knowledge of] their sinful ways. But it's not right when
moral failings become known to all. The injunction of the
Gospels to "tell it unto the church" (Matt. 18:17)
doesn't mean that everything has to become known to everyone.
By exposing the moral failings of our brother we arm the
enemies of the Church, give them another pretext to escalate
the war against Her. And the faith of the weak is shaken in
this way too.
If you want to help the Church, then try to mend
your own ways, rather than others'. In straightening yourself
out you straighten out a particle of the Church. If everyone
were to do that then the Church would be in perfect order.
But today's people attend to everything under the sun, only
not to themselves, because it's easy to teach others, while
mending one's own ways requires effort.
* * *
If we expose someone out of love, with pain in
our hearts, then a change will occur in his heart whether
he understands us or not. But to expose without love,
with partiality, only enrages to object of our exposure.
Our hostility strikes against his egoism, producing sparks
like flint against steel.
If we tolerate our brother out of love, he
will feel it. But he also feels our hostility, even if we
keep it inside and don't express it. Our hostility arouses
alarm in him. We must always ask ourselves: "Why do I want
to say what I'm about to say? What is motivating me? Do I
really care about my neighbor or do I just want to show him
how wonderful I am, to show off a bit?" If someone tries
to solve ecclesiastical problems allegedly out of faith,
but really thinking of his own advantage, then how can such
a person win God's blessing?
* * *
Sweet words and great truths have value when
uttered by righteous lips. They take root only in people of
good will and clean conscience.
Truth, when used without judgment, can commit
a crime. And he who possesses sincerity without reason commits
a twofold evil, first against himself, then against others.
Because there's no empathy in his sincerity. A Christian must
not be a fanatic but have love in his heart for all. He who
throws words around carelessly, even true words, does evil.
Veneration is a good thing, and the
predisposition for good is also good, but spiritual judgment
and breadth are needed to guard against fanaticism, that false
companion of reverence.
* * *
Wakefulness and sobriety are needed. All that
a person does he must do for the sake of God. Christ must be
at the source of every movement. Much attention is required,
for when we do something with the aim of pleasing others we
gain no benefit.
We ascend to the heavens not through earthly
striving but by humbling ourselves spiritually. He who
goes low goes sure and never falls. Ours is an age of
sensationalism and hullabaloo. But the spiritual life is
not noisy. Divine enlightenment is required and when it's
not there the person abides in darkness. He may act out of
good intentions but create many problems in his confusion,
both for the Church and for society.
There was a time when the Holy Spirit enlightened
us and showed us the way. A grand business! Today it finds no
reason to descend to us. Difficult years are ahead. The Old
Testament Tower of Babel was child's play compared with our age.
The Seal of the Antichrist Becomes a Reality
It's possible that you'll live through much
which is described in the Book of Revelations. Much is coming
to the surface, little by little. The situation is horrible.
Madness has gone beyond all bounds. Apostasy is upon us,
and now the only thing left is for the 'son of perdition'
(2 Thess. 2:3) to come.
The world has turned into a madhouse. A great
confusion will reign, in which each government will begin to do
whatever comes into its head. We'll see how the most unlikely,
the most insane, events will happen. The only good thing is
that these events will happen in very quick succession.
Ecumenism, common markets, a one-world
government, a single made-to-order religion: such is the
plan of these devils. The Zionists are already preparing
their messiah. For them the false-messiah will be king,
will rule here, on earth.
A great discord will arise. In this discord
everyone will clamor for a king to save them. At that moment
they'll offer up their man, who'll say: "I'm the Imam, I'm
the fifth Buddha, I'm the Christ whom Christians are awaiting.
I'm the one whom the Jehovah's Witnesses have been waiting for.
I'm the Jewish messiah."
* * *
Difficult times are ahead. Great trials await
us. Christians will suffer great persecutions. Meanwhile,
it's obvious that people don't understand that we're on the
verge of the end times, that the seal of the Antichrist is
becoming a reality. As if nothing's happening. That's why
Holy Scripture says that even the chosen will be deceived.
The Zionists want to rule the earth. To achieve
their ends they use black magic and satanism. They regard
satan-worship as a means to gain the strength they need to
carry out their plans. They want to rule the earth using
satanic power. God is not something they take into account.
One sign that the fulfillment of prophecy is near
will be the destruction of the Mosque of Omar in Jerusalem.
They'll destroy it in order to restore the Temple of Solomon
which used to be on the same place. In the end the Jews will
pronounce the Antichrist messiah in this rebuilt temple.
The rabbis know that the true Messiah has already
come and that they crucified Him. They know this, and yet they
are blinded by egoism and fanaticism.
* * *
Two thousand years ago it was written in the
Book of Revelations that people will be marked with the number
'666'. As Holy Scripture says, the ancient Hebrews laid a tax
on the peoples they conquered in various wars. The yearly
tax was equal to 666 talents of gold. (3 Kings 10:14, 2
Chronicles 9:13.) Today, in order to subjugate the whole
world they'll once again introduce the old tax number linked
to their glorious past. That is, '666' is the number of mammon.
Everything is going as planned. They put the
number a long time ago on credit cards. As a result, he who
is not marked with the number '666' will be unable to buy,
sell, get a loan, or find work.
* * *
Providence tells me that the Antichrist wants to
subjugate the world using this system. It will be foisted upon
people with the help of the mechanisms which control the world
economy, for only those who receive the mark, an image with
the number '666', will be able to take part in economic life.
The mark will be an image which will first be
placed on all products, and then people will be compelled
to wear it on their hand or forehead. Little by little,
after the introduction of ID cards with the three sixes,
after the creation of a personal dossier, they'll use cunning
to introduce the mark.
In Brussels a whole palace with three sixes
has been built to house a central computer. This computer
can keep track of billions of people. And we Orthodox are
resisting this because we don't want the Antichrist and we
don't want dictatorship either.
"The most we can suffer is martyrdom."
There will be three and a half hard years.
Those who don't agree with the system will have a rough time.
They'll constantly be trying to imprison them, using any
pretext they can find. They won't torture anyone, but without
the mark it will simply be impossible for a person to live.
"You're suffering without the mark", they'll say. "And if
you had just accepted it you would have had no difficulties."
For this reason, by learning to life a simple,
moderate life here and now you'll be able to get through
those years. By getting a little bit of land, raising a little
wheat and some potatoes, planting some olive trees, and keeping
animals of some sort, a goat or chickens, the Christian will
be able to feed his family. Stockpiling is of little use:
Food doesn't keep for long before spoiling.
But these oppressions will not last for long:
three, three and a half years. For the sake of the chosen the
days will be hastened. God won't leave a person without help.
Tomorrow thunder will strike, and the brief dictatorship of
the Antichrist-satan will come. Then Christ will intervene,
will give the whole anti-Christian system a good shaking up.
He'll trample upon evil and turn everything to good use in
the end.
- And if someone receives the mark unknowingly?
It'd be better to say "uncaringly". How can
one be unknowing, when everything is crystal clear? And if
a person doesn't know, then he should become interested and
find out. By accepting the mark, even unknowingly, a person
loses Divine Grace and gives himself up to demonic influence.
When a priest immerses the infant in the baptismal font,
the infant receives the Holy Spirit without knowing it, and
Divine Grace begins to abide in him.
Some people say: "What's destined by God to
be will be. What business is it of ours?"
They can say whatever they want, but in reality
it's not like that! Unfortunately, some modern priests diaper
their flock like infants, to keep them from getting upset.
"What's going on today isn't important", they say. "Don't
be alarmed. All you need is to have faith in your hearts."
Or they scold: "Don't speak on that topic, about ID cards or
the mark of the beast. It will just upset people." If they
were to say instead: "Let's try to live more spiritually,
to be nearer to Christ and not to be afraid of anything.
You see, the most we can suffer is martyrdom," then they'd at
least be preparing their flock for the coming tribulations.
Knowing the truth, a person will begin to mull
things over and shake himself out of his sleep. What's going on
will begin to cause him pain. He'll begin to pray and to be on
his guard, so as to not fall into that trap.
* * *
What do we see now? It's bad enough that
cunning 'interpreters of Scripture' are commenting prophecy
after their own fashion. They're representatives of the
clergy, but they're more cowardly than lay people. And it
would behoove them to exhibit a healthy spiritual unease and
help Christians by sowing beneficial concern so they'll be
strengthened in their faith and receive divine consolation.
I'm amazed: Doesn't what's happening give
them any cause for concern? And why don't they at least add
a question mark to the interpretations they come up with?
And if they help the Antichrist and the mark, lead other souls
to perdition?
No, behind the "perfected credit card system",
behind "computerized security" lurks worldwide dictatorship
and the yoke of the Antichrist.
"And he causeth all, both
small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a
mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads.
"And that no man might buy or sell, save he
that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of
his name.
"Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding
count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man;
and his number is Six hundred threescore and six."
(Rev. 13:16-18)
"You must be ready for death."
The world has lost control of itself. Honor and
self-sacrifice have abandoned people. The taste of sacrificial
joy is unknown to today's people, and that's why they're so
tortured. For only when you co-participate in the pain of
another do miracles happen.
If a person doesn't cultivate in himself
the spirit of self-sacrifice then he thinks only of himself
and doesn't receive Divine Grace. The more a person forgets
himself, the more God remembers him. Those who die heroically
don't really die. And where there's no heroism nothing
worthwhile can be expected.
Our time is like a bubbling and steaming
cauldron. One needs temperament, audacity, courage. Take
care not to be caught unprepared, if something is to happen.
Start getting ready now so that you'll be able to resist
difficulties. Christ Himself tells us: "Therefore be ye
also ready" (Matt. 24:44), doesn't He? Today, living
in such complicated times, we have to be not merely ready,
but triply ready, at the minimum!
Possibly we may meet not only with sudden death,
but with other dangers. So let's drive away the desire to
arrange our lives comfortably! May love of honor and the
spirit of self-sacrifice live in us.
* * *
I see that something is in the works, that
something lies just around the corner, but it's constantly
being put off. Little delays all the time. Who's creating
the delays? God? Another month passes, then another couple
of months! That's how it all goes. But since we know what
awaits us, let's develop love in ourselves, to the degree
that we can. That's the main thing: for true brotherly love
to exist between us. Kindness, love -- that's strength!
Guard the secret as well as you can and don't indulge in
excessive frankness. If "he and I and the bell-ringer" are
all in on the secret, then what will come of that?
Death in battle adds greatly to God's mercy,
for a person who dies the death of the brave sacrifices himself
to defend others. Those who give up their lives out of pure
love in order to defend their neighbor are imitating Christ.
These people are supreme heroes. They arouse fear in our
enemies. Death herself trembles before them, because they
scorn her due to their great love, and attain immortality in
this fashion, finding the key to eternity under the gravestone.
They enter into eternal blessedness without difficulty.
That's why I say to you: Cultivate
self-sacrifice, brotherly love. May each of you attain
a spiritual condition which will allow you to get out of
difficult situations. Without a spiritual condition a person
loses courage, because he loves himself. He can renounce
Christ, betray Him.
You must be ready for death. We believe
that nothing is in vain, that our sacrifice has meaning.
* * *
Remove your "I" from everything you do.
The person who leaves his "I" rises above the earth, moves in
another atmosphere. As long as he remains inside himself he
cannot become a heavenly being.
There is no spiritual life without sacrifice.
Try to remember, at least a little bit, that death exists.
And since we'll die in any case, let's not take care of
ourselves too much. Look after your health, but not to
the degree where you begin to bow down before your peace
and well-being. I'm not asking anyone to throw themselves
headlong into dangerous adventures, but you have to have at
least a bit of heroism, my brother!..
Feats are committed not by the tall in size
but by the audacious, the heartfelt, and the self-sacrificing.
There's no barbarity in spiritual audacity. Such people don't
fire at the enemy, but over his head, forcing him to surrender.
A kind man prefers being killed to killing. The harmonious
person is prepared for accepting divine powers.
The mean, the cowardly, and the small of
spirit, on the other hand, use impudence to hide their fear.
They're afraid of themselves as well as others and shoot without
stopping. Courage and audacity are one thing; criminality
and malice quite another. In order to succeed at anything one
needs a wild streak, in the positive sense. He who lacks this
wild streak can become neither a hero nor a saint. The heart
must become uncalculating.
* * *
In our age audacity has become a rarity. Water,
not blood, flows in people's veins. So if a war were to break
out, God forbid, many would simply die of fright while others
would lose heart, because they're used to an easy life. Fear is
necessary when it helps a person turn to God. Fear from lack of
faith, from lack of trust in God, on the other hand, is ruinous.
Such fear is driven out by audacity. We must
remember: The more a person fears, the more he is tempted by
the enemy. If a person refuses to strive to become courageous,
and doesn't strive for real love, then when a difficult
situation arises he'll become a laughingstock.
The warrior takes joy in the fact that he's dying
so that others won't have to. If you dispose yourself this way
then nothing will be frightening. Courage is born from much
love, kindness and self-sacrifice. Today people don't even
want to hear about death. However, he doesn't remember about
death is living outside of reality. Those who fear death and
love life's vanities are in a state of spiritual stagnation.
Bold people, who always keep death before them and think about
it constantly, on the other hand, conquer vanity and begin to
live in eternity and heavenly joy while still here on earth.
May he who fights in the war for Faith and
Fatherland cross himself and not fear, for God is his helper!
God Himself will decide whether he is to die or to live.
One needs to trust God, not oneself.
The Russians will take Turkey. The Chinese
will cross the Euphrates.
Providence tells me that many events will happen:
The Russians will take Turkey and Turkey will disappear from the
world map because a third of the Turks will become Christians,
another third will die in the war and another third will leave
for Mesopotamia.
The Mid-East will become a theater of a war
in which the Russians will take place. Much blood will
be spilled. The Chinese, with an army of 200 million, will
cross the Euphrates and go all the way to Jerusalem. The sign
that this event is approaching will be the destruction of the
Mosque of Omar, for its destruction will mark the beginning
of work by the Jews to rebuild the Temple of Solomon, which
was built on the same spot.
There will be a great war between Russians and
Europeans, and much blood will be spilled. Greece won't play a
leading role in that war, but they'll give her Constantinople.
Not because the Russians adore the Greeks, but because no
better solution will be found. The city will be handed over
to the Greek Army even before it has a chance to get there.
The Jews, inasmuch as they'll have great power
and the help of the European leadership, will become proud and
insolent beyond measure and conduct themselves shamelessly.
They'll try to rule Europe.
They'll play all sorts of tricks, but the
resulting persecutions will lead Christians to unite completely.
However, they won't unite in the way desired by those who are
now engaging in various machinations to create a single church
united under a single religious leadership. Christians will
unite because the unfolding situation will naturally separate
the sheep from the goats. Then the prophecy: "one flock and
one shepherd" will actually come to pass.
* * *
Don't give in to panic. Cowards are of use
to no one. God looks at a person's situation and helps him.
We have to remain cold-blooded and use our brains. No matter
what happens, we must continue to pray, think and act.
It's best to always stand up to a difficult situation using
spiritual means. However that spiritual boldness which is
born of holiness and striving towards God is missing today,
as is the natural boldness needed in order not to turn coward
in the face of danger.
In order to hold back a great evil, great
holiness is needed. A spiritual person can hold back evil
and help others. In the spiritual life the biggest coward can
attain great courage by entrusting himself to Christ and His
divine help. He can go to the front lines, do battle with
the enemy, and win! So therefore we will fear God alone,
not people, no matter how evil they may be. The fear of God
makes any coward into a hero! A person becomes fearless to the
extent he unites with God.
Added to Site: 3 June 2003 -
Last modified: 3 June 2003
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