Mine professional holiday- International Doctors Day is celebrated by doctors around the world on October 2. We have collected sayings of the saints and elders of Athos on how to maintain health and overcome diseases.

1. “At the time when we surrender to Christ, then our spiritual body comes into a peaceful state, as a result of which all organs and glands begin to function naturally. They all depend on our structure. Then we recover, we stop suffering... This also happens in the case of cancer: if we place our care on God and our soul calms down, then Divine grace, coupled with this peace, can act in such a way that both the cancer and everything else go away. If you don't know, for example, a stomach ulcer occurs due to neurosis. Since the sympathetic nervous system experiences pressure, contracts, suffers, then an ulcer forms. One, two, three, compression, compression, again, again, stress one, stress - stress - stress, and - pop... - Ulcer! Thus, either an ulcer or a cancer occurs, both of them depend on the nerves. When there is confusion in our soul, it affects the body and health is undermined.”

2. “When we are sick with something, we had better give ourselves entirely to Christ.
We need to think that our soul has a much greater need for patience and praise during pain than for a “steel” body, with the help of which we can perform great bodily feats.”

3. “One nun wrote to me that she was suffering and if she did not have an operation, she would die. I write saying exactly the opposite. She again writes that the doctor told her: if she does not perform the operation, in a few days there will be a perforation and finally death. I repeat: “Have faith, cast everything on God, prefer death.” She sends me a reply that the disease has reversed. Do you see? Thousands of times I have experienced this. When you put death in front of you and expect it every moment, it runs far away from you. When you are afraid of death, it constantly haunts you.”

(Reverend Joseph the Hesychast)

4. “Medicine, my child, means poison. Don't think that medications always only bring benefits. They also do harm. Why do we take medicine? Because we are sick. Why do we get sick? Because we're nervous. Why are we nervous? Because we sin. But if we allow Christ to dwell in our soul, then sin runs away, nervousness runs away, illness runs away and we throw away medicines...”

(Reverend Porfiry Kavsokalivit)

5. “In what era were there so many sick people? People weren't like that in the old days. And now, no matter what letter I open that they send me, I am sure to encounter either cancer, or mental illness, or a stroke, or broken families. Cancer used to be rare. After all, life was natural. We are not talking now about what God allowed. The man ate natural food and was in excellent health. Everything was clean: fruits, onions, tomatoes. And now even natural food cripples a person. Those who eat only fruits and vegetables suffer even more more harm because everything is polluted. If it had been like this before, then I would have died at a young age, because as a monk I ate what the garden provided: leeks, marulas, ordinary onions, cabbage and the like, and I felt great. And now they fertilize, spray... Just think - what do today's people eat!.. Mental unrest, food substitutes - all this brings illness to a person. By applying science without reasoning, people destroy themselves."

(Reverend Paisiy Svyatogorets)

6. “If you take more care of spiritual health, you will experience fewer physical illnesses. Don’t love to be treated, but love to study health.”

(Monk Simeon of Athos)

7. “Do not ask God to ease your suffering from various illnesses; do not force Him to do this in your prayers. But endure your illnesses with constant fortitude and patience - and you will see what benefits you will receive from it.”

(Reverend Porfiry Kavsokalivit)

8. “Seeing that a person can endure a serious illness, Christ gives him this illness, so that for a little suffering in life, an earthly person will receive a great reward in heaven.” eternal life. He suffers here, but will receive a reward there, in another life, because there is Paradise, and there is reward [for sorrows].”

(Reverend Paisiy Svyatogorets)

9. “Temptations, sorrows, sorrows, coming either from the devil, or from people, or excited by the world that we carry within us - all these are medicines, all this is sent by God’s Providence so that the mental health we have lost will return to us. The health of the soul and heart is dispassion, sinlessness, this is real holiness, which will pass with us into another world.”

(Elder Ephraim of Philotheia)

10. “When the body is tested, the soul is sanctified. The body, our adobe house, suffers from illness, but the owner of this house - our soul - will forever rejoice in that heavenly palace that Christ is preparing for us. According to this spiritual logic, which is illogical for the people of this world, I also rejoice and boast about the bodily illnesses and defects that I have. The only thing I don’t think about is that I have to receive heavenly reward.”

(Reverend Paisiy Svyatogorets)

11. “Bodily infirmities serve the many and varied purposes of the ineffable love of God. Here it is appropriate to recall the primitive popular opinion that illness is God’s punishment for sins, and health is a reward for virtues. But in reality it may be quite the opposite. Thus, very many saints are burdened with many bodily ailments, and many people living in sin and far from repentance never get sick. Of course, no one denies that a soul broken by sinful passions is fertile soil for the development of many bodily ailments, and vice versa; a peaceful soul filled with divine tenderness creates the necessary prerequisites both for its own healing and for bodily health. Nevertheless, the health of each person, which, like a sea wave, comes and goes, serves the pedagogical purposes of God, hidden from us, but revealed to His saints.”

(Reverend Porfiry Kavsokalivit)

12. “One day a man came to us, who had spent many years in monasticism and lived in Switzerland. Since he had three serious and terrible and, moreover, incurable diseases. And he spent a fortune on medicine.<…>So, I told him that he would get well right away if he only believed that God could heal him.<…>...he didn’t leave me or go away, but he didn’t want to believe it either. Until God helped and until he clearly heard a voice: “Why don’t you want to obey in order to get well?” And so he was freed. Because I asked him to eat the opposite - what he said he would die if he ate it - and put all his hope in God and, leaving knowledge, followed faith. And instead of ten times a day, as he ate, he ate once. God only needed three days to test him. And I prayed earnestly for him.”

(Reverend Joseph the Hesychast)

Prepared by Daria Malashina-Mazur

Athonite elders

From ancient times to the present day, the Holy Mountain has been a sacred place of silence, secrecy, asceticism, nourishing and pacifying devotees of piety.

High ascetic feats are constantly performed here. On Athos one can meet the real embodiment of the Christian ideal of life, for the Svyatogorsk monks want to acquire in this life not so much knowledge about God as knowledge of God Himself. Among the famous ascetics there are many simple people, poorly educated in the worldly sense, who through the purity of their lives acquired the grace-filled gifts of the Holy Spirit and achieved high spiritual enlightenment and holiness.

In the kontakion of the service to the Athonite saints, it is said about the ascetics of the Holy Mountain: “They enraged this Mountain and showed in it the life of an angel.” During the history of its Christian existence, the Holy Mount Athos raised a host of holy fathers, among them the Venerable Peter and Athanasius of Athonite, Savva and Simeon of Serbia, Maximus and Niphon Kausokalivites, Nile the Myrrh-Streaming, Saint Gregory Palamas, Venerable Maximus the Greek, Hieromartyr Cosmas Aitolian († 1779), Venerable Nicodemus the Holy Mountain, Georgian ascetic Hilarion († 1864), Elder Hadji George (1809–1886).

Many Svyatogorsk ascetic monks tried to behave in such a way as not to outwardly express themselves in any way, not to reveal their spiritual greatness to the world. The art of humility and wise simplicity is very high among the inhabitants of the Holy Mountains, which is why most of the Athonite saints remain unrecognized during their lifetime. Even the Venerable Schemamonk Silouan (Antonov), one of the greatest ascetics of the 19th–20th centuries, remained little known during his lifetime, and only after his death († 1938) his holiness was generally recognized. In the same place where Elder Silouan, in the Russian Monastery of the Great Martyr Panteleimon, the Elder Hieroschemamonk Jerome (Solomentsev) labored in the 19th century, serving as a fraternal confessor under the elder abbot Schema-Archimandrite Macarius (Sushkin), who, according to contemporaries, became "spiritual renewer of Rusik." Among the famous Russian ascetics are the Venerable Aristocles of Athos († 1918), the hesychast Theodosius of Karul († 1937) and his disciple Elder Nicodemus († 1984). Not only Russians, but also Serbian, Bulgarian, and Greek monks revered him for the gift of spiritual prudence and used his instructions. Since ancient times, Athos has been known as a place unceasing prayer for peace. “The world stands by prayer, and when prayer weakens, then the world will perish,” said Elder Silouan of Athos. Countless are the hosts of holy ascetics who glorified the Holy Mountain with their angelic life. Memory of all the venerable and God-bearing fathers who shone forth in Holy Mount Athos on the second week after Pentecost.

Joseph, Athonite hesychast (+1959):

“Avoid evil thoughts like fire. Don’t pay any attention to them at all, so that they don’t take root in you. Do not despair, for God is great and forgives those who sin. When you sin, repent and force yourself so as not to do the same thing again.”

“Good deeds, almsgiving and everything external do little to kill the arrogance of the heart. Spiritual achievement, the pain of repentance and contrition humble high wisdom.”

“Grace, when it acts in the soul of the person praying, means that at this time the love of God overflows in such a way that a person cannot restrain what he feels. Then this love turns to the world and to the person whom the person praying loves so much that he himself wants to take upon himself all human pain and misfortune in order to free others from them.”

“Those who succeed in prayer do not stop praying for the peace of God. The extension of the life of the world also belongs to them, no matter how strange and daring it may seem. And know that when they disappear, then the end of this world will come.”

“Prayer without attention and sobriety is a waste of time and wasted work. We must place a vigilant guard over all our feelings, inside and outside - attention. Without it, the mind and strength of the soul are scattered among vain and worldly things, like useless water that runs along the roads.”

“The mind is the feeder of the soul, and everything good or evil that it sees or hears descends into the heart, which is the center of a person’s spiritual and physical powers.”

“Benefits, alms and external virtues do not soften the arrogance of the heart. Against, mental exercises, the pain of repentance and contrition humble a proud thought.”

Porfiry, an Athonite elder from the monastery of Kafsokalyvia. (1906-1991):

“True love inspires us to sacrifice for others.”

"Many people say that Christian life unpleasant and difficult. And I say that it is pleasant and easy, but it requires two conditions: humility and love.”

“Confession for a person is a way to come to God. This is an offering of God's love to man. No one and nothing can take this love away from a person.”

“Obedience brings humility, humility brings reasoning, reasoning brings intuition, intuition brings insight.”

“For a person to change, the grace of God must come, but for grace to come, one must humble himself.”

“The Christian must avoid painful religiosity: both the feeling of superiority due to virtue and the feeling of humiliation due to sinfulness. Complexity is one thing, humility is another; melancholy is one thing, but repentance is quite another.”

“The Church is a mystery. He who enters the church does not die, but is saved and becomes eternal.”

Paisiy (1924 – 1994). The most famous Athonite elder of recent times:

“My brother, in your prayer do not seek anything other than repentance. Repentance will bring you humility, humility will bring you the grace of God.”

“When a person is spiritually healthy and moves away from people in order to help people more with his prayer, then he sees all people as saints and only himself as a sinner.”

“The monk runs further from the world not because he hates the world, but because he loves it and thus, through prayer, the monk helps him more in things that do not happen humanly, but only with Divine intervention. This is how God saves the world.”

“Your success depends on yourself. Also salvation. No one else can save you."

“The grace of God is not a barrel that sooner or later runs out of water. This is an inexhaustible source."

“Prayer is oxygen absolutely necessary for the soul. For a prayer to be heard by God, it must come from the heart with humility, with a person’s deep sense of his sinfulness. Prayer not from the heart brings no benefit.”

“The first duty of man is to love God and then to love his neighbor. If we love God as we should, we will keep all his commandments. But if we love neither God nor our neighbors, God will not forgive us for this indifference.”

Gabriel (1886 – 1983), abbot of the Dionysiatus monastery:

“Pure simplicity, combined with the fear of God, leads a person to a blissful state, which the primordial people had in paradise before disobedience.”

Ephraim Svyatogorets, abbot of the monastery of St. Philotheus, archimandrite:

“Purity of heart consists in freedom of mind from bad thoughts, from which bad and passionate feelings flow.”

“If we want to stop bad deeds without caring about internal thoughts, then we work in vain. When we take care of the purity of our soul, then the God of glory will dwell in it, and it will become His holy and magnificent temple, the fragrant incense of unceasing prayer to Him.”

“My child, keep your mind from bad thoughts. Immediately, as soon as they arrive, drive them away with the prayer of Jesus Christ. Because just as bees fly away when they are fumigated with smoke, so the Holy Spirit also leaves when it feels the stinking smoke of shameful thoughts.”

“Just as bees land on those flowers where there is nectar, so the Holy Spirit comes to that mind and heart where the sweet nectar of virtues and good thoughts is produced.”

“He who prays is enlightened, and he who does not pray becomes darkened. Prayer is the giver of Divine light.”

“If despondency, negligence, laziness and the like approach us, then let us pray with fear, pain, with great sobriety of mind, and by the grace of God a miracle of consolation and joy will happen to us.”

“At the first difficulties of the feat, do not be disappointed. Good is learned through labor and illness.”

“Just as it is impossible for someone walking in the night not to stumble, so it is impossible for someone who has not yet seen the Divine Light not to sin.”

Elder Epiphanius (1930-1989), founder of the Monastery of the Blessed Trinity in Trizin:

“In the material, we need to look at those who are poorer than us, so that we are not overcome by anxiety, and in the spiritual, we will look at those who are more spiritual than us, so that this serves as an incentive for us to achieve heroism.”

Elder Amphilochius (1889-1970):

“Love is what gives flavor to all our deeds and all our lives”

“When our heart does not have love for Christ, then we cannot do anything. We are then like ships that have no fuel for their engines.”

For many centuries, Athos played an important role in the development of national spirituality and culture. How did this influence manifest itself? Why is Athos interesting to our contemporaries? We talk about this and much more with Abbot Peter (Pigol). Our guest knows a lot about Athos firsthand. After all, for several years he was a resident of the St. Panteleimon Monastery, and then he worked on the opening of the Moscow Athos metochion and was its first abbot.

- Father Peter, tell us how your monastic journey began?

Before coming to the Church, I was a sailor, went on foreign voyages, and before that I had years conscript service in the Northern Fleet. Therefore, my spiritual formation took place in unusual and even harsh conditions. The features of this life influenced many of my decisions. Returning from another voyage, I went to the Moscow Theological Seminary. I must say that I was from a completely non-church environment, and when they asked me: “What diocese are you from?”, I didn’t even quite understand what they were talking about we're talking about. But this did not bother me at all, because there was great interest, great spiritual uplift. When I made my choice life path, it was logical to enter the Trinity-Sergius Lavra. But the Lord decreed that I entered the St. Daniel Monastery, which was just opening at that time. Within the walls of this ancient monastery the tradition was revived monastic life, which was completely interrupted in Soviet years. It was very interesting. And it so happened that from the very beginning of my monasticism, God determined for me to work in the field of publishing. When it became known that Metropolitan Pitirim (Nechaev) would ordain me, the abbot of the monastery, Archimandrite Tikhon (Emelyanov) (now Metropolitan of Novosibirsk and Berdsk) said: “You will be a publisher.” After all, Vladyka Pitirim then headed the Publishing Department of the Moscow Patriarchate. These words turned out to be prophetic: wherever I am obedient, I always practice, including publishing activities. In the Danilov Monastery he created the publishing house “Danilovsky Blagovestnik” and the magazine of the same name. When I arrived on Athos, the St. Panteleimon Monastery immediately assigned me obedience in the library, which was also related to publishing activities. And at the Athos courtyard in Moscow, I tried to revive “Soulful Reflections,” which were published by Hieromonk Arseny (Minin). But then the almanac “Towards the Light” turned out. Then for some time I worked at the Publishing House of the Moscow Patriarchate, headed the book editorial department there and was a member of the Publishing Council. Then for quite a long time he headed the information and publishing sector of the Department of Religious Education and Catechesis of the Moscow Patriarchate. And now I am the founder and editor-in-chief of the information and publishing center “Towards the Light”, which has its own focus - the foundations of Orthodox spiritual and ascetic culture. We have a number of scientific and educational projects, one way or another connected with Athos. In particular, a small book “I want to see the goodness of Thy chosen ones...” was recently published. These are the words of Elder Jerome of Athos, who for half a century, from 1836 until his death in 1885, labored on Athos. For 45 years he was the confessor and elder of the brethren of the Russian St. Panteleimon Monastery, he was also the builder and beautifier of the monastery, the organizer and beautifier of all aspects of its life. The book contains my short essay about the life of the elder, his spiritual testament and, most importantly, the charter of the cenobitic monastery - the main creation of Elder Jerome. This is the best charter of a cenobitic monastery; it contains all the principles of the patristic spiritual-ascetic tradition. The elder at one time revived these traditions, and today this charter can help in the revival of Russian monasteries.

- When did you first visit Athos?

When I was still a student at the Moscow Theological Academy, I really loved the lectures of Archimandrite Innokenty (Prosvirnin), who dealt with the book heritage of Athos. He organized the work of a large group of scientists from the USSR Academy of Sciences, which worked in the library of St. Panteleimon's Monastery, researching and copying manuscripts. The stories of Father Innocent aroused great interest, and then we formed a large group of people who wanted to go to Athos and become its inhabitants. But this desire was fulfilled only five years later, when I was already abbot. By blessing His Holiness Patriarch Alexia II in 1991, a group of nine people, which included me, went to the Holy Mountain as inhabitants of the St. Panteleimon Monastery. For obedience, I was assigned to the monastery library. And from that time on, my spiritual and scientific interest in the heritage of Athos and the elders began, as well as work on manuscripts, which subsequently led to the publication of several books. At that time, the monastery library was in a completely different state than it is today. The room was damaged in many places, and the first thing I did was climb onto the roof and patch the holes so that water would not get on the books. Rats settled in the repositories of ancient manuscripts and built nests for themselves, tearing out pages from various books. I destroyed eight such nests. This was not because the monks did not care about the library. It just happened historically that there was a period of certain desolation. There were very few brethren; they barely had enough strength to maintain at least some order in the monastery. Now thanks to serious financial assistance All conditions have been created from Russia to ensure the safety of manuscripts. The library has good equipment. Manuscripts are copied and made available to the wider scientific community.

- What do you especially remember from the time when you lived on Mount Athos?

At that time, the sacred tradition of monastic work was more hidden from prying eyes than it is today. But when I arrived in this monastic republic, I immediately felt that this was a special environment that preserved all traditions without distortion. The history of monasticism on Mount Athos has not been interrupted since ancient times. I realized that here you can find a genuine spiritual experience, you just have to want and make the effort. Here the genuine evangelical patristic leaven is preserved. It was immediately clear that the inhabitants of the monasteries are not random people who know why they came here, what they should do and what values ​​they should strive for. It was possible to communicate with such great elders as the Monk Paisius the Svyatogorets and benefit from their grace-filled instructions, and I tried not to miss this opportunity. Athos is a place where there are many spiritual centers that have everything necessary for spiritual growth and salvation. In total, I was a resident of the monastery for about seven years. But not much time was allotted to me for obedience in the library, although this was a task according to my calling and soul. My appointment to this obedience was well received by my teachers, among whom was Professor Anthony Tahiaos of the University of Thessaloniki, whose articles I used when writing my dissertation. He received my appointment to the library with enthusiasm, since he was working on Slavic manuscripts and outlined a plan for our cooperation. But the Lord judged differently. After some time, I was appointed to Moscow as a representative of the Panteleimon Monastery under the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' with specific task- to revive the Athonite courtyard in Moscow.

- Why was it created in the 19th century?

 - The Athos metochion in Moscow was founded back in 1879 with the blessing of Elder Jerome (Solomentsev). Hieromonk Arseny (Minin) was sent there as rector, who first arrived in Moscow with shrines in order to collect donations for the Panteleimon Monastery. But everyone then felt that, in addition to such a mission, it was necessary to serve the people of God in Russia. At first, just a chapel was created, then a temple and a complex of buildings appeared. The purpose of organizing the metochion is the spiritual enlightenment of the Orthodox people of Russia. And the fruits were enormous: many soul-helping books were published, Athonite shrines were distributed. The book “Frank Stories of a Wanderer to His Spiritual Father” was published, which was reprinted many times in Russia: both before the revolution and today. Our center also published a scientific critical edition of the newly acquired manuscript of this book. We clarify that its author was a disciple of Elder Jerome - Schema-Archimandrite Mikhail (Kozlov). He brought the manuscript to Russia and gave it to Saint Theophan the Recluse. With his blessing and approval of the Optina elders, the book was published. This book about inner spiritual activity and the unceasing Jesus Prayer is very useful soul-edifying reading. Thanks to the activities of the Athos metochion, the brethren of the St. Panteleimon Monastery were replenished with Russian monks. They also settled in monasteries and cells. This constitutes the concept of “Russian Athos”, by which we mean both the Russian monasteries of the Holy Mountain, and the numerous Russian Svyatogorsk monastic community that emerged in the 19th - early 20th centuries, with its good internal structure, as well as the saving spiritual influence of Athos in Russia.

- Why did Elder Jerome (Solomentsev) personally interest you?

My interest is multifaceted: this includes scientific interest in his activities as a spiritual leader, interest in his personality - why he had such great influence, interest in his legacy. At one time, when I was doing obedience in the monastery library, I was sorting out documents from the 19th century. Father Innocent and a group of scientists were only working on ancient manuscripts. And letters and documents from the 19th century were collected separately.

They were mainly associated with the life and activities of Father Jerome and Father Macarius (Sushkin). In these manuscripts I found a small note where it was written: “We carefully collected and preserved the precious beads of our elders and hope that the Lord in the future will raise up a worker who will show their bright image to the world.” This note touched my heart, and this is where my personal interest in the activities of the elders began. This activity was continued by my successor - Hieromonk Joachim (Sabelnikov), my classmate, with whom we came to the monastery together. As a result, books about the elder began to be published. A project called “The Great Watch” was proposed, which would include the publication of three books. But only the first volume, “The Life and Work of Elder Jerome (Solomentsev),” was published. It was formed on the basis of copies of those manuscripts that Father Joachim brought when he came to Russia with the relics of the Great Martyr Panteleimon in 2000. Thanks to this publication, many drew attention to the spiritual heritage of the elder, genuine scientific work began, and a number of books were published. And thanks to the celebration of the 1000th anniversary of the presence of Russian monasticism on Mount Athos, the wave of interest intensified and revealed to the world many new things from the heritage of the Panteleimon Monastery. Our center published the book “Elder-Spiritual Hieroschemamonk Jerome of Athos,” which included information about his life and teachings in a systematic form. We also published the book “Monk Clement” about Elder Jerome’s student Konstantin Nikolaevich Leontyev, who is known as a diplomat, writer, religious thinker, and philosopher. Last years life he was under spiritual guidance St. Ambrose Optinsky and, with his blessing, was tonsured a monk. This thinker’s conversion to faith took place on Mount Athos. And his work as a philosopher, publicist, and religious thinker is largely connected with the Holy Mountain. During the Athos period, his main works were published - “Byzantism and Slavism” and others. They are completely patristic in spirit. At that time, these works were unpopular; Leontyev rather wrote for you and me. But his political predictions, for example about revolution, were completely fulfilled. It is interesting that his thoughts as an Orthodox spiritual politician are very interesting and in demand today. He developed the idea of ​​Byzantineism - the idea of ​​a great Eastern Orthodox union led by Russia.

To be continued

Interviewed by Marina Shmeleva

http://pravpokrov.ru/church_life/?ELEMENT_ID=15476

In a world where there is a constant stream of information about and global terrorism, I really want to find a reliable support that supports the desire for good in anyone normal person. The Athonite elders give such hope to many. These spiritual fathers dedicated their lives to saving humanity from the filth of current civilization. Sometimes they make predictions for the future. Moreover, some of them have already come true. For example, the predictions of the Athonite elders about the collapse of the USSR, made long before the tragic event, aroused surprise and distrust.

However, this cup did not pass over the peoples of the powerful superpower. She sank into oblivion. Let's see what the noble fathers said about the fate of the world in the near future.

Preliminary Note

It is necessary to note the incredible interest of the current public in all kinds of prophecies and forecasts based on clairvoyance. The Athonite elders attract the attention of many people. Their words are listened to with awe and hope. Especially in Lately. After all, the political crisis, aggravated by economic problems, is already visible to the naked eye. And not only in countries former USSR. There is a serious decline in the standard of living of the population throughout the planet. Everyone feels it in their wallet, so to speak. Unfortunately, some specialized services take advantage of this keen interest in the prophecies of Holy Men for their own interests. They cover up their own, deeply politicized information dumps with the name of the Athonite elders.

This is done in order to influence relatively ongoing events. IN this work against their will, other authors of materials are included who want to attract the public to their resources. Therefore, it is quite difficult to separate the chaff from the grains of propaganda. It is recommended to read such materials with your soul, trying to understand their content from the point of view of a person who loves all of humanity. But the Athonite elders, deeply religious people, cannot reason differently. Their worldview does not allow it.

Predictions about humanity and morality

The elders’ reasoning about where the peoples of the world are going under the leadership of current leaders is interesting. Paisius the Svyatogorets said long ago that true faith is drying up. Her priests, who have sold out, are being turned into a tool. They profit from parishioners, and do not bring the word of God to the suffering. The times will come when man will not be able to find refuge from the horrors of reality in the Holy Temple. There, under the guise of the teachings of Christ, they will instill in him devilish plans in order to throw the unfortunate man into the fiery crucible of profit and war. Morality will disappear as such. Every sin is accepted as normal.

You and I see that this is already happening. After all, they are trying to show sodomy (Paisiy Svyatogorets put it this way) as an acceptable activity for people. And it’s not just the secular authorities of some countries who do this. They are indulged by priests and religious leaders. The Athonite elders in their speeches pay a lot of attention to the thirst for profit, cultivated in modern society. These, in their opinion, are attempts to lead people away from God. After all, in an effort to constantly receive more and more without working, peoples betray their holy covenants. People are supposed to pray earnestly so that the Lord will protect them from temptations. There is no happiness in material enrichment. This idea is instilled in people in order to turn them into cattle. Let them forget about morality and conscience. Then it will be easy to control the crowd. Hang a carrot in front of the donkey, he will go where the shepherd points.

About the end of times and Armageddon

The decline of morals, departure from God, deception and love of money are only the forerunner of more terrible catastrophes. They talked a lot and with great pain about the upcoming Armageddon. Government will weaken in countries. They will plunge into chaos. There will be no one to stop criminals, punish thieves and murderers. And people will stop growing grain and producing food, because they will turn away from God. Many nations will die of hunger. There will be nothing to eat, nowhere to get bread. But they won’t remember what the Lord commanded to work. New devilish trends will strike the church. People will begin to listen to priests speaking on behalf of the Antichrist.

The prophecies of the Athonite elders also concerned military actions. They even pointed out signs that would be visible to everyone, foreshadowing Armageddon. So, Paisiy Athos told his students what would happen in the Middle East big war, in which the forces of light and darkness will begin to fight. There is an old prophecy that China will send an army of two hundred million to the Middle East. She will cross the Euphrates. But before that, the river will “dry up.” Elder Paisios taught that one should not take literally what was written several hundred years ago. As soon as the Turks block the Euphrates, it will “dry up.” That is, there will be much less water downstream. This is a harbinger of Armageddon. Many people will die in that war. There will be nowhere to hide. Only the true will become protection from the angry flame of this catastrophe.

Athonite elders about Russia

In a world where power will pass to the Antichrist and his army, a believer will have only one hope. The Athonite elders saw her in Russia. It is in this country that the Lord will not be forgotten. False prophets and clergy who have sold themselves to the Antichrist will not be able to shake the true faith of this people. It is from here that salvation will come for all humanity. Only people should pray diligently and support each other. This is the difference between Russians and other peoples. They will never forget that the truth lies in compassion. Numerous tempters will not be able to force the Russian people to abandon their brothers and plunge into selfish love of money. The time will come when the spirit of the people will rise, outraged by the deeds of the Antichrist throughout the world. Rus' will rise. And it will be headed by the Orthodox Tsar.

Many elders, worried about the fate of people, considered it their duty to help believers. After all, their hearts and souls suffer from seeing the terrible events happening everywhere in the world. Thus, Elder Pansophius of Athonite compiled a special prayer book. It contains texts with which one should turn to the Lord for protection from evil and temptations. Only by the prayer of the true Orthodox Rus' will stand, the elders said. And with her the whole world will be saved. But efforts will be required from each person. Together we need to care about blessings for Rus'. This country was appointed by the Lord for a most important mission. But she won’t be able to cope with it without believers.

Conflicting Predictions About Putin

Reading the words that are attributed to the holy men about the President of the Russian Federation, one should understand the significance of his personality for the modern political process. After all, this man has been occupying the minds of ordinary citizens in all countries for many years. He is reviled by governments and the media, but admired by ordinary people (and vice versa). It was as if the whole world was focused on this man. The Athonite elders also talked about Putin. All known information can be divided exactly along the line of opposition, clearly visible in public opinion. Thus, the Athonite elder Afanasy, as follows from the media, anathematized the president. He considered him a usurper acting to the detriment of Russia. Allegedly, it was V.V. Putin who instigated a war in which brothers kill each other.

It should be noted that the anathema of the Athonite elders is not a completely real thing. Think for yourself, would a Christian, sincerely and with all his soul devoted to the Lord, begin to release aggression into the world? Isn't he thereby helping the Antichrist gain power? Such materials should be treated with caution. Moreover, there are others that are different in content. Thus, Elder Gabriel of Athos said that V.V. Putin took upon himself a huge and heavy cross. Even if he has some mistakes or sins, the Lord will forgive everything. Putin is a sincere person who cares for Rus' and the people. And simple people should help him with passionate prayer. Athonite Elder Afanasy, despite the obvious condemnation of the decisions of the President of the Russian Federation, agrees with the role ordinary person in saving Russia. He said that he placed all his hopes on the people. The Orthodox Russian people will not lie, they will not go against their conscience.

Athonite elders about Ukraine

Elder Parthenius warned against the insincerity of the European Union. In his opinion, if Ukraine joins it, it will be much worse in this country than in Greece. Wars and lawlessness are happening everywhere in the world. But the main thing is that the sins of Sodom are welcomed by rulers and states. Is it on the path of the Orthodox with people who welcome such things? A lot of efforts fell to the lot of the Ukrainian people. He is kind and sincere, and does not wish harm to anyone. That’s why the elders see great power in him. Ukraine will cope with its problems and emerge victorious. People will begin to honor God in their souls. The elders also said that the Slavic people should be together. However, demonic forces separated them for a long time. Everyone should strive to unite the Orthodox. This is their only strength. Whoever among the Ukrainians goes against this will become a servant of the Antichrist, the elders said. And so there is a lot of evil in the world. It is possible to overcome it, survive, and protect the world only together. And Ukrainians are the same Slavic people, like Russians with Belarusians. They need to join hands and unite against sin.

Even Elder Parfeniy warned Ukraine against the debt trap. He gave the example of Cyprus, where Mount Athos is located. Until it joined the European Union, it was a prosperous, strong country. They ruined Cyprus and plunged its people into poverty. There is nothing good about debt. Today you have everything, but tomorrow you will have to give away more than what you received.

Note that there are other predictions of the Athonite elders about Ukraine. They talk about victory over Russia. However, even politicians now admit that there is no war between the fraternal countries. So is it worth reading propaganda materials? People are perspicacious at heart. How can they believe that their relatives have taken up arms against them? After all, many families are separated by a border for more than twenty years, but hearts cannot be torn apart so easily. Will those who love begin to kill?

About Russia and Ukraine

You know, all the elders talk about the same thing. The world is gradually approaching the border where people will have to choose which side to take. This is not about the conflict that struck Ukraine. They talked about souls and faith. Today the planet is engulfed in global processes. They affect every person and occur on many levels: in the economy, politics, and the spiritual sphere. The last one is the most subtle and dangerous. Therefore, everyone considered it their duty to warn people about the Antichrist. He will come to earth in human form. Dad will support him. He will point the believers to him as the messiah. The Antichrist will plunge humanity into chaos and sin, and will push it towards vices and a decline in spirituality. We see all this with our own eyes. And this war is not going on on the battlefields, but in souls. Whom to support, consider as righteous and messenger of the Lord? This is something everyone decides for themselves, judging according to their conscience.

The elders talk about this, that you need to strengthen your faith. It is necessary to firmly know that the Lord will not abandon someone who has not bent his soul and has not been tempted either by gold or by demonic pleasures. You may ask, what does Russia’s relationship with Ukraine have to do with it? Thus, the peoples of these countries found themselves on the first line of the front between light and darkness. As they say, everyone will be rewarded according to their deeds. Nothing else. Therefore, the elders insist on sincere prayer, so that the Lord will show the right path. Is it possible for a brother to go against his brother? But this is precisely what the servants of the Antichrist are pushing people to do. Everything will become clear in time. The repentance of those who made a mistake and succumbed to sin will be cruel. One should strive for peace, believe in Jesus, and support Orthodoxy. It will save you in a world storm.

About America and other “partners”

There are prophecies of the elders regarding the consequences of Armageddon. It is said that two thirds of humanity will die in a bloodbath. The Antichrist will not want to give up his power. He will raise an army against Rus', which will have to fight almost alone for the Lord. By the way, everyone is confident that the Orthodox people will survive and save others. And at the end of this war, America and Japan will go under water. Elder Vladislav (Shumov) told about this. And Australia will sink to the bottom of the sea. After all, it is in these lands that the Antichrist will find many supporters. The cataclysm will also affect Chinese lands. Some of them will be flooded. Then China will want to fight with Russia for territory. And on the other side Germany will attack. But Rus' will survive. People who now live outside the borders of the state will help her. Everyone in the world who considers themselves Russian will unite to restore the greatness of the Motherland.

About Greece and Turkey

Paisiy of Athos spoke about big war in the Middle East. In his opinion, Turkey faces big problems. After all, Serbia was divided to please this state. Muslims were allowed to create their own country, separate from the Orthodox. The same fate will befall Turkey. The European Union will point out to her the need to allocate land for non-Muslims. will go to Greece, but will lose. The elder claimed that the Orthodox would win this battle. And Constantinople will be given to Greece. Not because her army will be powerful. No, it will be beneficial for everyone. The Russians will take the city, but will lose it to the Greeks. Because this will be useful for the whole world for political reasons. The Turks will have to flee. They will go to Mesopotamia. Orthodoxy will eventually become the faith and hope of the majority of peoples. Even the Chinese will join him.

About World War III

We have already talked about Armageddon and we will repeat it again. The fact is that any listener who listens to the prophecies of the elders understands them through the prism of his own worldview. Therefore, it is recommended to listen and read their words several times, trying to penetrate the deeper meaning. By the way, some residents of Ukraine perceived the idea of ​​​​the victory of the people as a harbinger of the collapse of Russia. Is it so? Do the elders talk about this? Everyone never tires of repeating that it is necessary to seek the truth in the soul and strengthen the Orthodox faith. Joseph of Athos went further in his advice. The elder told people to study themselves. They looked not at events, but at their own role in them. Are you acting according to your conscience?

Everything in this world is done by people. Without the support of the people, no ruler will retain power. What's inside a person? How can he deal with the devil? The elder speaks about this in detail in his research. Humility comes to those who have achieved enlightenment. And it lies in self-knowledge! If people follow this road, no Antichrist will be able to deal with them. Third World War happens in everyone's soul. Some have previously won, others are still fighting, and others have given up. And there are no allies in this war except the true faith. A Orthodox people invincible. For they never truly abandoned faith in the Lord. You ask, when will this battle come? Isn’t she already walking in our hearts? Look at the news today. Tell yourself, whose side are you on? Were you able to win the first fight? Congratulations!