Mt. Athos, November 13, 2017
Photo: aktines.blogspot.ru “The devil has raised his banner high today. People of sin seek to turn their passions into a guide and example to be followed. The rulers want us not to protest and to keep quiet this time. This is a terrible and unprecedented deed—to allow the cultivation of the plant of death,” the Athonite forcefully writes.
The abbot of the Athonite monastery reported that he had received information about the visit of a high-ranking Greek politician to Mt. Athos being prepared: “Those who legalize narcotics express their (supposed) desire and thirst to visit this holy place. I was told that a new attempt to organize the visit of a godless politician is underway.” Fr. Gregory is referring to Prime Minister Tsipras of Greece, whose previous trip to the Holy Mountain was canceled due to the protests of the monks of the mountain, including black flags with the inscription “Keep the Antichrists off the Holy Mountain” being posted in Dochariou Monastery.
Commenting on the canceled trip at the time, Archimandrite Gregory emphasized, “A fight was given, and the futility of the authorities was manifested. The Cross was victorious, the Theotokos, the protectress of Athos was victorious, the prayers of the monks were victorious. The main satrap of the recent years has not set foot on the Holy Mountain.”
Fr. Gregory also called for an end to “preparing a meeting for atheists and the antichrist,” and “is asking the Lord to lay low those who hate New Zion.”
According to the Athonite archimandrite, Orthodox Christians should not make the mistake of voting for godless authorities: “We have to be careful, because those who are being promoted as alternative candidates for government may become even more aggressive against the Church. Double trouble! A coin has two sides. I am afraid that the godless and sin will come out in a new edition. People, be careful!”
