The Prophecies of Sts, Cosmas of Aitolia and Paisios the Hagiorite on the Liberation of the Balkans and Constantinople

The author, Athanasios Zoitakis, is a doctoral candidate in history and teaches Church history in the History Department of Moscow State University. He is also currently the editor-in-chief of the Pravoslavie.ru Greek edition.

St. Cosmas of Aitolia preaching to the people. Photo: Mystagogy. St. Cosmas of Aitolia preaching to the people. Photo: Mystagogy.     

In the first epistle to the Corinthians, Apostle Paul names the gifts of the Holy Spirit to Christ’s Church: But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; to another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues (1 Cor. 7–10). The Lord generously rewarded His disciples and apostles with these gifts—unlearned fishermen became theologians, prophets, and teachers. They preached the Gospel truth throughout the world, worked amazing miracles, and at the end of their lives were vouchsafed to receive a martyr’s crown.

It is no accident that the Holy Church calls St. Cosmas of Aitolia “equal to the apostles”. A fiery and sincere preacher, even during his lifetime he worked a multitude of miracles and healings, and was vouchsafed a martyric death.

The saint was not only an outstanding Orthodox enlightener; he is truly considered a great prophet of latter times. St. Cosmas of Aitolia left a great number of stunningly exact prophecies about the future of mankind (about scientific inventions, wars, and ecological catastrophes). Many of his predictions have already come to pass, while others are still awaiting their fulfillment.

These are not dreamed-up predictions in the spirit of the false prophecies of the much-hailed Nostrodamus, which had as their goal to lead man away from Christ, but true testimonies of the Holy Spirit, called to help us not fall into diabolical snares and to preserve the purity of the Orthodox faith.

Every town, every village that St. Cosmas visited preserves his prophetic words. Many of the saint’s prophecies have come down to us not only in written form, but also as oral history. People have been brought up from childhood on the saint’s precepts, and therefore even today there is no one in Greece who isn’t familiar with the prophecies of St. Cosmas of Aitolia.

Many of his prophecies are bound up with specific spheres of life, and cannot be understood without knowing the local realities and historical contexts. Some, to the contrary, are bound up with the destiny of universal Orthodoxy and the modern world. The majority of St. Cosmas’s prophecies have been preserved to our times. Some of these prophecies are known through the books, manuscripts, and codices of the eighteenth to nineteenth centuries. During the Second World War, a teacher in a school in Northern Epirus found a collection of seventy-two prophecies written in a Koran in the Albanian language. The saint’s prophecies were so essential to life, so popular, and important to the people that some did not want to part with his words even during the period of cruel persecutions, and they “hid” the prophecies of the great Orthodox saint in the sacred books of Islam.

If the main task of the prophets of the Old Testament period was to foretell the coming of the Messiah, then the main work of New Testament Prophets has been to foretell the end of the world and the Second Coming of Christ. All New Testament holy men, endowed with prophetic gifts (including St. Cosmas), foretold not some new events or states, but rather prepared their flock for the Terrible Judgment and the Second Coming of our Lord and Savior. They prepare us not only for overcoming the hardships and temptations of the last times, but also for the main goal of our earthly existence—“a good defense at the dread Judgment Seat of Christ”.[1]

“The prophets were great martyrs! They were greater martyrs than the martyrs, despite the fact that they did not all die a martyr’s death. This is because the martyrs did not suffer long, while the prophets saw how evil was being committed and so suffered continually. They shouted and shouted, while everyone else just blew their own horns.”[2] These words belong to our contemporary Athonite Elder Paisios of the Hagiorite. Elder Paisios (like any other Greek) was from early childhood immersed in the traditions connected with the name of Equal-to-the-Apostles Cosmas. Later in conversations with people who came to him he would often cite from the sermons and prophecies of this saint. The elder spent a long time restoring the monastery in Konitsa—a place that was uninterruptedly connected with the name of St. Cosmas of Aitolia (now there is a magnificent church built in his honor there). But the most important thing is that Elder Paisios explained to us certain of the saint’s “Constantinople” prophecies, which had previously evoked heated arguments amongst researchers.

The two saints were bound together by their common pain for their native land and the Orthodox Church. Both were outstanding missionaries, who brought a multitude of their contemporaries to Christ. There lives are examples of sacrificial service to God and neighbor.

Sts. Cosmas and Paisios showed with their entire lives that love for God is unthinkable without for your people. At the same time, in their relationship to their motherland these two ascetics were alien to superficial ardor, which flares brightly but quickly dies out. They showed that love for one’s motherland is a daily, exhausting and dangerous labor, bereft of anything showy and especially not carried on with any earthly reward in mind.

For this sacrificial labor first of all is needed deep humility, and dedication to God’s will. Elder Paisios’s life was penetrated with this. We can find such readiness for this self-denial in the words of Holy Hieromartyr Cosmas, which are a program for his entire work on earth:

“You may say, ‘But you are a monk, so what are you doing in the world?’ And I, my brothers, am not doing rightly. But because our people have become unlearned, I said, ‘Let Christ lose only me, but receive all the rest. Perhaps by God’s mercy and by your prayers I will be saved’.” Here Equal-to-the-Apostles Cosmas stands on equal ground with Apostle Paul, who said, For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh (Rom. 9:3).

Wars, hunger, cold, unthinkable catastrophes and tragedies—all this was prophesied by St. Cosmas. But he names these events not in order to frighten the fainthearted and impressionable. The saint gives practical advice on how to overcome the adversities and withstand them while preserving our faith. He suffered through every word he spoke and they therefore had importance and significance not only for his contemporaries, but also for subsequent generations.

The prophecies of St. Cosmas of Aitolia have become essential instructions for several generations of people living on the Balkan Peninsula. Let us also listen to his words, follow his instructions, and preserve our hope and faith that with God’s help, all trials will in the end be turned to our benefit.

The prophecy of “the desired”

With his prophecies, St. Cosmas of Aitolia was able to return his compatriots, who had been languishing for over 300 years under a foreign yoke, to hope in their national rebirth. St. Cosmas’s contribution to the future liberation from Turkish rule was enormous. Here are the words of a song that became the anthem for the Greeks fighting against foreign rule:

Help, St. George
Help, St. Cosmas,
To take back Constantinople again
And the Church of Hagia Sophia.

St. George, as we know, was the protector of armies. And St. Cosmas became for the participants in the national-liberation movement a symbol of the struggle for the rebirth of Orthodoxy and the Greek motherland. They were inspired by his prophecies, which awakened faith and hope in them.

The saint, of course, could not speak openly with his flock about national liberation. He used the words, “the desired”, “the longed-for”. “When shall ‘the longed-for’ come?” the saint was often asked.

Here is how he answered that question:

“This place will one day become Romean[3] again. Happy is he who will live in this country.”

The saint often pronounced this prophecy when visiting the enslaved Balkan lands to preach. They were all soon liberated from the Turks.

“The desired will come to you in the third generation; your grandsons will see it.”

These words were again pronounced in Epirus. This Greek province was liberated during the Balkan war of 1912–1913, when the grandchildren of those to whom St. Cosmas spoke this prophecy were still alive.

“There is yet much suffering ahead. Do no forget my words: pray, act, and be calm. Until this gash on the sycamore tree closes over, your settlement will be enslaved and unhappy.”

The saint said this in the Epirus village of Tsaraplana. The gash on that tree cicatrized in 1912.

From the time the local inhabitants heard that prophecy they would go everyday to the sycamore and see if the wound on the tree had cicatrized. Over 130 years passed, and then the joyful news spread around the region: “It’s happened! The saint’s prophecy has been fulfilled!” And people were not deceived in their expectations—just a few months later they received their long-awaited freedom.

“The desired will come when two Pachalias will fall on the same day.”

The Annunciation and Pascha fell on the same day in 1912. Just a few months later, the regions to whose inhabitants the saint had addressed his prophetic words were liberated from Turkish rule (this is how Elder Paisios interpreted St. Cosmas’s prophecy).

“May these mountains be blessed: They will save many souls.”

The saint said these words in Vonitsa. In May 1821, the inhabitants of this area, following the prophetic advice of St. Cosmas, found refuge in the Lefkada Mountains.

“Thank your fate that you will find yourselves in the high mountains—they will save you from many calamities. You will hear danger, but you won’t see it. You will suffer for three days and three hours.”

Metsovo. Photo: Wikipedia. Metsovo. Photo: Wikipedia.     

The saint pronounced this prophecy in the town of Metsovo. On May 27, 1854, there was in fact a cruel three-day battle. Many local people were able to escape death by hiding high in the mountains.

“O blessed mountain! How many women and children you will save when difficult years come.”

On November 4, 1912, the saint’s words were fulfilled. In the mountains of Siatista, 45,000 women and children were saved.

“First will come the red caps, then in fifty-four years they will be replaced by the English, and then there will be a Greek state.”

The saint pronounced this prophecy about the liberation of the Ionian Islands on the island of Cephalonia. These words were fulfilled with amazing accuracy: After the Venetians the islands were taken over by the French (a folk name for them was the “red caps”), and on the fifty-fourth year (!) the English replaced them, and only after that did the Ionian Islands, as St. Cosmas foretold, receive their long-awaited liberation.

“Catastrophe will reach the cross, but it won’t be able to go any lower. Do not be afraid. Do not leave your houses.”

With these words the saint addressed the inhabitants of Polineri. At the place where he preached, the saint as was his custom raised a large cross with which this prophecy is connected.

In November 1940, the armies of fascist Italy invaded Greece. Meeting practically no resistance they captured more and more territories. Finally they reached the cross about which the saint had prophesied. Alarmed at the threat of the Italian forces’ further advancement, the Greek authorities issued an order to evacuate the inhabitants of several areas, including Polineri. A one hundred-year-old inhabitant of the village of Tegos Nasioulas had not forgotten the saint’s prophetic words: He addressed his fellow villagers, convincing them not to leave their houses. The authorities considered them saboteurs who were trying to hold up the evacuation and make it easier for the Italian forces to advance. They asked the old man to be silent, even beat him cruelly, but he was he did not back down.

The Italians did in fact reach the cross, but they could not go any further—the Greek forces stopped their attack.

Prophecies about Constantinople

Regaining Constantinople has always been the dream of the Greeks and other Orthodox nations in the Balkans. Its fall was the most devastating and tragic date in Greek history. The rebirth of a national state did not reach its logical conclusion: the restoration of an Orthodox Empire with its capital in Constantinople. Having foretold the liberation from the Turkish yoke, St. Cosmas also foretold the future liberation of Constantinople. The “Constantinople” prophecies still await their fulfillment.

    

Many of St. Cosmas’s prophecies have long remained a puzzle to us and were the subject of the most contradictory explanations. Moreover, in the people’s consciousness they were mixed up with the many false prophecies that exist about the liberation of the City. Elder Paisios not only explained the saint’s words, which are still hard to understand, but he also helped separate the “wheat from the chaff”—the true testimony of the Holy Spirit from the predictions of false prophets who have led us into confusion and error.

The two saints are not only bound together by common prophesies about the fate of the City, but also by the their love of Byzantium and dedication to the idea of an Orthodox, multi-national empire—a sentiment natural to the majority of Greek ascetics.

For them Byzantium is not just a political program but also a way of thinking and perception of the world: “Byzantium placed the beginning of the Holy Mountain [Athos]. Today the Holy Mountain could renew Byzantium, if only we would preserve that strength in ourselves, not ‘be lazy’, not ‘lose our color’. Look, people are now disappointed in everything and are looking for something that is not of merely transitory value. This is very easy. If only we ourselves would not fade.”[4] Byzantium is an image of a sovereign state that is inseparably connected with Orthodoxy, founded upon Orthodoxy. It is a “Christian kingdom”, as St. Cosmas of Aitolia accurately defines it.

“The red vests will drive the Turks from the City”

We do not yet know the meaning of this prophecy. Some express the supposition that the color red will be present in the uniforms of the liberating soldiers.

“There will be so much blood spilled in the City that a three-year-old calf could swim in it.”

This prophecy was supplemented by Elder Paisiios: “In Constantinople there will be a fierce battle between the Russians and the Europeans. Very much blood will be spilled.”[5]

“Armies will pass through the valley of Mouzini headed for Constantinople. Let the women and children go to the mountains. They will ask you, ‘Is the City far away?’ Answer: ‘It is near’. By answering that way, you will avoid much disaster.”

The Mouzini Valley is located in Northern Epirus. Although this Greek province is now in the territory of Albania, it has a significantly non-Albanian (mainly Greek) population, whom St. Cosmas addressed in his prophecy.

“When you hear that a fleet is sailing in the Mediterranean Sea, know that the Constantinople question will soon be resolved.”

It is clear from the prophecies that in the struggle for Constantinople, the opposing sides will make broad use of their navies.

“The armies will not even get halfway to the City when they will hear news that “the desired” has come.”

Certain of St. Cosmas’s “Constantinople” prophecies were deciphered in the late twentieth century and supplemented by Elder Paisios the Hagiorite.

“Here is what the elder said when he was asked one day about the events in Serbia:

“ ‘Today, for the sake of the Turks the Europeans are creating an independent state with a Muslim population (Bosnia, Herzegovina). However, I see that in the future they will carefully divide Turkey itself as well: the Kurds and Armenians will rebel, and the Europeans will demand recognition of these peoples’ independence and rights to self-government. Then they will say to Turkey: “We once did you a favor, and now in the same way, the Kurds and Armenians should receive independence.” Thus will they ‘nobly’ divide Turkey into parts.

“St. Arsenius of Cappadocia told the faithful in Faras that they will lose their fatherland, but soon they will gain it back again.”[6]

“There will be yet another foreign army. It will not know Greek, but it will believe in Christ. They will also ask: ‘Where is the City?’”

The fate of Constantinople will be decided in a military and diplomatic contest of the largest world sovereignties, for whom for some (as yet unknown) reason the break up of Turkey will be profitable.

St. Paisios the Hagiorite. St. Paisios the Hagiorite. Elder Paisios emphasized that this will happen without Greece’s direct participation: “We will take Constantinople back, but not we ourselves. Because the majority of our young people have become degraded, we are not capable of such a thing. Nevertheless, God will arrange it that others will take the City and give it to us.”[7]

Many Greek researchers are convinced that Russia, of the same religion as them, will take an active part in deciding the Constantinople question. Truly, the Russian people fit to the greatest degree St. Cosmas’s description: “They will not know Greek, but they will believe in Christ.”

“One day a group of children, students of the Athonaida, decided to go to the elder and ask him whether the Greeks will take Constantinople and will they, the children, live to those times. They came to Fr. Paisios’s kaliva, took their treats, but were afraid to ask the question. One made a sign to another, and he to a third. But in the end, no one could bring himself to ask the elder. Then the elder said to them himself: ‘Well, young fellows? What did you want to ask? About Constantinople? We’ll take it, we will, and you will live to see it’.”[8]

“The antichrists (that is, the Turks.—A.Z.) will leave, but they will return, and then you will chase them to the Red Apple Tree.”

In Greek folk tradition the Red Apple Tree is the name for Kokkini Milia—a place somewhere in Mesopotamia, where the Turks will be driven after the liberation of Constantinople.

Of course, now it seems to us that the liberation of Constantinople, just like the break up of Turkey along with the strengthening of Russia are almost impossible. But let’s not forget that all is possible to God, and the situation in world politics can make a 180-degree turnaround at any moment.

“One day, Mr. D. K. visited Elder Paisios. At that time the USSR was a strong and seemingly invincible world power, and no one could even suppose that it could be destroyed (this was in the Brezhnev era).

But Elder Paisios said to him, by the by:

“You will see that the USSR will break apart.”

Mr. D. objected:

“But Geronda, who could break apart that enormous might? No one would even dare to touch its toenails.”

“You’ll see!”

The elder foretold that the breakup of the USSR will be obvious even to Mr. D., despite his advanced age.

The Elder went on:

“Know, that Turkey will also fall apart. There will be a war that will last two periods. We will be the victors, because we are Orthodox.

“Geronda, will we suffer losses in the war?”

“Eh, at the most they’ll occupy one or two islands, but they will give Constantinople to us. You’ll see, you’ll see!”

“The Turks will leave, but they will return again and reach Hexamilia.[9] One third of them will perish, one third will come to believe in Christ, and another third will go to Kokkini Milia.”

“No one can explain this, and all make mistaken suppositions. They say that Hexamilia is in Langadas, Kilnis,[10] in Thrace,[11] in Corinth; but no one knows that what the saint was talking about is the six miles of territorial waters[12].[13]

“Once, I met Elder Paisios, who was somewhat disturbed and upset. He gave me some treats and then began the conversation himself:

“ ‘Certain people came to me and said that a war will start, the Turks will enter Greece, and they will chase us six miles to Corinth (that is how they explained the prophecy of St. Cosmas of Aitolia, with their corrupt thinking). <…> Although I don’t like to talk on the theme of prophecies, they forced me to explain to them the meaning of the six miles about which St. Cosmas spoke. This is none other than six miles of the sea shelf. It is what we and Turkey have been gnawing at each other about in recent years and about which we will finally “lock horns”. But they will not enter Greece, they will only advance to these six miles, but then they will meet with great calamities from the north, as it is written, and all their plans will collapse.”[14]

“Today, reading prophecies is the same as reading the newspaper—they are so clearly written. My thoughts tell me that many events will take place there: The Russians will occupy Turkey, Turkey will disappear from the map, because one third of the Turks will convert to Christianity, a third with perish, and a third will head for Mesopotamia.”[15]

The prophecies of Sts. Cosmas and Paisios talk about how a third of the Turks will become Christians. It is notable that even now there are many crypto-Christians amongst the Turks. Many pilgrims who have been to Turkey tell about how during their travels people would come up to them, ask them for icons, prayer books, and look for opportunities to confess and receive Communion.

“Then it will come, when there will come two summers and two Paschalias together.”

For a long time the meaning of this prophecy was hidden from us, and only at the end of the twentieth century did Elder Paisios shed light on St. Cosmas’s words.

“They started telling me what St. Cosmas had said: ‘Then it will come, when there will come two summers and two Paschalias together’. They say that now (when Pascha coincided with the Annunciation and the last winter was like summer) it means that the Turks will attack Greece.

“We’ve all become prophets, father, and explain things with our minds however we want… Here I was forced to tell them that when St. Cosmas said, ‘Then it will come…’ he didn’t mean the Turks at all. He meant that liberation will come for the people of North Epirus. And truly, after this year, after so many years the borders were opened, and now they can more or less be connected with their fatherland.

“My father, I understood that these people bring very great harm by explaining the prophecies with their poor minds. And more than that, they pass on their false thinking to others.”[16]

At the foundation of this publication lies the book: Athanasios Zoutakis, The Life and prophecies of St. Cosmas of Aitolia (Moscow: 2007).

Athanasios Zoitakis
Translation by OrthoChristian.com

Pravoslavie.ru

9/5/2024

[1] From the litany at Orthodox services.—Trans.

[2] St. Paisius the Hagiorite, With pain and love for Modern Man (Moscow: Word, 2003) 1:22.

[3] Romei—inhabitants of the Byzantine Empire. St. Cosmas was a consistent supporter of creating a “Romeian Empire”.

[4] See: Athanasios Rakovalic, Fr. Paisios said to me…” (Moscow, 2003) [Russia].

[5] Χριστόδουλος Αγιορείτης, ιερομοναχος. Σκέυος Εκλογής. Άγιον Όρος, 1996. Σ. 207.

[6] Ibid., 143.

[7] Χριστόδουλου Αγιορείτου. Ο Γέρων Παίσιος. Άγιον ΄Ορος, 1994. Σ. 210–221.

[8] Hieromonk Isaac, The Life of Elder Paisios of the Holy Mountain (Moscow: 2006), 211.

[9] Hexamilia: six miles.

[10] Langadas, Kilnis: a town in Macedonia.

[11] Thrace: a province in Greece

[12] The zone of six miles, including several islands in the Aegean Sea. The Turks are now actively making claims to this territory. The continually violate Greek air space, and in 1996, due to these territories a military conflict nearly broke out between Greece and Turkey. (These conflicts are still coming up at the time of this translation.—Trans.)

[13] Χριστόδουλος Αγιορείτης, ιερομοναχος. Σκέυος Εκλογής. Σ. 221.

[14] Χριστόδουλου Αγιορείτου.. Ο Γέρων Παίσιος. Σ. 211

[15] Ibid., 206.

[16] Ibid., 211.

See also
The New Status of Constantinople’s Hagia Sophia The New Status of Constantinople’s Hagia Sophia
Archpriest Vladislav Tsypin
The New Status of Constantinople’s Hagia Sophia The New Status of Constantinople’s Hagia Sophia
Archpriest Vladislav Tsypin
The fifteen hundred year history of the Hagia Sophia has recently seen the beginning of a new era. In the distant past the conversion of it from an Orthodox cathedral into a mosque also coincided with the beginning of a new era.
The Fall of Constantinople The Fall of Constantinople
Sir Steven Runciman
The Fall of Constantinople The Fall of Constantinople
Sir Steven Runciman
Today we remember the tragic, final fall of Constantinople to the Turks with this account by historian Sir Steven Runciman.
Why Constantinople Matters Why Constantinople Matters
Seraphim Hamilton
Why Constantinople Matters Why Constantinople Matters
Seraphim Hamilton
Constantinople, the New Rome, is the sign of the fulfillment of the Kingdom of God and its political manifestation.
The Fall of Constantinople, Queen of Cities The Fall of Constantinople, Queen of Cities
Evagelos Sotiropoulos
On May 29, the Orthodox Church remembers the Fall of Constantinople, the Queen of Cities, in 1453. Named after Saint Constantine the Great, Constantinople was the capital of the Byzantine Empire (330-1453). Although Byzantium’s vast power spanned 11 centuries, its story is often held hidden.
Life and Labors of St. Cosmas of Aetolia. Part 2 Life and Labors of St. Cosmas of Aetolia. Part 2
Athanasios Zoetakis
Life and Labors of St. Cosmas of Aetolia. Part 2 Life and Labors of St. Cosmas of Aetolia. Part 2
Athanasios Zoitakis
The contribution of St. Cosmas of Aetolia to the spiritual and national renaissance of the Balkans was not only in his own sermons, which covered practically every level of the population, but also in the foundation of a large number of free schools. "He founded schools everywhere through his teaching," writes St. Nikodimos the Hagiorite.
The Life and Labors of St. Cosmas of Aetolia. Part 1 The Life and Labors of St. Cosmas of Aetolia. Part 1
Athanasios Zoetakis
The Life and Labors of St. Cosmas of Aetolia. Part 1 The Life and Labors of St. Cosmas of Aetolia. Part 1
Athanasios Zoitakis
Cosmas was a true Christian—he could not be concerned with his own salvation alone; his pain for his countrymen and love of neighbor caused him to dedicate himself to the service of enlightenment, which would later become the very meaning of life for him.
Comments
Stephen Golay9/16/2024 8:11 am
Pay attention to the thought that the Greeks will not be the primary liberators of Constantinople. . . For reasons identified. This seems an important knot in the prophetic thread. And, yes, Russia is more than key (as present events are quickly confirming. With Turkey being dismantled - and driven to the wasteland (of Iraq?), seems that Russia will be party to this. To secure this outcome (and therefore the liberty of Constantinople) Russia will need to be invited "to sit (be seated) in Damascus". Damascus as the waystation towards the liberation of Constantinople. There is reason why the Damascus point was enclosed in quotation marks. The Mother Lode, California
Panagiotis9/7/2024 4:41 am
"The red vests will drive the Turks from the City". When the Orthodox Armies of Russia enter Constantinople they will be flying a red flag: The Holy Face of Jesus IC XC NI KA Flag. Many of these soldiers will drape themselves in this red Flag, and it will appear as a red vest. Others will have a patch, a red patch of the same picture/icon of the Holy Face of Jesus, and they will wear this red patch on their uniforms over their heart. And the prophecy will be fulfilled! Recent advancements in DNA ancestry testing has now proved that the vast majority of so-called "Turkish people" are not descended from the Mongol Turkish tribes, but are in fact descended from European People, including Orthodox Greeks, Orthodox Serbs, Orthodox Bulgarians, Orthodox Romanians and other Orthodox, including Armenian Orthodox. This development will facilitate the liberation of Constantinople and will also fulfill the prophecy that one third of the Turks will return to their Orthodox Roots, as many wish to do now but are reluctant to until the liberation of Constantinople comes. Thoxa Si O Theos, Thoxa Si. Just my humble opinion.
kathy2/5/2024 10:00 am
New Martyr Press recently republished Elder Paisios: The Signs of the Times
Aleo1/8/2023 9:33 pm
Hi Josiah and Denis: I am not directly familiar with the references you speak of, but I was also confused by the sequence of events these holy people and others described. Maybe this forum thread will provide you with insight as it did with me: https://motheofgod.com/threads/byzantine-prophecies-on-the-last-emperor-and-era-of-peace.16950/ I stumbled upon this information when reading about prophecies. Keep in mind I found this by accident and I know nothing about the nature of the forum in general. But the writings discussed there give me a lot of hope - hope that we have to hold on to, if we do end up living to see the period of intense global suffering. After this period of suffering, then apparently will come the monarch which these writings (a great deal of which were written before 1054) describe. A monarch who will lead the most prosperous era of Christian history. After the lineage this foretold Christian monarch/emperor will establish, then comes Armageddon (at least according to these prophecies all put together). Brace yourselves and don't throw everything out the window, because humans may live on this planet for thousands more years before Christ returns. This may disappoint many Christians to even think of, because we tend to obsess over the end times.
Mar12/10/2021 9:39 am
I am studying these prophecies and I really hope that democracy is maintained world-wide, freedoms matters and our personal connection to Christ. Maybe, parts of prophecy may come true, maybe not.. unsure until we live the future. However, sometimes a highly spiritual person can also apply their own "wishful thinking" within their existence, either consciousness and sub-consciously within the reality ... that exists within us. As Christ said that, the Kingdom of Heaven is inside of us. (the Consciousness/ the real life/ we are blinded by desires, sin, hatred, etc and identifying to objects.) This is very important topic because for someone to give an accurate prophecy, this means they must be totally removed from their own desires, have a full understanding of God (Logos/Chris/Theotokos/Providence/etc.) and semi-Christ like in a very un-biased nature, elevating their existence to almost command creation around them in vibrating in God-Like method. Then, they can maybe touch the messages sent by Christ/Theos. Very few apostles and Saint like, St. Nekatrios, St. Nicholas or, many others were capable of tapping into the destiny of humanity on earth. If any did successfully. this is known only to God (Theos/Logos/ Christ) totally, and these probabilities, in my view, are changing constantly. (Humanity is blocking due to desires, selfness, like the fallen.) We are in total free-will, God knows all of your desires, thoughts, emotions, everything. God doesnt live in time as we do, God is in Ethneral-Now (Past/Present/Future) super state of "Life". (very high existence, the highest, expressive multitude of colors of love un-comprehensibly to our minds.) This is very high level to interpret the future. Only few people could do that. Prophecies are beautiful, but we have to be mindful what we follow. I study their words and i listen with complete love, but i avoid acting. I doubt people giving prophecies would always act, sometimes they are unsure how these visions came in. Only Jesus Christ (The Logos/God) that incarnated as human,(existed before time was created) foretold the future without even trying.(God exists in Eternal Limitless of time, Higher Existnace, no time. is it a "Now" time) He was telling the Apostles what will happen but only information they needed to know, and to be strong before his crucifixion. (in perfect sycronization to ensure the apostles carry out their tasks.) Jesus (the Logos) knowing incarnated on earth to be crucified, to be whipped and beaten, to save even those hitting him. Only Christ (Living /Vibrating as God, Incarnated on earth) can do such a thing. As stated in the bible, God so loved the world that he sent his only Son. (Trinity of the Essence of the One True Eternal God, present in all things) I believe Jesus would do it again for each and every single one of us, until we all find the kingdom of heaven. (Jesus is waiting patiently for each and every single one of us, to return back to God, back to CHrist, in total love.) But, regardless of what details are for the future. All things are leading towards a totally peaceful world, one where humanity should be united under Christ and we need to elevate our existence. (Peaceful, Smarter, Effective, Loving, Etc.) Lots of turbulence before we get there. It is the development of humanity, a sub-created kingdom of God.
Denis5/30/2021 4:03 pm
Hello, i have read somewhere a prophecy of Saint Cosmas of Aitolia who said: "We will walking for hours to see an another humain being and those who survived will eat with golden spoon" Can someone tell me the meaning of this? Thanks You.
Josiah5/13/2021 8:36 am
These prophesies are indeed true and underway. I do not speak Greek, but even I can see it as an Orthodox Christian in America. As other comments have mentioned before, Turkey has been antagonizing Greece over the 6 mile coastal waters dispute in the Aegean, and to add to that, Turkey is feeling more pressure more that Russia has Crimea. Things were set in motion by the conflict with Kosovo, as was predicted. We can see the collapse of the US is underway as another comment has mentioned; our government is bankrupting us especially under Biden who spends trillions on stimulus packages as if it’s of no matter, there’s a growing homeless crisis and widening wealth Gran that I can see happening even in the somewhat insulated Midwest, the country is at political odds with itself- people are deeply divided and growing more violent and even abolishing the police in some areas, and our morality has gone completely down the tubes, as predicted, here school children are being indoctrinated with false ideas such that they will not be able to know God. Most recently, we can see the conflict between Israel and Palestine is especially hot this year and must come to a head soon. When it does, the prediction in Revelation about the restoration of the Temple will take place. There’s also the issue of China gearing up and already making moves to take the pacific and south China waters and islands adding to the tensions. I recommend browsing the videos on the CaspianReport YouTube channel for detailed information on the geopolitical situation. The narrator of the channel I’m sure is not aware of the prophesies, but he speaks well and detailed in the situation as someone who is paying attention. But the situation he lays out does seem to make the prophesies of Paisios and Kosmas look more likely than not. Cryptocurrency will be the vehicle by which people receive the mark, and the collapse of the US as the global reserve currency will be the catalyst for driving forward the new system. Unlike the goal of the cryptocurrency innovators to create a completely democratized, decentralized, user controlled system, it will be twisted by the Antichrist to be centrally controlled and require you to buy into the entire unethical and ungodly system. The Mark could be a chip in the hand, or it could be as simple as a QR code. It could also come in the form of something like neurolink. Whatever it is, it will not be sneaky, you will have to knowingly deny Christ to take it. What I still don’t understand, I read it’s predicted after the “General War” that people will eat with silver spoons, but also that during our shortly after that war, the AntiChrist will be presented and established. It seems contradictory for both events to occur simultaneous, and obviously, the Antichrist cannot gain control before a period of property because his demise is what ushered in the end and the New Jerusalem. I hope someone can help clear that up for me?
Micah Sabol9/18/2020 3:06 pm
As an English teacher in Russia for 17 years, I am often dismayed by the attitudes of these Russians to their own country and their high faith in the West. Right before my eyes, after going back to the U.S. for vacations some eight times, I can see how much and how fast things are happening. That American friendliness is gone and 'service'. My point is that we need to be alert and watch our hearts. In my opinion, we should seriously consider what's being written here, but aim for the golden middle too in the tone of Fr. Seraphim Rose.
David9/9/2020 12:45 am
Mr. Patroclides, Was it not St. Porphyrios who said that the faithful should not bother about these things and focus only on Christ? It was also St. Porphyrios who rebuked St. Paisios for speaking on these things. Nobody is denying that prophecies exist or that they can come true. I think I would counter that there is a little too much "looking for a sign" these days, even in the Holy Fathers. I think focusing on Christ rather than prophecies, Toll Houses and other things is wiser. Maybe you didn't intend it, but your post has more than a hint of chauvinism that provides fodder for those who would denigrate the Greek Church.
Patroclos Patroclides 9/8/2020 8:54 am
Full disclosure here. I am a Greek. I was very intrigued to read this article, and rather saddened by the ignorant comments of some of your readers, whom I assume are not Greeks at all, haven't an understanding of the Greek language, culture or eschatology and are highly likely recent converts to our Faith. There is so much to write on this topic, but I will just jot down a few of my immediate thoughts. (a) Prophecies on America - Elder Aristoclis of Moscow (a Russian!) said that America will feed the world. Then it will collapse! An unknown (in the western world) Greek Elder, Geronda Vasilios Kavsokalivitis called Americans snakes, and said they will suffer so many natural catastophes because of the 'anomalies' they export to the rest of the world, that they will go from being 'Ameriki' to 'meriki' i.e. parts. Looking at the state of the great America today, there's practically a civil war, wildfires, tornadoes with fires flaming through them, dead fish off the coast of Miami, yellow rock is rumbling, and scientists expect 'something big' to happen with the San Andreas fault. Are these prophecies so nationalistic and far fetched. Only the really stupid would think so. (b) Greece - The Apostle to our nation Patro Kosmas has so many prophecies. He prophesied that three generations after his martyrdom, Greece would be free, which happened. He prophesied the Greek debt crisis 'they will put a huge debt on the chickens and the windows, but they won't be able to force you to repay it in time, because the war will intervene.' So we have the debt crisis, and now pending WW3. He spoke of the dumb objects (allala che ballala) that would control the world (smart phones etc.) (c) Turkey - 'The turks will leave, but they will return. They will arrive at the six miles, and then they will be destroyed' 'When you hear of the 12 nautical miles, then know that war is following on from behind' The Mitsotakis junta in Athens recently extended Greece's territorial waters to 12 nautical miles in the Ionian Sea. We have a great Metropolitan, his name is Neophytos of Morphou and he has spoken extensively of what the saints like Saint Paisios told him, both about his own life (for example that he would become the bishop of his place of birth (Morphou) one day. And they told him that the war would start with the turks 'about the water'. What is happening today? There are videos on Youtube which go back 7 or 8 years where you can watch him speaking first hand about all these things that we are witnessing today. Unfortunately you have to be able to understand Greek for the most part. Oh and just one other point, about what the Mr Redington said about our Geronda Iosif o Vatopaidinos. There is a video on Youtube in which he speaks very clearly about what is going to happen in the future. And some dear soul did in fact attempt to translate. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCs0LZil6Ac Sorry for my ramblings, but I hope that this will awaken a few souls to the reality we are living through. I know there is an intense hatred and jealousy amongst ''certain'' people (including Orthodox) for Greece - they associate our leadership both clerical and political (the false Greeks as we call them), with us true Hellenes, but that is neither here nor there. Again as our great national saint Paisios said, our enemies and our friends alike want to destroy us but humans have their plans, and God has His. I wish you all a lovely day.
Dionysius Redington9/6/2020 10:53 pm
'One third of them will perish, one third will come to believe in Christ, and another third will go to Kokkini Milia.' This is one of the several highly nationalistic and dubious prophecies attributed to St. Paisios and Joseph of Vatopedi (but found in older sources as well, so it may be merely put falsely in their mouths). These prophecies refer to destruction on a global scale with no particular regret, because it will 'benefit our nation', Greece. Some of the 'prophecies' attributed to St. Paisios refer specifically to the alleged '666 Beast Computer' in Brussels and Chinese armies crossing the Euphrates: both of these doubtful interpretations of genuine Biblical prophecy seem to be taken directly from mid-20th Century Protestant fundamentalist sources of the Garner Ted Armstrong / Hal Lindsey school. 'One third of the Turks will perish, one third will come to believe in Christ, and another third will go to Kokkini Milia.' Surely every Christian should pray daily that the first and last clauses of this 'prophecy' not be fulfilled. All saints of Mt. Athos, pray to God that 3/3 of Turks come to believe in Christ. Dionysius Redington
ACatharina9/6/2020 7:43 pm
The break up of Turkey is already underway...
C.J.S. Hayward9/6/2020 4:55 pm
P.S. I thought readers of this article might like my "Beware of Geeks Bearing Gifts," cjshayward.com/geeks
C.J.S. Hayward9/6/2020 4:18 pm
I looked on Amazon for "Athanasios Zoutakis The Life and Times of St. Cosmas of Aitolia", and the top Amazon results were Hindu in character, with no on-topic matches I could find. Speaking as the author of the book "The Luddite's Guide to Technology" (http://cjshayward.com/the-luddites-guide-to-technology - low Amazon ratings but impressive editorial review), I would be interested in an article covering St. Cosmas's discussion of technology and ecological disaster. I offer no prophecies in the sense of predictions of the future, but students of prophecy might be broadly interested in my analysis of existing technologies, which I believe contain the seeds of technologies still to manifest.
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