The Catalog of Good Deeds

Although the Confessions of adults are sometimes tiresome, the Confessions of children and teenagers are still the most difficult for me.

“I did not obey my parents, I studied poorly, I did not clean my room, I quarreled with my brother, I did not take out the trash, I watched “bad” cartoons…” – this is the most you can hear from a child at the age of 7-12 during Confession. However, with time the content of Confessions remains almost the same. If a child attends church every Sunday, then he has to repeat the same phrases every time he comes to Confession. He will takl about his bad behavior in church; that he did not thank God, that he was inattentive while praying. I would like to say, that with rare exceptions, none of them speaks about their relationships with God.

It is even worse if we speak about the Confession of children of non religious families, in which people do not pray at home and do not read the Holy Gospel. Parents bring them to Confession before the beginning of the school year or, for example, during an excursion at a monastery, for educational purposes (“Father, talk some sense into him!”). Nevertheless, motivation for Confession has nothing to do with the sense of Confession. Usually it is so that neither children, nor their parents understand the essence of this sacrament. The child was told that he should tell the priest about the bad deeds he has committed, so that “God forgives him”. That is it. The sacraments have no connection with real family life. Usually, when these children reach the age of 15, you will not see them in church. Only a few of them will read the Gospel when they get older. But how can we explain to all those relatives that such an approach is unacceptable, because children are not prepared for Confession and the Holy Communion?

Well, what can we offer concerning the preparation of children for Confession? To answer this question I studied the experience of the well-known spiritual fathers, such as Metropolitan Antony of Sourozh, priests Maxim kozlov, Alexei Uminski, Vladimir Vorobyov and others. On the base of the studied materials, the following general recommendations were prepared:

1. If a family does not have a spiritual father, then the preparation of the children rests on the parents’ shoulders. First of all it demands a personal example, when the parents attend church and take part in the sacraments at least from time to time, and the child can see them praying, fasting and reading the Holy Gospel and other spiritual literature. However, if the parents understand that they do not have enough experience for this, then the godparents can assist them.

2. While preparing for Confession, it is important to let the child feel old enough to estimate his deeds on his own. The conversation should not take the form of a lesson, which the child must remember. He can repent only in those deeds, which he understand as bad ones on his own.

3. It is unacceptable to tell children that God will punish them. If the child sees God as an attorney, it will lead to misconstruction of his religious experience. As we say the God is the Father, then it is natural that the image of God is formed according to his personal relationships with his parents. If the relationships are harmonious, if they are based on love, respect and trust, then it will be much easier to explain the child that the sin is not just a crime, but something that ruins this love and trust and creates an obstacle between the man and God. Just as it is natural for a child to love his parents, it is the same natural to learn how to love God.

4. Preparing children for Confession additionally fosters parents, godparents and other relatives to work on themselves. One of the reasons why children leave the Church when they get older is that they have been overwhelmed with prayer and sacraments, but at the same time they do not see that their parents have personal relationships with God. It can be the case when their life comes down to fulfilling certain formal rules (fasting, reading of various spiritual literature), but there is no joy of the life in Christ. Moreover, it can happen in case the parents do not work on themselves and do not think of their sins, or in case there are no healthy and harmonious relationships.

5. Since children’s imagination is much stronger than their logics, it is better to deliver information about sins and their types using different images, examples and proverbs. To do this you can compile the material about passions and then discuss it with your child within several days. Thus, he will manage to understand whether this or that sin concerns him personally or not. No way you should point to the evident child’s sins. To simplify the process of self-development, you can offer your child to note certain sins he might like to confess.

6. While preparing for Confession it is important not only to help the child to recognize his sins, but to foster him to gain the virtues, without which we cannot live spiritually. These virtues are attention to our inner condition and the skill of prayer. It is possible for children to see the Lord as their Heavenly parent, and this is why is it quite easy to explain to them that prayer is a kind of conversation between them and God. Children need communication with their parents as well as spiritual communion with God.

7. Children should not read any long prayers. Children should be able to handle the prayer. Excerpts from the prayer in his own words, such prayers as the “Song to the Most Holy Theotokos” and “The Lord’s Prayer” would be enough for a child.

8. The Holy Communion and Confession are two completely different sacraments. The way they combine in a person’s life depends on the features of each person. Fr. Alexi Uminski says, “A child should not confess every time he is going to partake of the Holy Communion… Unfortunatelly, much depends on the personal approach of the priest. For example, there are priests who do not let children to partake of the Holy Communion if they have not confessed before. They do not care of the children’s age – whether they are 6, 7, or 15 years old.

9. It is advisable that the child manages to establish personal relationships of trust with the priest. To do this they need communication, which can be provided by the Sunday School and various common activities such as camping trips and pilgrimages.

10. There is no need to begin to confess at the age of 7. As Fr. Maxim Kozlov mentions, “Today children grow up physically much faster than spiritually and psychologically. This is why it happens so that most of them are not ready to confess when they are just 7 years old. Is it not time for us to say that the age of Confession should be set up individually in each case? At the age of 7 they can see the difference between the good deed and the bad one, but we cannot say that this is something we can call repentance. Their moral conscience awakes much later. But let it be so. Let them come at 9 or 10, when they become more responsible for their lives and deeds… The formalization of children’s Confession which takes place today is quite dangerous thing”.

11. It would be preferable to agree on a time of the first Confession with the priest beforehand. The first Confession requires special attention. This is why it is important not to put it off or plan it on a feast day or when the priest may be busier than usual.

12. A child’s preparation for Confession begins from the time of his or her self-awareness begins. Children may be ready for their own personal religious experience such as personal prayer by the age of three. And be able to say “sorry” to parents, friends, siblings right away without waiting for Confession. Once again it is important for the child to see an example from his parents and older brothers and sisters.

13. Never use Confession as a disciplinary method. Such a pragmatic method instantly reveals the “spirituality” of those who “send” their children to confession. According to C. S. Lewis: “Men or nations who think they can revive the Faith in order to make a good society might just as well think they can use the stairs of Heaven as a short cut to the nearest chemist's shop.” The temptation to use Christianity for the development of patriotic feeling of “obedience” toward parents is quite high.

14. If children go to communion often, they should not go to Confession every week. This would become more of a formality. Children can very quickly learn how to say a certain “standard”: disobeyed my mother, sad bad things at school had a fight with his brother. Practically not a single child will say that he prayed and was not sincere about it, that he has some inner worries or uncertainties. And after a few years such a “pious Christian” will not have the slightest idea on what repentance means. Confession will no longer lead to the desire to repent. As Father Maksim Kozlov had noted: “it is a good idea after conferring with the spiritual father to confess the little sinner for the first time at the age of 7, for the second time at the age of 8 and for the third time at the age of 9 in order to prolong the beginning of confessing often, regularly, and to make sure that it will not become a simple habit.”

15. As Children grow up, it is important to let them know that Communion is the Blood and Body of Christ that is the Holy of Holies, which one cannot approach just like that. It is important not make communion onto a casual weekly event especially when they play around and run around without even having a thought regarding what they are doing. And if you see that your child is misbehaving before the service and continues to misbehave in church during the service – it is better not to lake him to the Chalice. It would be better for him to understand that one cannot approach communion in any state. And perhaps it is better for the child to commune not as often as you would like but rather to understand why he is coming to church. It is important that the parents do not approach communion of a child as a sort of magic where they shift the responsibility, which they should be responsible for, upon God.

16. It is pedagogically correct if you manage to let your children understand that attending the service and the Holy Communion is not just an obligation, but a privilege – a privilege to be adopted by the Heavenly Father through the Blood and Body of the Son. There is no galaxy which could hold God. But the human’s heart can. However, it should be prepared to accept Him, and for this we need to work on ourselves. We need to try and organize our family attitude to Divine services in such a way that we do not bring our children to the chalice, but that they want to come themselves. Nevertheless, parents should not make their children come there if they have reached their age of reason already; parents can only offer them to come.

17. It is not recommended to have young children attend the entire service. It is difficult even for adults to keep their prayerful condition during the two-hour-long service. Neither can children, which is absolutely natural. As a result, they begin to behave irreverentially: they run across the church, scream and grizzle. Thus they lose the feeling of something sacred. Such children often lose their faith in the future as well. They do not know what adoration is. This is why it is better to limit the amount of the services and the time spent there. It will be enough to stay for 20 minutes in the evening and then come next morning 20 minutes before Communion if the child is under the age of 5. Then you can increase the amount of time spent in church with each year. Even if the mother wants to stay for the whole service, it is better to sacrifice her desire for her child. In practice there is also another variant: a parent comes to the service “for himself”, while the second parent comes with the child later, when the Communion is about to begin. What is more, in some parishes even special liturgies for children are held. Anyway, children’s ability to stay calm in the church depends a lot on how are thing with family prayer at home.

18. Do not forget that the process of churching is prevented by a non-Christian atmosphere in school, TV and internet. Your child’s peers look at their life differently. Their friends will not always share the same interests.

To protect the child from the influence of the secular world we have to develop his positive criticism and the desire for inner freedom. According to Fr. Vitaly Sinkar, “Parents’ goal is not to prepare children for Confession, but to show them the depth of life, to teach them how to understand it. Teach them to love books and to understand poetry. We need to talk to them: about life and its content, about this world. We should not separate them from the world because everything is "demonic", instead we need to provide them with their own spiritual shield. And of course we need to pray for them: to not only speak with them about God, but to speak with God about them as well.

19. Concerning fasting, we should take into account the peculiarities of children’s psychological and physical condition. At first, parents themselves make some food restrictions. But their goal should be that their child begins to restrict himself on his own with time. Even if he just refuses from ice cream or crisps, it will become a great step in his personal spiritual development. Let us point out gain that the degree of preparedness depends on parents a lot. It is important that fast does not come down to simple disciplinary rules.

20. It is a great idea to celebrate the first Confession and Communion, so that these events become a true feast for your children. On this day you and your child can even dress up. It will be nice if you decide to have a simple festive dinner or to go to a café.

Remember that when taking part in the social, spiritual and psychological development of our children we should not make them meet our own expectations no matter how much we want this. Our task is to prepare them for their future life. To teach how to establish their personal relationship with God.

By Hieromonk Agapius (Golub)
St. Elisabeth Convent

June 19, 2017

Cloudy weather did not disrupt the Open Air project at the boarding home for children with special needs. It seemed as if no one noticed the absence of the sun as it was replaced by the positive energy surrounding the event that warmed and brightened all of the surroundings. On this day, everything had a unique sound, everything was dancing, and everything was bright and resembled a fairy tale. It is a good thing because we do not have enough fairy tales.

Everyone including the workers of the boarding home, volunteers as well as sister and brother from St. Elisabeth Convent do as much as they can for the children with special needs who permanently live at the boarding home. Within just one festive week, they children had several trips into the city to see a theatrical performance. What more impressive is that the children held their own performance when they debuted with a new play during a festival called “A world without boundaries” in the Belarussian city of Vitebsk.

The boarding home is considered to be a closed facility but people who spend time with these special children often say that there is much more understanding and openness as opposed to similar facilities in other countries.

Since it is important to share the joy, there were many mothers who brought their children from the city to the board home. Here is what they had to say:

These children are like angels, they are given to parents in kindness, and to humble the world – tells Victoria, a mother of five of which one has Down’s Syndrome – You know all the drool and drivel and diapers will be had to cope with until you change the way you look at things. I told one mother to love the drool because its your child! Wipe it as if you were to kiss the child! And soon afterward the drooling stopped. The child just needed more attention and the warmth of love.

At that moment, her son who’s name is Jan-David runs up to her and asked to have his picture taken in a bright yellow-green car. The car in which the clown arrived in to entrain the children. The clown is quite memorable. He carried instruments in his hands and behind his back and made it seem that he carried them inside his head as well. The musical instruments were there to uplift the spirit. And judging by the was treated the children it truly seemed that everyone was having a good time.

In real life the clowns name is Andrius Praga who is part of a dues performance group called the “Buttons”. Andrius admitted that he can never stay in one place and together with his counterpart of the traveling theatre nelly as well as other artist and musicians constantly travel in their colorful car.

“Everyone has their own world and everyone is unique in their own way and it is always interesting to explore this world. The most difficult part of today for me was to establish a relationship with the children In order to do so I tries to play along with them, attended to their needs. It was very important for me to understand them and establish communication on their level. The girls who work here and ding a truly amazing job – they have dedicated their live to this journey.

Along with the clown, a musical theatre group called “Surprise” also entertained the children with special needs. They were dressed as characters from children’s cartoons. This was the first time this group performed in the boarding home for children with special needs but member of the group were no strangers to working with children who have disabilities.

Many will remember this day because of the house back rides. Nun Vera together with Brother Dimitry carefully helped the very young, well as older children get on the horses, and ensured the safety of the ride. The sisters of mercy from St. Elisabeth Convent were nearby together with the workers of the boarding home, parents and another horse trainer.

Moreover, while the parents discussed the benefits of therapeutic horse riding the children were truly overjoyed with the opportunity to ride a horse and to pet a lovely donkey. Meanwhile Nun Vera is glad that with God help and kindhearted people a long awaited dream became a reality – to have therapeutic horseback rides at the boarding home for children.

The doctors of the facility welcome this initiative as well. Currently, the boarding home houses 111 children and such activities can create a positive emotional background for many of them and help them physically. A personal approach and consistency play a very important role in this.

These children just like all children need to experience something new, – said brother Dimitri. – Animal therapy, a sensory garden, constant trips and visits, outdoor holidays such as this one – all of it helps them to get a taste of life. And of course for the spiritual development we have akathists every Friday.

Such a holiday marks the diversity of the ministry that is constantly growing and finding new ways to serve others. Here, it is important to combine the spirituality with all other aspect of life so that the children who life inside the walls of the boarding home can experience the joy, the love and everything that make all of us human.

St. Elisabeth Convent

June 10, 2017

I was originally baptised and brought up in the Church of England, (born and baptised in Zimbabwe, but came to England at 8 months old. My mother’s family being Church of England, in fact my Grandfather was a Canon in Westminster Abbey, for quite some time my Mothers family lived inside the Abbey. Later my Grandfather became the Vicar of Leeds where I grew up so my family had a long tradition of being Anglican.

In the first years of my life, my parents, (by the way I was adopted at birth), divorced. After the divorce, my mother, brother, and myself lived with my grandmother until she died, when I was about 5 years old. After the death of my grandmother, my mother bought her own house, and brought my brother and myself up as a single parent.From the earliest days I can remember, I was taken to Church every Sunday, and also went to Sunday School. Later I went to a Church of England high school.

As I grew and started to form my own opinions, I found that I could not believe in God, and that there was no proof of His existence. My mother always said there is no proof “just believe.” Eventually I completely rejected religion, and was convinced that I would never become a believer, in fact I was very anti-Christian (may God forgive me) and rubbished all religion.

Three years ago, my mother died and I remember feeling very apprehensive about attending the funeral in Church, although in reality I was too involved in grieving to notice the surroundings.

In the September of that year, 1998, I took my first holiday after my mother’s death, on the Greek island of Skiathos. I was still very emotional, and often found myself in tears because I could not send postcards etc. to my mother. I couldn’t understand why at the time, but although I had no interest in churches of any description, I found myself going into Orthodox Churches to light candles in memory of my mother. Now I know something drew me to these Churches.

In September 1999, I decided to return to Skiathos, but could not find a holiday that I could afford, (I do not work because of illness). I asked the travel agent what else was available and inexpensive, he said Zakynthos, (an island I had vowed I would never visit, because I heard it was full of drunken U.K tourists, not true apart from one resort). I reluctantly agreed to go to Zakynthos, and yes I got put in the resort from hell (Laganas).

However, I usually don’t go to tour reps’ meetings, but this time I did, although she got much of the story wrong I learned that the Holy body of Saint Dionysios was in a Church/Monastery in the main town.

As the days went by, something made me want to go and kiss the feet of the Saint. Eventually, after talking to a local car hire man, (now my godfather), who told me much about the Saint, I went to the Church and kissed his feet.

What happened after this, I cannot fully describe because I don’t have the words. First I started to shake and cry and couldn’t stop, also I had feelings inside that I can’t describe, but I knew that something very powerful yet gentle had touched me. The following day I started to get messages in my head, that I knew were from the Saint. My memory is getting somewhat vague now about all that happened, but I knew that the Saint had a very great power, I also realised that if there was no God then Saint would not have this power, indeed there would be no Saint.

I have since witnessed many miracles, often small, which some people would say were coincidence, but too many have happened to be all coincidences.

Before I came home from Zakynthos, I was given many small pieces of material from the Saints’ slippers (they are changed 2-3 times a year) to give to others. At first I didn’t know who to give them to except for a few friends and family, they are too Sacred to give to people who may throw them away. However I soon found myself meeting people, mostly strangers, and something in my head said give a piece to this person.

Whenever this happens, it always has some very deep affect on the recipient, the Saint is never wrong. Even this week I gave a piece to someone I knew, thinking it was my choice to give it to her, but she immediately burst into tears and I know from experience, that is because the power of the Saint/God touched her.

I always carry some of these holy items, as I never know when I am going to be asked to give them, or who to. I feel greatly privileged that Saint Dionysios is using me in this way, he is also using me to tell my story. Many people after hearing this story have told me, God sent you to tell me to go to Zakynthos, or they say that there faith has been strengthened.

Again I find this a great privilege, and can only ask, why me? People have said I have power and thank me for what I have done for them, I am always very careful and quick to point out that, I have no power and have done nothing, the power is from God through the Saint. I thank God for allowing me to be an instrument of his.

I was baptised on 13 May 2001 at the Monastery of Saint Dionysios. I took Petros as a second name (not usual in Orthodoxy I know), because that was my original Christian name, I changed it more than twenty years ago, and hurt my mother very deeply. I took it back in the Greek form for her sake.

By Dionysios Petros

Source: http://journeytoorthodoxy.com/2010/06/the-atheist-who-venerated-a-saint-dionysios-petros/

The Lord Jesus Christ said, "...I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." (St. Matthew 16:18). What do the gates of hell signify?

The Jews had the custom of gathering under the leadership of their elders, by the city gates, for the discussion of political, legal and social questions. These meetings were the last appeal of all litigation, and here all divine commandments were announced. They were vested with a definite authority among the people. This Jewish custom of meeting at the city gates is mentioned in the Book of Ruth (IV:1,11). A description of an active wife in the Book of Proverbs (31: 23) says that, "Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land." He is invested with the trust of society and takes an active part in important meetings. (Prof. V.V. Bolotoff).

The "gates" of hell" signifies not only the forces of hell, but in general staff of Hell's power. Their most important meeting is dedicated to developing a plan for a general battle with the Church. The Church and Hell are represented as two warring powers. And in this war with Hell, according to Christ's words, the Church will remain invincible.

Hell's war plan with the Church is called the "Mystery of Iniquity" in the Holy Scriptures (2 Thessalonians 2:8). The iniquity has been working for centuries and will have its culmination in the appearance of the Antichrist (2 Thessalonians 2:8). The Antichrist can come only as a result of universal Apostasy, that is, the abjuration of the people from God and His paths, when God's grace will withdraw from the people.

"And in the latter times of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up." (Daniel 8:23)

"Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders..." (2 Thessalonians 2:9)

All of the evil in its fullest strength which human nature can accept and endure will be concentrated in the person of the Antichrist. Thousands of years were required to develop and perfect the kind of human seed that was required to receive the purest most perfect Fruit of the human tree in the person of the Most Blessed Virgin. Comparably, for the appearance of the most depraved fruit, capable of containing within itself all Satanic malice, an entire line of human generations will be demanded in the direction of greatest corruption and defilement of human nature, based upon mad hatred towards Christ and war against His Church. "It can be admitted," says Pro. Belyaeff, "that innate and acquired evil, gradually accumulating in a long line of ancestors of the Antichrist, transmitted with each new generation, will reach such a degree of force in the Antichrist himself, which human nature is capable of containing, revealing and enduring. The evil which lives in mankind, will reach the highest limit of its development in him." (Godlessness And The Antichrist, Vol. 1. p. 193).

Of course, to the degree that evil strengthens in man's will, diabolic activity within man will increase also, as the devil thus receives greater access to man's soul. Inasmuch as the Antichrist's personal evil will and its corruption will reach the limit of its greatest growth, the relationship of the devil to him will reach the limit of maximum nearness, which will be expressed in the devil himself continuously acting in the person of the Antichrist, "God", says St. John of Damascus, "Foreseeing future depravity of his will (the Antichrist's) will allow the devil to inhabit him." ("The Exact Exposition Of The Orthodox Faith", Book IV, Chapter 26) St. Cyril of Jerusalem teaches the same. (Teaching, V. 14). St. Andrew of Kessary says that the Antichrist "will come out of the gloomiest and remotest lands of the earth to which the devil is banished." (Interpretation of the 11th chapter of the Apocalypse, 30th chapter.) Blessed Theodore writes, "Man's enemy, clothed in human nature, God's adversary, the demon, usurping God's Name, will appear in the world before Christ's coming." ("An Exact Exposition Of Divine Dogma", chapter 23, printed in "Christian Readings", 1844, Chapter IV, page 355.) Laktancy, Gezihy of Jerusalem and Blessed Heronim, call the Antichrist the son of Satan.

In agreement with such teachings of the Holy Fathers, the life of the Antichrist cannot admit one moment free from satanic action. It must already appear in the very birth and even in his conception, peculiar and exceptional in its depravity. "From a defiled virgin will actually be born his (the devil's) weapon." says St. Ephrem the Syrian. This is also confirmed by St. John of Damascus. "A man (the Antichrist) will be born from fornication."

The Holy Fathers Iriney ("Against Heresy", Book V, chapter 30), Ippolit (Legends about Christ and the Antichrist), and also Ilariy, Ambrose, Ieronim and Augustus, remark that the Antichrist will be of Jewish ancestry, from the tribe of Dan.

In the Synaksare, stated in the Week of Lent without meat, we read that, "The Antichrist will come and be born, as St. Ippolit of Rome declares, from a depraved wife and self-styled virgin, which is from the Jews, from the tribe of Dan." (Lenten Triod) Such indications in God's Word have several foundations:

In the prophecies of Patriarch Jacob about each of his sons becoming the progenitors of the tribes of Israel, the fate of Dan's ancestors is depicted in such a way that can only be ascribed to the Antichrist. "Dan shall be a serpent on the way, an adder in the path..." (Genesis 49, 17)

In the prophecies of Ierenim: "From Dan himself... (Ierenim VIII,16)

In the prophecies of the Apocalypse, enumerating the remainder of all the tribes of Israel, marked by the Angel for salvation, the tribe of Dan is absolutely excluded. (Revelations VII, 4-8).

According to the teachings of the Holy Fathers, the devil, exalting the Antichrist, will try to vest his coming with all the signs of the coming of the Son of God to earth. (See St. Cyril of Jerusalem, the 150th catechistic word; St. Ephrem the Syrian, the 39th word, in the Russian translation Blessed Theodore, "A Short Exposition of Divine Dogma", Chapter 23, St. Ippolit, "The Legends of Christ and the Antichrist")

Of course, some resemblance of the Antichrist to Christ will only be external and in essence deceitful, for the whole life and all the deeds of the Antichrist will be an incensed and blasphemous revolt against Christ and His Church. This false external resemblance to Christ will appear in the very birth of the Antichrist. Keeping in mind that Christ was born a Virgin, the devil will produce his weapon from a virgin, not from a pure virgin, however, but from one filled with every vice and satanic filth. Then, as the Lord until he was thirty years old remained in obscurity, so the Antichrist, we assume, will, until the age of 30, remain in clandestine solitude and obscurity. As Christ began His saving service with sermons of His Divine teaching and miracles, so will the Antichrist begin his completely destructive service with the delusion of the people with his false teaching and incredibly shameful, deceitful miracles. As it was pleasing for the Lord to reveal Himself to all the people as the Messiah by solemnly entering Jerusalem and into its Temple, so the Antichrist will reveal himself as the false Jewish Messiah, the international monarch, in him solemn ceremonial entrance into Jerusalem and his enthronement in the temple of Jerusalem, which will by that time be restored.

The Lord's entry into Jerusalem, says Archbishop Innokenty of Herson, was "for all Jews a national declaration that Jesus Christ was veritably the Messiah. Indisputable proof of this are His own words, proclaimed before the gates of Jerusalem, saying: "If thou hadst known, even now, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace: But now they are hid from thine eyes." (Luke XIX, 42.) "With this day, with the rejection of the Messiah, the fate of the Israelite nation was decided for eternity." (The Last Days on Earth of Jesus Christ")

On the day when the Antichrist shall enter into Jerusalem as the false Messiah, forever and irrevocably the fate of his contemporaries will be decided. Blessed are those who, on the last day given by God for the conclusive self-determination of the people, will see the Antichrist as Satan's servant and the inescapable peril of all mankind which recognized him. Finally, as the Lord revealed Himself to the world and fulfilled His service as a Prophet, as King and as High Priest, so will the Antichrist concentrate all this triple power in his hands and complete his destructive service as the teacher of all mankind, as the monarch of an international monarchy and as the highest primate of all religions, demanding reverence for himself as God.

The entire life and activity of the Antichrist may be examined in three periods:

The FIRST PERIOD of the Antichrist from the day of birth to the moment of his social appearance will pass in clandestine obscurity. St. John of Damascus says that, "Antichrist will be raised secretly." (The Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith", Book IV, Chapter 26.)

The SECOND PERIOD of the Antichrist's life will be opened by his thunderous entry (on the world stage - my addition) in the role of a universal teacher or "prophet". It is very possible that he will begin his activity during a world war, when people, enduring all its horrors, will not see any way out of the calamitous dead end. All the concealed levers for the solution will be in the hands of a secret society assisting the Antichrist.

The Antichrist will offer the most successful project for solving the world crisis from the perspective of political and social wisdom, which would establish a uniform political and social order in the whole world. Exhausted from the shock of war, spiritually blinded humanity will not only by unaware that this project is a cowardly trap, enticing it into the most degrading and merciless slavery, but on the contrary, will recognize it as a manifestation of scholarship and genius.

Universal advertisement about the Antichrist as a brilliant thinker, new leader, and savior of mankind, will thunder over all nations in the shortest possible period of time. "Evil spirits dispersed in the universe, will awaken a general, inflated opinion about the Antichrist in man, a general enthusiasm and an irresistible attraction for him." (St. Ephraim the Syrian, 16th word.)

In this period of his activity, the Antichrist will not use any force and will try to win men's trust and affection with his deceitful and hypocritical public mask of virtue. He, according to the expression of Vladimir Soloviev, "will throw a gleaming veil of kindness and truth over the mystery of iniquity." "He will come," said St. Ephrem the Syrian, "in an image which will seduce everyone. He will come as a humble, kind, hater of falsehood (as he will say about himself), rejecting idols, preferring piety and kindness, loving the poor, bearing extremely handsome features, constant, sweet to everyone, respecting especially the Jewish nation because they will be awaiting his coming...He will take sly measures to please everyone, will not accept gifts nor speak in anger, will not show an overcast countenance, but will entice the world with a decorous exterior until he is enthroned." (See previous citation.)

From the great wealth of ascetical experience from our great men of podvig, it is known that when the black devil cannot overcome an ascetic, encountering unswerving opposition from him, a stronger devil comes as an "angel of light" (II Corinthians, XI, 14), attempting to awaken sympathy and trust towards himself in the ascetic, and easily charming him away to destruction. Thus, we can imagine how easily and quickly the bright image of the Antichrist will attract general sympathy towards itself after the filthy devil of Bolshevism.

As a result of such deceit, "the need to invite the Antichrist will arise" within the very temperament of man's spirit. "A beckoning voice will resound in man's society, expressing urgent need for a genius of geniuses, who would raise material development and prosperity to the highest degree and establish affluence on earth". (Bishop Ignatius Brianchaninoff. Vol IV, page 313.)

The hypocrisy of the Antichrist in this period will reach the point that he, even in his relationship to Christians, will not oppose them, but will appear ready to be their benefactor. He will try to imitate Christ in the external, showy side of his life. The majority of Christians, not guided by the spiritual wisdom of the Church, but by worldly wisdom, will not see this deceit, recognizing the Antichrist as Christ who has come to earth a second time. The monks of the Solovetsky monastery pass on the answer given by Righteous Zosima to his disciples when he was asked how the Antichrist could be recognized. Righteous Zosima said, "When you will hear that Christ has appeared on earth, know then that this is the Antichrist." This answer is most precise. "The world or mankind will not recognize the Antichrist, it will recognize him as Christ, it will proclaim him Christ... "

("Antichrist", by Very Reverend Boris Moltchanoff published in 1976, by Archpriest George Grabbe, Department of Foregin Relations Synod of Bishops, New York., pp. 1-4.)

Through Prayers Of Our Holy Fathers,

Lord Jesus Christ Son Of God,

Have Mercy On Us And Save Us!

Glory Be To God For All Things!

By Archpriest Father Boris Molchanoff

Excerpt from: http://www.serfes.org/orthodox/theantichrist.htm

The Theotokos is considered by Orthodox Christians to be the Abbess of all the monasteries on Mount Athos. She oversees the welfare of the monasteries as well as the monks who have dedicated their lives to imitating her through humility, obedience and purity. One way she has manifested her divine protection throughout the Holy Mountain is through her many wonderworking icons in the various monasteries and churches. The most famous and celebrated icon of the Theotokos on the Holy Mountain is without a doubt the icon known as "Axion Estin".

The church that houses the icon of Axion Estin is in Karyes, the capital of Mount Athos, in a church called Protaton. It is called Protaton because it was the first church built on the Holy Mountain in 843 AD by Saint Athanasios the Athonite ["Protaton" means "the first"]. The iconography of the church seen today was done in the 13th century by the renowned iconographer Emmanuel Panselinos.

To show that the Theotokos is the head of the monasteries of Athos, the icon of Axion Estin is seated on a throne of the church. It is named after the hymn we chant following the communing of the faithful of the Holy Gifts in the Divine Liturgy, but the initial lines of the hymn itself has an angelic origin that was revealed to a monk in the tenth century by the Archangel Gabriel himself. The miracle took place near the Skete of Protaton, in the vicinity of the Sacred Monastery of Pantokrator in the cell of a monk and his novice. (The rest of this wondrous tale can be read here.)

It was after this miraculous occurrence that the icon of the Theotokos was transferred to the church in Protaton. The cell where the miracle happened is known today by the name "Axion Estin" as well. The miracle took place on June 11, 982 on a Sunday. The miraculous brick on which was transcribed the hymn of Axion Esti was transferred to the Patriarchate of Constantinople and displayed for veneration by the faithful in the imperial palace Church of Saint Stephen. From then on the hymn Axion Estin became a staple within the Divine Liturgy and other services of the Church. The icon is especially celebrated with festivities and a procession on Bright Monday after Pascha and many miracles take place on this day.

The icon itself is a bit faded, but covered in a silver sheath to protect it. It has been recently restored and is now in good condition. It bears the inscription "Μήτηρ Θεού Καρυώτισσα" or "Mother of God Kariotissa". Its origins are probably from Constantinople and is of the Panagia Eleousa type first painted by the Apostle Luke.

On October 3, 1913 after an all-night vigil in the Protaton church, the self-governed region of the Holy Mountain became part of the Greek state after a decree was signed by the Abbots of the monasteries in the presence of and after doing a prostration before the miraculous icon of Axion Estin. This was done according to the international treaties of London (1913), Bucharest (1913), Neuilly (1919), Sèvres (1920) and Lausanne (1923). The Decree, "made in the presence of the Holy Icon of Axion Estin", stated that the Holy Mountain recognised the Kings of Greece as the lawful sovereigns and "successors on the Mountain" of the Roman "Emperors who built" the monasteries and declared its territory as belonging to the then Kingdom of Greece.

On the one thousand year anniversary of Mount Athos in 1963, the icon of Axion Estin left the Holy Mountain for the first time to be venerated in Athens by thousands of faithful. In 1985 it was brought to Thessaloniki aboard a military ship and received there with the same honors as a Head of State.

During the Greek Revolution of 1821, before the great catastrophe that took place on the island of Chios, the Turks pillaged the monasteries of the island of their wealth. One day a Turk happened upon two Greeks who were trying to save the treasures as he was holding an icon of the Theotokos. He told the Greeks: "Take this Mariam" (the Turks call the Virgin "Mariam"). The Greeks didn't understand why the Turk was giving them the icon. He went on to say: "I tried with my sword to cut this icon in pieces so as to throw it in the fire, but every time I went to chop it nothing would happen to the icon. I looked carefully at the icon and I noticed it smiled at me. I understood your faith is great and this icon should not be destroyed. Take the icon and put it in your church."

In tears the two Greeks signed themselves with the sign of the Cross and they took the icon and hid it in a bag taking it to their homeland in Reizdere, Asia Minor. They placed the icon in the Monastery of Saint Nicholas and it soon became known for its miraculous properties.

Of its many miracles, the following is told:

There was a sick woman who sought healing from the Holy Virgin and vowed an offering of her bracelets in return. She was healed. But she lived a distance from Reizdere and it made it difficult to go and make her promised offering. This thought occupied her conscience after the miracle.

One day the healed woman noticed her bracelets were missing. She thought someone stole them. At that time she left for the monastery and meant to give an offering of money for the worth of the bracelets. She told the abbess of all that happened and she lead the woman to the icon of the Holy Virgin. With amazement and tears she looked up at the icon and saw her two bracelets which were found in front of the icon a few days before. The Holy Virgin helped fulfill the vow on behalf of the woman.

The faithful Greeks did not abandon this icon neither during the exile of 1914 when they brought the icon with them to Chios, or even during the genocide of the Greeks in 1922 when they were permanently exiled to Greece.

During the Genocide of 1922 a man by the name of Barouma hid the icon in his furnace after he risked his life trying to save it. This Barouma became a monk on Mount Athos where he lived the rest of his life with the icon. Eventually the icon was brought to Chios and then Lemnos. Eventually the Greeks who had come from Reizdere wanted to bring it with them to Crete so they boarded the boat with their beloved icon. As they passed the Holy Mountain the monks requested that the icon stay with them, but the citizens of Reizdere could not part with their icon. It was brought with them to Ierapetra, Crete.

In Ierapetra the icon continued to work miracles for the inhabitants. Eventually a church was built in its honor named Panagia Eleousa. The story of this icon demonstrates the great faith of the Greeks of Asia Minor, the grace of holy icons, and the care the Theotokos shows to the needs of her beloved faithful.

Axion Estin (Greek)

Άξιον εστίν ως αληθώς μακαρίζειν σε την Θεοτόκον, την αειμακάριστον και παναμώμητον και μητέρα του Θεού ημών. Την τιμιωτέραν των Χερουβείμ και ενδοξοτέραν ασυγκρίτως των Σεραφείμ την αδιαφθόρως Θεόν Λόγον τεκούσαν, την όντως Θεοτόκον, Σε μεγαλύνομεν.

Axion Estin (English)

It is truly meet to bless thee, O Theotokos, ever blessed, and most pure, and the Mother of our God. More honorable than the cherubim, and beyond compare more glorious than the seraphim. Without corruption thou gavest birth to God the Word. the true Theotokos, we magnify thee.

Apolytikion in the Fourth Tone

Ye hosts of the Fathers of Mount Athos, gather today, and shout with a voice of jubilation, leaping for joy, and faithfully keeping feast: For, behold, the praise of the most pure Theotokos wondrously and awesomely is sung by the Angel; and therefore, as the Mother of God, we glorify her name.

Kontakion in the Fourth Tone

All of Athos keepeth feast this day in gladness; for it wondrously received from an Archangel's holy hand the hymn whereby thou hast ever been praised as the Mother of God, as is truly meet.

Source: johnsanidopoulos.com/2009/06/miracles-of-icon-of-axion-estin.html

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