Pseudo Saints

[Stylite Nous]

The generous/optimistic part of me still wants to think of Porphyrios and Paisios as good monks, but the question is, can the vast majority of Christians be wrong and a tiny minority be the ones who actually have the Holy Spirit? Yeah

[Unseen.Warfare]

9E2F62ED-3B03-4171-9775-393492F527A4.jpeg (297.18 KiB) Viewed 3326 times

The generous/optimistic part of me still wants to think of Porphyrios and Paisios as good monks, but the question is, can the vast majority of Christians be wrong and a tiny minority be the ones who actually have the Holy Spirit? Yeah

“True Orthodoxy by its very nature must seem totally out of place in these demonic times, a dwindling minority of the despised and "foolish," in the midst of a religious "revival" inspired by another kind of spirit. But let us take comfort from the certain words of our Lord Jesus Christ: Fear not, Little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the Kingdom (Luke 12:32). Let all true Orthodox Christians strengthen themselves for the battle ahead, never forgetting that in Christ the victory is already ours. He has promised that the gates of hell will not prevail against His Church (Matt. 16:18), and that for the sake of the elect He will cut short the days of the last great tribulation (Matt. 24:22). And in truth, If God be far us, who can be against us? (Rom. 8:31.) Even in the midst of the cruelest temptations, we are commanded to be of good cheer; I have overcome the world (John 16:33). Let us live, even as true Christians of all times have lived, in expectation of the end of all things and the coming of our dear Saviour; for He that giveth testimony of these things saith: Sure- ly I come quickly. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus (Apoc. 22:20).”—Orthodoxy and The Religion of the Future (Page 229)

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“We ourselves have a feeling—based on nothing very definite as yet—that the best hope for preserving true Orthodoxy in the years ahead will lie in such small gatherings of believers, as much as possible ‘one in mind and soul.’ The history of the twentieth century has already shown us that we cannot expect too much from the ‘Church organization’; there, even apart from heresies, the spirit of the world has become very strong. Archbishop Averky, and our own Bishop Nektary also, have warned us to prepare for catacomb times ahead, when the grace of God may even be taken away from the ‘Church organization’ and only isolated groups of believers will remain. Soviet Russia already gives us an example of what we may expect—only worse, for the times do not get better.” (Hope – Fr. Seraphim Rose, His Life and Works)

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A Prophesy of Future Lawlessness by St. Anatoly the Younger (+1922)
(End Times prophecy)
A Prophesy of Future Lawlessness by St. Anatoly the Younger (+1922)

From a letter of the Optina Elder [and New Martyr] St. Anatoly the Younger

SOURCE: Orthodox Life, #3, 1993

And from that heresies will spread everywhere and deceive many people. The enemy of the human race will act with cunning in order to draw into heresy, if possible, even the elect.

He will not begin by crudely rejecting the dogmas of the Holy Trinity, the divinity of Jesus Christ and the virtue of the Theotokos, but he will begin imperceptibly to distort the teachings and statutes of the Church and their very spirit, handed down to us by the Holy Fathers through the Holy Spirit.

Few will notice these wiles of the enemy, only those more experienced in the spiritual life. Heretics will seize power over the Church and will place their servants everywhere; the pious will be regarded with contempt. He (the Lord) said, by their fruits ye shall know them, and so, by their fruits, as well as by the actions of the heretics, strive to distinguish them from the true pastors.

These are spiritual thieves, plundering the spiritual flock, and they will enter the sheepfold (the Church), climbing up some other way, using force and trampling upon the divine statutes. The Lord calls them robbers (cf. St. John 10:1). Indeed, their first task will be the persecution of the true pastors, their imprisonment and exile, for without this it will be impossible for them to plunder the sheep.

Therefore, my son, when you see the violation of patristic tradition and the divine order in the Church, the order established by God, know that the heretics have already appeared, although for the time being they may conceal their impiety, or they will distort the Divine Faith imperceptibly, in order to succeed better in seducing and enticing the inexperienced into the net.

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“Many young people today are seeking gurus and are ready to enslave themselves to any likely candidate; but woe to those who take advantage of this climate of the times to proclaim themselves "God-bearing Elders" in the ancient tradition—they only deceive themselves and others. Any Orthodox spiritual father will frankly tell his children that the minimum of eldership that remains today is very different from what Blessed Paisius Velichkovsky or the Optina Elders represent”— Hieromonk Seraphim (Rose) of Platina

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“Do you hear, O Orthodox Christians of these last times? These writings of the Holy Fathers, even those dealing with the highest form of spiritual life, have been preserved for us, so that even when it might seem that there are no God-bearing elders left at all, we may still have the unerring words of the Holy Fathers to guide us in leading a God-pleasing and zealous life”— Hieromonk Seraphim (Rose) of Platina

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“I must tell you first of all that, to the best of our knowledge, there are no startsi today—that is, truly God-bearing elders (in the spirit of the Optina elders) who could guide you not by their own wisdom and understanding of the Holy Fathers, but by the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit.  This kind of guidance is not given to our times—and frankly, we in our weakness and corruption and sins do not deserve it.”—Hieromonk Seraphim (Rose) of Platina

[Stylite Nous]

Is it possible that Fr. Seraphim still was not well informed enough of what existed in his day on Mount Athos?

[Unseen.Warfare]

Is it possible that Fr. Seraphim still was not well informed enough of what existed in his day on Mount Athos?

“The real crisis of Orthodoxy today—not only in Russia but throughout the world— has not been caused by submission to orders of atheists—and it will not be overcome by refusing to accept these orders. ’The crisis of Orthodoxy lies in the loss of the savor of True Christianity This savor has been largely lost not only by the Moscow hierarchs, but by most of the Russian ‘dissidents’ as well, as likewise by the ‘Paris’ school of émigré theologians, by the apostate Patriarch of Constantinople and all who follow him, by new calendarists and renovationists and modernists of every sort, and by the simple people everywhere who imagine they are Orthodox because their fathers were or because they belong to a ‘canonical church organization.’ Against this loss of savor of Orthodoxy there has arisen one great movement of protest in the 20th Century: That of the True-Orthodox Christians whether of Russia, Greece, Mount Athos, or the Orthodox Diasporia, Among these True-Orthodox Christians are to be found the authentic Orthodox confessors and martyrs of our times.”—Fr. Seraphim (Rose), The Catacomb Tikhonite Church 1974 (Pages 242-243 of The Orthodox Word)

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"The fire of true Orthodoxy is still alive in many places: in the Catacomb Church of enslaved Russia, in the persecuted True Orthodox Christians of Greece, in the maligned Russian Church Outside of Russia, in the Zealots of Mt. Athos."— Fr. Seraphim Rose

https://www.orthodoxtraditionalist.com/ ... doxy-today

[Stylite Nous]

Thanks Unseen.Warfare for linking the above article, that I presume originally appeared in some issue of The Orthodox Word.

If Saint Herman's Press had integrity, they would have let Fr. Seraphim's words stand as they are. Editing them to "conform" to a contemporary agenda is blatant bearing false witness.

[Unseen.Warfare]

D0ED1EFB-6059-441E-BEDA-C6A335FCF7F6.png (817.88 KiB) Viewed 3294 times

Thanks Unseen.Warfare for linking the above article, that I presume originally appeared in some issue of The Orthodox Word.

If Saint Herman's Press had integrity, they would have let Fr. Seraphim's words stand as they are. Editing them to "conform" to a contemporary agenda is blatant bearing false witness.

That photo might give you a hint. No problem man

[Unseen.Warfare]

Thanks Unseen.Warfare for linking the above article, that I presume originally appeared in some issue of The Orthodox Word.

If Saint Herman's Press had integrity, they would have let Fr. Seraphim's words stand as they are. Editing them to "conform" to a contemporary agenda is blatant bearing false witness.

27461E80-C621-4BAE-A255-90EB4BA3600E.jpeg (163.41 KiB) Viewed 3290 times