Holy Mount Athos is located on the territory of Greece, but has the status of a republic. This is one of the most visited places. Christian pilgrims come here from all over the world: to visit monasteries, venerate holy icons, and get advice from a spiritual mentor. Athos is the earthly inheritance of the Most Holy Theotokos, she is its Abbess and Patroness. But access here is closed not only to women, but also to any “female entity.” And this is the official law.
In pre-Christian times, there were pagan temples on the mountain where Zeus and Apollo were worshiped. And the mountain itself is named after the titan Athos, who dared to fight against the gods. The legend says about a large stone that was thrown by Mount Athos during the war and it turned into a mountain. Now it is the center of Orthodoxy, an independent monastic state, about which there is a special article in the Greek constitution.
The prayer work of Athonite hermits
There are more than 20 active monasteries on Mount Athos, where more than two thousand brothers say daily prayers for the Glory of God, for insight into the human soul and repentance. Thousands of visitors come here, and although access to the island is limited, the number of pilgrims increases every year.
The help of monks in prayer is invaluable, but special veneration is given to the elders, teachers and spiritual mentors of the Church. Eldership is a special tradition that has been accepted by many desert inhabitants and has been supported by them for a thousand years. Throughout the history of this tradition, Athonite elders and hermit monks have been persecuted more than once, and the monasteries were even occupied and destroyed. Nevertheless, the path of elderly care still flourishes on Athos.
Athonite elders and laity
Throughout their existence, the Athonite elders not only actively revived Athonite monasticism, influencing the younger generation, but also involved many people in the service of God. Many Athonite elders often and with pleasure help ordinary people in worldly life with advice and prayers. Modern people are structured in such a way that they attribute magical powers to many phenomena, not paying attention to the changes that occur in their own soul. Bad luck in business or personal life, illness or the inability to have children, all this brings people to the peninsula asking for help.
Every day, the monks of Athos say more than three hundred prayers, but there are special ones, and they can help in special cases when life or health is threatened. For such prayers there may be special days for reading or indisputable rules. But it is worth remembering that you should always start with yourself. If a person inexplicably attracts troubles to himself, then the reason for this is most likely himself. Prayers of Pansofia of Athos help in delaying the unclean spirit in the time that is so necessary for a person to make an important decision, self-knowledge and repentance.
The elders foresee the return of Crimea to Ukraine and economic growth in the future
The elders mentioned the confrontation between two fraternal peoples. They mentioned the persecution of the Orthodox Church in Ukraine. The monks warned about upcoming events in this country and its wrong choice.
Elder Parthenius reported on the false intentions of the European Union. He said that the moral values accepted in Europe are contradictory to the people of Ukraine. Monk Tikhon predicted a conflict in Ukraine due to overseas influence.
But the perpetrators of the war in Ukraine will lose in this situation.
The elder argued that after the change of power in Russia, the conflict in Donbass would come to an end. Only through the unification of the forces of the Slavic peoples will Ukraine be able to solve its problems.
The Greek elders claim that the current situation in Ukraine will be resolved in four years.
Prophecies for Ukraine for the near future:
In 2021, the saints of Athos predict the return of Crimea.
The war in Ukraine will end after the meeting of the two presidents, Poroshenko and Putin, in the fall. This meeting will lay the foundation that will resolve the conflict in Donbass.
From 2021 to 2033, the monks predict that the country's economic situation will improve dramatically.
The country will have a new tall president on a “White Horse”. He will rid the country of corruption, carry out reforms, after which Ukraine will begin to be respected in the world.
After 2024, it will have the opportunity to become a member of the European Union.
Prayer Rule 1848
In 1848, Elder Pansophius of Athos gained the ability to write a special prayer to deter the unclean spirit. At this time there were many prophecies about the end of the world. The bourgeois-democratic revolution in France, famine and pestilence, the cholera epidemic, which claimed tens of thousands of lives, all these circumstances made not only ordinary people, but also clergy worry. The Athonite elders, and in particular Pansophius of Athonite, resorted to drawing up special prayer rules with the help of which it would be possible to free the world from the evil that was raging at that time.
The time of revolutions has passed, and the prayer compiled at that time has gained quite serious popularity. It is believed that it helps from almost any ailment or enemy, especially from the influence that is associated with the occult sciences, from sorcerers and sorcerers, from the evil spirits that do not allow you to live in peace. Protects from envious, bile and vain people, from gossip and slander that are generated due to envy of one's neighbor.
The Elder about the approach of the Last Judgment and the coming of the Antichrist
These are the last days. The Antichrist is growing out of a child who will be worshiped by some. And I did everything I could to try to find out his name. With God's help, an angel of the Lord appeared to me and announced: “No one can solve this mystery. “Come on, Gabriel, let me write his name for you.”
And he opened it to me. But that doesn't concern you. It's still hidden to people. He (Antichrist) is coming for those who are waiting for him. No one will use force (violence) to give you his number. Everything will be done voluntarily. And confession will not help here. Be careful.
The days will come when you will eat the earth...! The struggle of the holy prophets Enoch and Elijah with the Antichrist will be broadcast on television. Because of our sins there will be terrible earthquakes.
When the Mother of God leaves Holy Mount Athos, the bells will ring. Temples will bend down to greet the image of the Mother of God. They will worship the Queen of Heaven and Earth. And all this will be broadcast on television. This will be God's mercy for souls who must be saved!
(Perhaps the elder was talking about the coming sign of the icon of the Mother of God the Goalkeeper, which is kept in the Iveron monastery on Athos. According to legend, Holy Athos exists as long as this image is kept here. If the icon disappears, the Holy Mountain will be destroyed).
There will be difficulties in the years of the Antichrist. If you steal food, you will break one of the Ten Commandments, and the one who does this will receive a number, that is, the seal of the Antichrist. Believers will trust in God, and in the last days the Lord will perform such miracles on His own people that, after eating one leaf, they will be able to survive without food for a month. Having crossed the earth, it will become bread for them.
- If we refuse to accept the seal of the Antichrist, and they put it on us by force, then what will happen then?
If you abuse a pure girl against her will, she will remain innocent before the Lord. And so it will be with the seal of the Antichrist.
Soon the followers of the Antichrist will lift up their cross; they will enter churches, they will preach the commandments of the Gospel, but if they do not do good works, do not believe them. You will know God's people by their actions.
Special order
But people don’t think much about the fact that prayer itself, first of all, helps to cleanse one’s own soul from sin. A person does not want to come to terms with many circumstances in his life, the cause of which is himself. And then he resorts to the prayer of Pansophius of Athos. She is credited with special properties and people want to believe that she can help against a strong evil eye.
Many clergy give their blessing to read it, and it is also often read by people who want to find peace and tranquility in this world. The prayers of Elder Pansophius of Athos require an attentive and careful attitude towards oneself. It is best to use the special instructions before reading it, which were given by Pansophius of Athos. Adopting these instructions will help avoid unnecessary problems.
A special conversation with God
The prayer for the detention of the Athonite elder is read hidden from human eyes and ears, the power of its impact is hidden in secret. It just so happens that a person comprehends the power of prayer in solitude, therefore this prayer rule has a cell-based character. Prayer is a special, not always easy, conversation with God. One reading here will not be enough; the rule of Pansophius of Athos says about nine days, on each of which it must be recited nine times. We made a mistake, stumbled, stopped, which means there is a need to start all over again. Therefore, you need to be attentive, in every possible way driving away absent-mindedness and inattention.
Before reading, it is necessary to sing a repentant chant, for only in a repentant and humble heart can real faith in God’s providence arise. It is better to turn to God in prayer in the morning, at dawn, or in the evening, at sunset. If these simple conditions are met, prayer can help restore health and solve many other problems. It can also help resist other people's envy or curse.
When to expect the coming of the Antichrist
You will see the coming of the Antichrist, but there will be no such great fathers to whom you could turn for advice. It's like going to different doctors, getting confused, looking for an answer. You will be confused and unable to heal spiritually.
Love is the only force with which a person can resist the traps of the Antichrist. Half of hell is on earth. The Antichrist is already standing at the door and trying to enter. You will live to see the Antichrist. The Antichrist will reign everywhere, and there will be persecution. And before, people thought that the Antichrist would come, but these were not signs.
In recent days, do not look at the sky. Because such “miracles” will happen that they will lead you into temptation, they will destroy you.
The Antichrist has been born and his seal will be visible. This seal will be placed on the person’s forehead and hand. They are already preparing his throne.
They will write everyone down and add them to their lists. No one can live off the list. People's lives will depend on them. All products will have their own number. First with lines, and then explicitly. These lines are already the number of the Antichrist; they contain encoded three sixes (666).
Don't be afraid to take groceries. Say a prayer, cross them and take them. But do not accept whatever the demon offers you in words or deeds, no matter how good it may seem to you. Because you will fall into his trap and be destroyed.
Prayers of the Athonite elders
Why does the prayer for the detention of Elder Pansophius of Athos have exactly this name? There is an opinion that it delays in time the evil that moves towards a person. And it doesn’t matter what kind of shell it has, bodily or not. So that this person could stop and think about his soul, about what happened in his life. The prayers of the Athonite elders are based on Holy Scripture.
Prayers of detention enlighten the mind, clouded by one’s own sorrow and hatred, cleanse the heart, in which there appears a place for love of God and hope for the best. It is not very correct to assume that the power of a prayer depends precisely on the number of readings. Of course not. The main thing here is not only to understand, but also to accept the meaning of the instructions, and the prayer itself.
History of eldership on the Holy Mountain
According to legend, in 49 the Mother of God came to the shore of the peninsula and was so fascinated by its beauty that she asked the Lord for this land as her inheritance. The history of Athonite monasteries that have reached the present day began in the 10th century and is closely intertwined with the history of eldership. Many Athonite elders are mentioned in the history of the founding of monasteries and the legends with which the holy Mount Athos is rich:
- Nicholas, Anthony and Athanasius - monks who came to the Holy Mountain, founders of Vatopedi;
- Simon, founder of the Simonopetra monastery. He led the life of a hermit in these places, and before that he himself was a novice to the elder, but thanks to spiritual work he surpassed the teacher;
- Gabriel is an elder on Mount Athos, famous for the fact that at the behest of Bogorod
- Itsy brought the Iveron Icon of the Mother of God “Goalkeeper” out of the water.
Many Athonite elders, known from the history and legends of the Holy Mountain, were later canonized, others did not receive much fame. One of the indicators of God’s mercy is the color of the bones of a deceased monk. Three years after the burial, the monks of Mount Athos remove the bones and place them in special ossuaries. At the same time, the “blessed” honey-wax color distinguishes the bones of saints who are especially close to God.
It's important to think
Very often clergy are asked whether this prayer is a superstition. In form and content it is pleading. Such prayers are often found in church services. Before reading, of course, you need to consult with a priest to see if it will do any harm. Calmly consider your request, make sure that your request is modest. It would be nice to think about why this or that trouble happened, what role the person himself played in the situation, whether he offended anyone voluntarily or unwittingly, or committed any sin.
The creator knows what is needed
It is quite possible that the reason for the deterioration of circumstances is hidden in the person asking, because the Creator himself knows what to give a person and where to have mercy. Currently, there are many prayer books that have nothing to do with church rituals and can cause irreparable harm. If trouble happens, it is easy to be deceived, since many prayers are written illiterately or carry an incomprehensible semantic load. Therefore, it is necessary to be careful when choosing prayer books; the main thing here is to do no harm!
Modern elders of Athos
Today, Holy Mount Athos is experiencing a state of recovery after many misfortunes and upheavals - monasteries are being restored, the number of inhabitants in the monasteries is gradually increasing. And the modern elders of Mount Athos, like many centuries before, instruct, console, accept the suffering and show the path of true faith.
Both living holy monks and Athonite elders who became monks in the 19th and 20th centuries are called modern.
Joseph of Vatopedi (1921–2009)
A disciple of another famous Svyatogorsk elder, Joseph the Hesychast, a monk and ascetic who became a monk at the age of sixteen and dedicated his life to serving God. He is known for his work on the restoration of the Vatopedi monastery, as well as for his instructions:
- “There is one meaning of life on earth, although all sorts of crazy theories try to destroy it, - this is the fulfillment of the commandments of Christ.”
- “If you hold a grudge against someone, pray for him and thereby stop the movement of passion, because prayer drives away sadness. If another holds a grudge against you, show him mercy and humble yourself before him, try to gain his friendship. This will free him from passion.”
- “Let every involuntary suffering be a reason for you to remember God, and you will always have a reason for repentance.”
Venerable Paisiy Svyatogorets (1924-1994)
The Svyatogorsk monk, canonized in 2015, was distinguished from his childhood by his desire for asceticism - he devoted a lot of time to prayers, read the lives of saints, sought to imitate the holy ascetics, and developed humility and love in himself. Before taking monastic vows, he was a radio operator in the active army for three years (1945-48), after which he helped his relatives and only in 1950 he became a monk. Having no other education than primary school and a monastic cell, the elder possessed enormous wisdom and love, finding words of support, consolation, and guidance for everyone. 6 volumes of the book “Words”, compiled by the nuns of the Suroti monastery, founded by the elder, were translated into Russian, based on an accurate recording of his instructions. Also published in Russian are the monk’s letters, parables and stories for children, “The Svyatogorsk Fathers and Svyatogorsk Stories” and other works. He spoke in simple words about prayer, about passions and humility, about spiritual life and family:
- “I know people who, when they pray, feel like little children... Like a child runs to his father, grabs him by the sleeve and says: “I don’t know how, but you must do what I ask.” With the same simplicity and boldness, these people ask God.”
- “One good thought is equal in strength to an all-night vigil for many hours! He has great power. Now there are anti-missile systems that use laser beams to hit an enemy missile at the launch pad and prevent it from taking off. So are good thoughts: they prevent the takeoff of evil thoughts from the devil’s “airfields” on which they are based, and do not allow them to take off into the air. Therefore, as much as you can, try not to give the devil time to plant evil thoughts in you. Try to get ahead of him yourself and plant good thoughts in yourself, so that your heart becomes a flower garden and your prayer is accompanied by the divine fragrance of your heart.”
Moses Svyatogorets (1952—2014)
Monk, icon painter, poet and writer, who lived on the Holy Mountain for more than 35 years. The elder is known for numerous articles and books, some of which were published in Russian. His words convict and instruct, support and bring comfort:
- “Behind human pain, bitter trials, debilitating anguish hides the loving eye of God. Awakening from a life for material wealth, full of pleasure, prosperity and selfishness, will lead a person to spiritual observation, correct vision, careful research, and relief from cloudy anxiety. A person has a hidden reserve of internal strength that allows him not to bend, not to stumble, not to fall, not to succumb to despair. Especially a Christian cannot be imagined as disappointed, restless, despairing, unhappy, gloomy and ungrateful.”
The modern elders of Mount Athos are bearers of the ancient Orthodox spiritual tradition. Overtly or invisibly, they contribute to the overall work of prayer. It is believed that the monks on Mount Athos support the whole world with their prayers. According to Elder Silouan, “The world stands by prayer, and when prayer weakens, then the world will perish.”
To main
