The Antichrist Prediction and the World War an Apocalyptic Prophecy – Elder Joseph of Vatopedi

For, they [the West] cannot strike Russia. Russia is vast, sprawling. America, however, is congregate; the Russians destroy them.
For, within the conflict that will occur – because it will happen here, it cannot happen otherwise – no matter how we interpret it.
Now, the Westerners are amassing here, so as to strike Russia. And it is therefore true – you see it from here, from the Fathers here, in the Mediterranean, in the Greek regions, in Turkey, in this region, that a great conflict will occur – but, as it has been described by the Fathers.
The sequel is being showcased now – that it will happen here… All of these things are apparent through the nature of their sequence.
First of all, in order for the antichrist to appear and to reign – according to the prophecy presented in the Apocalypse – there can be no Church; there can be no sacraments.
And at that point, do you see how the Holy Fathers interpret it?
They say that after the turmoil which is already occurring – and shortly thereafter, when the great conflict will occur – after which, the Christians will reign. There will come an opportunity in which the Christian Kingdom shall prevail again. The Christians shall be bolstered.
And the Scriptures state that truly, that King… how is it stated, how is it referred to there…?
So, to one who does not now know, it is this King, it says, Who will destroy the transgressors and “them who work iniquity (Ps 5:6).”
He will discipline both those who are employed in sins and those who sin, and balance shall be restored.
Even now, the EEC has already foretold that the social balance cannot be restored unless a dictator is in place…
They define that with their own aim, because the Hebrews fantasize that the time of their own kingdom has arrived, since they are also waiting for it.
They are those who close the page [of history]; that is a fact.
Well, how is it possible for Israel, as it is now but a handful, for it to become global and to rule the entire world?
Is it actually possible for such a thing to occur?
Can the human mind imagine it?
How can a handful of people that cannot make ends meet with the Arabs rule over the entire world and enforce their laws?
Is that logical?
If all those things that the Holy Fathers had spoken of do not occur… that European civilization will be destroyed; that everything will be turned upside down; that Gog and Magog “without number (Ps. 104:25)” Chinese people will come, and the Indians, all of them.
Civilization will have declined and those people will enter Europe from here.
And there will be no people, no world then. And afterwards, according to the Holy Fathers, natural disasters will eliminate humankind.
A few will remain, so that Israel will then be the world-dominating authority… it will be them.
And it is precisely to them that the antichrist will present himself, because there will be no other country that reigns.
And it is there that history will be concluded.

Question: Geronda, and the antichrist will present himself?
Yes, to them. Just as Christ had been born amongst them, so will the antichrist also be born amongst them.
Christ, of course, was incarnate; unto them, the antichrist will not become flesh.
The antichrist will be a man, but the power of Satan will be in him.
He will not be like God, in Whom the Godship had become incarnate and he became God-man.
The Antichrist will not become a devil-man.
He will be a man, but he will have the authority of Satan in him.
I hope that what will happen to them will be what had happened to us in ‘21, when our nation arose – thinking to to regain Constantinople and Asia Minor, so they proceeded and did what they did – and in the end, not only did we not regain them, but we also lost what we did have.
That is what will happen to these Hebrews now.
It is not a rosy period of time for them, for the Israelites who have done all these things and more.
In that great war, which is coming, all of those people shall be crushed.
And again, they will regenerate afterwards, when virtue will be extinct and when the Church will be no more.
It is said that after the death of the devout monarch, which is the deadline which God has given for the Christians, is when the antichrist will come.
That is when the wood of the Precious Cross will be gathered; from wherever it is; the gathering shall be undertaken because it is they who shall desecrate it.
At that time, the honorable relics of the martyrs and the saints will automatically disappear.
Divine grace will also depart from the holy icons.
That, it is said, is the end of the Kingdom of the Christians.
Even if there is a church someplace, there will be no grace, because the few priests that will exist, will themselves be deniers.
The meaning of being a Christian will have become extinct.
Question: Geronda, where will the chosen be?
The chosen will exist; they will live in groups, to whom it is recommended that they head to the mountains to be saved, that they hide there, so that God can hide them.
Then, within ‘three years’ time, the antichrist will present himself.
He will be the antichrist, but he will portray himself as a missionary.
That is when the Prophets will be noticed; they will be reported to be alive in Jerusalem.
They will speak and they will instruct the people to not listen to the imposter.
And the antichrist will kill them… Well, we do not say these things; the Scripture says them. That is the meaning.
All these things which they at large asserts cannot be grasped, and so they are interpreted in a far-fetched manner.
Nowadays, the issue of the EEC – the 10 horns, the 9 heads, and so on, is being interpreted.
And later on, the computer is named “the beast” because those who made it had named it “beast”.
So, that beast is now the computer… and through the computer, these events will now take place…
One pities them, and says… that the antichrist has been born, and that it is a matter of a short period of time.
But how is that possible?
Here, in the universe, civilization exists and a progression exists, which one can say is not only human but also religious. And the Church functions and the Sacraments are activated and so on.
How is it possible for the devil to appear now?
How will the Kingdom of Grace disappear?
How will the Church, who is the Queen, disappear?
How will the Kingdom of Heaven on earth – the Church Militant – be abolished?
She is Ever-Present; the devil cannot approach Her.
If he could, why hasn’t he done so in all this time?
She must leave so that he can enter.
And then, during the days of the antichrist, it is not that the antichrist is all-powerful. God allows it. The time of the end days has arrived; the end times must occur. It is something that has a beginning and an end.
The end times have arrived and God allows it.
The antichrist is no fearless, God allows it so that life will conclude and we can untangle ourselves.
Now, however, is not the time for that. If we are contradicted, we shall see things as they occur. Such a thing can never take place, not even in history.
Fine, a war takes place; a corner is destroyed, all right. But, for life to be extinguished? Where, afterwards, are the rest of those things to which Scripture refers?
Where are those signs of the revolution by the elements?
Where is it that the people will die of fear?
Hasn’t our Christ Himself said: “Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth (Luke 21:26).”?
Where are those things? How are they referred to? Will the computer produce them?
Question: Geronda, the identity cards…?
All right father; consider and see: People say that the day will dawn.
As soon as dawn begins to break and we see that sweetly breaking light on the horizon, the day has come; it is a preamble.
That dawn is a prelude to a day is not doubted by anyone. Yet, “a thousand years as one day” (2 Peter 3:8).
While it is a prelude to the end of days, the end of days is no closer; it is not yet so easily accomplished.
All the things to which we don’t attach much gravity will occur.
To all of them, we say, “Fine, I will set those things aside since that is what you want; but you, however, tell us, with the manner in which you cannot prove, yet say, ‘How can the end times occur naturally, as it should occur?’”
Therefore, we shall borrow from here [earthly life], so that you will see that these things that are spoken testify that that is how they occur. It will take place in that manner.
Question: Geronda, in the event that the state insists on the identity cards, and they have the number and the seal of the antichrist, what should we do? Should we accept those identity cards?
Look, it is not the seal of the antichrist; don’t call it that. The 666 is a numerical means of understanding the number of the beast; it is not the seal of the antichrist.
The seal of the antichrist will, at that time, be noticeable, personal, and it will be administered by force, even to those who will accept it.
At this time, it is not the first step via force. It is not harmless.
And I have a comment to make about that. Suppose I go to Israel and from there, go to Arabia to make a purchase.
All of their merchandise, all of their items are stamped with the Islamic symbol; I buy them all and I take them with me.
When I depart, my passport will be stamped with that same symbol. My passport will be stamped.
What does that mean – that I am an Islamist? Do you all understand?
At this time, we do have a right to make these comments. They also have comments to make.
So, now we say: At a time when we dominated the world and even now, we must ask ourselves why so many of our own items are not stamped with the cross.
Don’t the Jews buy them? Don’t Chinese peoples buy them? Don’t the Islamists buy them?
Don’t the cards with which they travel and all those things they buy have the cross stamped on them? Well, does that therefore make them Christians?
In other words, how is it possible for my faith to change, as well as all that I am. By some other person setting a trap for me?
If I myself wish to refuse, I shall refuse.
Question: Geronda, what about if the identity cards are imposed and they do actually have 666 on them?
Many people identify that issue with the text of the Apocalypse, which says that no one will be able to purchase or shop unless that have that number.
I am telling all of you that there are many people who have received it.
Most people receive it. The big trust companies already have cards with the Uniform Code of Registration Number.
Aren’t those people able to make purchases and transactions? Has their freedom been stripped?
Question: Geronda, only those people who will have the cards will be able to buy and sell. And what if the law of having identity cards is imposed and we Hellenes will be obliged to obtain them? And what if we do not obtain them and will then be unable to make transactions?
As the facts now stand, I do not think that there will be something like that.
What those people are saying – that it will happen, but it will happen when that historic personage [the antichrist] will be present, and that along with his presence, many other evil things will occur, both before and after.
Now, however, the issue is not so woeful. Here, our Lord clearly solves the problem for us. He says, “You will not deny Me and because you will not deny Me, you will be taken to the prisons and you will be killed for My name, but fear not them who kill the body (cf. Matt. 10:29-42).”
And of those difficult days when that will occur, He says, “Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate beforehand what ye shall answer (Luke 21:14).
For it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you (Matt. 10: 19-20).”
Look at how nicely He anticipates it. And so we now say… If he arrives; but he does not arrive; and when he arrives – it will be the time that God will allow it to arrive, and it will be due to the role of Providence that a life ring will exist.
For, one cannot speak of such tragic events now, nor has he heard them.
It is not possible for God to allow it. And when God does allow it, it will be then when God will allow for the presence of that personal cannibal, when that beast is present, at which point, they will all occur; it will not be an issue of identity cards.
No one will be concerned about identity cards, since the Christians will have already departed; they will not exist.
Besides, identity cards will be held by his [the antichrist’s] own supporters, whom he will deceive, and those people will blaspheme him themselves. For, he will seal [stamp] them as though he had given them identity cards; yet, he will not give them anything.
Since the elements will be in revolt – it will neither rain, nor will the sun rise; the earth will quake – people will prefer to die rather than to live. Where will that beast find anything to give them to eat?
The very presence of our Lord did do such a thing.
Because he is God, He blessed the 5 loaves of bread and fed thousands; He did whatever He wanted to do. The antichrist is able to make phantasmagorias, illusions, and delusions of envy and various other such things, but he cannot make any beneficial elements whatsoever.
All those things will occur during those difficult days, but they will be preceded by so many other factors which will have strengthened and drawn together the Christians.
That is why these phobias and absurdities that are bandied about are not those factors. Of course, that the antichrist is coming is a fact; shouting about it is the prelude to that.
And it is not necessary to consider those preludes.
We see the preludes through the sinfulness of people.
When people become so sinful and so disrespectful and faithless, the meaning of the active energy of the Church ceases.
Well then, what are you asking about? In other words, is the existence of people an aimless thing? Doesn’t the providence of God exist?
He Who had wanted to restore Creation and the balance, and Who died for it and resurrected – has He ceased to exist?
He exists! And since the people do not want Him…that is the sign!
We do not need either antichrists or anti-gods to tell us that!
Clearly, people today have increased the lawlessness, “And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold (Matt. 24:12).”
Since sin has abounded in that manner, such that transgressing the law has become the law; such that committing crimes has become the law; such that disrespect has become the law, people have stopped being concerned about their salvation.
That is precisely what has convinced us; it is the main thing – above all the prophecies and every foreshadowing.
Yes, though it is a bad beginning, it is, nonetheless, not the end. God does not depart easily.
Here, we have those who deny God even with their signatures, and yet, God does not leave. Does God depart easily? Does God easily abandon His creation?
And in those days, when the personnel of the beast will be present – and it will not be because of his own noble, gallant valor – it will be because the time will have come: the end, and because He Who holds the reins will allow it.
That is because of what the Lord says to those antichrists: “Therefore, say I unto you, the kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof (Matt, 21:43).”
And “Verily I say unto you… Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.
For I say unto you, ye shall not see Me henceforth ‘til ye shall say, Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord (Matt. 23: 36, 38-39).”
Do you see, that then, in addition to what we have referred, the Lord so beautifully says, “… and Jerusalem shall be trodden down by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled (Luke 21:24).”
Further on, Paul continues with that perspective: “…until the fullness of the Gentles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved (Rom. 11:25-26).”
Which salvation, however?
This one – now that they have come and made a kingdom? The Lord says, “Ye shall not see Me henceforth… (Matt. 23:39).” That is, not Him in Person.
He will no longer be looked upon as God; people will not believe until the end of days comes. Do you see how nicely the Lord says these things?
So, when Apostle Paul speaks of these things – about when that beast will come and that all these things will be in effect – it cannot possibly happen [Paul says]; do not be deceived.
Do you recall when I was there, asks the Apostle, and I had told you of these things – that the apostasy will occur first?
Well, here is that apostasy.
Never, throughout the entire history of the world has there existed such a glut of apostasy – from the youngest to the eldest, from the subordinates to the superiors, from the infant to his mother.
Human history has never manifested such an occurrence – and on a global scale, at that.
It is the apostasy which was specified by Apostle Paul, and because he feared it, he reminds his listeners: “For the day of the Lord is near… (Ob. 1:15),” and says, “Be not deceived, nor with the mouth… (cf. 1 Cor. 6: 9-10).”
The Lord refers to that apostasy, which must first occur, and which will reveal the iniquity of the son of lawlessness.
All of these things induce us to come to conclusions. No one absolute thing exists within the oracle of the prophecies.
They are all puzzling…intentionally so. Yes, the prophecy does say such things, but it does not, however, reveal them, so as to be seen after they have occurred.
The Church will show Her might when She sees them.
Nonetheless, She does not specify them so that the freedom of humans is not violated.
All those things are written therein [in Scripture], and we come to conclusions, to the best of our ability, with the assistance, of course, of our Holy Fathers.
However, those things which are said by others are ridiculed, because “I was [once] young, indeed I am now old… (Ps 36:25).” We hear that these things will occur in 1973; in ’76; in ’78; in ’81; in ’84 – and that song is still playing.
As these are preludes, so is he already preparing that great pandemonium of Armageddon which will bring destruction, as we ourselves speculate.
That point which John references, when he refers to she, who acts like a queen, whom he, afterwards, depicts as the whore, and later, a command is given, which says: “Put her into the pit with her lovers on top of her and burn her twice, just as she had done to you (cf. Rev. 17).”
And this is the knowledge – it is the knowledge which gave birth to faithlessness; it struck the faith.
That knowledge is the same knowledge which gave birth to the beast.
Therefore, that [final] war will crush that knowledge. We shall see what shall become of the computers of those who fantasize.
Hey – what computer?
Since the devil will be present. Here and now, a sorcerer, a witch, a gypsy even creates monsters and signs, yet you ask whether it is possible for the devil to do such a thing?
And will he make the computer, which uses the sun’s rays, in a scientific way?
It is he himself who plainly says so. He is the same one who will force the people to worship him and he will be a king in name, of the nations, of the people, of the regions.
He will be [descended] from the tribe of Dan; the prophecies say that he will be from there, just as Christ was of the tribe of Judah.
He will be of the tribe of Dan, as will that beast that will manifest itself. God knows it; it is people who confuse it.
And that person will be a man; he will not be incarnate of Satan. He will not be a devil-man in the manner in which the God-man was the incarnate Word of God.
The Word of God became incarnate within human nature.
He will not be shaped or formed; he will, however, be a man and all of the power, the energy, of Satan will be within him.
And he will be the false prophet and the beast and the dragon.
In all that is referenced in the Scriptures, he will not be alone. Just as our Christ had apostles, he, too, will have his followers.
Afterwards, they will stand, one behind the other – as many as they please. These things, however, have been written about since the 4th Century – it is not now that we write of them.
How has this not been refuted all this time? Whatever is not liked has been set aside.
We are not boasting of speaking about opinions of the Revelation; we are, instead, comparing – based, first, on history, on the facts, because the most irrefutable fact is history.
Afterwards, we draw conclusions from the opinions of the Holy Fathers, which have periodically been upheld, and we take an approach.
Well, they unilaterally take whatever they imagine.
That is not how things are.
Because the Hebrews will boast that they do have a place with regard to their fathers, their progenitors – which is that God had promised their forebearers, and due to that promise, God had deigned to emerge from therein – from Abraham and their forebears – which He had promised and was why He had become incarnate of them.
The Hebrews will boast that… “if we were in the days of our fathers we would not do so – even if we had the opportunity. We were exiles and unable. If we also had a kingdom and freedom, then we would have compared the Scriptures and have found the truth.”
And that is what’s been given to them: Here you go, sir, and you, too. Therefore, “ Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled (Luke 21:24).”
And the Lord stops there. And Paul says, “Yes, but without payment (cf. 1 Cor. 9)” and when it is paid, that will be when “all Israel will be saved (Rom. 11:26).”
However, what is the type of salvation for those of whom he says, “they have rejected the Lord and pursued us… (cf. Romans 11),” who will know the wrath at the end? Salvation – to them? No salvation.
The Lord had even said, “Behold, your house is left unto you desolate (Matt. 23:38),” and “The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof (Matt. 21:43).”
These words are not mere forewarnings. These are the decisions which have been analyzed by the people of God themselves. And those occurred.
Consider this: They have lost the kingdom of God; they have lost everything. “Until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved (Rom. 11:25-26).”
In what sense shall that – the salvation of the nation – take place?
For, from those times of their genocide until today, wherever the Hebrews have gone, they have been persecuted.
They did not have even a corner which they could call their own. God will allow them to return to Israel.
And once they are there, instead of doing what one imagines they should do, or doing that which will preserve them, they do that which the Lord had declared: “I come in my Father’s name, and ye receive Me not; if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive (John 5:43).”
And here you go: That is precisely what will happen.
Now that they have gathered there, so as find the supposed truth and the true Messiah, is when they will receive the antichrist!
And they will bring that page [of history] to a close.
However, terrible, world-shaking events shall occur before we reach that point!
Question: Geronda, which of those events you have spoken about is closer?
The war, my child. The war, the conflict, is much closer to us; that world war shall occur. It is necessary and it is already being planned.
The only difference, it seems, shall be that no nuclear weapons shall be used. For, how will it afterwards be possible for life to exist in such a narrow area…?
What had occurred during the first world war, when chemical weapons were used, is what will happen.
I recall that they had had asphyxiates then. Only Italy had thrown some of those gases in a few areas.
And the Germans had them, as did the English, the French and the Americans. They had asphyxiating gases, chemical means.
None of them used any, because they saw that it was not plausible.
If one country threw them, then the other country would, too. And now, they have concluded that there shall be no use of nuclear weapons, since they have already agreed that they will be destroyed.
The countries will abolish them because they see that it is not possible to want to use them.
And specifically, the Americans, who play the wise-guy, if they do not abolish them, they know that they will be the first ones to become victims…
For, the Americans cannot strike Russia. Russia is vast, sprawling.
America, however, is congregate and the Russians destroy them.
Yet, we have the issue of the satellites, which follow everything in detail; they know where everything is.
So, from that angle, they will be forced to abolish them. And it is out of Providence that life is not destroyed, because if nuclear weapons are used, life will be destroyed in its entirety – the world of the animals, the world of the plants, and the things that have no feeling.
Nothing will remain standing.
God will not allow that, despite nations and peoples having extended themselves to this point. For, within the conflict that will occur – because it will happen here, it cannot happen otherwise – no matter how we interpret it.
Those nations – if we grasp the issue politically, who are those nations?
It is those who comprise the East and those of the West.
Now, the Westerners, who are the principal actors, will strike at the communists; they are manic about doing that.
The communists are here. They cannot be elsewhere. They [Westerners] are therefore amassing, so as to come here and strike those who are here.
Russia, as you understand, has not left its territory.
It has exited ideologically, but in practice, it has not. They are not like the Americans who have bases here and there, throughout the world.
Russian bases do not exist anywhere. Russian bases are only in Russia.
The Westerners are congregating here so as to strike Russia.
And it is therefore true – you see it from the Fathers here, in the Mediterranean, in the Greek regions, in Turkey in this region, that the great conflict will occur – but, as it has been described by the Fathers. That the conflict will take place here is revealed by the sequel now… it cannot take place elsewhere.
Whether life will even exist after the war will be determined by whether nuclear weapons are used. For, if nuclear weapons are used, not only will there be no life here, but there will be no grounds left for it either.
Do you all see this? All these things convince us of the logical consequence. They convince us to draw a conclusion.