My beloved spiritual children in Christ Our Only True God and Our Only True Savior,
CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE. Ο ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ ΕΝ ΤΩ ΜΕΣΩ ΗΜΩΝ! ΚΑΙ ΗΝ ΚΑΙ ΕΣΤΙ ΚΑΙ ΕΣΤΑΙ.
THE VISION OF SAINT JOHN OF KRONSTADT
[Translated by priesthood Orestes, Christ the Savior Orthodox Seminary.]
The Holy and Righteous John of Kronstadt recalled this vision which he had in January of 1901: After evening prayers I laid down to rest a little in my dimly lit cell since I was fatigued. Hanging before the icon of the Mother of God was my lit lampada (large candle). Not more than a half-hour had passed when I heard a soft rustle. Someone touched my left shoulder, and in a tender voice said to me, "Arise servant of God John, and follow the will of God!"
I arose and saw near the window a glorious Staretz (elder or geronda) with frosty gray hair, wearing a black mantia, and holding a staff in his hand. He looked at me tenderly, and I could scarcely keep from falling because of my great fear. My hands and feet trembled, and I wanted to speak, but my tongue would not obey me. The Staretz made the sign of the cross over me, and calm and joy soon came over me. Then I made the sign of the cross myself. He then pointed to the western wall of my cell with his staff in order that I should notice a certain spot. The Staretz had inscribed on the wall the following number: 1913, 1914, 1917, 1922, 1924, and 1934. Suddenly the wall vanished, and I walked with the Staretz toward a green field and saw a mass of crosses--thousands of them--standing as gravemarkers. They were wooden, clay, or gold. I asked the Staretz, "What are these crosses for?" He softly answered, "They are for those who suffered and were murdered for their faith in Christ and for the Logos/Word of God and have become martyrs!" And so we continued to walk.
Suddenly I saw an entire river of blood and asked the Staretz, "What is the meaning of this blood? How much has been spilled?" The Staretz looked around and replied, "This is the blood of true Christians!" The Staretz then pointed to some clouds, and I saw a mass of burning white lamps. They began to fall to the ground one after another by the tens and by the hundreds. During their descent they grew dim and turned to ashes. The Staretz then said to me, "Look" I saw on a cloud seven burning lamps, I asked, "What is the meaning of the burning lamps which fell to the ground" He said, "Those are the Churches of God which have fallen into heresy, but these seven lamps on the clouds are the Seven Catholic and Apostolic Churches which will remain until the end of the world."
The Staretz then pointed high into the air and I saw and heard Angels singing, Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord of Sabbaoth! Then a large crowd of people with candles in their hands rushed by with joy on their shining faces. They were Archbishops, monks, nuns, groups of laymen, young adults, and even children and babies. I asked the wonderworking Staretz, "What is the meaning of these people?" He responded, "These are all the people who suffered for the Holy, Catholic, Apostolic Church, for the holy icons at the hands of the wicked destroyers." I then asked the great Staretz if I could sit down next to them. The Staretz said, "It is too early for you to suffer, so joining them would not be blessed by God!" Again I saw a large group of infants who had suffered for Christ under Herod and had received crowns from the Heavenly King.
We walked further and went into a large church. I wanted to make the sign of the cross, but the Staretz said, "It is not necessary to cross yourself because this is a place of abomination and desolation!" The church was very gloomy. On the altar was a star and a Gospel book with stars. Candles made of tar were burning and crackling like firewood. The chalice was standing there covered by a strong stench. There was prosphora with stars. A priest stood before the altar with a face like pitch and a woman was under the altar covered in red with a star on her lips and she screamed and laughed throughout the church saying, "I am free!" I thought "Oh, Lord, how awful!" The people, like madmen, began to run around the altar, scream, whistle, and clap their hands. Then they began to sing lecherous songs. Suddenly, lightning flashed, a frightening thunderbolt resounded, the earth trembled, and the church collapsed, sending the woman, the people, the pries, and the rest into the abyss. I thought "Oh Lord, how awful, save us!"
The Staretz saw what had happened as did I. I asked, "Father, tell me, what is the meaning of this frightening church?" He responded, "These are the earthly people, heretics who have abandoned the Holy, Catholic, Apostolic Church and recognized the newly innovated church which God has not blessed. In this church they do not fast, do not attend services, and do not receive Holy Communion!" I was frightened and said, "The Lord has pity on us, but curses those with death!" The Staretz interrupted me and said, "Do not mourn, but just pray!" Then I saw a throng of people, each of whom had a star on the lips and was terribly exhausted from thirst, walking here and there. They saw us and yelled loudly, "Holy Fathers, pray for us. It is very hard for us because we ourselves cannot. Our Fathers and Mothers did not teach us the Law of God. We do not even have the name of Christ, and we have received no peace. We rejected the Holy Spirit and the sign of the cross!" They began to cry.
I followed after the Staretz. "Look!" he said, pointing with his hand. I saw a mountain of human corpses stained in blood. I was very frightened, and I asked the Staretz, "What is the meaning of these dead bodies?" He replied, "These are people who lived the Monastic life, were rejected by the Antichrist, and did not receive his seal. They suffered for their faith in Christ and the Apostolic Church and received martyrs crowns dying for Christ. Pray for these servants of God!" (Orthodox Heritage)
(To be continued)
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"How mistaken are those people who seek happiness outside of themselves, in foreign lands and journeys, in riches and glory, in great possessions and pleasures, in diversions and vain things, which have a bitter end! It is the same thing to construct the tower of happiness outside of ourselves as it is to build a house in a place that is consistently shaken by earthquakes. Happiness is found within ourselves, and blessed is the man who has understood this. Happiness is a pure heart, for such a heart becomes the Throne of God. Thus says Christ of those who have pure hearts: "I will visit them, and will walk in them, and I will be a God to them, and they will be my people" (2 Corinthians 6:16). What can be lacking to them? Nothing, nothing at all! For they have the greatest good in their hearts: God Himself!". (St. Nektarios of Aegina)
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"Glory Be To GOD For All Things!"--Saint John Chrysostom
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With sincere agape in His Holy Diakonia,
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+Father George