This text is found in “Spiritual Counsels, Vol. II: Spiritual Awakening” by St. Paisios, pp. 197-201

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A similar text from St. Paisios: "On Our Times"

-READ: http://apantaortodoxias.blogspot.com/2015/06/on-our-times-st-paisios-of-holy-mount.html

-LISTEN: https://youtu.be/0KIEmH-qt2Q

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St. Paisios teaches:

-Geronda, tell us something about the Antichrist.

-Let us for once say something about Christ... We must be as close to Christ as we can. Will we be afraid of the Antichrist if we are united with Christ? Isn't the antichrist spirit present today? One way or another, evil is done by the antichrist spirit. And even if an antichrist monster is created to do some horrible things, in the end he will be ridiculed. But many events will take place. Perhaps you, too, will live to see many of the signs written in the Book of Revelation.

Ecumenism, the European Union, one huge nation, one religion made to fit — these are the schemes of the devil. The Zionists are preparing someone to be the Messiah. For them the Messiah is a king who will reign here on earth. The Jehovah's Witnesses are also looking toward an earthly king. The Zionists will present someone and the Jehovah's Witnesses will accept him. They will say, "He is the one." There will be great confusion. In that confusion, everyone will be looking for a Messiah to save them. And then they will present some who will say, "I am the Imam, I am the fifth Buddha, I am the Christ expected by the Christians, I am the one expected by the Jehovah's Witnesses, I am the Messiah of the Jews." He will have five "selves"…

Rather, the anticipated Antichrist will, in some manner, be the incarnate devil, who will present himself to the Jewish nation as the Messiah and will mislead the world. Difficult years are ahead; we will be tested very severely. The Christians will suffer great persecution. And, you see, people are not at all aware that we are living during the signs of the times, that the sealing is already advancing.

-Geronda, do the Zionists believe what is said about the Antichrist?

-They would like to govern the whole world. To achieve their goal, they will use even sorcery and satanism.

-Geronda, when I hear about the Antichrist, I feel a fear inside of me.

-What do you fear? Will he be more terrible than the devil? He is a man after all. Saint Marina used to beat the devil, and Saint Justina dispelled so many demons. After all, we didn't come in this world to have an easy life.

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