ST. PAISIUS TELLS US THAT GREECE HAS LOST HER WAY THE HOLY MOTHER—PROTECTOR OF GREECE

ST. PAISIUS TELLS US THAT GREECE HAS LOST HER WAY

THE HOLY MOTHER—PROTECTOR OF GREECE

           

“Greece has lost her way.  Sin and debauchery reign supreme in the lives of the people of Greece but God still loves her and waits for her to repent.”  These are the words of St. Paisius who passed on to eternal life on July 12, 1994.   He is no longer alive to see the developing situation in Greece as he had foreseen it years before.  The Elder did not want the people of Greece to be indifferent about the issues that concern the welfare of their country.  He was very saddened to see spiritual people being concerned only about their own well-being without thinking about the welfare of Greece.

           

            He said: “During a time when Satan in reveling in mankind’s sin and his followers are being organized against the Christians, Greeks are in a stupor.   The Greek is only concerned about his own welfare and nothing else.  And no matter what you say or do to him, he does not wake up.”  His was concerned and perplexed that the Greek political leadership did not know where Greece was headed.

            He himself had foreseen a long time ago the current situation in which Greece finds itself today and he was very uneasy about it.  In spite of this, he did not telegraph this uneasiness of his to the people of Greece.  On the contrary, he gave them a sense of hope and optimism.  He would say: “From the evil that we see prevailing around us today great good will come of it.  For example, I see an olive tree.  One of its branches has withered and the other is being eaten up by caterpillars and that also will become withered.  But there is also a new shoot sprouting from the lower part of the tree that is very strong and will quickly blossom.”

           

            He spoke harshly against politicians who voted for antichristian laws.  There was a prime minister of Greece who promoted harmful policies for Greece that were also harmful to the welfare of the Orthodox Church.  The Elder spoke out harshly against him.  In fact he wanted to meet him and express to him his feelings personally at the Convent in Soureti outside of Thessaloniki.  “Let him come here and I will tell him to his face what he is doing wrong. “  This meek and humble ascetic had the moral fortitude to raise his voice fearlessly in the face of powerful leaders of the day.     

Translated from the Greek by:

+Fr. Constantine J. Simones, Waterford, CT. Jan. 18, 2016, USA,