Reports of Elder Ephraim of Arizona, who reposed a year ago on December 7, appearing to a spiritual daughter in northern Greece have been heavily circulating online recently.
The message that the departed Elder conveyed to his spiritual daughter is that of Christ Himself and of all the Fathers of the Church: Repent. Christ is angry, he says, seeing the way we devour one another.
When the reports first appeared, OrthoChristian was informed that reliable sources were confirming the vision. Now, Archimandrite Paisios himself, the abbot of St. Anthony’s Monastery where Elder Ephraim lived and reposed, has confirmed the veracity of the vision and has sent out a message about it to his spiritual children.
The story of and message of Elder Ephraim’s appearance to his spiritual daughter is below, followed by Abbot Paisios’ note of confirmation:
Geronda Ephraim, the former abbot of Philotheou Monastery and the founder of Saint Anthony’s Monastery, who lived the ascetical life and fell asleep in the Lord in Arizona, appeared to a woman in Northern Greece who at the time was together with her daughter-in-law. At the time of the appearance this woman was not asleep, but in a state of wakefulness. At a certain moment, the woman entered into a state of ecstasy, which lasted about ten minutes, as her daughter-in-law who was watching her related.
The woman herself did not know how long the vision lasted. This was something new for her (i.e., the content of their conversation was unlike any of their previous conversations; for after Geronda’s repose she had seen him several times, both in her sleep and while awake), and for this reason she was astonished and called her spiritual father, in order to ask if what she had seen was delusion or reality.
She saw Geronda Ephraim, who was very sad and who was imploring Christ concerning the coming tribulations—things which certainly correspond with the things Geronda spoke about while he was in this life. And he told her:
“Repentance! Repentance! Christ is very angry. We people today should not be in the spiritual state in which we find ourselves. Great evils are coming—you cannot imagine how evil. Alas, what awaits you! Repent as long as there is time. Get on your knees and weep; shed tears of repentance so that perhaps Christ will soften. This also has to do with what is happening in America. Many people will depart through all that is coming, many people will depart [i.e., they will die]. You are not merciful toward one another; you do not have mercy. You are harsh. One person will devour the other. Tell these things to your spiritual father and to others.”
The woman who saw this vision was a spiritual daughter of Geronda Ephraim for many years, and was in communication with him until his repose. It is authentic and verified.
***
Our beloved Orthodox Christians, evlogeite,
We will soon be commemorating the one-year anniversary of the repose of our holy spiritual father, Geronda Ephraim of Arizona. A recent vision that a woman in Greece had of Geronda Ephraim has come to many people’s attention. The vision concerns the general state of the world, and how prayer and tears of repentance are so necessary today and yet lacking everywhere.
We would like to confirm that the vision is from God, and that its message very much reflects the spirit of our Geronda’s teaching. This holy and spiritual message that is presented here in several languages for the benefit of the Church.
We pray that through Geronda’s intercessions, we will all understand the significance of his powerful message and strive to implement it in our lives.
Please feel free to share this message.
In Christ,
+ Kathegoumenos Archimandrite Paisios,
Saint Anthony’s Greek Orthodox Monastery
Florence, Arizona
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