Questions and Answers Concerning the End Times and the Antichrist

 

Fr. Theodoulos: Would you like to ask a question about some topic, would you like us to talk about something?

About the one whom we are now expecting, in the immediate future, to come. What is going to happen, how will things be, with the [Greek] identity cards, with the wars, with the infamous law?

Fr. Theodoulos: I usually, publicly, do not want to touch upon or deal with these topics. Not because I do not know or cannot express my opinion, but because usually, on these matters, disagreements arise and there will be tensions afterward. For some have their own beliefs, mindsets, and usually on this subject there are disagreements and misunderstandings. I consider it proper to speak about beneficial things, catechetical, that give joy and courage to continue our struggle, rather than to deal with topics which more often create anxiety and concern, and at times we even hear anger and rage.

Since God is absolute and the Holy Fathers speak to us about the last times that are to come, and we must truly be prepared above all, for what reason should they not be discussed, that we might discern things—why should there be tensions? It says that in order to be saved you must do this and that—God is absolute. There is no going down or up, neither right nor left.

Fr. Theodoulos: Yes, listen. Even in the time when the Apostle Paul was living, it was considered the era of the Antichrist. The Apostle Paul himself says it: “For the mystery is already at work.” The Apostle Paul sent a letter to the Thessalonians because, in those days, in Thessalonica, it was being preached that those were the years of the Antichrist, and that we must flee to the mountains, and that we must take measures and resist the state, and become united to confront the Antichrist and the era of the Antichrist, and to be saved, for otherwise we would be damned. The Apostle Paul sent them a letter and calmed them down. He explained to them how wrong it is to think this way—to suppose that it is the time of the Antichrist. This kind of thing has happened in every age, in every century—not once, but hundreds of times people throughout the ages have claimed regarding this or that issue that now is the forerunning era or the era of the Antichrist. That we must resist, that we must, that we must, that we must. But all these things are not from the Saints, but mainly from people who misinterpret the Apocalypse.

Well then, my personal opinion, as I have understood the Holy Fathers and Holy Scripture—of course, everyone has the right to disagree and to believe their own things—I am simply casting some seeds. If you consider them rotten, do not keep them. Throw them away, leave them. I am just expressing my opinion; each person clings to what he loves. What matters most, however, is that when we discuss certain topics, we should do so as calmly, kindly, and lovingly as possible. Because if I am mistaken, and you are supposedly the one who knows what is right, you will explain to me in a good way that I am mistaken. But regarding these topics, whenever I have engaged with some people, most raise their voices, get angry, pass judgment—“that one is deluded,” “you are this,” and so on… In the end, we reach the point of saying, “What you’re saying is not Orthodox,” or “Scripture says otherwise,” or “that elder says something else,” or “what you’re saying is heretical”—and this then causes us to lose our composure, to lack the love we should have. In order for us to speak with love, we must cultivate love—take heed: love for enemies. We do not even love our friends, we do not love our relatives—will we reach the point of loving our enemies? Because you might say, “Father, enemies?” But when we argue and quarrel, we become enemies. Therefore, if there is something to discuss, we must see that if our brother is speaking wrongly, we should pray that God enlighten him to understand the truth—not tell him he is deluded, that he’s doing this or that. We as Orthodox Christians must love everyone—even Muslims, and heretics, and Catholics—we must love all people; we simply refrain from sharing their beliefs. We never say that we should hate anyone or insult them; we should not slander or curse anyone. We must love people, and hate their heresy—even more so within us Orthodox—because that is what has caused the Churches to be divided: because we disagree and say “No, you are deluded,” and “No, you’re the good one,” or “I am the saint.” So, my opinion is: whoever wants to understand the truth about these eschatological matters should not concern themselves with the internet—just my opinion. On the internet there is both truth and falsehood—it’s like a garbage dump, and you're searching in a garbage dump to find something to eat. You might indeed find something edible among the garbage, but it is contaminated by the trash. The source for understanding the truth about eschatological matters—when the Antichrist will come, what the Antichrist is, what harms us and what benefits us—the source is found in Holy Scripture and in the Patristic writings. If each person counted the time they’ve spent on the internet—how many hours and days they’ve occupied themselves reading things—and if they had dedicated even a tenth of that time, not the whole, just a tenth, to reading the New Testament and the Holy Fathers, they would have been far more illumined.

As for the issue with the coronaviruses, with the vaccines, I never once dealt with the internet to find out through the internet whether the vaccine harms or whether the coronavirus is of the Antichrist. Now you’ll say, “those things have passed,” but they are still brought up. Or, in any case, the identity cards in Greece—whether they are of the Antichrist, whether it’s the 666—am I going to sit now and search the internet to have the internet tell me whether it is true? I will go on the internet to find a piece of information, if I want to learn something about a historical event—and even then, some say it one way, others say it another. But the truth is found in Holy Scripture and in the Holy Fathers—how the Holy Fathers interpret Holy Scripture, not through the internet. Whoever wants, let him do so; that is my opinion. We try to concern ourselves with the Holy Fathers, and most importantly, to be in confession, in Holy Communion, so that God may enlighten us. If I am arguing with my brother, if I do not confess, if I do not commune—then even if I don’t take the identity card and I don’t take the vaccine—will I be saved? The more important thing is that I be reconciled with my brother, that I confess, that I partake of Holy Communion, that I study the Holy Fathers—and then God will enlighten me whether I should do it or whether I should not take it. I am not saying to take them. I am saying: how can we arrive at the point of understanding whether we should? I leave every person to judge and to decide for himself and for his family, because we should not interfere and try to persuade one another about what to do, what to take, what not to take, etc.

And when brothers ask, “Father, should we take the identity card or not?”

Fr. Theodoulos – Forgive me for what I will say, but the question is a bit ill‑intentioned. Why? If I say, “Brothers, take the identity card,” it will be: “What did you say? To take the identity card? And what are you saying?!” If the brother who asks already has his own opinion, he’s not really asking because he wants to learn—“Ah, I see! Now I’ve learned whether I should take it or not.” Everyone already has his own opinion within himself. One will say, “I shouldn’t take it.” Another will say, “I should take it”—but even so, he will still ask! As if we’re asking the question just so others can hear it. You know, it’s like: “Let me ask so that the others will learn what’s right—whether we should take it or not—or to see what Father believes, what his stance is.” I’m not addressing anyone personally—maybe now two of you children have just asked the question—I’m speaking generally. Generally and vaguely. We are all brothers, and I’m simply stating my personal opinion. Since each one has his own view and each one is responsible for himself and for his family, let each person do what he believes is right. But if we do want to learn, I suggest we avoid the internet and turn to Holy Scripture and the Holy Fathers. Let us pray for God to enlighten us through the Holy Fathers. To learn the truth, and at the same time to be within the Mysteries of the Church—in Confession and Holy Communion. And then to love one another. Christ said to love everyone, even our enemies. To love as much as we can and to help. And if I want to help someone, to bring him back from his delusion, let me pray for him. That is, if someone thinks that what I am saying now is wrong and that I am deluded, let him pray for me, that God may enlighten me. Since no one is convinced by words anymore. We’re all smart, we’re all first, we’re all second. We all know everything. We don’t accept advice, or correction, nothing. We all know it all. But since we already know it, there’s no need to talk about these things. Let us pray for that person. And when we want even our brothers and our relatives, let us pray for them. Someone comes and says, “Father, I feel sorry—I have my brother, I have my sister. He’s there, or he’s changed faith, or he’s changed Church, or this or that.” Yes—and if you keep talking to him and bothering him, will you convince him? Pray for him. Fine, let’s offer prayers for the other, but first for ourselves—that we might be enlightened—and then that we might enlighten our friends and our relatives.

On one point, if you’ll allow me, I would like to disagree. Of course, we must pray for others—especially for ourselves—that is a matter of self-worth, self-respect. First, to love yourself. If you don’t love yourself, you cannot love your neighbor—it is impossible. Secondly, regarding what you said about the identity card and the vaccine. You all know that we are living in times that are anti-Christian, that Christ is being persecuted, that those who rule over us—that is, those behind the scenes—are satanists. These people believe in the devil, in “the one outside.” Those who produced the vaccine did it for population reduction. They didn’t do it because they love you—they didn’t just meet you yesterday. They don’t love anyone. They have sold their souls for certain interests in this world. Secondly, the matter of the electronic identity is the same—it is also anti-Christian. They have abolished everything. They recently voted in favor of homosexuality—allowing two fathers to take a child—and they say, “It’s better for us to take the child because it’s in an orphanage, and those who left it didn’t love it, and we will love it.” Well, no!

Fr. Theodoulos: I disagree with those things. Of course, brother. With all of them. I would just like to add to that, and I believe it is good to say such things so that people may be awakened. My opinion—if you did not understand it—is something I’ll explain more clearly. I did not say that only prayer and study, and then we’ll tell you—of course, we must also move our hands. I don’t think—if some of you did not understand me—that we should just sit with folded hands. I never said such a thing. Of course, we must also move our hands. But what is more important is prayer, study, the Mysteries of the Church. But as for this subject: if today we are governed by Antichrists once, in earlier times we were governed ten times, a hundred times by Antichrists. Let’s go back again to the time of the Apostle Paul.

When the Apostle Paul was living, the emperor of the Roman Empire was Nero. Nero was the first emperor who demanded to be worshipped as a god. He wasn’t simply an idolater, but what—take note—not only did he mint coins in his own name, but he also required that everyone be registered in his empire as his subjects, as subjects of the god Nero. Today, no prime minister has told us, “Let me give you coins of my own, let me give you documents stating that you are my subjects and that I am God.” That era was far worse. And we will also look at other periods as we go along. So, when Nero proclaimed this—that from now on he was to be worshipped as a god—then again the Christians rose up and said, “Here is the Antichrist!” A greater Antichrist than Nero has never appeared to this day, because he demanded worship. The Roman state always required people to be registered. But when the registration was under Nero’s rule, that was the peak of it all. Now, look what’s happening today: we’re being given new identity cards—who knows what they might contain, whether they have 666, whether they have a chip, or whether they don’t—and everything seems to lead us there, everything to the Antichrist, etc. But even back then, the documents served to prove who was a Roman citizen. Not just anyone could say, “Ah, I’m fine, I’m a Roman citizen,” or “I’m not.” There were documents back then too, in which everyone was registered in the Roman state. And yet, in that Roman Empire, which was vast at the time, there were thousands and millions of Christians—all of whom were registered in the Roman state in order to have the rights of the state. The Apostles existed at that time. If it were wrong, then the Apostles themselves would have said, “Do not be registered in the Roman state.” First of all, the Apostle Paul would have said such a thing. But he didn’t. Do you know what the Apostle Paul did say? “Make prayers for kings and all who are in authority.” That is, at that time, he asked the Christians to pray for Nero. It’s like saying to us today to pray for our leaders. Now, pardon me, but what Christian today prays for Mitsotakis in Greece? Since most curse him and revile him. And then they say not to take the identity cards that Mitsotakis will give us. What are you saying, poor fellow! If you are a Christian and want to go against the Antichrist, you will begin first with prayer. Pray for Mitsotakis. If all Christians prayed for Mitsotakis, God would not allow him to give us the identity cards. Listen to something.

So then, I said that many times there were governments that were antichristian and worse than today’s. Some governments were during the Turkish occupation. Do you know what that means? If you haven’t read and understood how Christians lived under the rule of the Sultans during the time of Turkish rule… I’ll give one example. Saint Cosmas of Aetolia, every time he went to preach, would go and make a prostration and receive the blessing, the permission, from the local Pasha. That is, in order to receive permission to speak publicly, he would go and bow down, venerate him, and say, “My much-honored Pasha, if you will and if you give permission…” In those years of Turkish rule, the Christians were so oppressed that they had someone over them who ruled and who had the religion of the Antichrist—because the Antichrist was also Mohammed. When Mohammed arose—and every Mohammed, and each who ruled in that manner—they were all in a place of the Antichrist.

Regarding the Antichrist, as you mentioned—how will we recognize that he is the specific Antichrist? By his deeds, by his confession? How will we understand that he is the Antichrist?

Fr. Theodoulos: Very good question, and how easily it is answered. So then, today the Prophet Elias and the Prophet Enoch are alive. They have not died. We all know this. The two prophets live—for what reason? To come at the time of the Antichrist. Now pay attention. If, at this moment, the Antichrist were alive on earth, it would be utterly impossible for the Prophet Elias and the Prophet Enoch not to come and tell us. For this very reason they are alive and exist. That is, the Prophet Elias—or rather, the two prophets—are not tinkering with pots and pans. They are not just sitting around waiting: “Ah, humanity is being destroyed, people are perishing, and we just sit here and wait.” Of course not. Listen. If it were the time of the Antichrist—if the Antichrist had come, and if the identity card and the vaccine were a denial, if they contained the 666 and the mark and a denial of Christ—the two prophets would 100% come to warn us. Because otherwise, if they didn’t do that, their existence would be in vain. Since neither the Prophet Elias nor the Prophet Enoch comes to tell us, “Don’t take the identity cards because they contain 666,” then they don’t contain 666! Would they let us take them while the 666 is present, and they just sit there and wait and wait?

There are testimonies, though, that Elias has appeared.

Fr. Theodoulos: Now listen, it’s one thing for him to perform a miracle somewhere, to appear and help—that, yes—but for him to come out publicly for all people to see him, to appear openly and say, “People, Christians, take your precautions, it is the Antichrist, this belongs to the Antichrist”—they would tell us. From the moment the prophets are not coming, then it is not something involving 666 and the Antichrist. For those who wish to understand. As for the rest, my brothers, you have the right to...

Will we recognize them when they come?

Fr. Theodoulos: Of course. Pay attention. If a certain Christian has no relationship with the Church, with Orthodoxy, with the Mysteries—in short, he is only baptized because he happened to be born that way, and he lives a prodigal life, for example, with women and drugs—whether the Prophet Elias comes or not, for him it’s all the same. This also happened in Hades when Christ descended. When Christ entered Hades—how brightly does the sun shine? Christ shone a hundred times more brightly in Hades—He gave light. But who recognized Christ? All those who had the senses of a sound spiritual state. The others hid themselves, turned away, didn’t want to see Christ and the light. The faithful, who were awaiting Christ, longed for Him—and when they saw His light, they recognized Him. We Christians who are in the Church and in the Mysteries of the Church—of course, when the Prophet Elias and the Prophet Enoch come, of course we will recognize them as if the sun itself had descended to the earth.

Will this Synod tell us that these two are the prophets?

Fr. Theodoulos: The Synod doesn’t need to say it. It’s like me telling you: if the sun falls upon the earth, do we need the neighbor to tell us?

When the Antichrist comes, will the Church exist?

Fr. Theodoulos: It will exist, and then it will flee into the wilderness. As soon as the Antichrist appears, the Church flees into the wilderness. The Church of Christ will exist, does exist, and will continue to exist.

It will always exist, yes. We say: when the Antichrist comes one day, will the Church exist then?

Fr. Theodoulos: The Church will exist in the wilderness.

Will the Church, at that time in the wilderness, preach to the world that this is the Antichrist?

Fr. Theodoulos: Yes, yes, yes. It will preach it.

But Scripture says, “Take heed, lest he deceive, if possible, even the elect.”

Fr. Theodoulos: Now listen to this. So then, it says, “if possible,” “if possible to deceive even the elect.” The “if” and the “possible” are conditional. The “possible,” which means could be, is conditional, not active. So, this means that those years will be so very difficult and the man will use such cunning, that with this evil he will do, he could deceive even the elect. Could, but he will not deceive the elect. No elect one will be deceived. Some, of course, will be deceived. What do the Saints tell us—all the Saints of all the ages? When the Antichrist comes, those who will follow him and those who will be deceived by him are precisely those who—even if the Antichrist were never to come—would be damned. Why? What do the Saints say? He will reign among those who are perishing. That is, he will reign only over those destined for perdition. No elect person will be deceived—but if possible, even the elect could be deceived—but the Antichrist will reign only over the lost, those appointed for destruction. Only those—listen—who, even if the Antichrist never came, would be damned nonetheless. And on the other hand, even if not one, but fifty Antichrists were to come, not a single elect person would be deceived—not a single faithful one. But the faithful of those times—in those years—will receive strength only, only, only from the Mysteries of the Church. Whoever is far from the Mysteries, even if he puts up the greatest fight, will be lost, will despair, will give in, will deny. All those today who shout, “I won’t take the identity card,” “I won’t do this,” and shout and shout—because they do not have the virtue of love to the degree that is needed—because the same person shouting about the identity card, if his neighbor gives him a temptation, he wants to hang him! So that person—let’s say—if he is tortured, if they put him through torment, he may endure at first, but then he will cower or the grace of God will abandon him and he will deny, because he won’t be able to endure to the end. Do you know how many martyrs—or rather, how many people during times of torture—succumbed and denied, even though at first they endured and acted like confessors? Why? Simply because they lacked love and humility. It is not enough to shout “Orthodoxy or death” and to confess. If I do not help my neighbor, then even if I shout “Orthodoxy or death” from morning till night, it benefits me nothing. I must have both faith and works. And I must be certain that when I am within the Mysteries and in the Church, God will enlighten me, will help me to resist this Antichrist, whoever he may be. But if I am not within the works of love, if I am not within the Church and the Mysteries of the Church, no matter how much I think I am a watchman, a guard waiting for the Antichrist to come so I can face him—poor fellow, without even realizing it, you will deny.

 

Greek transcription source: https://entoytwnika1.blogspot.com/2026/01/blog-post_28.html