Is Saint Paisios' Letter, "Signs of the Times" authentic? | Metropolitan Neophytos of Morphou

This is a segment (1:33:00 - 1:48:03) of the 27th "Lighter of the Saints" Meeting with Metropolitan Neophytos of Morphou which took place on 22 November 2023 at the Holy Church of Panagia Chryseleousa in the community of Akaki under the Metropolis of Morphou
The video was first published on the KZbin channel ΟΜΙΛΙΕΣ ΜΗΤΡΟΠΟΛΙΤΗ ΜΟΡΦΟΥ:
• ΚΖ΄ Πνευματικὴ Σύναξη ...
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A bit of context:
Why is the Metropolitan upset by the question, "Is the letter of Saint Paisios authentic?"
The handwritten letter titled "Signs of the Times" was written by Saint Paisios in 1987 and was circulated after being published [by the Cell of Resurrection, Kapsala, Mt. Athos, in 1995] in a pamphlet.
Here you can find the pamphlet including his hand-written letter "Sings of the Times" as it was published:
www.pigizois.g...
An English translation of the "Signs of the Times" letter can be found here:
www.eparhija-d...
The authenticity of the Letter had never been questioned until recently.
The first time its authenticity was challenged was with the introduction of electronic IDs in Greece (starting in September 2023).
In his letter, Saint Paisios warned against accepting such IDs.
Many faithful, faced with the fear of being excluded from society if they do not obtain the IDs once they become mandatory (possibly in 2026 or later), decided to do the easy thing:
Instead of asking God to add to their faith and patience,
they chose to do something unprecedented - question the authenticity of Saint Paisios' letter, "Signs of the Times."
Saint Paisios foresaw this, which is why he made sure to leave it handwritten, so that no one could claim ignorance as an excuse.
One might ask why a primarily English-speaking channel is concerned with Greece's electronic IDs:
(1) First and foremost, similar ID's are being introduced in many countries around the world.
(2) Many viewers living abroad have family in Greece.
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In this small book, Saint Paisios' letter, "The Signs of the Times," and more of his teachings on similar subjects are published.
/ elder-paisios-the-sign...
Most of the content of this small book is already available online or covered in other books.
The text "Concerning the mark, the seal and the antichrist" (found on pp. 31-33 of this small book) is the same text that appears under the title "The Antichrist" on pp. 197-200 of the book "Elder Paisios of Mount Athos, Spiritual Counsels, Vol II, Spiritual Awakening" [Spiritual Counsels hereafter]
This video also covers the exact same excerpt: • Signs of the Times: An...
The text "The Mark 666" (found on pp. 33- 36) is the same text that appears under the title "The 666 seal" on pp. 201-206 in the "Spiritual Counsels" book.
The text "The new IDs - The Citizens' card" (found on pp. 37-44) is the same text that appears under the titles "The New ID Cards" (pp. 206-209), "The Insidious Way of Introducing the Mark" (pp. 209-212), "Sealing Equals Denial" (pp. 212 - 214) in the "Spiritual Counsels" book.
This video covers some passages from the excerpts I cited:
• On Our Times - St. Pai...
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Some important words from these excerpts:
[Saint Paisios]: The ID card is not the seal; it is the introduction of the seal." [...]
"I have written about this [i.e. the new ID cards] clearly in the pamphlet "The Signs of The Times", let each act according to his conscience.
A few people have said of course, "Well, that is the opinion of one monk; it is not the Church's position." But I did not express my own opinion;
I simply stated the words of Christ, of the Gospel, because our opinion must be subject to the will of God as recorded in the Gospel. (Spiritual Counsels, pp.206-7)."
[Saint Paisios]: By the time the new ID cards come out, it is entirely possible that we may have the wrath of God upon us.
• The prophecies of the ...
• "Live the last normal ...
I had also added many information in the video description of this video:
• "Don't rush to get the...
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Notes
1. At 06:21, if you want to know more about His Eminence's dilemma whether he should choose Greece or Cyprus as a place of his monasticism and later whether he should become a Metropolitan at a young age or not, watch: • Who is Metropolitan Ne... (at 21:06)
2. At 06:44,
“The plans of humans are one thing, but the will of God is another.” is used as a translation for the Ancient Greek proverb: “Ἄλλαι μὲν βουλαὶ ἀνθρώπων, ἄλλα δὲ ὁ Θεὸς κελεύει.”
His Eminence uses this teaching often:
• Metropolitan Neophytos... (at 1:16:04)
3. Elder Isaac of Lebanon has written the best book on Saint Paisios' life.

[@MorphouHomilies]

1. Over time, a few people have said in the comments that they received similar (digital, electronic, biometric) IDs in their countries and have come to question their decisions. I will make a series of Community Posts about answers that I got on a number of questions from His Eminence. Please, keep an eye out because Community Posts do not appear on the homepage of many subscribers. 2. If you want to know more about Saint Paisios the Athonite, aside from reading his own books and books written about him (such as the one by Elder Isaac of Lebanon), I recommend watching the series: Saint Paisios: From Farasa to Heaven

[@mrpallycapoops]

Thank you for helping us to understand better St Paisios prophecies. 🙏

[@chronotriggerfan]

Glory to God for all things! I take great comfort in St. Paisios telling us that digital IDs, biometrics, and electronic payments are a sign of the End but are not the Dread Judgment. The Mark approaches fast but what a blessing that this beloved Saint tells us that we will have even more time to repent after 3-4 years of suffering for our Lord. I pray for my brothers and sisters in Europe and Australia where this agenda is fast approaching. America also has a renewed push for REAL ID compliant licenses that can be physical and digital, but we can still opt out if we choose.

[@jacobnash1885]

In this video,: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hqGrZ6qBl7d5j6c A University Professor from Thessaloniki, who knew Saint Paisios for over 19 years, explains how Saint Paisios, himself, asked him some language questions before publishing this very Letter.

[@GabrielaVasile-lx5ce]

Mulțumesc!

[@manastirenoua4503]

Hello, Please tell me where I can find Father Neofit Morfu, maybe he has a specific place where he receives pilgrims, thank you !

[@vasiliszaxaropoulos8726]

🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@Erik-sf1iq]

Thank you for sharing your love and wisdom! It is much needed! I wish you great health and a fruitful year 2025 from Germany!

[@MorphouHomilies]

All glory to God Erik!

[@RabbiYitzchakBenForeskinowitz]

​@MorphouHomiliesLOLchristCUCK

[@johnclivethomas3109]

Eucharisto hymin hyper ten apantesin! (Me synchoreite ean ta Nea me ta Archaia!) Nomizo hoti problepsan eprepe na etan proeblepsan. Pio poly skephteka pio se osa eipan oi monochoi to Hagiou Nicolaou sten Andro. Pega kai sto Hagion Oros to idion chronon. Den einai enas prophetes ho blepon e oron me ten charin tou Theou ti tha ginoun, ti kindynous me tous opoious prepi na paleuome. Proseuchesthe hyper emou, adelphoi, yiati "ek neoteotos mou polla polemei me pathe", an kai tha eimai 67, tou Theou thelontos auto to mena. "Pollois synechomenos peirasmois" eimai peirazomeno." Nai proseuchesthe hyper olous tous Orthodoxous sto Devon tes Anglias yiati pathainome sychna pollous peirasmous kai den einai polloi Orthodoxous naous kai den echome arketous iereis. Nai proseuchesthe hyper emou, tou hamartolou kai anaxiou, na yino axios ton hagion anthropon pou synantesa. Isos eprepe na echo grapsei sta Anglika, yiati den ola ta alla scholia einai sta Anglika, ektos apo to Roumaniko eucharisto,"multumesc." Akousa ton Despoten, merikes phores eno to egrapse! Maybe now I'll write in English. Forgive me that I do not know how to transliterate into the Greek alphabet on computor, and I only have access to that horrible invention of our times, the Interenet. The year 2000, when I visited monasteries in Essex, Shropshire, the Holy Mountain on the Athonite peninsula, and Andros, many of us did not know how to use a computers or carried telephones around with us! I admonish myself especially, let us beware, brethren, the times in which we are living are "a-changing" and not I fear for the better!

[@johnclivethomas3109]

Ta Kypriaka den mou phanenke tosa dyskola, kan den echo paei s'auto to meros tes Hellados! Tha prostheteso hoti he Hellenike estin xene glossa hyper emou, aphou eimai Englezos alla taxidepse sten Hellada. Sto 2000 den borousa na phantazo kosmon pou echome semera. Anangkasteka na matho ligaki hyper ton electronikon hypologiston prin mia dekaetia peripou. Mou phainetai, merikoi kalogeroi problepsan ton semerinon kosmon.

[@MorphouHomilies]

More like received the gift of prophecy from the Holy Spirit rather than "problepsan" (predict) but I understand Greek is not your first language as you said. :)

[@johnclivethomas3109]

@MorphouHomilies Eucharisto. Isos to egrapse ligaki biasteka, allios tha eixa grapsei proeblepsan e proeida, mallon, homos me ten charin tou Hagiou Pneumatos. Ho nous mou pege stis koubentes pou eichame me tous monochous tes I.M tou Hagiou Nikolaou tes Androu. Homologo hoti eicha xechasa polla pou egrapse ho Hagios Paisios alla onomasteka tes synchrones eukolies oi synchrones dyskolies! Kai bebaia oi nees techologies, me ten opoies den emaste poly oikeies totes kanoun ten zoen mas pio dyskolen, ochi pio eukolen. Ho Theos na me kanei axion, Eme, ton poly anaxion ton Hagion Anthropon pou synantesa totes. Ho Hagios Paisios eiche koimethei liga chronia pou pega sto Hagion Oros. Eimai tora sten komopolin tes genneseos mou, to Ilfracombe tes Anglias. Proseuchesthe hyper emou, tou hamarlou, hoti Ho Theos tha me dosei metanoia, na eimai poietes tou logou kai hoti mono na akouo. Parateresa, anaginoskon oles tis scholies, (Mepos tous scholious, ta schoia) hoti mono egrapsa sta Hellenika ean, homos, sten Latiniken alphabeta aphou den eimai arketa oikeios me ten sychronen technologian na balo sten Helleniken alphabeta! Akousa ton despoten merikes phores eno egrapse ola auta se mian xenen glossan!

[@johnclivethomas3109]

Eucharisto. Chairomai hoti kano merika lathe sta Hellenika dioti enas Hellenas pou episkepse perusi ten graphiken kai parathalassinen komopolin tes yenneseos mou, to Ilfracombe tes Anglias me rotese: apo poio meros tes Hellados Hrthe! Polles phores aisthanomai san Xenon sten patrida mou dioti einai tosoi ligoi hoi Orthodoxoi Christianoi edo! Isos eprepe na echo yrapsei: proeblepsan e proeidan me ten charin tou Hagiou Pneumatos. Nomizo hoti merikes phores sten Palaian Diatheken prophetes onomazetai ho oron. Hotan egapse auto to muolo mou pege sten I.M. tou Hagiou Nikolaou sten Andros kai stes koubentes gyro to trapezi me tous ekeithen monachous. Ho poly gnostos Hagios Paisios echei ede koimethei hotan episkepse to Hagion Oros to idion etos, to 2000. Synantesa merikous pou exeran ton Hagion Paision. Aisthanomai poly ten hamartoloteta kai anaxioteta hotan skephtomai stous tosous hagious anthropous pou synantouse. Proseuesthe, adelphoi, hyper emou kai hyper tous Orthodoxous Christianous diaphoron ethnekoteton dioti "Pollois synechomenos (oi) perasmois, na kano kalen metanoian prin mas kleisei ten thyran, Ho Theos. Multumesc alla nomizo hoti einai schedon ten monen lexin pou xero sta Romanika. Tosa polla egrapse, sten auten ten xenen glossan, ten Helleniken. Akousa ton metropolitan Neophytos merikes phores eno egrapsa hola auta, ego ho diadiktyphobikos. Me synchoreite, adelphoi, pou den xero ten sychronen technologian na balo sten Helleniken alphabeten alla eimai 67 tou Theou thelontos, to 23 Febrouariou. Nomizo hoti einai mono me ten boetheian tou Theou hoti egrapsa auta hoti einai poly berdeuomenoi oi skepseis mou to proi.