ΑΝ ΠΕΘΑΝΕΙΣ ΠΡΙΝ ΠΕΘΑΝΕΙΣ, ΔΕ ΘΑ ΠΕΘΑΝΕΙΣ ΟΤΑΝ ΠΕΘΑΝΕΙΣ

(ΠΑΡΟΙΜΙΑ ΟΡΘΟΔΟΞΩΝ ΜΟΝΑΧΩΝ)

Τετάρτη 28 Δεκεμβρίου 2011

A revelation on the torments of hell & the unworthy priest

A revelation on the torments of hell to St. Makarios the Great
From here & here
ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΑ ΕΔΩ
 
The vision of St. Makarios the Great of Egypt

A revelation on the torments of hell to St. Makarios the Great (amateur translation)

This icon is from the cemetary church of All Saints in the town of Perama, Rethymna, the seat of the municipality of Mylopotamou, by the iconographer Emmanuel Sephake.

St. Makarios of Egypt once was traveling through the desert, and accidentally uncovered a skull with his staff. He bent down, buried it with respect, and prayed for the man to whom it belonged. Then, the man's soul appeared to him, and informed him that, while he was alive, he was a worshiper of the devils (a priest of Isis), and now he was in hell. “And how is it there?” the Saint asked. “All are found amidst flames” the soul responded, “and we are bound back-to-back. However, when you pray for us, we see each other for the short time that you are praying.” We know from our holy Christian teachers that the fire which the soul mentioned is the Fire of God, which bathes all in the other world. Those with an attitude of egotism experience this as the “fire of hell”.

"We are bound to each other back-to-back, but when you pray for us, we can see each others' faces"

***
The angel and the unworthy priest


Full of Grace and Truth
 
The angel and the unworthy priest (amateur translation)
This icon is from the cemetary church of All Saints in the town of Perama, Rethymna, the seat of the municipality of Mylopotamou, by the iconographer Emmanuel Sephake.

The prototype is from the historic church of the Holy Trinity in the same town, near the monastery of Arkadiou, Rethymna...and is found in the Holy Alter, roughly next to the holy table of Prothesis, and the priest sees it across from him, though it is not visible from outside the Altar. It is directed, therefore, to the priest, and is aimed at his constant moral diligence.
This icon, I assume, is based on an old story which says that once there was a priest who got drunk one Saturday night, and went the next day to serve Divine Liturgy. However, as his wife was going to church, she saw him outside, tied to a tree. When she went inside, she saw him again, serving Divine Liturgy! She was surprised. After the Liturgy, her husband revealed how an angel prevented him from liturgizing, and served Divine Liturgy in his stead and with his appearance.

The meaning of the story is that, no matter how unworthy a priest may be, this does not hinder the validity of the holy mysteries, for it is the grace of God which completes them, not the priest himself. But priests should be worthy of their work, otherwise they will face consequences, now and to eternity...

Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen! 

Click here (The River of Fire) & here (We and the spirits of the departed).
Heaven & Hell in the Afterlife Acc. To The Bible 
The Super-Natural
A Deer Lost in Paradise
LIVE, BEYOND THE LIMITS!
Deification - The Uncreated Light

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