How will the Last Judgment take place - will the Lord really act as a judge: listen to witnesses, pass judgment? believes that everything will be somewhat different.

It is interesting that on the eve of Lent, the Church reminds us that there will still be judgment, that a person, having received life from God as a priceless gift, will then have to answer to God for how he lived this life.

And this one thought about the Court, about responsibility for all one’s actions and for one’s entire life, makes a person more fit in a spiritual and moral sense. If a person knows that God sees his deeds, his thoughts and will ask for it, he will be kept from many sins by this one fact, by this one thought.

At the beginning I would like to say a few words about the word “court” itself. In Greek court – a crisis. What is this in our concept? For example, there is a crisis in medicine, when a person is sick, in a fever, and the doctor says: “The patient has a crisis of illness.” And after this crisis, there are two scenarios for the development of events: either the patient will recover tomorrow, the temperature will subside, or he will die. That is, a crisis is a certain climax of the disease, after which it will be either good or bad.

There is a political, economic, financial crisis. Why do these crises occur? Irregularities and contradictions accumulate, and then, at some high boiling point, a crisis occurs. Or a crisis in interpersonal relationships. There is also a set of contradictions, misunderstandings, omissions, which ultimately leads to a crisis, after which people will either learn to talk to each other or disperse.

That is, a kind of trial is taking place. When a person must ultimately answer for some of his actions at a time of crisis.

Everyone knows that Christians constantly scare people with the Last Judgment. How easy and peaceful it would be to live, knowing that there will be no Judgment. And here the priests constantly say that there will be a Judgment. The holy fathers answer differently in what form this Judgment will take place.

There is an opinion that God will weigh the good and evil deeds of people on scales, and if the evil deeds outweigh the person, then the person will go to hell; if they are good, then he will be saved. Thus, God is identified with the goddess of justice, Themis, who is blindfolded and impartially weighs human affairs.

But it seems to me that at the Judgment, Christ will stretch out His hands pierced with nails to him and say: “Behold, My child, what I have done for you. This is how My Love for you was manifested. And I proved this Love to you with My death, My suffering and all My Blood shed for you on the cross. Now tell Me, what have you done for Me?”

And the person will begin to remember what deeds he did for the sake of the Lord God. It is even possible that many good deeds will come to his mind, but it will turn out that he did them out of decency, in order to appear as a good, well-mannered person in front of other people. He did good deeds for the sake of his loved ones. Not neighbors, but close ones, that is, relatives: parents, children. And it turns out that he did most of the good deeds not for the sake of the Lord, but for the sake of people or for the sake of his vanity.

And then, with his head down, a person will understand that he has nothing to respond to this complete Love to the last drop of Blood that God has shown to us. He will not be able to respond even with some small manifestation of love and gratitude to God.

And this, perhaps, will be the Last Judgment - man will condemn himself. No one will drive him away anywhere, he will drive himself away and will not be able to enter the Kingdom of this Divine Love.

In today's Gospel, Christ says that when He comes to earth for the second time, His coming will be different from the first coming. The first time He came as a preacher of the Kingdom of God, a beggar who had neither power nor political external authority. But there was only the power and truth of the word, as well as the power of divine miracles, with which the Lord confirmed the truth of his words.

And when Christ comes the second time, He will come as King and Judge. And therefore it is said in the Gospel: in His glory all the holy Angels are with Him. Christ will come as a King, will divide all nations, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and will place the sheep on His right side, and the goats on the left.

I have often thought about how sheep differ from goats. According to the Old Testament, both sheep and goats were considered clean animals, they could be eaten and sacrificed to God. Differences in the behavior of these animals.

When I served in Volgograd, in a church that was located in a private sector, one of my parishioners kept goats. And I often watched through the altar window as Aunt Nadya grazed her goats. When grazing sheep, either the shepherd or the main ram goes in front, and all the other sheep obediently follow him. And when a shepherd grazes goats, it is not clear who is grazing whom. The shepherd constantly catches up with his goats, who rush in completely different directions: they run across the road, climb trees, and climb over the fence into neighboring yards. They are not disobedient to their shepherd, they constantly show their crazy will, and it is very difficult to shepherd them.

And the King will say to those on His right side: “Come, you blessed ones, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” And to those on the left: “Go into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.”

And people will answer with bewilderment: “Lord, when did we not serve You?” And Christ will say: “What you did not do to one of your neighbors, you did not do to Me.” Do you understand what a simple criterion is?

It turns out that a person who does something kind to his neighbor does the same to God. If we could see the image of God in any of our neighbors without obstacles or distortions, how easily all good deeds would be given to us! But it often happens that our help is asked by people we do not like, people in whom the image of God is obscured and distorted by vices and sins.

And if we do good deeds only for the sake of people, we will never learn to do good deeds to our enemies, our offenders, people who are unsympathetic to us. And if we remember more often that we are doing this good deed not only for this person, but for God, who calls us to this, then it will be much easier to do all good deeds. And then we will be able to serve God and justify ourselves at the Judgment.

What will not help at the Last Judgment?

Vladimir Berkhin

I don’t know about you, but I am very afraid of the Last Judgment. I’m afraid of the ordinary, and even more so of the Terrible.

We don't know much about how it will go. There is a parable about the Last Judgment in the Gospel of Matthew, there are several more indications in Scripture that “the believer does not come to the Judgment, but the unbeliever is already condemned,” there are several chapters in the book of the prophet Daniel and in Revelation, striking in the scope of events, but not revealing details legal proceedings. This was clearly done intentionally - so that people would not indulge in casuistry, would not try, as in the Egyptian “Book of the Dead,” to come up with cunning answers and ambiguous justifications, so that relations with God would not fall into either magic or jurisprudence.

And that scares me. Because all the ways I know to defend against accusations will not work there. Judging by what we know, they will not help at the Last Judgment:

- attempts to shift the blame to circumstances for which it is not the person himself who is responsible, but the One Who Judges. Such a precedent is already described in Scripture. This is exactly what Adam did after the Fall - he began to tell God that it was not him, it was all the wife that God gave, which means that God Himself is to blame for the sad result. How it ended is known. It probably won't work out for the rest either.

- an attempt to “get lost in the crowd,” that is, to refer to global or all-Union practice. They say everyone does it. Sometimes it seems to me that one of the three righteous people who have experience of living in a completely hostile environment - Noah, Lot and the prophet Elijah - will be invited to discuss this kind of excuse. These three stern men know very well what it means to “do not act like everyone else.” And they will be able to explain.

- references to a special historical moment, which for some reason made the fulfillment of the commandment unimportant. But if you hated your neighbor, then you hated your neighbor. Even if he, such a brute, dared to be on the other side of the barricade from you when the fate of the Motherland was being decided. It was precisely the good of the Fatherland that the Sanhedrin justified the need to execute the Savior.

– references to historical precedents. They say that the fathers sinned and they allowed us to do so. But the story of Ananias and Sapphira, who were punished for their sin, although they were neither the greatest, nor, especially, the last, who tried to put their hand into the church treasury, shows quite convincingly that sin remains sin, even if the Lord for the time being has mercy.

– excuses that it’s simply someone else’s fault. In addition to the fact that Adam was already doing this, it is also a violation of the commandment of non-judgment. It is said that by whatever court you are judged, you will be condemned. If you hang your sins on others, well, you will also be responsible for others’.

– references to high results that have been achieved in other areas. As one journalist once wrote, corrupt officials built power lines of the first reliability category, but their opponents did not do this either, and therefore theft is quite excusable. But Scripture also speaks about this more than definitely - “what is high among men is an abomination before God” and “what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world, but loses his own soul.” Will not help .

– references to the fact that you acted within the framework of the current legislation, and all the correct papers were signed by authorized persons in the right places. Judas did not break any laws, Nero and Diocletian acted within the limits of their authority, and even the executions of the new martyrs were consistent with the instructions of the OGPU. Civil laws are needed; they provide order and at least a semblance of justice. But they are not the ones who lead you to the Kingdom of Heaven.

– references to the confusion and inconsistency of the principles of the court, their vagueness and ambiguity. I wanted, they say, what was best, but I wasn’t smart enough. It won't work either. Because the Lord said that He is with us always, even to the end of the age. This means that any attempt to say “I didn’t know what to do” will be followed by a reasonable answer: “I was nearby, why didn’t you ask?” And I don’t know about you, but I have already learned from myself that “I don’t know what to do” in fact almost always means “I don’t want to act according to the commandment.”

- some options for justification by the fact that he belonged to the right group of people who knew the right words, no matter what it was called - Church, people, nation, tradition or party. After all, it is also said about this - that on the Day of Judgment some will begin to remember that in His name they cast out demons and prophesied, but a severe rebuke and eternal hell awaits them. Or it is said quite bluntly that God can make new children for Abraham out of cobblestones if the existing ones turn out to be unworthy.

And many more thoughts of this kind can be thought of that will not help at the Last Judgment. This is why he is terrible.

But this Judgment is also Merciful. Most merciful. Actually, there will be nothing there except Grace.

The most difficult thing will be to accept Grace at the Judgment. Grace cannot be earned by good behavior. It depends not on the pardoned, but on the Merciful. You just need to stop proving, in words and deeds, that you “have the right.” To be justified, you must stop looking for excuses for yourself. We must not justify ourselves, but repent.

Because all these words and reasons are attempts to simply fight back, so that they will not be humiliated by mercy, so that they will not have mercy. After all, you can only pardon someone who is guilty. And if you plan to enter the Kingdom of Heaven as someone who has the right, there will be no Grace, because you simply don’t want it. If you don’t need Mercy, there will be no Mercy.

Free, go into outer darkness.

Finally, relax, man, stop thinking about why you don’t make a little more mistakes. This is already the Last and Merciful Judgment. Remember the parable and repeat: “Father, I have sinned before you, and am no longer worthy to be called your son, but accept me. I have sinned and I have no excuses, and there is no hope except Your Love.”

The Last Judgment or the best day of our lives?

Priest Konstantin Kamyshanov

Why did Christians begin to fear the Last Judgment - this was not always the case? Archpriest Konstantin Kamyshanov regrets that we talk more and more often about the Judgment and less and less about what should come after it.

The day when the Last Judgment takes place will be the first day of the triumph of Paradise. A new day will be added to the days of the creation of the world. During it, our sinful world will be completely transformed. And something strange will happen: the Angels will fold the sky like parchment, and the sun will darken, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of heaven will be shaken.

And the Morning of the world will come.

It will begin when the number of inhabitants of Paradise reaches a certain necessary and sufficient value.

For them - the righteous - the Last Judgment will not be a terrible judgment, but will become the best day of their life, because the first joy is the strongest. The soul of the elect will see the One Whom it loved, Whom it dreamed of, Whom it always wanted to see - Christ.

And Christ will be glad to see His friends. He will lead them into the new world through the golden gates.

For God, this day of judgment will not be terrible either. Finally, this nightmare called “our world” will end. According to the word of the prophet, the lion and the lamb will lie down side by side, evil will be abolished and the eternal kingdom of good will begin. The beginning of the Judgment will be the end of this terrible day of the Fall, which lasted for an eternity, with its wars, murders, deceit and anger.

For sinners, the Last Judgment will bring some fear, but in the future the Lord will give them according to their hearts to be forever with those like them.

It's like being in prison. There gather, albeit against their will, certain gentlemen who have the same outlook on life, who are united by a certain semblance of brotherhood and concepts. They do not have to work, and their day passes in philosophical conversations about the meaning of life. There you don’t have to worry about food, rubles, or how to feed your relatives or loved ones. Everything is paid. They are sober there and their lives follow a reasonable regime that excludes abuse and sin.

Of course, this similarity is conditional and requires clarification.

Firstly, Christ said that a bad servant will be deprived of those talents that he was too lazy to multiply. That is, a person will be simplified in his organization by an order of magnitude, and, like demons, will accept a simpler personality organization, similar to animals.

This does not mean that God will take revenge on them for their sin. The Holy Fathers are unanimous in the opinion that the Lord is absolutely good. On the contrary, such a simplification to the state Polish cattle, will reduce the degree of suffering of the individual, who will be incapable of subtle experiences. As a result of degradation, a resident of hell will not be able to sin as fully as he could, remaining in full mind and with all the strength of his soul.

Secondly, almost all the holy fathers are confident that sending a sinner to hell is good for him not only because he himself chose the place to which he aspired. He will be more comfortable in hell than in Heaven. For a person, will is most important. It contains his freedom and individuality. By breaking the will of a sinner, God will break the whole person. But the Lord does not need a broken, disfigured and opposing person in Paradise. God gives her the will according to her heart - and this is good.

In this unusual way, the Lord will try not only to increase the measure of grace in Paradise, but also to reduce the level of suffering in hell.

As a result, the level of evil will decrease throughout the Universe as a whole.

So the Last Judgment will paradoxically bring more light into the world and reduce the level of evil compared to the current state of affairs. The Last Judgment will make the world less scary.

And if this is so, then why prepare for a disaster? And who should prepare for a catastrophe, and how should one prepare for this Last Judgment?

It is obvious that the Last Judgment will be terrible for the citizens of hell. He will be so not only because they are threatened with an existence in evil, but also because they must go through a process of personality degradation. And this is really scary.

Interpreters, inviting the church to remember the first day of the renewed world as the Last Judgment, a priori assume that among us there are no righteous people, no those who love God, but only potential victims of hell. For some reason, the comments to this event do not preach the joy of a long-awaited meeting with Christ, but, on the contrary, intensify the fear of divine vengeance.

How to celebrate this day correctly?

Professor Alexey Ilyich Osipov noted that in order for liberation to begin, there must first be an awareness of one’s slavery. So, we must perceive the psychology and way of thinking of a slave.

Saint Silouan of Athos gave the following formula for preparing for the Last Judgment: “Keep your mind in hell and do not despair.” This means that we must be tempted into life in hell.

But how can a common man keep his mind in hell and not become afraid and despair?

How can you learn to be a citizen of Heavenly Jerusalem if you constantly train your mind in the reality of the Chertograd?

For example, I wanted to become an architect. And for this he decided to become one through the denial of other professions: not to be a doctor, not to be a mechanic, not to be a diver. And, one might think, through this negative theology I am the architect of the country? No.

Through such denial it is impossible to create and form a positive and essential image. Denial cannot be the basis of existence.

The Easter words of the angels, “Why seek Zhivago with the dead,” acquire new depth. In hell it is impossible to prepare yourself for Heaven. What is needed in Paradise is not the skill of despair and fear acquired in the new Sodom, but the skill of love for God, people and the Earth.

How can you learn all this while already living in hell? How can you find light in the mud? How can you find pearls in the trash?

Let us recall the sensational dispute in absentia between our famous theologian, a professor, and a saint, recently glorified in the Greek Church. It's about about Porfiry Kavsokalivite.

A Moscow professor, on the eve of the glorification of this saint, announced that Porfiry was in delusion. The reason for this was the words of the saint that there is no point in fighting demons, since they are eternal, indestructible, tireless, and we are temporary. It will not be possible to destroy them, and fighting them is pointless in the projection of Eternity.

Instead of becoming experts in fighting devils, the saint proposed becoming experts in life in God. He noted that it is better to immerse yourself in God than in hell. And then grace itself will heal and replenish infirmities and protect from demons in the most reliable way.

In fact, there is no contradiction here. The saint, as befits a saint, looks further and higher. Porfiry Kavsokalivit talks about strategy, and the professor talks about tactics.

The saint says that the meaning of life lies in drawing closer to Christ and acquiring likeness with Him. The goal of life cannot be wrestling skill on the hellish lists. In Paradise this is a useless skill.

Why are you looking for Zhivago and the dead?

But in order to achieve this similarity, it is tactically necessary to overcome the resistance of the spirits of evil, who do not intend to lose their prey.

The confusion, as usual, arose from different views from different observation points in time and space.

What do we care about these theological subtleties?

The fact is that they contain a direct indication of the strategy of our life in the perspective of Eternity. In particular, this theology contains the correct approach to the exercise that gives a residence permit in Paradise - fasting.

If you do not have a strategy in mind, but only tactics, then fasting is a struggle. A person who does not see Paradise ahead goes out to fast as if it were a disaster and a war. And he celebrates the end of fasting as the end of trouble and throws a victory feast. He “rests” from fasting, from being tired of being bright and kind. Signs of such fasting include painful hunger, chronic fatigue and fatigue of the soul.

But subtle people approach Easter feasts differently. The Easter feasts of spiritual people, on the contrary, are quiet. The joy of the news of the Resurrection of Christ is legitimate and fair, but the end of Lent often brings sadness. It stems from the fact that a subtle person considers the time of fasting as the time of his approach to God, and its finale as the end of this perigee and an involuntary removal from the Luminary of God. And words of regret often come out: “I didn’t fast enough” or “I just started fasting and just learned the joy of fasting.” The sign of such fasting is joy.

These posts of fatigue and joy cannot be confused.

A person who sees God above the maneuvers of fasting greets fasting not as a national misfortune, but as approaching joy, with the words:

- Happy fasting, brothers and sisters! Let's fast a pleasant fast.

Before the week about the Last Judgment, there passed a week about the Prodigal Son. They are connected into a single logical circuit. In the week of the Prodigal Son, a man was looking for his real home - Paradise, on this week the church places him on the very threshold of Paradise:

- Look!

Hello hell? No. Hello, morning of the world!

In the old days, people better understood the essence of the memory of this day. Proof of this is the ancient icons of the Russian North. Bright major spots of red are revealed on white ringing backgrounds. Hell is hidden in these icons so that you won’t find it right away.

Over time, another interpretation of the Last Judgment came to us from the West - a real Hollywood horror movie trailer.

While in the Sistine Chapel, one can be amazed by the incredible artistic genius of Michelangelo, and at the same time, no less powerfully, one can be surprised by his spiritual color blindness.

Instead of the Morning of the World in the famous fresco, we see not the meeting of the world and Christ, but drawing tutorials in the halls of a meat processing plant. How so? After all, thousands of theologians, apostles and Christ Himself said that we will not die, but we will all change. We will return to subtle bodies again, leaving temporary “leather garments” in the earth forever. How this was missed by such a talented person is completely incomprehensible.

Okay, this chapel. This feast of meat there is balanced by the ethereal Botticelli. But here, these Zverograd thrillers have become the norm on the western walls of churches. Fashion came from the West, and it triumphed on the western wall. In these frescoes, it is not the righteous who triumph, but the Alien.

Unfortunately, over time, not only the frescoes on the western wall were transformed, but also the church consciousness, traumatized by the spirit of the Bursa. The time of apostasy left its mark on man's entire perception of the world. Instead of preparing to meet the Heavenly Father, the sons of God began to prepare to meet the Antichrist.

Alas. Today we need to make efforts to take our fascinated gaze away from the gaze of the Antichrist and transfer it to the face of our merciful Lord and God our Savior Jesus Christ.

Hello hell! – this is not for us. Not for those whom the Lord has called to life. Not for those who love Him. Not for those who, despite the falls, fell headlong towards Paradise.

A bad soldier is one who does not dream of becoming a general. The bad Christian is the one who does not strive for Heaven, but sits with his soul in hell and cannot take his hypnotic gaze away from Satan, like a rabbit from the gaze of a boa constrictor. A bad Christian is one who has forgotten about the greatness that God has given him and the place that he has prepared for him in heaven.

The bad thing is that instead of striving with the help of the Lord to his home, to Paradise, an already weak person becomes even more weakened, sitting on the rivers of Babylon, rummaging around in hell and disassembling its meanings.

Is our - Christ is Risen! « Let the heavens rejoice worthily, let the earth rejoice, let the world celebrate, all visible and invisible: Christ has risen... O great and most sacred Easter: Today every creature rejoices and rejoices, for Christ is risen and hell is captivated.

Ours - “Now everything is filled with light, heaven and earth and the underworld, so that all creation celebrates the rise of Christ, and is established in it. Yesterday I buried myself in You, Christ, today I commemorate..."

It is believed that every bad deed of a person is taken into account and he will certainly be punished for it. Believers believe that only a righteous life will help them avoid punishment and end up in Paradise. The fate of people will be decided at the Last Judgment, but when this will happen is unknown.

What does this mean, the Last Judgment?

The judgment that will affect all people (living and dead) is called “terrible.” It will happen before Jesus Christ comes to earth for the second time. It is believed that dead souls will be resurrected and the living will be changed. Each person will receive an eternal fate for their actions, and sins at the Last Judgment will come to the fore. Many people mistakenly believe that the soul appears before the Lord on the fortieth day after its death, when a decision is made about where it will end up. This is not a trial, but simply a distribution of the dead who will wait for “time X.”

Last Judgment in Christianity

In the Old Testament, the idea of ​​the Last Judgment is presented as the “day of Yahweh” (one of the names of God in Judaism and Christianity). On this day there will be a celebration of victory over earthly enemies. After the belief that the dead could be resurrected began to spread, the “day of Yahweh” began to be perceived as the Last Judgment. The New Testament states that the Last Judgment is the event when the Son of God will descend to earth, sit on the throne and all nations will appear before him. All people will be divided, and the justified will stand on the right hand, and the condemned on the left.

1. Jesus will entrust part of his powers to the righteous, for example, the apostles.
2. People will be judged not only for good and evil deeds, but also for every idle word.
3. The Holy Fathers said about the Last Judgment that there is a “memory of the heart” in which all life is imprinted, not only external, but also internal.

Why do Christians call God's judgment “terrible”?

There are several names for this event, such as the great day of the Lord or the day of God's wrath. The Last Judgment after death is so called not because God will appear before people in a terrifying guise; on the contrary, he will be surrounded by the splendor of his glory and greatness, which will cause fear in many.

1. The name “terrible” is due to the fact that on this day sinners will tremble because all their sins will be made public and they will have to answer for them.
2. It is also frightening that everyone will be judged publicly in front of the whole world, so it will not be possible to evade the truth.
3. Fear also arises due to the fact that the sinner will receive his punishment not for some time, but forever.

Where are the souls of the dead before the Last Judgment?

Since no one has ever been able to return from the other world, all information regarding the afterlife is speculation. Posthumous ordeals of the soul and the Last Judgment of God are presented in many church scriptures. It is believed that for 40 days after death, the soul is on earth, living through different periods, thereby preparing to meet the Lord. When figuring out where souls are before the Last Judgment, it is worth saying that God, looking through the lived life of each deceased person, determines where he will be in Heaven or Hell.

What does the Last Judgment look like?

The saints who wrote the sacred books from the words of the Lord were not given detailed information about the Last Judgment. The Almighty showed only the essence of what will happen. The description of the Last Judgment can be obtained from the icon of the same name. The image was formed in Byzantium in the eighth century and was recognized as canonical. The plot was taken from the Gospel, the Apocalypse and various ancient books. The revelations of John the Theologian and the Prophet Daniel were of great importance. The Last Judgment icon has three registers and each has its own place.

1. Traditionally, at the top of the image is Jesus, who is surrounded on both sides by the apostles and they take direct part in the process.
2. Below it is the throne - the throne of judges, on which there is a spear, a cane, a sponge and the Gospel.
3. Below there are trumpeting angels who call everyone to the event.
4. The lower part of the icon shows what will happen to people who were righteous and sinners.
5. On the right side there are people who have done good deeds and they will go to Paradise, as well as the Mother of God, angels and Paradise.
6. On the other side, Hell is presented with sinners, demons and.

Various sources describe other details of the Last Judgment. Each person will see his life in the smallest detail, and not only from his own side, but also through the eyes of the people around him. He will understand which actions were good and which were bad. The assessment will be carried out using scales, so good deeds will be placed on one scale, and evil deeds on the other.

Who is present at the Last Judgment?

During the decision-making process, a person will not be alone with the Lord, since the action will be open and global. The Last Judgment will be carried out by the entire Holy Trinity, but it will be unfolded only by the hypostasis of the Son of God in the person of Christ. As for the Father and the Holy Spirit, they will take part in the process, but from a passive side. When the day of God's Last Judgment comes, everyone will bear responsibility together with their own and close dead and living relatives.

What will happen to sinners after the Last Judgment?

The Word of God depicts several types of torment to which people leading a sinful life will be subjected.

1. Sinners will be removed from the Lord and cursed by him, which will be a terrible punishment. As a result, they will be tormented by their soul's thirst to get closer to God.
2. When figuring out what awaits people after the Last Judgment, it is worth pointing out that sinners will be deprived of all the benefits of the kingdom of heaven.
3. People who have done bad things will be sent to the abyss, a place that demons fear.
4. Sinners will be constantly tormented by the memories of their lives, which they destroyed with their own words. They will be tormented by conscience and regret that nothing can be changed.
5. Holy Scripture contains descriptions of external torment in the form of a worm that does not die and fire that never goes out. Sinners will experience weeping, gnashing of teeth and despair.

Parable of the Last Judgment

Jesus Christ spoke to believers about the Last Judgment so that they would know what awaits them if they deviate from the righteous path.

1. When the Son of God comes to earth with the holy angels, he will sit on the throne of his own glory. All nations will gather before him and Jesus will separate the good people from the bad.
2. On the night of the Last Judgment, the Son of God will ask for every action, claiming that all bad actions committed towards other people were done to him.
3. After this, the judge will ask why they did not help those in need when they demanded support, and the sinners will be punished.
4. Good people who led righteous lives will be sent to Paradise.

THE LAST JUDGMENT OF GOD

VISION OF GREGORY, DISCIPLE OF OUR HOLY AND GOD-BEARING FATHER BASILI NEW OF TSAREGRAD

Holy Trinity Sergius Lavra, 2001

With the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Alexy II

Icon of the Second Coming of Christ and the Last Judgment of God In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit! One day, when I was sitting in my cell and lamenting my sins, a thought came to me and began to greatly occupy my mind. I thought that the faith of the Jews was deep and sincere, since Abraham is called the friend of God in Scripture, and Isaac is righteous before God, Jacob is the father of the twelve patriarchs, and Moses is the great saint of God. He struck the Egyptians with signs and wonders. How is the faith of the Jews not sincere, if they received the Law of God on Mount Sinai in the Decalogue, learned to separate good and evil, if God, through Moses, divided the Red Sea for the Israelites and brought them out of slavery in Egypt, and fed them with manna in the desert? I read the other books of the Old Testament and, having struggled with these thoughts for a long time, finally came to my senses. Why bother with vain thoughts in vain, because I have a spiritual father, full of spiritual gifts. I’ll go and reveal my thoughts to him, and he will judge about this. After all, I know well that he who confesses his thoughts to his spiritual father receives relief from the thoughts that struggle with him. And whoever hides thoughts in his heart conceals within himself a serpent and not Christ, but Antichrist. I got up and went to my father Vasily. Horse racing was scheduled that day, and on this occasion people from all over the city gathered at the hippodrome. And I haven’t gone to this entertainment for many years, remembering the formidable word of John Chrysostom. And so, when I approached the gathered people at the place of Dioptim, the thought came to me to see if there was the first race of horses. Carried away by this thought, I stopped and looked at the running horses. When I came to our Reverend Father Vasily, I found him in a silent cell, standing in prayer. I entered him, making the usual bow. He blessed me, and after praying with me, he sternly told me: “Behold, a man came to me who, having read the books of the Old Testament, began to praise the Jews, saying, “The faith of the Jews is deep and sincere,” not understanding the Scriptures—its true meaning. He left. "Weeping about sins and thinking about death, and about the Last Judgment of Christ. And not only this, but also went to the hippodrome, where foolish people with their frivolity bring joy to the devil. Therefore, the devil instilled such thoughts in you and deposed you twice! " Having heard such a reproof for myself from the God-wise Elder Vasily, I mentally swore never to attend this devilish spectacle. The saint continued: “Tell me, why do you think that the faith of the Jews is good and true?” I found it difficult to give an appropriate answer. And Saint Basil also told me what the words spoken by the Lord in the Holy Gospel mean: He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him. - “You see from these words that there is no profit for those who believe in the Father, but for those who reject the Son. And the Lord also said to the Jews: They knew neither the Father nor Me. If they saw Him in the congregation teaching them and performing numerous miracles and did not recognize Him as the Son of God, but as the Heavenly Father, they had never seen Him, how could they know Him well? Jesus said to the Jews: I have come in the name of My Father, and you do not receive Me; and if another comes in his own name, receive him. And he also said: Behold, your house is left to you empty. You see that God finally rejected them and scattered them throughout the entire earth, among all nations, and made their very name hateful among the peoples of the Universe. And again the Lord said: If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have had sin... but now they have seen and hated both Me and My Father. The Lord said exactly the same about the fig tree in the Holy Gospel, when he was hungry and approached it and found no fruit on it, giving it over to a curse: Let there be no fruit from you henceforth forever. By fig tree we mean the Jewish people. The Son of God came, hungry for righteousness, and did not find the fruit of righteousness among the Jewish people. Although this people hid behind the Law of God given through Moses, they did not bear the fruits of righteousness, for which they were cursed and rejected. Before the coming of Christ, the faith of the Jews was truly right and good and the Law was holy. When Christ, the Son of God, Whom the Jews did not accept and lawlessly crucified on the Cross, came into the world, their faith in God was rejected, and the people were cursed. Instead of the Old Testament, God concluded a New Testament, not with the Jews, as before, but in the person of those who believe in the Son of God with all the tribes of the earth. The Jews, who have not accepted the Son of God, are expecting a false messiah - the Antichrist. To prove this, before the death of the prophet Moses, God said: Behold, you will rest with your fathers, and this people will begin to walk prodigally after foreign gods... and they will leave Me and break My Covenant, which I made with them; and My anger will kindle against him... and I will leave them and hide My face from them, and he will be destroyed, and many disasters and sorrows will befall him. Through the prophet Isaiah, God said: I will reject My great rod, that is, the Law given to the Jews through Moses, and I will ruin them with great destruction, I will reject them completely and will not turn to them. You see, child Gregory, how they have been rejected from God, and their Law no longer has any meaning before God. After the coming of Christ, the Jews did not have a single prophet or righteous man. Prophet David said: Once they are rejected, they will never rise again. And he also said: May God rise again and let His enemies be scattered. Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, was resurrected on the third day from the dead, and after forty days He ascended into Heaven and sat down in human nature at the right hand of God the Father. On the Fiftieth day after His Resurrection, He sent down the Holy Spirit on His disciples and Apostles; when they dispersed throughout the Universe to preach the word of God, the righteous Judgment of God befell the Jews. Jerusalem was destroyed to the ground, then all the Jews were dispersed to all countries of the Universe. And all nations hate this rejected race of the Jews, the murderers of God. Saint John the Theologian in Revelation says about them that the Jews are no longer the host of Israel and the sons of God, and not a holy people, but a cursed and indecent and rejected people - a host of Satan. When they gather in the synagogue on Saturday, the Lord is not among them, but Satan among them rejoices and rejoices over their destruction, because they rejected the Son of God; branded themselves with the most shameful name of a deicide. Satan took them as his inheritance and sealed them with his vile name. They are the sons of the devil, and the portion of his deceitful and vile activities, and a part of the Antichrist. Before they rejected the Son of God, they were sons of the Kingdom. Now they have been expelled from the city of Christ and in their place all the nations who believe in the Holy Trinity have been brought in. The New Israel is a Christian people, sons of the New Testament and heirs of future, eternal heavenly blessings. So know, child Gregory, if anyone does not believe that Jesus Christ is truly the Son of God, who came into the world to save sinners, that person is cursed. If anyone believes in the Holy Trinity, and does not confess that Christ was incarnate from the Most Holy Virgin Mary, and was perfect God and perfect man, and through His Cross gave us life, the Resurrection, and salvation, and reconciliation, and the justice of the Heavenly Father, then deprived of God’s favor, subject to condemnation, curse, eternal torment together with the Jews and atheists,” he said this and fell silent. I began to beg him, saying: “I ask you, Saint Basil, pray to the Lord for me, that He will send me some kind of some sign will confirm my lack of faith." He said: "You, child Gregory, are asking a lot from me. Know that the Lord does not want the sinner to die, but wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth. If you ask in faith, he will do everything for you." - And he sent me away in peace.

WONDERFUL VISION

On the first night after my return from Blessed Basil, when I was resting on my bed after long and fervent prayer, I saw Saint Basil enter, take me by the hand and say: “Didn’t I tell you that the Jews are cursed by God? Go now with me, and I will show you the faith of each people and what value it has before God." And he took me and went to the East, and a bright cloud enveloped us and lifted us to the heights of heaven. And then I saw a wonderful, beautiful world. I saw a lot and was amazed at its beauty. Suddenly a cloud lowered us, and we found ourselves on some vast and wondrous field of unearthly beauty. The ground of this field was light, like glass or crystal, clean and transparent. And all the ends of the Universe were visible from this field. Soaring across this field were regiments of bright and beautiful fire-like youths, sweetly singing Divine songs and praising the One God in the Trinity. Then we came to some terrible place, glowing with a fiery light, and I thought that they had brought me to burn me. But it was not fire, but light like fire. Among this light are many winged youths dressed in snow-white robes. They walked and burned incense on the immaterial altar of God. Suddenly we found ourselves at high mountain, which they climbed with great difficulty, and Saint Basil told me to look to the East, and I saw another field, very large and shining like gold in the sun. When I saw this field, my heart was filled with inexpressible joy. Still looking to the East, I saw a wonderful city, indescribable beauty and very great. I admired for many hours and stood in amazement, then I asked the driver: “My lord, tell me, what is this wonderful city?” He told me: “This is Heavenly Jerusalem - the city of the Heavenly King. Not made by hands, as vast as the circle of heaven is built.” And I asked: “Who owns this city and who lives in it?” He said: “This is the city of the great King, about whom David miraculously predicted; our Lord Jesus Christ created it at the end of His earthly life and after His miraculous Resurrection, and after His Ascension into Heaven to God His Father, He prepared it for His holy disciples and To the Apostles, and to those who believed in Him through their preaching, as the Lord Himself said in His Gospel: In My Father's house there are many abodes. Then a wonderful young man appeared, descended from the heights of heaven onto a hill in the middle of this wondrous city, saying: “Behold, the Judgment and Resurrection of the dead will be and reward for everyone from the righteous Judge will come.” And after the words of this young man, a pillar of fire descended from the heights of heaven, and a terrible voice was heard, like a thousand thousand thunders. This is the creative and omnipotent power of God, which will gather all creation. And after this a mighty voice descended upon all human bones, so that they might be assembled bone to bone, joint to joint, member to member, obeying this creative Power of God. Human bones began to collect throughout the Universe, and the whole earth became one whole cemetery, filled with dry human skeletons. After that, a young man descended from the heights of heavenly wondrous beauty, holding a golden trumpet in his hand, and with him twelve young men. Each one had a golden trumpet. When they descended to the ground, their glorious Voivode sounded the trumpet before them, menacingly, fearfully, and powerfully. The sound of his trumpet was heard throughout the universe, and the whole earth, like a leaf on a tree, shook. And so the dry bones took on flesh, but there was no life in them, and the glorious and majestic Voivode and the twelve young men sounded the trumpet a second time. The earth trembled and shook greatly. And at that same hour numerous armies of angels descended like the sand of the sea. And each Angel led the soul of a deceased person, whom he protected during his temporary life, and each soul was directed to its body. All the Angels sounded the trumpet for the third time, and Heaven and earth were terrified, and everything trembled, as a leaf on a tree trembles from strong wind . And all the dead were resurrected, souls united with bodies. They were all the same age, both elders and infants. The forefather Adam and Eve rose from the dead, all the patriarchs, prophets, ancestors with all the tribes and tribes stood crowded all over the face of the earth. Many who did not believe the mystery of the Resurrection were greatly amazed and horrified: how dust and ashes rose again, all the sons of Adam safe and alive after a long period of dust and decay. Those who did not believe in the Son of God were horrified and trembled, seeing the faces of the righteous shining like the stars of heaven, in accordance with their holiness and degree of perfection. According to the words of the Apostle Paul, star differs from star in glory. Some righteous people's faces shone like the sun at noon, others like the moon in the middle of a dark night, and others like the light of day. All the righteous have books in their hands of lightning light. All their Virtues, labors and exploits undertaken to cleanse their hearts from passions are recorded there, and there is an inscription on the forehead of each righteous person, testifying to the glory of each. Some have it written: “prophet of the Lord,” “Apostle of Christ,” “preacher of God,” “martyr of Christ,” “Evangelist-confessor,” “poor in spirit,” “accepted by repentance,” “merciful,” “generous,” “pure.” heart”, “exiled for the sake of righteousness”, “host of the Lord”, “endured poverty and illness”, “presbyter”, “virgin”, “who laid down his life for his friend”, and other numerous virtues. In the same way there was a sign on the faces of sinners. Some of them had faces as gloomy as the dark night, some like soot, others like rotting scabs, some like stinking mud. Others have faces covered with pus and swarming with disgusting worms, their eyes burning with evil fires. The sinners, seeing the glory of the righteous and their lewdness and damnation, said to each other in horror and fear: “Fierce woe to us, the last day of the Second Coming of the Lord has come, about which we heard a lot from the righteous and evangelists before our death. But we are careless.” They did not believe and with all their hearts indulged in voluptuousness, covetousness and worldly pride, laughed and mocked the righteous of the Holy Gospel. Oh, woe to us, the fools. For a moment of the sweetness of sin, the fleeting pleasures of the flesh, we lost the Glory of God. We were clothed with eternal fear, shame. Oh, fierce Woe to us, sinners, unhappy and darkened. The Lord will give us over to eternal unbearable torment. Oh, woe to us, the unfortunate, only now have we recognized our shame and nakedness, open before Heaven and earth and in the face of all earthly beings. The hour has come - the hour of true assessment virtues and vices in temporary life. We knew how to lie, covering up the gross vices of personal righteousness, loudly trumpeting before ourselves about those virtues and perfections that we did not have in our souls. Tormented by a thirst for voluptuousness and ambition, we sought to satisfy insatiable voluptuousness and ambition in all sorts of deceitful ways and did not stop at any atrocities and crimes. Streams of innocent human blood were shed openly and secretly. And despite all the horrors and crimes being committed, they considered themselves beneficent. On this terrible day of God’s Judgment, which we boldly, shamelessly, and fearlessly rejected and denied, our criminality and hypocrisy will be revealed. Oh, how many innocent children's souls we have ruined, poisoning them with the poison of unbelief and godlessness. We were leaders and apostates and zealous servants of Satan. Oh, woe to us, the unfortunate proud ones, who dreamed of knowing everything with our own minds and madly rejected the highest mind of God. Oh, how cruelly we made a mistake when we mocked and laughed at the faith of the God-loving followers of Christ. We served the devil in blindness, gratifying the lust of the flesh. And the servants of Christ suffered greatly and exhausted their flesh with deeds of piety. They shine here like the sun, and we burn with eternal shame and nakedness. Oh, woe, woe to us, the damned and unfortunate. Oh, woe to us, eternal woe to the heirs of hell." Many other words were spoken by atheists, heretics, freethinkers, apostates, unrepentant sinners, reproaching themselves and cursing the day and hour of their birth, expecting a strict and fair sentence from the righteous Judge, looking at each other in horror friend. They all saw the inscriptions on their foreheads: “murderer,” “adulterer,” “fornicator,” “desecrator,” “thief,” “sorcerer,” “drunkard,” “rebel,” “blasphemer,” “blasphemer,” “predator”, “sodomy”, “bestial”, “child killer”, “murderer”, “corrupter”, “grudge-bearing”, “envious”, “oathbreaker”, “buffoon”, “laugh-maker”, “stern”, angry” , “unmerciful”, “lover of money”, “covetous”, “uncontrollably committing every sin and iniquity”, “arrogant denier of the Resurrection and the future life”, “heretic”, “Arian”, “Macedonian” - and all those who were not baptized into the Holy Trinity and after baptism they sinned and did not bring true repentance, and departed from temporary life into eternity morally uncorrected. They all looked at each other in terrible horror and moaned bitterly, hit themselves in the faces and in their madness tore the hair on their heads, uttering a terrible groan and curses. Before the Judgment, the Jews stood as if mad and devoid of reason, many said: “Who is God, who is Christ?.. We do not know. We served many gods, and if they are resurrected, then it will be good for us, since we tried to please good in our temporary life. And therefore they must honor us." Afterwards I saw how the ranks of the Heavenly Powers descended from on high and sang a sweetly wonderful song, carrying in their midst a wooden Cross, shining with the light of heavenly glory more than the rays of the sun. And having brought it, they placed it on the Throne prepared for the Righteous One Judgment. And this Cross was visible to the whole Universe, and all the peoples were greatly surprised at the extraordinary beauty of the Cross of the Lord. The Jews saw, were horrified and trembled with great fear and horror, in vain the sign of Christ Crucified by them. In despair they began to tear out their hair and beat themselves in the faces, saying: “Oh, woe to us and great misfortune, we saw no good sign. Oh, woe to us, the damned. This is a sign of Christ crucified by us. If He comes to judge, then woe to us. We caused Him a lot of harm, and not only to Himself, but also to those who believe in Him." So the Jews spoke and wept. The Angel who led me said: “Look how they began to tremble when they saw the Honorable Cross of the Lord!” We stood on an elevated place, and the whole Universe was visible to me, and conversations were heard, and I even saw all the people who filled the earth. After this, I heard the polyphonic noise of those speaking, and countless numbers of Heavenly Forces began to appear. Principalities, Powers, Powers, Dominions, Angels, Archangels, decorously and in orderly great regiments they began to descend on the place of the Judgment Seat of Christ. Seeing this, I was greatly horrified and trembled, but the Angel who led me encouraged me, saying: “Do not be afraid, but look carefully and remember what you saw. These are my friends and co-workers at the Throne of the King,” and fear receded from me. Soon lightning flashed, loud trumpet sounds and numerous peals of thunder were heard, from which the whole earth shook. The righteous with bright faces rejoiced and had fun. And those with gloomy faces they were horrified and trembled with fear. And behold, the great Heavenly Powers descended from the heights of heaven, and a wonderful light emanated from them, like a fiery flame. They descended and stood ceremoniously around the place prepared for the Righteous Judge. The beauty of the shining faces cannot be described by any human language. From the vision of them my mind became darkened, and my tongue refused to speak. The righteous from Adam to the last earthly being rejoiced with great joy, expecting righteous reward from the ineffable mercy of God. And sinners, idolaters, atheists and apostates began to be horrified and tremble, like a leaf on an aspen. At this time, a bright cloud with lightning appeared and, overshadowing the Divine Cross, remained on it for a long time; as soon as it rose to the same place from where it descended, a wonderful crown, indescribable beauty, shining more than the rays of the sun, wrapped itself around the Cross. The terrible Throne of Glory stood not on earth, but in the air. And so one regiment of Angels stood on the eastern side, another on the southern, a third on the western and a fourth on the northern. A terrible and wondrous sight presented itself. The air was filled with Heavenly Forces, and the earth was filled with the sons of the human race. Then a fiery chariot descended from the heights of heaven. Around her are countless six-winged Cherubim and many-eyed Seraphim, loudly, solemnly and victoriously calling out: “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God of Hosts, fill heaven and earth with Your glory.” And so all the Heavenly Powers exclaimed: “Bless, Father Almighty... Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, the Word Co-essential with the Father.”

THE LAST JUDGMENT OF GOD

SEPARATION OF THE RIGHTEOUS AND SINNERS

Suddenly a trumpet sound was heard, terrible and great, and everything living in heaven and on earth trembled. Even the Heavenly Powers themselves shuddered and were afraid. This trumpet sound foreshadowed the nearness of the Coming of the Most Righteous Judge. Then the sounds of trumpets sounded again, and again numerous regiments of the glorious Heavenly Powers began to descend, bearing banners and the royal scepter. Then a cloud, light and white as snow, carried by four animals, began to descend. In the middle of the cloud is the Only Begotten Son of God, our Lord Jesus Christ!!! Around the cloud are a large multitude of incorporeal servants of God, with many fear and trembling and great reverence, not daring to approach the cloud. The world was illuminated a thousand times more powerfully than the sun by the Splendor of the Glory of God. When the cloud began to descend over the place where the Throne of Glory stood, immediately all the Heavenly Powers exclaimed in a great voice: “Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord! God the Lord has come to judge the living and the dead - the whole human race.” And the angelic world bowed with fear and trembling to the Most Righteous Judge. After this, the Only Begotten Son of God came down from the cloud and sat down on the Throne of the Majesty of His Glory. Heaven and earth trembled with fear and horror. The human race was horrified with great fear. The Archangels, Angels, Dominions, Principalities, Powers, Authorities, Thrones, Seraphim and Cherubim loudly exclaimed in victorious solemnity, like numerous thunders: “You are the Christ - the Son of God - the Son of the Living God, whom the all-evil and maddened Jews crucified. God the Most High Word, Whom the Father begat before all ages. By nature, and by will, and by desire. There is one Lord Jesus Christ. Christ, Who took on human flesh, did not change the Divine Divinity. He borrowed his flesh from the Immaculate and Most Pure Virgin Mary. He lived in the world , showed the sons of Adam the path of truth and salvation. He defeated death, destroyed hell, and granted salvation and freedom to the prisoners of hell, destroying all the power and might of Satan. And having risen victoriously from the grave, you gave life and Resurrection to all the dead. You are our God, with the Father and Holy Spirit, and there is no other God besides You. Amen." And so the All-Righteous Judge looked at the sky - and it rolled up like a scroll. The Lord looked at the earth - and it fled from His presence, being defiled by human deeds. And all the sons of Adam, that is, the human race, stood in the air. The Lord looked at the sky again - and a new sky appeared, looked at the immeasurable depth - and a new earth appeared - pure, shining, like wild flowers, decorated with unearthly beauty, since corruptible life ceased and imperishable life began. Time has run out. Eternity has begun! The Eighth Endless Day has arrived! In the firmament of heaven there was no longer any sun, no moon, no stars, since instead of them the Righteous Sun, Christ our God, shone! An unstoppable light that enlightens the entire Universe. And the Lord looked at the collected waters in the heavenly places - and the water turned into a fiery flame, bubbling and seething, inspiring indescribable fear and trembling on sinners and apostates; the flame consumed and burned everything unclean and nasty. Then the Lord looked at the unbelievers, apostates and idolaters. And so the formidable regiments of Angels began to plunge the wicked into the sea of ​​fire, but left some behind. I asked the holy Angel who was leading me about what was happening, he answered: “Those cast into the sea of ​​fire are people who have sinned before the Law and have gone astray from the path of God, from Cain to the legislation of Sinai. Those who have offended and angered God with unbelief, idolatry and other lawlessness. Those who remain are those of the Jews who believed in Divine Providence and did not worship idols." And so the Lord looked to the East - and the Angels sounded loud trumpets, the heavens and the earth shook from their sound, and the place at the right hand of the Judgment Seat of God was cleared. And the regiments of Angels, who were on the eastern side of the Judgment Seat, dispersed throughout the entire Universe, like fast-flying lightning, and looking at the sons of Adam, wherever they met bright, beautiful faces, they kissed them with great joy and presented them at the right hand of the Righteous Judge. Thus the righteous were separated from the sinners. Then the Lord looked to the North and South - and now four regiments of God’s formidable Angels dispersed throughout the Universe, and gathered all the sinners, and set up the Judgment Seat of God on the left. There were countless of them, like the sand of the earth. All of them are distorted with anger, fear and hatred towards each other. Darkened, defiled by all the uncleanness of sin. Those standing on the right side had faces shining with the light of heavenly joy and joy, in anticipation of eternal bliss. The Lord looked with a merciful gaze at those standing at the right hand of the Judgment Seat and said with love: “Come, you blessed of My Father, and inherit the Kingdom of Heaven prepared for you from the foundation of the world. I was hungry and they gave Me something to eat, I was thirsty and they gave Me something to drink, I was in sorrow and adversity and they comforted me.” Me". And the righteous answered, filled with the deepest humility: “Master, Lord, we have done nothing, no good to You.”... The Lord answered them: “Because you have created only these least of my brothers, you have created for Me.” Then the Lord looked menacingly at the sinners on the left side and said: “Depart from Me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and all his servants. Because you have not done anything good for Me in the presence of My poor brothers. Go away, you damned and wicked, who have defiled yourselves with an unclean sinful life. They did a lot of evil, and did not repent, and in error and vanity they ruined their temporary life. Get away from Me, I don’t know you... In temporary life, I called you to Heaven every day, hourly, but you voluntarily chose hell, branding yourself with the seal of rejection through shameful and vile deeds, words, thoughts and desires. Depart, you cursed ones, who have offended Me greatly, and who have taken My commandments and commandments for nothing. In your madness you loved the charm and momentary pleasure of the flesh, and the pride of Satan, and through this bad life you zealously served the devil. Inherit the eternal torment prepared for him. You rejected Me and joined hands with the devil through a shameful life. Enjoy the fiery darkness and the never-ending worm." Hearing such a formidable sentence from the Righteous Judge, the sinners wept bitterly and sobbed, asking for mercy. At the same hour, the formidable Angels began to cast them into a sea of ​​fire, bubbling wildly. They, feeling a fiery burning sensation and terrible unbearable torment , in insane horror they cried out: “Woe to us, alas, alas!" The Lord again looked at the new earth - and it was decorated with many different gardens and groves of indescribable beauty. And I, amazed at these beauties, asked the holy Angel who was leading me: “What will the Kingdom be like? God, about which I heard from the Holy Scriptures?” He answered me: “This is the land of the meek, about which Christ in the Holy Gospel said: “Blessed are the meek, for you will inherit the earth.” The heavenly Kingdom in heaven is ineffable and indescribable." And the Lord looked at the earth - and the earth was covered with many different flowers, and two rivers flowed: honey and milk, to feed the gardens of paradise with moisture. And many birds of heaven flew, of wonderful beauty, and they began to It is easy to flutter in the gardens of God and glorify God with sweet-voiced singing. Then the Lord looked at the heights of heaven - and the heavenly armies descended, carrying the wondrous city not made by hands - Heavenly Jerusalem, glorifying the One God in the Trinity. They set up this wonderful city in the East, in the middle of it was the Edenic paradise ". This wonderful city, unearthly beauty and very vast. It is called the highest, not made by hands, Jerusalem, its gates shine like the sun. And the Angels sounded sweet-sounding trumpets, and all creation began to praise the Lord and everything that is in heaven and on earth. And the Lord called to sinners , His neck, and said to them: “Look how many benefits you have lost and what a painful fate you will receive. .." Having said this, the Lord rose from His magnificent Throne and went to those standing on the right side, saying to them in a meek voice: “Come, you blessed of My Father, and enter into the joy of the Lord your God.” Those on the left side were tormented and tormented by envy , looked at everything that was happening and cursed the sweetness of a temporary, hectic life.

THE HOLY VIRGIN WALK AHEAD OF EVERYONE

When the Lord sat down at the gates of Heavenly Jerusalem, the first Mother of God, the Most Pure Virgin Mary, approached, shining with indescribable glory. Approaching, she bowed to the Lord. The Lord, seeing Her, joyfully accepted Her, and, bowing His most pure head, said to Her: “Enter, My Mother, into the joy of Your Lord, since everything belongs to You. This is Your inheritance!” She, bowing, kissed His hands and entered the holy city in joy. And all the Heavenly Powers and the righteous sang, glorifying Her as the Mother of God and the Queen of Heaven.

AFTER THE HOLY VIRGIN, SAINT JOHN THE BAPTIST AND THE TWELVE HOLY APOSTLES WENT

Then the Twelve Men separated from the right hand, and with them John the Baptist of the Lord, approached the gates of the heavenly city, clothed with glory and with cheerful, bright faces. The Lord joyfully received them and kissed them, mercifully saying to them: “Enter, My friends, into the joy of Your Lord!” They joyfully entered the holy city.

THE APOSTLES WALKED SEVENTY DISCIPLES OF CHRIST

Then the Lord called from his right hand seventy men to the gates of the holy city. The faces shone with the glory of heaven, like the moon shining in the darkness of the night. Their clothes are of lightning beauty. The Lord graciously accepted them, saying: “Enter, My faithful friends, into the joy of Your Lord and rest in peace from the labors you have endured in preaching My Holy Gospel...”. Having worshiped the Lord, they joyfully entered the holy city, and all the saints glorified God. Seeing all this, the sinners standing on the left side wept bitterly, tore at the hair of their heads and, cursing, condemning themselves, remembered their evil will in temporary life: “Oh, how crazy we were, we were deceived by the deception of sin and for the sake of momentary pleasure we deprived ourselves of eternal bliss and happiness. Alas! woe, woe to us."

THE HOLY MARTYRS FOLLOWED THE DISCIPLES OF CHRIST

After this, by the command of God, a great regiment separated from the right hand, the faces of the righteous shone like the sun. They were dressed in scarlet vestments, shining with unearthly beauty. These were the martyrs of the last days of the militant Church of Christ, who accepted the crown of martyrdom from the Antichrist and his servants. The Lord graciously accepted them.

THE MARTYRS WERE FOLLOWED BY THE HOLY FAITH

Then, at the command of God, a regiment of holy men and women approached, shining with heavenly glory - these are the confessors of Christ. The Lord looked kindly upon them with a merciful gaze, and they entered the holy city in joy.

BLOGEVESTERS

Then a great regiment approached the gates with joy and gladness. Their clothes shone like gold. The Lord graciously received them, saying: “Good servants and faithful, enter into the joy of Your Lord.”

HIGHESTERS

After this, the great regiment came to the gates of the holy city. Their faces shone like the sun, their clothes were white like snow. They had omophorions on their shoulders. These are the bishops of God who kindly shepherded the flock of Christ. The Lord mercifully accepted them, saying: “Enter into the joy of Your Lord, reap the pleasure of your labors, raised in temporary life by you in the field of Christ.”... The angels and the righteous sang the praises of God Almighty.

ABSTRACTS, NOBYILES, AND MONKS WHO WORKED FOR CHRIST

Then a great regiment approached the Lord, and with cheerful faces they bowed to Him. He graciously commanded them to enter into the joy of His Lord. These were abstainers and fasters, and monks who were cleansed by true repentance. All the Angels and the righteous glorified God about them.

MARTYR WIVES

Another regiment separated from the right side, with faces as bright as the sun, in royal purple. These are the holy martyrs who shed their blood for Christ. The Lord mercifully spoke to them in a quiet voice: “Enter, My dear brides, into the Chamber of Your Bridegroom. Enter to the marriage of the Lamb of God, let us drink the wine of eternal joy and celebrate the eternal Passover. Celebrate the eternal victory over the defeated Satan, his servants and corrupt people.” . The powers of Heaven and the righteous glorified God - the Conqueror of death and hell - Christ the Son of God, who with His Cross redeemed the world from the deception of Satan.

ABRAHAM, ISAAC, JACOB

Then, at the command of God, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and twelve patriarchs approached the Lord in white robes, shining with the glory of heaven. The Lord mercifully said to them: “Enter, My friends, into the rest prepared for you—eternal joy.” Angels and holy men glorified God in the Glorified Trinity.

CHRISTIAN BABIES

Then a multitude of people of the same height and image approached the Lord, their faces shining seven times brighter than the sun. The Lord praised them greatly for their purity. These were the firstborn of the Lamb of God, redeemed by His Blood. These are immaculate virgins - Christian babies. The Angels and saints of God greatly glorified God about them. Then they came in great regiments: prophets, just judges, peacemakers, merciful ones, lovers of the poor. Everyone shone with heavenly glory, and the merciful Lord commanded them to enter the bright city and enjoy incorruptible food and drink

Fools for Christ's sake

Then a small cathedral approached the Lord, shining with extraordinary heavenly glory. At the command of the Lord, many people entered the holy city with boldness - these were fools for Christ's sake.

JUDGES OF THE OLD TESTAMENT

Then Moses, Aaron and his son Eleazar, Joshua, the seventy prophets who received this gift under Moses, and all the righteous Judges of Israel from Othniel to the prophet Samuel, King David and all the pious kings of Israel, and all the sons of Israel from the twelve, came up to the right hand. tribes of Israel, who strictly observed the Law of Moses until the coming of Christ. All of them were graciously received by the Lord and entered the holy city.

THE FIRST TO SERVE GOD

After this, the Lord called our forefathers Adam, Abel, Seth, Enos, Enoch, Melchizedek, Noah and other holy men and women who pleased God before the flood and the Law of Sinai. The Lord commanded His servants to give them a worthy reward for their exploits and labors.

WHO PLEASED GOD WITHOUT KNOWING THE LAW

Another small council came from the right hand in joy and in heavenly joy, with shining faces - these are other holy men and women of all kinds and tribes, who fulfilled the Law without knowing it, and who honored the One God, who pleased God with chastity and mercy. The Lord granted them indescribable heavenly joy.

EXILED FOR THE TRUTH

Then the Lord called from the right hand a very great regiment, with bright and joyful faces, all adorned with honor and great glory. The Lord mercifully and meekly said to them: “Come, My faithful followers and disciples, inherit eternal rest for your tireless zeal for the righteousness of God. The evil and adulterous world hated you, persecuted and persecuted you innocently, for My sake you were reviled and ridiculed, dishonored, blackened your good name, and all for the fact that you fearlessly confessed My name, despising man-pleasing, deceit and flattery. Rejoice, friends, and be glad, calm down from the sufferings of your temporary life in the eternal joy of tranquility."

HUSBANDS AND WIVES ARE HONEST AND IMPECCABLE

Finally, the Lord called the last regiment, very beautiful, their faces were like the color of a rose, their clothes were like snow made of beautiful flowers. The Lord graciously accepted them and praised them for their faithfulness to His holy commandments. These are husbands and wives who lived honestly in marriage. They diligently visited the temples of God, fervently prayed to God and did deeds of mercy. They decorated the churches of God with holy icons, lit candles, oil and incense. They zealously glorified the name of God in spiritual psalms. The Lord graciously accepted them; He kindly said: “Come, my beloved, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” Angels and holy men glorified the Trinity and the One God with great voices. Standing on the left side, the condemned sinners, idolaters, and unbelievers in the Son of God wept bitterly and were tormented by the fear of God. Then I saw how the Honest and Life-giving Cross of the Lord rose from the place on which it stood, and, carried invisibly by Angels, was placed at the gates of Heavenly Jerusalem, where our Lord Jesus Christ dwelt, calling His saints by name, and rank, and by merit - depending on who has succeeded how much in Christian perfection and love, bestowing them with His mercies, leading them into the Heavenly Jerusalem to celebrate the eternal Easter in the non-evening day of His Kingdom.

ABOUT THE WRATH OF THE LORD ON THOSE WHO SINNED IN THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENT

There were great multitudes of sinners throughout the whole earth, like the sand of the sea, from the time of Adam until last day The coming of Christ, from every people and tribe. They all stood with gloomy, angry faces, branded with the seal of outcasts. They trembled with fear, like a leaf on a tree, horrified by eternal suffering and torment. Many Orthodox Christians will go into the abyss of unquenchable fire because they were Christians only in name, but did not do Christian deeds and blasphemed the Name of God with their vicious lives - they defamed the Christian title. They will inherit extreme punishment for their apostasy. The Lord looked at them menacingly, showing them the abodes and bliss of the saints, and saying to them: “Cursed, evil, lazy, vile people. How many benefits have you insanely deprived yourselves because of the momentary sinful pleasures of the vile flesh, which you, having rejected My holy law , served, pleasing day and night. You fed yourself as if to harden yourself and, having fed your flesh like a fierce boar, you desecrated yourself with the uncleanness of bestial lusts of the flesh, fornication. You raised your heads proudly, rejected My authority, laughed at My holy followers, persecuted , ridiculed and mercilessly killed the true preachers of the Gospel. You laughed at My holy law. You despised Heaven and loved the dust of the earth. You did not adorn yourself with shining clothing and voluntarily put on the foul rags of the prophets. Accept worthy retribution for your deeds. Paradise, the Heavenly One, was prepared for you Jerusalem - Zion Not Made by Hands. But you madly, voluntarily renounced eternal joy. How many times have I called for repentance, every day I knocked on the doors of your heart, I wanted to give you eternal bliss for free - if only you would bring only repentance and humility. But you drove Me out from your doors. So, go, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for Satan. Receive from him a worthy reward for your zeal for him..." The Lord stretched out his rod against sinners, and sinners were divided into nationalities, tribes and clans, beliefs, heresies and schisms. Those who sinned before the Law and after the Law, who served idols and Jews, did not those who believed in the Coming of Christ. The Lord looked menacingly at the West - and numerous regiments of Angels came, fiery formidable warriors led by the Archangel Michael.

THE JUDGMENT OVER SATAN AND HIS DARK SATANIC HORDS

At the command of God, Satan and all his gloomy dark armies were captured and brought before the Judgment Seat of Christ; just as the dark night comes and covers everything with its veil, plunging it into darkness, so does the dark army of Satan: the darkness of sin, abomination, vices, malice, hatred, envy, blasphemy covered everything around - it became dark over the Universe. God's original enemy and adversary - Satan, bound by insoluble bonds of darkness, appeared before the Judgment Seat of Christ in all his disgusting ugliness. Branded with all sorts of evils of sins, eternal iniquity, curse, trembling and shaking like a leaf on a tree, from intense horror and eternal punishment. Wriggling and groveling like a serpent, hissing and whistling with anger. The entire satanic army also stood in terrible horror and languor, awaiting their final verdict. The Almighty sternly pronounced a formidable sentence on the evil leader Satan and his entire gloomy army: “Oh, the most insane and most damned leader of all evil, the spirit of malice, the insignificance of insignificances! How could you forget such great benefits that you were showered with from Me, the culprit of everything that exists in the world, the creator of eternal happiness and joy, the bliss of creatures, to whom I, by My grace, granted existence and eternal life. How did you, the most despicable spirit of evil, forget that you were created by Me and by My great goodness. You, like Dennitsa, surpassed everyone in glory and power heavenly celestials. You should have glorified more than all the celestials, thanked your Creator for the fact that more than all of them you were gifted with eternal joys, happiness and bliss. But you, ungrateful, forgot My great benefits to you, you darkened your luminous mind with the darkness of oblivion I, in My goodness, waited for your conversion and repentance until you seduced other celestials who served Me, tearing them away from the glorification of My Most Holy Name, and they indulged in criminal daydreaming. You, nonentity, in your madness dreamed of being God, pride gave rise to contempt and irreconcilable enmity in you against Me, your Creator and Greatest Benefactor. You, the most insignificant madman, dared to enter into open battle with the celestial inhabitants faithful and devoted to Me. But like lightning he was cast down from the heights of heaven into the abyss of darkness. And in this My mercy and love was manifested towards you. Having deprived you of heavenly joy and plunged you into a land of darkness and despair, I thereby wanted to bring you to repentance. But you, the most insignificant, despising My good deed, persisted in your madness, relying on pride and bitterness against My goodness, in your madness arming yourself to fight against your Creator. You, cast into the abyss of darkness, deprived of heavenly light, completely given over to sin and disfigured by crimes, never ceased to dream of yourself as a Divinity. And he did not abandon his criminal plans to seize My Most Holy Tabernacle and My Highest and Most Magnificent Throne. And so, in My goodness, I created the visible world and, as the crown of creation of the visible, material, I finally created man from the earth, breathed into him the breath of life, that is, I adorned him with My Image and immortal Soul. In the new creation of man, I combined two worlds - spiritual and material. That is, his body is made of earth - substance from substance. And the Soul is Angel-like and immortal. I created man for eternal joy, happiness and bliss, the primary source of which I, his Soul, destined for Myself in the Tabernacle and Throne of the Divine in My heart. My primordial child Adam and his sister Eve brought Me a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving every hour, every minute. But you, the most evil nonentity, the envious and murderer, in malice and unrepentance, having learned from your nostalgia about the newly created intelligent beings, tormented by malice and envy of these innocent creations of Mine, awarded My rich mercies, destined for the Highest bliss, which you, the most despised, for You lost your madness, and called by My goodness to repentance - did not return, due to your bitterness and stubbornness - you, despicable, decided to destroy them. In your madness, you were not afraid to commit a new terrible crime. You, irreconcilable hostility and malice, the father of lies and the culprit of every crime and sin, flatteringly deprived them of My fellowship, poisoning them with the poison of sin. He stripped them of the richly woven garments of innocence and purity. He dressed them in the nasty and gloomy sackcloth of passions and vices. Oh, most God-hating spirit of malice and enmity! You criminally occupied My Tabernacle and Throne - the Sanctuary of the heart of the newly created man; You were cast out from Heaven, where you became the criminal for the purpose of seizing the Throne of the Most High. You committed your criminal plan on earth, where the weak will of the newly created man assisted you. O most criminal and despicable enemy of goodness and truth, father of lies, chief of darkness! You, like a cruel tyrant, moved into the hearts of My fallen creatures and became a formidable ruler and tyrant over them. You darkened their luminous mind, and they became obedient slaves to you. Having rejected the truth, they listened to lies and deception, for which they were deservedly punished, and for their error they lost My favor. O criminal enemy of beauty and eternal happiness! You brought death and devastation to all creatures on earth. All creation, visible and invisible, groaned and wept when it saw your crime - murder. The sun darkened, the moon disappeared, the stars began to move. All creation wept over the death of its king, kind and radiant, seeing how the most despicable and bloodthirsty tyrant and tormentor reigned. But I, in My boundless goodness, did not leave the fallen creatures without hope of salvation. I gave them the promise of the Redeemer and Savior of the World, so that they would live with faith in the Coming Redeemer and repent, mourning their fall. But you never ceased to darken their minds with oblivion and ignorance. And so, their firstborn, Cain, he taught fratricide, the descendants of the righteous Seth were caught in the nets of female beauty and corrupted the entire human race, which began to reject My existence, uncontrollably indulging in the works of the flesh, drunkenness, gluttony, luxury, effeminacy, carnal impurity, pride, blasphemy, envy. With My righteous Judgment I overthrew them with the waters of the flood, with the exception of righteous Noah and his family. But you, inveterate malice, among the growing pure wheat - the sons of Noah - were not afraid to sow the seeds of wickedness. First you taught the sons of Ham disobedience, disrespect, self-will, free-thinking, false wisdom... And you taught them to reject My existence. But the monuments of destruction did not allow this crime to occur. People remembered the tradition of righteous Noah that for denying My existence the first world was punished by a flood, as evidenced by the ruins and remnants of the ancient world. You darkened their minds with idolatry, and they brought you abundant sacrifices of sons and daughters in the form of idols. The most evil and man-hating leader of nations, you taught peoples and kingdoms insatiable passion, covetousness, ambition, and voluptuousness. Driven by their passions, they waged countless bloody wars, and you flooded the earth with blood. And rejoicing at this broicide, he enjoyed the suffering, like an inhuman and bloodthirsty tyrant. You, the despicable tormentor of the sons of fallen Adam, did not even think about seducing My firstborn Israel into idolatry and the works of the flesh, distracting from fidelity to My Law and promises. You aroused the hatred of My people towards My prophets, who exposed the vile deeds of the flesh and taught My people Israel true worship of God. By the hands of this hard-hearted and stiff-necked people, you, hater of goodness, killed My prophets. But now the hour has come, and I, fulfilling My promise, came into the world to save lost humanity from your tyranny. And as soon as I received human flesh in Bethlehem from the Holy Virgin Mary, you managed to restore all of Jerusalem and especially the ambitious Herod against your Redeemer and Savior. I had to flee to Egypt out of rage and ambition, not because I was powerless against your rage - no! - wanting to teach My followers to protect their lives from premature danger, not to give room to anger. How many times have you taught the scribes and Pharisees to stone Me because I showed people the path of truth and exposed your false deceptions and charms, through which you entangled the world in nets of temptations, trapping the sons of Adam in destruction. But I, laughing at your tricks, passed by and was unharmed, proving your madness against the truth. O primordial enemy of man, you incited envy and hatred of the scribes and Pharisees, and after many of your defeats you found an ally for your criminal plans among My chosen disciples and Apostles. You infected the heart of Judas with the passion of love of money - this root of all lawlessness. He handed Me over to be crucified. But your anger did not rejoice for long. Having completed the work of redemption, I, as the Conqueror of death and hell, with My Cross inflicted on you a terrible defeat and an incurable wound. I victoriously destroyed your dark kingdom on earth, and breaking the bonds of hell, I granted Freedom. And you, the evil-doer, he bound with chains of darkness, watching for the day of condemnation. But you did not cease to act evilly and, being bound, through your servants instigated fierce persecution against My disciples and followers, trying to wipe out the truth from the face of the earth. The shed blood of the martyrs, like a seed, gave birth to numerous regiments of martyrs. Christians remained the winners of your tricks. Even children, and young women, and Christian youths, despising your seductions, defeated you, despised and rejected. They went to death with joy, as to a wedding feast. But you, struck in the head, in your madness again prepared for battle with the inhabitants of heaven, puffed up and exalted with your omnipotence, like a dry, rotten tree, and especially when I gave you freedom for three and a half years. So that you, having become exalted and completely maddened by the successes of popular corruption and worldwide service to you, with the exception of My chosen ones, again entered into battle in the person of the Antichrist and his servants, who, like you, maddened by corruption, persecuted and killed My followers. In madness, considering themselves self-gods, rejecting My power and omnipotence. But My Holy Church - beloved Bride - triumphed over your servants and remained victorious. Your chosen vessel and the son of destruction, the Antichrist, with his false prophets, are thrown into the abyss of the lowest hell, where they experience terrible torment, which will have no end. The end has come to your villainy and gloomy dominion on earth, the hour of due retribution has come to you, the most repentant and most wicked and most ungodly father of lies and deception - Satan." The Lord looked at the enemy of the human race - and the Lord commanded Michael the Archangel to strike him. The Holy Archangel courageously and victoriously struck him with fire. with the sword of the ancient serpent, Satan and his godless head. And his example was followed by the regiments of the Heavenly Forces. Like lightning, the entire satanic army was cast into the abyss of bubbling hell with terrible noise and screams, in impotent anger.

ABOUT THOSE WHO REJECTED FROM CHRIST

The Lord looked menacingly at the left side - and the formidable Angels seized the blasphemers, apostates, corrupters of the human race, the forerunners of the Antichrist, who prepared for him the path of wickedness and blasphemy, unconfirmed Christians, whom they brought to apostasy, persecutors of the first Christian times. The Lord pronounced a terrible sentence on them, and the Angels cast them into the fiery abyss.

BRIGERS AND ROBBERS

Then the Angels separated a great regiment with gloomy faces - apostates, robbers and robbers. Their faces were distorted with hellish malice, their hands and clothes were stained with blood, and they beat them mercilessly and threw them into the sea of ​​fire. With a scream and groan, tearing their souls apart, they plunged into the abyss of hell.

FORBETTERS AND ADULTERERS

Again the Angels separated a horde of husbands and wives with terrible and disgusting faces, purulent, infested with stinking worms, disgusting snakes gnawed at their hearts, entwining themselves around their nasty body. At the word of the Lord, the Angels pierced them with fiery swords, casting them into the fiery abyss.

FORMARKS

The formidable angels seized and attracted another very large horde, with satanic faces, a stench emanated from them, and worms sharpened their vile bodies, and fiery snakes gnawed and lived on them. The Lord menacingly pronounced his righteous sentence to them: “Oh, unfortunate and insane sensualists and debauchees, you have despised the joy of Paradise, which I promised you through My messengers in the Holy Gospel, you have madly given yourself over to the pleasure of filth and vile flesh. May you reap your reward in the abyss fiery." The Holy Angels beat them with fiery rods and cast them into the abyss.

HAVING UNCLEAN THOUGHTS AND FOLLOWING CONVERSATIONS SETTING

At the command of the Lord, formidable Angels grabbed the sinners from the left side and drew them before the Judgment Seat of Christ, their faces were gloomy and distorted. Disgusting flies hung on the bodies - these are people who delighted in unclean and vicious thoughts, evil seductive conversations and lustful glances and touches. The Holy Angels tied them with heavy iron chains and cast them into the fiery abyss. They cried bitterly: “Oh, woe, woe to us, unrepentant sinners!”

THE CUTTERS AND THE PERFORMERS OF SODOM SIN

Then the Angels grabbed and attracted many sinners, their faces covered with pus and stench, their skin bestial. These are the bestials. The Lord turned His Most Pure face away from them, and the formidable Angels pierced them with a flaming sword and cast them into the abyss.

SUICIDERS AND STRAPERS AND OTHER WAYS TOOK THEIR LIFE.

Then the Angels grabbed the regiment in clothes caked with blood, and the nails dug into their bodies. Disgusting pus came from his mouth, his legs were twisted. The Lord looked at them, and the holy Angels cast them into the abyss of hell. These are suicides and strangled people who have deprived themselves of their lives in other ways and have insulted and blasphemed God with their despair.

THIEVES AND BRIGERS

The Lord also looked menacingly at the left side of the Judgment Seat. Terrible Angels grabbed and attracted many sinners with gloomy and dark faces, distorted by malice and hatred; clothes are torn, dirty, stained with blood, goatskin is on the legs. The Lord looked at them menacingly - and the Angels, tying them up, threw them into the abyss of hell. These are thieves and robbers.

Oathbreakers and Liars

Then the Angels seized and attracted a great regiment of sinners, from whose mouths came disgusting worms and a stench. Snakes wrapped themselves around their heads and stung them. These are liars and oathbreakers. At the command of God, the Angels cast them into a raging sea of ​​fire, beating their foul lips with fiery sticks.

ANGRY, IRRITABLE AND VICIOUS

At the word of the Lord, the Angels captured a regiment of great sinners. Their dark and gloomy faces were distorted with strong anger and hatred, as if they were Satan himself. They gnashed their teeth, their tongues hung out of their mouths like snakes, their eyes burned, emitting sparks. These are angry, vindictive, envious, slanderous, malicious, scoffers, mockers of the weak and defenseless. At the word of the Lord, the Angels cruelly beat them with fiery rods and cast them into the abyss, where there is gnashing of teeth and a never-ending worm. They wept bitterly, inconsolably, and shed bloody tears. But there is no one who has mercy.

WHO DO ALL UNTRUTHS

Then the Lord looked to the left side - and the formidable Angels seized a great horde. Their faces, nasty and gloomy, like soot, are defiled with stinking blood, their legs are covered with ulcers - these are unrepentant, who have not washed away their sins with tears and repentance, mercy for the poor and forgiveness of offenses. Not having propitiated God, they were irreconcilably hostile to each other, flattering each other. The Angel who led me said that by forgiving the offenses inflicted on us, the Merciful God bows to us and forgives our sins. For it is said in the Holy Gospel: forgive the sins of people, and the Lord will forgive you your sins. Fulfill all the commandments of God - and you will find many benefits at the Last Judgment of God. Oh, how insane and unhappy are those people who do not want virtue, that is, to forgive everything and by forgiving offenses to gain the Kingdom of Heaven; pride and rancor prevent this saving virtue. Every person who takes revenge on his offender and enemy is destroying himself and is his own irreconcilable enemy. The Lord looked menacingly at the offenders, avengers, slanderers, drunkards and gluttons - and the holy Angels cast them into the abyss of raging flames.

ABOUT THOSE WHO SINNED FROM THE PRIESTLY OFFICE, HUGNITS AND THE COMMON PEOPLE

Then the holy Angels seized a great horde of sinners, among them were bishops, priests, deacons, and clergy, and other people, men and women, youths and young women. Their faces were stained with pus, worms swarmed from their nostrils, small snakes curled in their hair. From their feet to their necks they were gnawed by terrible snakes, which engulfed their entire camp with their terrible snake body. A vile uncleanness emanated from their bodies and hands, purulent foam came from their eyes, disgusting worms hung and gnawed at their vile flesh. The Lord looked at them menacingly and said: “Oh, depraved and adulterous race, you were seduced by the momentary pleasures of the flesh, you despised heavenly bliss, and for a moment’s pleasure you will forever drink the cup of sorrow among the flames of hell. On earth you were kindled by the lust of the flesh, here you will be forever burned by the ferocity of the fire of Gehenna and the gnawing of the inexorable worm. Depart from Me, accursed, cursed, unclean, into eternal torment. If you repented and washed away your foul carnal lusts with tears, having lived in chastity and purity, you could receive forgiveness and pardon. But now there is no time for repentance, the hour of righteous reward has come for everyone according to his deeds." The angels, scourging them with fiery rods, cast them into the abyss of unquenchable fire. With terrible screams and curses, they plunged into the sea of ​​fire. They cried out: “Cursed be the hour and the day when we were deceived by the abomination of the prodigal. Oh, woe, woe to us, the unfortunate.”

ABOUT MONSKS

Then the Angels seized a very large regiment in monastic attire and brought them before the Judgment Seat of Christ. Their faces are as dark as soot. Their lamps went out and emitted stinking smoke. But on their necks one could see laziness and carelessness in the form of birds - owls. Thoughtfulness and sloppiness hung over them like snakes, and rebellion clasped their backbone like heavy iron. The Lord looked at them sternly and reproachfully for having overcome their passions and defilement. They did not fulfill the second consecration, they did not destroy the passions and lusts of the flesh. The Lord said to them: “Get away from Me, servants of passions and lovers of carnal lust. Depart into eternal torment. For the sake of your negligence, you have lost eternal joy and happiness; for the sake of gluttony, carnality, you voluntarily renounced Me in temporary life. Reap the fruits of your hands - worthy reward for your negligence in the matter of salvation." Hearing this, they began to beg the Lord with tears: “Have mercy on us. We knew You alone. We served You alone day and night, and in Your name we cast out demons, and in Your name we did many signs.” And like thunder the menacing voice of the Most Righteous Judge was heard: “Depart, you cursed, into eternal fire, for you have not obeyed My voice, and I will not listen to you.” And the Angels plunged them into the abyss of hell. The Angel who led me said: “Before the end of the century, almost the entire monastic order will go to destruction, because there are few who are saved, few who love work, suffering and humility. Before the end of the world, the kingdom of Satan will begin, with the passions and lusts of the flesh, seductions, all kinds of pleasures, deception and by tricks; Satan will attract many to himself, especially those who, for the sake of God, did not love poverty, suffering, humility, and crying, and therefore will easily believe the delusion of the Antichrist, rejecting Christ and perishing forever.”

MONKS AND COMMON PEOPLE

Then the formidable Angels seized and attracted to the Judgment Seat a regiment of monks and simple Christians. Their clothes were as dark as the darkness of night. their faces at times darkened, at times brightened, pure milk dripped from their right hands, and stinking tar from their left hands. The Lord looked at them and turned His face away from them. Terrible angels led them to eternal torment. They often turned to the Judgment Seat of Christ, plaintively crying out: “Have mercy on us, Merciful Lord God!” The Lord had mercy on them and, in His righteousness, was strict with them. And then suddenly the Maiden descended from the heights of heaven. Indescribable beauty, glorified by heavenly glory. And many Angels served Her. Approaching, she began to ask the Lord for those being taken to torment. The Lord heeded Her request and granted mercy for the sake of Her intercession. She instantly overtook the formidable Angels and told them: “The Heavenly Father and His Only Begotten Son and the Holy Spirit are merciful, therefore the regiment of these merciful ones will not suffer, since for the sake of My intercession they have had mercy.” The angels answered: “We know who You are, beloved of God, the Merciful One. No one else has boldness before the Righteous Judge except You,” and they returned the entire regiment to the judgment seat of Christ. They awaited their righteous verdict with trembling and fear, trembling like a leaf on a tree. And the Judge said to them mercifully and compassionately: “For the sake of your alms, eternal fire, I will deliver you, but for the sake of fornication and other impurities and passions, you will not see My Kingdom and you will not inherit My eternal bliss, you will not see the joy of My saints, since you have no clothes.” "Wedding. They have desecrated the clothes of innocence, holiness and purity received in Holy Baptism. But they do not come to a wedding in unclean clothes, they do not desecrate the joys of the saints." He ordered that they be given a place in the North.

INFANTS NOT ENLIGHTENED BY HOLY BAPTISM

Then the Lord commanded to separate from the left side the blind who did not walk by the will of God. There was neither the stamp of evil nor the stamp of good on them. The Lord looked at them and took pity on them with meekness. He drew threatening attention to their parents, condemning them for not trying to enlighten them with Holy Baptism. And the Lord commanded His holy Angels to grant them a place of rest at noon, in the West, and somewhat involved in pleasure eternal life, but so that they do not see the face of God. They glorified God loudly: “All-merciful Master, who controls life and death, blessed are You, good and merciful, because the Lord of life and death has deprived us of temporary life by Your inscrutable destinies, and therefore we ask one thing from You: “Have mercy on us, Lord.” "And the Lord gave me a little consolation. These were unbaptized babies. They were all the same age. They glorified the goodness of God for His mercy and entered into the peace prepared for them from the Lord."

ABOUT THE HERETIC THE CURSED ARIA AND HIS CATHEDRAL

Then the formidable Angels seized and brought before the Judgment Seat a regiment of sinners, their faces were like those of Satan himself, their heads were serpentine, and evil-smelling worms came from their mouths. The Lord looked menacingly at them, especially at the seducer Arius, who seduced many into his false teaching, teaching that the Son of God is a creature and not Consubstantial, not one being with God the Father. And the Lord ordered the terrible Angels to cast them into the most severe torment, where Satan himself, and the demons, and the Antichrist, and Judas the traitor are tormented, and the whole wicked synagogue of Satan. With terrible screams and curses, they plunged into a fiery abyss, boiling with tar and sulfur.

ABOUT THE HERETIC OF MACEDONIA AND HIS CATHEDRAL

And the formidable Angels also seized and brought to the Judgment Seat of Christ the wicked gathering of the heretic Macedonius. Their faces are wild and ferocious, like those of angry tigers. A stench and stench emanated from the mouth, the eyes sparkled with satanic malice. Turning to their false teacher Macedon, the Lord said: “I will not reprove you, but the Holy Spirit, who has been blasphemed by you, will come and put him to shame, since He is the True God.” And suddenly all the Heavenly Powers and the holy people of God solemnly and victoriously sang the Divine song, glorifying the Holy Spirit: “O Heavenly King, Comforter, Soul of Truth, who is everywhere and fulfills everything, Treasure of good things and Giver of life, come and dwell in us and cleanse "We are from all defilement, and save, O Blessed One, our souls. Come and appear, so that the all-wicked false teacher Macedonius will fear You." And at the end of the chants, a great light shone, a fiery, radiant illumination, and terrible lightning flashed; and an emerald-shaped Throne appeared, on which the Comforter the Holy Spirit in the form of a fiery dove hovered over the Throne of the Righteous Judge of the Only Begotten Son of God. The angels and the council of the righteous of God glorified the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit - the Trinity, Consubstantial and Inseparable. And the leader of Macedonius and his like-minded people were put to shame by the heresy. The Holy Angels, beating them mercilessly with chains, cast them into the abyss of hell, where Satan himself is tormented. They wept terribly and cursed their false teacher, plunging into the sea of ​​fire.

ABOUT THE HERETIC NESTORIUS AND HIS CATHEDRAL

And the formidable Angels also seized and brought before the Judgment Seat of Christ the leader of the wicked heresy, Nestorius. Their faces were gloomy and disgusting, their heads were snake-like. The Lord looked at them menacingly, saying: “Oh, nasty and insane false teacher and seducer of the souls of many, which you have torn away from the unity of My Holy Universal Church. I am One Holy, One Lord Jesus Christ, in two natures and in one person worshiped and glorified from all creatures." The heretics were ashamed and silently silent. Then the Lady Theotokos came with a host of Saints and with all the Powers of Heavenly Jerusalem to Her Son and our God, shining with indescribable light and adorned with magnificent glory. And all the Angels and holy men sang praises to Her: “Rejoice, O Thou Who was worthy to be the Matter of Christ God.” Hearing this, the wicked trembled and were put to shame. The Holy Angels, binding them with chains, beating them with fiery clubs, plunged them into the abyss of hell. The Queen of Heaven again departed to Heavenly Jerusalem, glorified by the inhabitants of heaven.

ABOUT MANY OTHER HERETIKS

Even formidable Angels seized and attracted a large regiment of heretics who taught that in Christ there is one nature, that torment is not eternal, but temporary. The Lord looked menacingly and menacingly said: “Oh, senseless and insane corrupters, I am the Lord, the Son of God with two natures - the nature of God and the nature of man, as the Holy Fathers of the Ecumenical Councils taught and approved, speaking through My Holy Spirit. You were mistaken in your pride and "You have been deceived by the devil with your false teachings. Depart from Me, you cursed into everlasting torment." Terrible angels grabbed them and threw them into the abyss. They wept bitterly, cursing their false teachers and plunging into the fiery abyss.

ABOUT OTHER HERETIKS AND THE Apostates, ABOUT ICONOCLORS

Then the holy Angels seized a great regiment from the left side and brought to the Judgment Seat: heretics, iconoclasts and others like them, who worshiped soulless and wild-like idols. They gnawed at each other like dogs. They taught the lie that the Lord Son of God brought flesh from heaven, and did not borrow it from the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of our Lord Jesus Christ. The iconoclasts destroyed the most pure image of the Mother of God and the holy saints and Angels of God. The Lord looked at them menacingly and convicted them of their errors, saying: “Satan himself taught you to destroy and trample on My holy images. You fools, couldn’t you understand that the honor given to My image is accepted by Me as being shown to Me. I myself deigned, even during My earthly life, that honor should be given to My image. And for this reason I sent My miraculous image to Prince Avgarius. From him and from the images of My Most Pure Mother, countless miracles were performed. Foolish ones, you honor the images of your earthly rulers and give them worthy honor "And My image was destroyed and dishonored. Go to eternal torment to your teacher Satan." And the Angels began to cast them into the fiery abyss. They wept bitterly and tore the hair on their heads, cursing their delusion and, like tin, they plunged into the blazing flame.

ABOUT THE JEWS WHO CRUCIFIED CHRIST

After this, the Lord ordered to present a great regiment, a countless multitude, covered in heavy darkness. Their faces were covered with purulent blood and large sores in their eyes, their ears were anointed with pitch, and in their hands they held horse tails, their legs were twisted and shod in donkey skins. They looked at each other and were surprised at themselves and said in a whisper: “Oh, woe to us: the One whom Annas and Caiaphas crucified on the Cross with Pontius Pilate now wants to judge the living and the dead. Oh, evil seducers and deceivers through whom we were deceived and we did not believe in Him, but now we have fallen into His hands, and there is no one who has mercy on us. We are irresponsible before Him. How much evil we have done to Himself and to His disciples. If we had believed in Him and been baptized, as many others of ours have done, whom we now see going to the Kingdom of Heaven, He would have accepted us there too.” When they said this, the Lord said to them with an angelic trumpet: “Am I not the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God the Father, who bowed down into heaven, came down and was born of the Holy Spirit and of the Holy Virgin Mary? At your meetings I taught you and said: “I and the Father is one; and if you do not believe Me, believe My works; You have seen My works: I raised the dead, enlightened the blind, the lame began to walk, lepers were cleansed, the paralytic were healed, I cast out demons and healed every disease and disease. You saw all this, but were blinded by your mind. They didn’t want to listen to me, and therefore you cannot be saved, live and reign forever; but I will say even more: for all that I did good to you, you crucified Me on the Cross and stuck a spear in my side. You see, My hands and ribs are now covered with wounds, and they clearly show the ferocity that you showed towards Me. But I will not judge you for this, but because you did not listen to My chosen disciples, who were sent to turn you to repentance; you did not want to be converted, but chose to die in your sins. Hearing this, they began to cry; some beat their chests, while others tore their faces, saying: “Moses, Moses, it’s hard for us! Where are you now? Come, if you have earned mercy from God, and now deliver us.” The Lord again said to them: “Because of your unbelief in Me, let Moses, whom you call to answer the judgment, find the innocent; he will convict you.” With these words, Moses appeared before them in great glory. They saw him, immediately recognized him and shouted: “Oh, Moses, you gave us the Law. We kept the Law you gave us, as you commanded us, and not only did not accept the present Judge, but crucified and killed Him. Tell us now: “Who is This One, and why did you not speak about Him in your Law? Tell us about this and deliver us from His hand, because we see that we are all in His power, and something has befallen us that we did not expect. He wants to judge us, and there is no one who would deliver us; Now help us who are in such distress."

MOSES REVOCATES THE JEWS

Moses answered them: “Oh, senseless and hard-hearted, sons not of Abraham, but of the devil. Didn’t I write to you in the Law like this: The Lord God of your brothers will raise up for you a prophet, whom you must listen to, just like me, no matter what they say.” you. And every soul that does not listen to that Prophet will be driven out from among them. What else could be more clearly told to you! Elsewhere in the Law it is said that until such time will a prince from the tribe of Judah reign until the One for Whom it is comes is being done, and this is the expectation of the nations. And he predicted many other things that were read by you on the Sabbath in your assemblies. Who else were you waiting for? Indeed, you were mistaken in your advice, and as a result of this, the visitation of God was taken away from you, but your true faith inherited from the pagans." They answered: “How could we believe in Him, who called Himself the Son of God, while nothing was written about this in your Law, and the prophets did not speak about it?” Moses said: “I called Him a Prophet, like myself, because He became man: God is perfect and man is perfect - in these two natures He was perfect, but your envy, malice and pride did not allow you to believe in Him and, as a result, Eternal fire awaits you in the future." Having said this, Moses left them.

WHO WORSHIPED THE ANTICHRIST AND DENIED CHRIST

At the command of God, the formidable Angels seized and attracted an unholy gathering with faces gloomier than all sinners, their eyes were dark and gloomy, on their foreheads there were inscriptions: “Satan,” and in their right hands there were tablets: on them was written: “The Rejected.” And to them he said The Lord struck the words of His wicked men threateningly, like peals of thunder. The Lord said to them: “Oh, cursed and vile, you madly, for the sake of the earthly delights of sin, denied Me and desecrated Holy Baptism, and bowed to the Antichrist, and served that vile flatterer and deceiver.” Terrible angels grabbed them, beat them with iron fiery clubs, and threw them into the fiery abyss, where Satan himself and the Antichrist are tormented. From there came terrible screams and groans, frantic sobs and curses. Hearing their screams, I was horrified.

ABOUT SCIENTIFIC SEDUTERS AND DETERMINERS

Then the angels seized and attracted a gathering of the wicked, learned people who, out of their pride, studying the wisdom of this world, rejected the existence of God and destroyed many people with their godless writings, corrupting the people and encouraging evil in the world, especially debauchery and free-thinking. They roared like lions, and gnashed their teeth, and shouted furiously: “Oh, fierce grief for us. O Crucified and Hidden God and Lover of Mankind, we were not the only ones who rejected You and did not believe Your Holy Scripture, did not even want to hear about Your name, God". At the same time, their tongues hung out of their mouths like mad dogs. A purulent and disgusting stench emanated from the larynx, disgusting worms swarmed on their faces, small bloodthirsty snakes wriggled around their heads, and large snakes gnawed at their hearts around their bodies. They suffered terribly, and tore the hair on their heads, and bit their tongues. And on their foreheads there were inscriptions: “Seducers and corrupters.” - “Oh, Crucified God, have mercy on us, only now have we seen Your Glory, we believe in You as the Son of God. We were Your enemies and persecutors. Oh, fierce woe to us, Oh, woe to us, the damned. Oh, woe to all apostates and corrupters like us. Oh, death is our benefactor, come to us and deliver us from our bitter fate. Hearing about eternal torment, we laughed. And they mocked and mocked the preachers of the Word of God. And now a worthy reward for our wickedness and corruption." The Holy Angels beat them with fiery clubs and cast them into the abyss of hell, where Satan himself resides and, terribly crying and gnashing their teeth, they plunged into the depths of the raging, bubbling flame; From the abyss of fire, furious screams were heard, tearing the soul, and groans, and insane sobs, screams and gnashing of teeth, and curses. Sinners cursed and hated each other, and in pride considered their neighbors to be the culprits for their destruction. The son cursed his father for not teaching him to do the will of God; the daughter cursed her mother: “Why did you give birth to me, so that I could suffer in this flame forever.” ABOUT! A terrible sight and very terrible in all the horrors of hell. No language, not only human, but also Angelic, can express in full.

ABOUT DIOCLETIAN

Suddenly I heard a voice, like the roar of a lion, screaming and moaning: someone, gnashing his teeth, shouted: “Oh, horror, oh horror! Oh, Crucified God, I am not alone, but together with others I did not understand Your incarnation and rejected You, not wanting to even hear Your name... And now I see that You are the One Supreme Lord Jesus Christ. Here, being in captivity, I, former enemy Yours, I confess You as Lord and God... Oh, woe to those who did not love You and did not accept Your coming to earth! Oh, woe to those who did not know You, the true God, did not believe in You and were not baptized! Oh, woe to those who did not know You and did not fulfill Your commandments! Oh, woe is me, since I too am perishing in this terrible flame, which tormented me to the end! O benefactress of death! Where are you? Oh, if only you would come and save me from this severe torment! Who would have thought that something like this would happen to me? Alas, alas, how severe these torments are!” I listened just as carefully to these cries, as to all the previously described heavy sighs and bitter groans. And I asked the Angel who was leading me: “Who is it that is undergoing such terrible torment?” The Angel answered : "This is Diocletian - the Christian torturer."

THE END OF GOD'S JUDGMENT

And at that hour the Judgment Seat of God ceased, since all the wicked were cast into the abyss of hell. And mother earth closed her lips, and the gates of hell were closed forever....

And suddenly an indescribable angelic singing was heard, giving glory to the justice of the Son of God. And the Lord entered with the Angels into the holy city of Heaven, Jerusalem, and the gates of this great city were shut. And the Son of God sat on the throne, high and exalted in His glory. And the Lord commanded to bring all the heavenly spiritual treasures, and meekly and very mercifully the Lord began to bestow upon all the saints according to the number of their virtues, as many as they could contain of these virtues - gifts, depending on the degree of righteous perfection.

DONATION TO THE HOLY VIRGIN

The first to approach the magnificent Throne of Her beloved Son was the Mother of God. Christ met Her with joy and took off a crown of wonderful and indescribable beauty, shining with glory more than the rays of the sun, from His Most Pure Head and placed it on the head of His Most Pure Mother, and said meekly and very mercifully: “Oh, My Mother, accept this glory, which My Father gave Me, the victory over the devil and the conquest of death, which I achieved by taking flesh from You. Oh, My dear Mother, all spiritual treasures are before You. This is all Your heritage, My dear Mother, Queen of heaven and earth, and to all , what is in My Kingdom, enjoy, My dear Mother, the spiritual gifts of Your Son for the great sorrows and sufferings that You suffered in temporary life. Calm down from the great labors and heart diseases that you endured, seeing My sufferings and death on the cross. You crucified your heart under the Cross just like I did on the Cross. The marriage of Your Son has come, and My beautiful Bride, the Church, has prepared herself for this triumph, like Me, through many sorrows. And she washed her clothes in My Blood. The time of eternal triumph has come, and the noise of the voices of an unceasing holiday can be heard." Then the Lord gave the Mother of God the first robe of scarlet, in which He Himself dressed as the God-man. The Queen of Heaven kissed the right hand of Her beloved Son, and all the Heavenly Powers and saints sang a wonderful song, glorifying the Mother God's . And the Queen appeared at Your right hand, dressed in gilded garments and adorned. Glory shone around Her, as if a thousand suns shone in one moment. This is how the Mother of God became glorified when the spiritual gifts of Her Son were poured out on Her. And at the behest of Her Son, She entered the Hall of beauty, splendor, surpassing the beauty of the Heavenly Jerusalem. No language can express the beauty of this Palace, not only human, but also Angelic.

GIVING TO THE TWELVE APOSTLES

Then the Lord mercifully and meekly called His Forerunner John and His Twelve Apostles to Himself. On their heads were crowns of heavenly flowers of wonderful beauty, and the Lord placed on their heads valuable crowns of wonderful heavenly beauty, shining with glory like the sun, and gave them royal robes, and crowned them as kings, and bestowed upon them numerous heavenly gifts. Then he commanded them to sit on twelve magnificent thrones of fire and called them judges of the twelve tribes of Israel, that is, he placed them as elders and rulers over all the saints, to evaluate the works and exploits performed in temporary life, and according to the degree of perfection to reward them with heavenly spiritual gifts. Addressing the Twelve Apostles, the Lord said to them with meekness and love: “My beloved friends, come and enjoy the eternal blessings prepared for you from the foundation of the world. Take comfort from the many labors you have endured for the sake of preaching the Gospel. Be comforted from the many different sorrows and sufferings you have suffered you for My sake and the Gospel. Rejoice, My friends, and rejoice with eternal joy for the short-term hardships that you suffered in sorrow for Me. This is the joy that I told you about at the Last Supper before My suffering. The world will rejoice, but you will be sad, but take heart, your sorrow will turn into joy." The Lord spoke many other words of praise and thanksgiving to them. They, bowing with humility, kissed His most pure feet, saying: “We are indecent, insignificant servants, who have done no good before You. Glory to Your wealth, goodness and mercy!” And at that same hour the Apostles sat on thrones around their Lord, enlightened and enjoying the glory of beholding the Lord. The Heavenly Powers and all the saints glorified the goodness of God.

GIVING TO THE DISCIPLES OF CHRIST

After this, the Lord mercifully and meekly called the seventy Apostles, saying to them: “Come, My neighbors, come, you who have loved Me with all your hearts, who have worked hard for the preaching of My Holy Gospel. Come and receive a worthy reward for the labors and deeds of the Apostleship.” And he laid crowns on their heads, pure from stone, shining with beauty and ineffable glory, and bestowed upon them spiritual gifts according to the number of their virtues. And all the Heavenly Powers and saints glorified the goodness and mercy of God. And their praise could be heard, sounding like thunder. My heart melted from the sweetness of this praise. And all the Heavenly Powers were enlightened with much heavenly glory from the magnificent glory of our Lord Jesus Christ sitting on the Throne of Glory! Then the Lord meekly and quietly called the Apostolic men, that is, their successors: the Bishops of the Christian Church. Among them were the holy martyrs and other Apostolic men. The Lord praised them for their labors and selfless deeds and crowned them with crowns of indescribable beauty and endowed them with numerous spiritual gifts. And they became glorified with the ineffable glory of heaven, like the sun in the middle of a dark night... The Holy Angels and men of God glorified God's mercy and immeasurable goodness... Thus, the entire council of saints, called by the Lord, approached the Throne of the Glory of God: prophets, saints, martyrs , preachers, evangelists, reverends, forefathers, fathers, patriarchs, abstinents, virgins, merciful, meek, exiled for the sake of righteousness, gentle and all saints of every rank and title. And the Lord mercifully endowed all of them with heavenly spiritual gifts, and, accepting them, they were enlightened seven times in heavenly glory, shining with heavenly light and shining with all virtue. Having finished distributing spiritual gifts, the Lord turned to the entire Council of His Saints and the beautiful Bride of His Church and graciously said to them with meekness and love: “My dear friends and My neighbors - the children of My Heavenly Father, the New Israel, the firstborn and chosen ones from all nations and languages. , royal priesthood, holy people, kings and priests of the Most High God! You, living in a temporary life, knew weeping and mourning, in the land of exile you were not deceived by the vanity of the world and the vile sweets of the sinful pleasures of the flesh. According to the word of the royal psalmist, you offered yourself, that is, thoughts, intentions, words, deeds as a burnt offering. You could boldly say to Me - For Your sake we are killed all day long and counted as sheep for the slaughter. The wicked enjoyed the lusts of the flesh, fattening themselves with expensive and pleasant foods and drinks. And you, having loved Me with all your heart, spent your time in chastity, virginity, fasting and strict abstinence. And they were seduced by the pleasures of the flesh and gluttony and drunkenness. But you, who loved Me, did not eat enough bread or drink water until your thirst was completely quenched. The wicked were attached with all their hearts to earthly enrichment and, for the sake of their enrichment, they offended and killed each other. But you, My faithful friends, have renounced everything earthly and have despised all the riches on earth; You considered gold as rubbish, according to the words of My Supreme Apostle Paul: I will take all the skill and gain Christ. But what you had from Me, as My gift to you, you gave to the poor for My sake. The wicked, obsessed with covetousness and pride, being offended, indulged in anger, memory and inhuman vindictiveness. And you, My chosen ones, according to My word, imitating Me, repaid good for evil and love from the heart for hatred and persecution. And the wicked indulged in laziness, luxury and the rest of the flesh. And you, My dear brethren, remained in unceasing labors and exploits, and unceasing prayer, and all-night vigils, and in countless genuflections in My holy churches, glorifying My holy name not with laziness, but with ardent zeal and joy. You exhausted your corruptible flesh and through deeds of piety you adorned your souls with the robe of holiness and purity and immaculateness. The wicked indulged in sinful sadness and excessive worries, suffering under the yoke of the passions of voluptuousness, covetousness and love of glory, from which all evil in the world is born. And you, My righteous, having despised everything earthly and become above passions, spent time in sorrow, even for God, crying about one thing: so as not to lose your heavenly fatherland, begging My goodness for the sins of your youth and ignorance. The wicked chased after the vain ghosts of their vain earthly glory and for the sake of it they indulged in all kinds of crimes, trying to achieve this sign of vanity. And you, My chosen ones, abhorred the vain glory of man and in humility of heart considered yourself earth and ashes, and mourned your unworthiness. The wicked, mired in the vanity and passions of the flesh, rejected My authority and power in pride and madness. My eternal existence, not wanting to repent and turn to Me with repentance. But, like Satan, they were incorrigibly corrupted and hardened to the point of extreme madness. And you, being at the height of moral perfection, always favored Me and remained in My fear of God. The wicked, mired in carnal impurities, wallowing in the mire of sin, tried to corrupt all people with the example of their vicious life, committing a satanic, ungodly deed. And you, My chosen ones, preaching My Holy Gospel, enlightened with the Light of My teaching the whole world sitting in darkness and the shadow of death, made numerous journeys throughout the entire Universe, preaching liberation to those captives, resurrection from those dead by sin, according to the words of the royal psalmist: go forth into all the earth their words, and into the ends of the world their words, - suffered countless insults, tortures, cruel torments, persecutions. But all of you, loving Me, like Me, prayed to My Heavenly Father, and many tormentors became My faithful servants and preachers of the Truth. So, My dear friends, My chosen firstborn from nations and languages, whoever sows will also reap. The wicked have sowed to the flesh; from the flesh they will reap confusion. And those who sow the spirit will reap eternal life from the spirit. That is, the wicked, like tares, are cast into the abyss of hell. And you, the chosen ones, the wheat, are gathered into the heavenly granary. The wicked, for the short-term pleasure and delights of sin, will forever suffer and torment in the flames of unquenchable fire. And you, My chosen ones, enjoy My eternal benefits for short-term labors and exploits, and suffering. My chosen ones, enjoy My spiritual table; Drink My spiritual drink, you who hunger and thirst for My righteousness. Come, you blessed of My Father, and enjoy. The Kingdom of Heaven is prepared for you from the foundation of the world." Like numerous thunders, the song of praise and thanksgiving resounded sweetly from the numerous lips of the Heavenly Powers and all the saints: "Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, salvation and glory, honor, strength to our Lord, for true and righteous is His Judgment . He justly condemned the wicked, who corrupted the earth with their wickedness. Praise our God, all servants, small and great: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia. The Lord God Almighty reigns, let us rejoice and be glad, and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and the endless peace of faith has come: the never-ending Easter has come. And the proud mental Pharaoh and Satan with their horses and horsemen, with their wickedness and deception, drowned in the sea of ​​fire. Let us rejoice and be glad, let us exclaim a victorious song, gloriously God has been glorified: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia." From this sweet-sounding and victorious doxology, heaven and earth trembled with joy. And my heart melted from the joy and sweetness of this doxology. And I remembered the words of the royal psalmist: " And my heart, like wax, melts in the middle of my belly. And no language, not only human, but also angelic, is able to convey the joy with which the saints were saturated, singing a song of praise, praising and glorifying God.

THEREFORE THE HOLY CHURCH OF GOD APPEARED

At the behest of the Lord, the Church of God suddenly appeared. Magnificent and wonderful, indescribable beauty. The church platform shone with pure gold; very handsome young men, holding the rank of deacon, walked along this platform, and prepared everything for the Divine service. Solemnly, loudly, like strong peals of thunder, exclamations were heard: “Bless, Master!” The Only Begotten Son of God, our Lord Jesus Christ, sat on the magnificent Throne of His Glory and the Twelve Apostles on their thrones of wondrous and wondrous heavenly beauty. The Lord said to the deacons: “Call all My chosen ones here.” And at that same hour the deacons sounded their golden trumpets, and the sound of the trumpet rang out like thunder: “Come, ye blessed of My Father, into the Church of My glory, let us make a new sacrifice of joy...” And immediately all the saints entered with joy and spiritual joy. temple of God Almighty. Then our Most Pure Lady Theotokos emerged from Her Chamber. Inexpressible beauty, filled with incredible glory. She entered the temple of the Lord with great honor and triumph, and the sweet singing of the Angels and all the saints, chanting: “It is worthy that You are truly blessed, O Mother of God...” The Lady was greeted by Her beloved Son - the Lord Jesus Christ - the Great High Priest and Bishop of future blessings . The Lord descended from the Throne of His Glory, and the Apostles followed His example. When the Mother of God accepted the blessing from Her beloved Son, the holy Apostles reverently bowed to Her. Our Most Holy Lady stood in wondrous robes, and on Her head was a crown bestowed by the Lord, as the Scripture says: The Queen appears at Your right hand, dressed in gilded vestments and adorned. Then the seventy Apostles came up to receive the blessing from our Lord Jesus Christ in great glory and shining with indescribable light. Then the Apostolic men, holy martyrs, prophets, martyrs, forefathers, patriarchs, reverend fathers and mothers approached. Each face departed from the Lord and stood in its place. When all the righteous stood in their places, at that hour an indescribable light shone in their hearts with much joy and delight. The peace of God anointed their hearts with Divine sweetness. Divine love inflamed their hearts with the desire to constantly sing songs of thanksgiving, full of the Divine joy of victorious triumph! And the eternal triumph over Satan and death came. The Kingdom of Glory and Eternal Bliss has come - Eternal Easter has come - Eighth Endless Day! The Kingdom of the Son of God and all His holy firstborn sons, whom He chose from the tongues and peoples of the earth, from all nations, has come. They, being unable to restrain themselves from the delight that gripped them, began to sing a song of praise: “We praise God to you. We confess the Lord to you. The whole earth magnifies the Eternal Father to you. All the Angels to you, to you the heavens and all the powers. To you the Cherubim and Seraphim cry with unceasing voices : Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God of hosts, the heavens and earth are full of the majesty of Your glory! From their voice heaven and earth trembled joyfully, sharing joy and victorious praises. And so the Great High Priest and Bishop of the blessings to come, the Only Begotten Son of God, our Lord Jesus Christ, descended from the magnificent Throne of His Glory to perform the Divine Liturgy. He was dressed in all the high priestly robes. On top of the sakkos is an omophorion, on the head of a miter, of wonderful and indescribable beauty. From all the clothes and the Most Pure Face of the Son of God, God's radiance emanated and gladdened the hearts of all the saints, and filled them with delight and Divine rapture. Cherubim and Seraphim with fear and trembling hovered around those serving Him, solemnly and sweetly singing the Trisagion hymn. When the time for Communion came, the Lord Himself took communion from the spiritual manna of His belly. Then the Mother of God - the Queen of Heaven and Earth - received communion from the most pure hands of Her beloved Son. And then the Twelve Apostles and the Forerunner of the Lord John, and the seventy Apostles, the prophets and all the saints in order approached the Great High Priest, the Son of God, our Lord Jesus Christ, and they all partook of the heavenly bread and drank the new wine of spiritual joy in the Kingdom of the Heavenly Father, and were drunk with sweetness Divine, and they rejoiced and praised God. Then the Lord revealed the terrible secrets of His Ever-present to all His chosen ones. Immediately everyone understood all the hidden wisdom of the incomprehensible teaching. And the voice of praise and thanksgiving poured out from the lips of the celestial beings, filled with the sweetness and wisdom of God’s love, did not cease. And the daughters of New Zion, the Heavenly Jerusalem, came out, glorifying the mercy of God and praising the exploits of the saints and the victory over the devil. A wonderful meal, prepared with immaterial drinks, of which there is no number, awaited the righteous. The Lord mercifully spoke to His chosen ones: “Citizens of the New Jerusalem, daughters of Zion, priests of the Most High God, My brothers and friends, sons and all who have loved and pleased My Heavenly Father and Me, eat and be satisfied with My eternal blessings.” Hearing this, they rejoiced and rejoiced, were satisfied with the sight of the glory of God and, richly feeding on His immaterial blessings, drank the wine of eternal joy. The Angelic Guardians stood with fear and trembling before the Lord, the Cherubim and Seraphim sang wonderful heavenly songs and took turns proclaiming. And everyone was filled with heavenly joy and the sweetness of spiritual triumph

EDEN PARADISE

When the chosen ones were satisfied with the abundance of spiritual heavenly food, then the Lord arose from the Divine table, and all His chosen ones followed Him, heading towards the East. Exclaiming the songs of the Divine, rejoicing and triumphant, they entered the wonderful helicopter city. This is the Paradise of Eden, from which the forefather Adam was expelled for breaking the commandment of God. When the chosen friends of God entered this wonderful helicopter city, they fell into oblivion from admiration and amazement, marveling at the beauties of Eden, rejoicing and admiring the God-planted Paradise! And everyone rejoiced and rejoiced, abundantly enjoying the wonder of God, looking at the wonderful trees and flowers of paradise and tasting the sweetness of the fruits of paradise. The forces of Heaven praised the goodness of God, singing a wonderful song: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia. Seeing this, I fell into complete oblivion from joy and from the delight that gripped me. For a long time the saints looked at the beauty of paradise, the boundless breadth of the heliport of God. And, having examined the God-created dwelling of our forefathers and the promised fatherland to the saints, the Son of God, with similar exclamations and praises of praise from the Heavenly Powers and His chosen ones, returned to the Heavenly Jerusalem. The Cherubim and Seraphim, guarding the gates of the holy city, solemnly exclaimed: “This is the gate of the Lord, and the righteous will enter into it. Confess the Lord in the voice of the noise of those celebrating.” Our dear Redeemer, the all-merciful Savior, the Only Begotten Son of God, sat on the immaterial cherubim Throne of His Glory. And the Lord extended His all-powerful right hand and blessed the East, West, South and North in a cross pattern, and said: “Come from the heights of My saints, My most good villages, which I have prepared for My holy chosen ones.” And at that hour the whole earth and all the air on it ignited with a snow-like flame, and this miracle continued for a long time, and this snow-like flame rose to the heights of heaven, and from the heights of heaven came down countless settlements of God of wonderful beauty, with temples of God and chambers, and palaces and helicopter cities. In the helicopter cities there were trees that bore fruits incomprehensible to man every day, which were fragrant with Divine aromas. All the heavenly host and the chosen saints exclaimed a song of praise, marveling at the grace of God. The Lord distributed these palaces and temples to His saints according to the spiritual perfection of each. In holy temples they praised God and the Heavenly Powers. And the incessant voice of the noise of those celebrating was heard, the voice of unceasing spiritual joy. There is unceasing peace, inexhaustible joy, eternal triumph, eternal holiday - Eternal Easter, Imperishable! Life, perishable and temporary, has ended - endless eternity has begun. The old was destroyed, and a new earth and a new Heaven appeared, and a new man. According to the words of the Apostle, all creation is new in Christ. The week of temporary life has ended. Endless eternal peace has come, peace and joy, and life in which there is no sadness or sorrow. There are no carnal and earthly desires, envy, guile, malice and other vile spiritual qualities. All this was cast down and shut up in the abyss of hell in the interior of the earth. And all who have been granted incorruptible life have no need to work, but they eternally rest and rejoice, praising God, wondrous in His Saints. They are no longer afraid of the murderer of the devil, who in temporary life, like a lion, gnashed his teeth at them, tormented by envy and hatred of them, trying at every step to seduce them and deprive them of eternal blessings. The fierce battle has ceased - the cruel enemy has been weakened. The eternal triumph of victory has come, no one will overshadow the eternal triumph of the winners! The angels of God gifted the holy chosen ones of God with tabernacles, palaces, and helicopter cities - according to the command of God; to each according to his or her degree of perfection. Some are on the new earth, others are in the air, some of them walked on the earth. and others had fiery wings and soared in the air with joy. And everyone rejoiced spiritually and had fun, greeting each other with a holy kiss. And I saw all this, and came into spiritual delight and joyful rapture. The great righteous, like the Seraphim, had wings of fire. And suddenly the Archangels sounded the trumpet of God majestically and solemnly, so that heaven and earth trembled and trembled joyfully, and wonderful and wondrous gates opened on the heights of heaven. Near them stood many Seraphim, Cherubim, Thrones, Archangels, the Powers of the Lord - and everyone exclaimed a victorious song to the Redeemer of the World - the Great High Priest and Eternal Hierarch the Son of God, glorifying His victory over Satan, hell and death. The Mother of God ascended to the right hand of Her Son, shining with beauty and majesty. Those who entered the gates of heaven with solemn exclamations became invisible to me. I asked the Angel who was leading me: “Where has the Master ascended?” He said: "In Heavenly Kingdom, to His Heavenly Tabernacle. And others remained on the ground. These are the great chosen ones of God, who, through abstinence of feelings, sobriety and unceasing prayer, have achieved purity equal to the angels and the highest degree of perfection. They despised everything earthly and killed the passions within themselves, leaving everything completely on earth. Those who in worldly life lived according to the commandments of Christ and were married in purity, who purified themselves with alms and many prayers and true repentance, with a good word and good thoughts, and died in repentance. All of them were settled in the outskirts of Mountainous Jerusalem, in the villages and helicopter cities prepared for them, and in Zion not made by hands they were honored to live forever, enjoying the heavenly beauties of Eden!”

WORDS OF THE LORD TO GREGORY

Then I saw the Lord again coming out of the gates of heaven with all the army. And the Lord sat on the Throne of His Glory, and all the great righteous, and the Queen of Heaven, and the Forerunner John, and the Apostles, and everything shone with the glory of heaven, with indescribable beauty, singing the victorious song: “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God of hosts, the heavens are filled and "The land of Thy glory. Hosanna in the Highest; Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, Hosanna in the Highest!" The Lord looked at me with a merciful gaze and quietly said to me: “Gregory, come to the Throne of My Glory!” And the Angel who led me came down from the high hill on which we stood and observed this wonderful, truly praiseworthy vision of the glorious deeds of God taking place. With fear and trembling they approached the Lord, and, falling on their faces, bowed to His most pure feet and implored His goodness. And the King of Glory, the Lord, told us in a quiet and meek Divine voice: “Behold, Gregory, through the prayers and petition of My great saint Vasily, I showed you what will happen after the end of the world of temporary life. You, Gregory, announce this vision to the whole world, for the benefit of spiritual salvation from the delusion of sin. Let this admonition especially serve you especially for those who wrongly reasoned about the Jews, that they keep the faith well, the Law of Moses, and you saw what condemnation befell them. And I also tell you, whoever does not follow the Holy Gospel is will not be a participant in eternal life: he is abominable and will be hated by My Father and Me, whoever believes incorrectly and separates himself from the established Holy Church, even if he has performed superhuman feats and fasts, alms, exhaustion of the flesh, and does not enter the doors of My Holy Church - that is a thief and a robber. You, Gregory, try to multiply the talent entrusted to you. Strive to save your soul and for the benefit of the souls of many: fulfill and do not hide your heart - My spiritual silver - in the ground, but give it to My holy Churches, since many, having heard this, they will repent and turn to Me with all their hearts, and love virtue, and glorify Me for My goodness and immeasurable mercy towards the fallen human race. The world and everything in the world - the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life - will truly hate. And they will fulfill My commandments, desire with all their hearts and, fearing eternal torment and suffering, will achieve eternal bliss and happiness, and peace, and unceasing joy. And they will desire with all their hearts, and, having overcome all sinful temptations, they will improve in every virtue. And if, having heard you, they do not believe and do not repent, then you will not be guilty of their death. And for their unbelief and laziness about their salvation, they will be condemned according to their deeds. And if you are lazy or afraid to reveal this vision to My Churches and to all the people, then the lost souls of the whole world will be required from you..." I said: "Sovereign Lord, how can I accommodate such spiritual wealth and treasure in my unclean soul and in the filthy my heart, and in my darkened mind, and how can I tell the whole world these ineffable mysteries, incomprehensible to the mind, if you do not grant cherubic lips and seraphim mind, Lord, to me, unworthy of these secrets. What I saw, no angelic mind can comprehend, and it is impossible to explain them to people." Saying this, I was overcome with reverent fear and awe. The Lord, seeing my humility, said to me graciously: "I know that this is impossible for you if I do not give you of My grace, which, having settled in your heart, will inflame it with Divine Love for Me and give you the strength and memory to describe in detail everything you have seen - for the benefit of My Churches, languages ​​and tribes, whom I call all to salvation and eternal life. Out of My immeasurable goodness and mercy, I want the entire human race to be saved from eternal destruction and endless hellish torment. Happy is the person who, with a simple mind and a right heart, listens to this revelation and tries to cleanse his soul from all sinful filth, and adorns it with all virtue in order to inherit eternal life and avoid eternal hellish torment. But eternal grief will be for those who do not believe this revelation and do not believe in My Coming, and will not be a worthy member of My Holy Church, and will not rejoice in their salvation, and will not try to cleanse their hearts of passions; he will perish forever and will not see the Heavenly One. Easter. Do not allow a shadow of doubt about the veracity of this revelation. Remember, where God wills, the order of nature is overcome. Remember every Word of the Son of God: “Whoever does not believe will be condemned...” Through this revelation of Mine, My boundless love for the human race is manifested. And if anyone stumbles on the stone of unbelief, then he will have no answer at My Last Judgment. But whoever honors the Son of God is the heir of My Kingdom. Those whose names are written in the book of life will joyfully believe this revelation in the simplicity of their hearts. They will try to copy it, carefully and diligently read it, and they will try to correct their lives, and become enriched in every virtue, and they will teach others the path of virtue by their example and word of edification. But those who are with all their hearts towards earthly vanities, whose minds and hearts are darkened by sinful thoughts, the carnal lust of the eyes and the pride of life reign in their hearts, those who have completely extinguished the lamps of faith, the words of this revelation will seem incredible to them. And not only will they not believe it, but they will also laugh at this revelation. Who would dare to slander God in this way, being himself an eyewitness to such a revelation, which none of the saints saw or conveyed in the scriptures, which I revealed to you, Gregory, at the intercession of Vasily, My great saint, for the sake of My abundance of mercy and goodness. But the lovers of peace will tell you: are you really greater than Peter or Paul, Moses, Daniel, David and all the other holy prophets, glorious and in the new grace of the holy God-bearing Fathers and universal teachers who shone forth, if they were not worthy to see such mysteries that are known to the One God. And in another way they will humiliate and reproach you and the vision you wrote and spoke. They will call you senile fables, but don’t pay attention to them. Know that through them the father of lies - Satan - will counteract the revealed truth. You try to tell everyone this revelation and write it down in a book with exact detail. Convey to all My holy Churches and believers at My Second Coming. Tell the patriarchs, bishops, priests of My Churches that I will come soon, and My reward is with Me. You will be happy if you adorn your souls with virtue the way a bride adorns herself on her wedding day for her groom. Behold, I will open My Heavenly Palace to you, and there will come a feast of faith and the marriage of the Lamb - the Son of God - with the beloved Immaculate and Holy Church, which I have redeemed from peoples, tribes and languages. But woe, eternal woe, who does not shepherd the flock entrusted to him. Behold, I remind you with this revelation, not for the sake of ignorance, but of the mystery hidden from the ages. But whoever neglects his salvation and the entrusted flock will be subject to eternal condemnation. If anyone does not apply all the zeal and care for the salvation of his soul, but is seduced by the earthly delights of wealth, the honors of the world and the pleasures of the flesh and quickly passing vanity, human glory, I will seek the lost souls from their hands and subject them to severe condemnation and execution. Tell this to those living in monasteries. Here I am, in My mercy, I do not want the death of sinners, but I am waiting for their conversion and repentance with confession. I also say to you, if anyone comes clean and blameless, true, corrected by repentance for My upcoming Second Coming, I will accept them into My eternal Kingdom. Here it is prepared. I wait, and all My blessings are prepared. My palaces have been created, and My city Jerusalem can freely accommodate all the sons of Adam. Paradise of Eden is open, I am waiting for those entering - everyone go and hurry. Each one, according to his own strength, decorate his spiritual clothing for a worthy stay in My heavenly Halls. Take up labors and deeds that are temporary and insignificant in comparison with the eternal. And inherit eternal peace for short-term hunger and thirst, eternal satiation with My immaterial blessings. Tears of repentance are eternal consolation, for poverty and lack of wealth - eternal wealth and honors, for short-term sorrows for God - eternal joy. And the noise of the voices of those celebrating, and the noise of eternal triumph, the victory of the Lamb over the ancient destroying serpent. Yes, no one gets lazy, but no one despairs! Hurry, hurry quickly, until the gates of Heavenly Jerusalem and My Palace are closed. Paradise and My Kingdom are open. Do not harden your hearts, being deceived by the vanity of the world and the voluptuousness of carnal pleasures. Run away from evil, do good, leave earthly and deceptive blessings. Accept true good, inalienable and indestructible. Everything is prepared for you - I’m waiting for you all with open arms. I am the Lord, ready to forgive you everything, everything with which you have offended and dishonored Me, but just wash yourself with tears of repentance and wipe away the impurity of sin with contrition of heart. And I will shower you with heavenly gifts. I am the Only Begotten of God, the Great High Priest, who sanctified people with My Blood: the Bishop of the blessings of the future. The head of life - eternal life, the Co-existent Word of the Father. Under Pontius Pilate, Crucified for the sins of the whole world, fallen humanity. Having redeemed you with His Honest Blood from the slavery of Satan and from just damnation and eternal death, for violating the most holy commandments of My Heavenly Father. According to the fair judgment of God, you would be subject to eternal punishment. But I, loving you, accepted execution on the Cross for you in My Most Pure Flesh and brought the propitiatory Sacrifice on the universal altar - the Golgotha ​​Life-Giving Cross - to My Heavenly Father. And He returned His favor to you and, as His beloved sons, made you heirs of My blessings! I opened the path to the Tree of Life for you and opened the closed gates of heaven, and with My Cross I crushed the power and might of hell. He granted freedom to the prisoners of hell. And I imprisoned the evil-doer Satan with insoluble bonds of darkness, and struck his evil head with My Cross, inflicting an incurable wound. I enlightened those who sat in darkness with the light of My Gospel; those who had lost their way from the truth - he set them on the path that steadily leads to eternal joy and bliss. He resurrected those killed by sin, and cleansed those lepers by the wounds of the passions; those blinded by the mind - enlightened; those weakened from the unbearable burden of sins - he raised them up and endowed them with power; those defiled by the abomination of sin - sanctified; and acquitted those guilty of countless crimes. Remember and do not forget My great blessings, and be grateful to Me. Stop crucifying and dishonoring and blaspheming Me again with your vicious deeds, words, thoughts, desires and intentions. Why do you repay Me with evil for My blessings? For my love for you - with hatred? Come to your senses!!! And sober up from the drunkenness of sin. Stop drinking iniquity like water, leave wickedness and learn to do good and love Me with all your heart. You were My bitter enemies, but I loved you immeasurably and shed My most pure Blood for your salvation on the Cross amid unbearable, severe torment. Wash your sins and vices with tears of repentance, clothe, adorn your souls with the shining robe of virtue, adorn your mind with heavenly wisdom, despise the world and everything in the world, and I will clothe you in My Second Coming with royal purples, and crown your heads with unfading crowns of glory heavenly; You will be kings and priests of the Most High God, and citizens of the Heavenly Jerusalem, fellow citizens of My holy prophets and Apostles, saints, martyrs, deserters, virgins and all My chosen saints, you will be friends of the Heavenly Powers: and with one mouth you will sing a song in My Zion, not made with hands: and I will shower you with all My mercies, and I will bestow unspeakable blessings and fill your hearts with unspeakable joy. Rise from the fetid swamp of your passions, so that death does not befall you unprepared, without true repentance. Then there will be no benefit to you from believing in Me. Here am I, the Lord your God, who loves righteousness and pours out mercy and love for mankind on truly repentant sinners. My grace is open to My creation. Especially those who believe in My Name. For their sake I endured the Crucifixion and suffered a lot from the rebellious Jews. But I am merciful to those who truly repent and forgive their sins. But after death there is no longer room for repentance, and there is no benefit from tears and sighs of the heart. Then there is no place for My mercy, but a time for justice - reward or condemnation: unrepentant sinners will suffer My just and Last Judgment. And so I tell you first, and to you, Gregory, I showed and revealed everything that will happen at My Judgment. Then I will not convict you of your sins; then you will condemn yourself, seeing your vileness and obscenity. I have not hidden anything from you that could bring you spiritual benefit. Choose what you want - eternal life, the Kingdom of Heaven, eternal peace, eternal joy, eternal pleasure or - eternal death, eternal torment in the flames of hell with Satan and evil demons, eternal stench and stench, eternal hunger and scorching thirst, eternal inconceivable darkness and unbearable cramped conditions, and eternal suffering, and unbearable illnesses - a collection of all evils, troubles and misfortunes above your heads. Here I am, the Son of God Jesus Christ, abiding with My Father and the Holy Spirit, this is all I said before. My prophets, Apostles and church teachers, who were taught by Me, set this out in the writings and left them behind for you, so that, guided by these writings and instructions, you would be saved, avoiding heretical errors and demonic temptations. They would zealously fight against their flesh, curbing its lusts and crimes. By abstinence they would victoriously repel the evil passionate thoughts inspired by demons, they would beat them mercilessly, constantly looking with their minds at the gates of eternity, that is, death. Looking and remembering their sins, they would shed tears of repentance and be cleansed from the stench of sin. Having put on a robe of purity and integrity!" And our Lord added: "This I have told you, that heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away. He told you the immutable truth,” and our Lord ended his conversation with me, the unworthy one. And the holy Angels and all His chosen ones praised His mercy with a great voice and sweet-sounding songs, and the Lord said: “Gregory, get up and do as I commanded you. .." And I, having already risen from the ground on which I lay before the Lord, wanted to enter through the gates behind our Lord, and asked the holy Angel who was leading me about this. And he did not allow me, saying: “It is impossible for one who is in the body to enter there.” ". And I thought that the world had really already changed, and eternal, imperishable life had come. And that morning I woke up, shuddering from this terrible and wonderful vision! I wondered to myself what this terrible and wonderful vision meant. A strong fear gripped me, and I was in bewilderment for many days. For seven days I remained hopelessly in my cell, remembering everything I had seen, and thinking about writing it all in a book, so as not to forget over time. I fervently prayed to my Lord that He would send His grace and enlightenment to me. my mind, to fulfill exactly what He commanded me. After some days, the vision I had seen came to my memory in detail, what I had seen and what I had heard, and I hastily began to write down everything in detail. Not shining with eloquence and not philosophizing with wisdom, but what I saw, and what I heard in a vision, and what the Lord revealed to me, unworthy, through the prayers of my spiritual father Vasily and through His rich mercy towards us sinners, wanting us all to be saved. I wrote everything down in order, guided and taught by God. I beg all fathers and brothers and sisters, that no one from you disbelieves, and no one will be tempted, and no one will doubt, reading this wonderful revelation, thinking that these hidden secrets cannot be revealed to a sinful person and an unworthy husband, which from the beginning of the world no one from the great saints was vouchsafed to see. But remember, many of them with other heavenly gifts were granted by God to see to whom God wills what, according to His gracious Grace and according to the degree of perfection of each. Amen.

One day, Elder Niphon, having prayed to God in the evening, lay down to rest on the stones as usual. It was midnight and he couldn’t sleep. Looking at the sky and stars, at the pure light of the moon, he began to think about his sins and about the approaching day of the Lord’s Judgment. Suddenly the sky began to roll up like a scroll and Jesus Christ appeared to his gaze, standing in the Power and Glory of the entire Heavenly army: angels, archangels, armies terrible in their strength, divided into regiments and subordinate to his Stratigi.

Jesus made a sign to one of the strategists and said:

“Michael. Michael, guardian of the will, take the Throne of My Glory with your army and place it in the valley of Jehoshaphat, and there you will install it at the place of my First Coming. Because the time is approaching for each to receive according to his deeds.

Do this quickly, because the time is coming for Me to judge those who worshiped idols and did not accept Me as their Creator.

Because they loved the stones and wood that I gave them to use for their needs. They will all crumble like clay pots.

Including the heretics who separated Me from My Father, who dared to speak of the Comforter of the Soul as a creature. Woe to them, hell awaits them now.

Now I will show the Jews who crucified me and did not believe in My Divinity. I have been given all the Power and Authority. I am a Right and Honest Judge.

Then, when they crucified me on the Cross, they laughed and said: he saved others, let him save himself. Now I have retribution and I will repay it.

I will judge this corrupt generation and seed, and I will test and punish, because they did not repent when I gave them the opportunity. I gave them opportunities to repent, and they were proud. Now I will exact retribution.

I will also repay the sodomites, who with their deeds filled the earth and air with their stench. Then I burned them and now I will burn them, because they did not want the Grace of the Holy Spirit, but wanted the benefits of the devilish spirit.

I will punish all the monks who did not remain obedient and entered the darkness like wild, unleashed stallions. They did not save themselves in their wedding and tonsure, but turned senseless into fornication, which was a trap for them from the devil, bound them with this and threw them into the depths of hell. Haven’t you heard about the fear of falling into the hands of the condemnation of God Zhivago? Have you heard about the punishment that I will apply to such people? I called on them to repent and they did not repent.

I will condemn all the thieves who even went so far as to murder with their deeds. I gave them the opportunity to change, but they did not attach any importance to it. Where are their righteous deeds? I showed them the prodigal son as an example so that they would not lose hope, but they did not look at My laws and denied Me. And they turned to sin and went to it. So let them go into the eternal fire, which they themselves kindled.

But I will also give up all those who held a grudge to the torments that they deserve, because they did not want My peace, but remained angry, bile and evil in life.

I will destroy those who are envious of gold and give money in interest over the riches of those who pray, and will throw all My wrath on them, because they had hope in gold and did not want to know Me, as if they did not know My concern for them.

And those false Christians who argued that there is no Resurrection from the dead, but reincarnation occurs - I will melt them in the fire of Gehenna like candles; then they will believe in the Resurrection.

Poisoners, magicians and everyone similar to them will be tormented mercilessly.

Woe to those who get drunk and play guitars, indulge in deranged joy, dance vilely and think cunningly. I called them, but they did not hear Me and complained about Me. Now let the worm eat their hearts. He granted mercy and repentance to everyone, but no one paid attention to it.

I will drive into darkness all those who did not respect the Holy Scriptures, written through the Saints by the Holy Spirit.

I also judge those who are engaged in the enterprises of the devil’s wars and have hopes in their swords, their shields, their spears, and so on. Then they will learn that there should be hope only in God, and not in His creatures. They will be afraid and want to justify themselves, but they will not be able to, because I am the Judge, and I reward.

I will condemn all the kings and rulers who upset me with their lack of rights. Ruling dishonestly and to the detriment of the people, judging dishonestly and proudly, to the detriment of the people and taking bribes for this. My power is incorruptible. For untruth they are subject to disappearance. Then they will understand how terrible I am and take away the power of the rulers. Then they will understand that I am the most terrible of all the kings of the earth. Woe to them, hell awaits them!!! Because with gnashing of teeth they shed innocent blood, the blood of their children and daughters!!!

But to what wrath will I expose those who, accepting payment from me for their labors, were not true shepherds? Who destroyed My vineyard and scattered My sheep? Who shepherded gold and silver, and not souls; and demanded alms out of profit? What will be their punishment? How bad will the punishment be? I will pour out My wrath on them with all My strength, I will destroy them! They dreamed of having sheep and calves in their flocks, but they did not think about My sheep, they were not interested in them. I will punish you with My staff and with My whip you will be beaten for your sins.

But also the priests who laugh and feel in My churches as in their own home - how will I punish them? I will send them to eternal fire and to Tartarus.

I have come and am going - does anyone have the courage to meet Me? But woe to the one who has a sinful essence and falls into my hands!!! Because everyone will appear before Me naked and naked. Will he then be able to brazenly appear before Me? Can you look Me in the face? In what beauty will they appear before My Almighty power?

I will also judge all the monks who did not fulfill the vows given to God and those who departed from them; guilty before Angels and Men. Those who swore to do one thing and did another? From the heights of the clouds I will throw them into the abyss!!! They were not satisfied with their own iniquities, but they also attracted others. It would be better for them not to renounce the world than to renounce living in malice and fornication.

I AM A JUDGE. I will reward everyone who did not want to repent. I will judge them, for I am the Righteous Judge."

These words of Christ resounded like thunder among the entire army of the Powers of Christ. After this, the Lord ordered to bring Him SEVEN CENTURIES of human life. And again Michael the Archangel carried out this order. He brought them from the House of the Covenant. These were huge books. Then he stood at a distance, watching the Lord leaf through the history of centuries.

"Father, Son and Holy Spirit One God in Three Persons. From the Father was born the Son and Creator of the Ages. Because the Word of the Father, the Son created the Ages; invisible Forces were created. Heaven was established. The Earth. The earthly elements. Seas. Rivers and everything that lives in Them .

The image of the invisible God is the first man Adam and his wife Eve. Adam was given instructions from the Almighty God of all visible and invisible creation. One Law was given, which had to be fulfilled by all means for the safety of the people themselves; This Law had to be fulfilled exactly so that they would remember Their Creator, and that HE is always above them."

“The violation of the law in the image of God occurred from the inattention and thoughtlessness of this act and from the cunning deception into which he was led. Man sinned and was expelled from paradise. The righteous decision and sentence of God. The violator could not be in the Holy Place of God!!! "

"Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him, at the instigation of the devil. He must burn in fiery hell, since he did not repent of this sin. But Abel is worthy of eternal life."

And so he gradually read all the books of the Ages until he reached the end - to the Seventh Age, reading:

"The beginning of the Seventh Age is the end of all ages. The main sign of this age is unkindness and cruelty, lies and asplakhnia - (barrenness or not giving birth to good fruits). The people of the Seventh Century are cunning, murderers with feigned love, vicious, easily falling into sodomy and its sins .

“Truly this Seventh Age has surpassed all previous ones in its evil and wickedness and fornication!”

“The Greeks and their idols were overthrown and destroyed at the moment when My incorruptible body was hung on the Cross and nails were driven into It.”

He was silent for a moment and looked back at the book:

“The Twelve Lords of the Greatest King, snow-white as light, agitated the Sea, closed the mouths of beasts, enlightened the blind, strangled spiritual dragons, fed the hungry and made the rich beggars. Like fishermen, they caught many dead souls, giving them life again. Great is their reward from Me!! !

I, the Loving One, have chosen the witnesses who fight for My Glory. And their friendship reached to Heaven, and their love to My throne. And their passion reaches My heart and their adoration burns My heart. And My Glory and My Kingdom are with them!!!"

Turning his head upward he whispered:

"Oh, My most beautiful and most precious Bride. How many villains tried to torture and infect you!!! But You did not betray Me - Your Bridegroom!!! Countless heresies threatened you, but the stone on which You were installed did not slip. Because the gates of hell yes They will not defeat you!!!"

Then I began to read about people who died and did not wash their deeds with repentance. And there were as many of them as grains of sand on the seashore. He read about everyone and shook His head with displeasure and sighed with heaviness and bitterness. An innumerable multitude of angels froze next to Him, in awe, seeing the righteous anger of the Judge. Reaching the middle of the Century, he said:

“This Age is filled with the stench of sins from human affairs, which are deceitful and stinking: corruption, murder, enmity, hatred and malice.

ENOUGH! I WILL STOP HIM IN THE MIDDLE!!! I will end the reign of sin!

And speaking these angry words, he gave a sign to the Archangel Michael to make the sign of Judgment. After which, he and his army lifted the throne of the Lord and left. After him, Gabriel withdrew with his army, singing psalms and “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of Hosts. All and all the earth be His Glory!”

After this greatest oath, heaven and earth rejoiced. They were followed by His third Archangel, Raphael, with his army, singing the hymn “You are Holy, Lord Jesus Christ, to the Glory of God the Father. Amen.”

Finally, they were followed by the fourth army, led by its ruler, who was White and Shiny like Light and had the appearance of the Sweetest. And they sang the hymn as they departed, “The God of Gods, the Lord, prophesied and called the earth from the rising of the Sun to its setting. From Zion is His Goodness and Splendor. Our Visible God has appeared and our God will not remain silent! From Him fire comes and the storm rages around Him. God rises to judge the earth and everything that was in it, the nations inherited." The commander of this army is Uriel.

After some time, they brought His glorified Cross before the Lord. And it shone with light like lightning, and spread an indescribably sweet smell around. He was accompanied by two troops of Trust and Strength. The vision of this was very magnificent and full of greatness. Numerous Angelic Powers harmoniously sang psalms: “I exalt Thee, my God, my King, hallowed be Thy Name forever. Amen.” And others sang "I magnify You, Lord, and the footstool of Your feet, Holy are You! Hallelujah. Hallelujah, Hallelujah!"

Then the Lord’s command was again given to the Holding Archangel Michael to approach him. At the same hour, one Angel appeared holding a huge and loud trumpet. The Lord took His trumpet in His hands, blew it three times and spoke three words. Then he gave it to Mikhail and ordered him:

“I command you with all your army of God to scatter throughout the whole earth, and to gather Me on the clouds all My saints from the south, and from the north, and from the east, and from the west. And to gather them all here to greet Me, as soon as the trumpet blows pipe."

After all this, the Righteous Judge glanced at the earth and saw... Darkness, fog, bitterness, sadness, grief and soot. The terrible tyranny of Satan is everywhere! With mania and monstrously quickly, the dragon destroys and burns everything around like grass, seeing the angels of the Lord preparing eternal fire for him.

As soon as the Lord saw all this, he immediately called an angel, looking fiery, stern and terrible, merciless, who had an army under his command, watching over the fire of hell, and said to him:

“Take My staff, which binds and destroys, take with you an innumerable army of your angels, the most terrible, who keep watch over hell and everyone in it. Go to the thinking Sea and find traces of the prince who rules it (the sea). Seize him with force hard and beat him with My staff mercilessly until he gives you every last one from the army of his cunning spirits; and throw him into the farthest and barren circles of hell!!!

And after this was prepared, a sign was given to the angel holding the trumpet to blow loudly. At that same hour, there was suddenly silence, as if the universe had stopped. Fear and horror gripped the Universe. All things in heaven and earth trembled with fear. And then the trumpet sounded for the third time and its sound alarmed the whole world. And the dead rose in the blink of an eye. A terrible vision.

There were more of them than sand in the sea. At the same time, like thick rain, angels descended to the earth to prepare a place for the throne and loudly proclaimed: “Holy, Holy, Holy is the God of hosts and a terror to everything and everyone on earth!” All the people of the earth stood and looked with fear and horror at the Divine power descending to the earth. At this time, when those standing looked up, an incredibly strong earthquake and thunder and lightning began. On the plain prepared for the Judgment. And everyone was even more scared.

Then the firmament of heaven began to roll up like a scroll and the Honorable Cross of the Lord appeared, glowing like the sun and emitting wondrous Divine rainbows around. Angels held him before our Lord Jesus Christ and the Judge of all peoples and tribes, who was approaching.

A little more and a hymn unknown to us began to be heard: “Evlogimenos o erchomenos en onomata Kyriu. Theos Kyrios.krytys exusiastys.archon irinis.” "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! The Lord God is the Judge and Ruler, the Beginning of the world!" As soon as this loud praise ends, the Judge appears on the clouds, sitting on a throne of fire and flooding both heaven and earth with His light.

Everyone on earth, both the angels and the resurrected ones, and those who saw all this froze... And suddenly those resurrected from the dead began gradually, first one, then the other, to shine and glow. At that very moment they were caught up in the clouds and rushed to meet the Lord. But still, the majority remained below, no one picked them up. And they were overwhelmed with sadness and grief, because they were not worthy to rise upward, and it was like poison and bile in their souls. They all fell to their knees before the Lord and stood up again.

And the Terrible Judge sat on the prepared throne and His heavenly army gathered around Him and fear and horror seized everyone! All who were caught up in the clouds to answer before God were at His right. The rest were placed to the left of the Judge.

These were Jews, nobles, rulers, bishops, priests, kings, a great many monks and ordinary people. They stood ashamed, humiliated and saddened by their unknown. Their faces expressed sadness and torment, and they sighed loudly and sadly. Everyone was in deep sadness, and did not see any consolation coming to them.

Everyone who stood to the right of the Lord seemed to be luminous, like sunlight. Only this glow differed in the tones of color on each of them. Some were bronze in color, others were white, and others were copper. They all had a decorous appearance and were each distinguished by their glory. There was a glow from them like lightning. And may the Lord forgive me - all of them were like Him in their glory.

The Lord turned His head and looked in every direction. Looking to the right, His gaze expressed contentment and He smiled. But when he looked to the left, he became indignant and angry, and turned his face away from them.

“Come, you blessed of My Father, and inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the creation of the world. I was hungry and you fed me. I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, I was a stranger and you gave me shelter. I was naked and you gave me clothing. I was sick and you visited me. I was in prison and you came to me."

They were surprised and answered:

“Lord, we have never seen You hungry and have not fed You. We have never seen You thirsty, and have not given You something to drink. We have never seen You as a stranger, and have not sheltered You. We have never seen You naked, and have not given You clothing "We have never seen You in illness, and have not visited You. We have never seen You in prison, and have not come to You."

He answered:

“I say Amen. Just as you once did this to the least of my brothers, you did it to me.”

Turning his head towards those being expelled, he said menacingly and with disgust:

“Depart from Me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. I was hungry and you did not feed Me. I was thirsty and you did not give Me something to drink. I was a stranger and you did not shelter Me. I was naked and you did not clothe Me. I was sick and you did not visit Me. I was in prison and you did not come to Me."

And they asked in surprise:

"Lord, when we saw You in prison and did not come to You"

And He answered:

“Amen, I say. Since you did not do this for My least brothers, then you did not do it to Me. Get out of My sight, curse of the earth. In Tartarus - where the gnashing of teeth is heard. And your torment and grief will be endless.”

As soon as I made this decision, a huge fiery stream flowed from the sunrise, which flowed violently to the west, it was as wide as the sea. And the sinners who were on the left side of the Lord began to tremble, frightened, and seeing that they had no hope of salvation. But the Righteous Judge ordered everyone - both those faithful to him and those unfaithful - to enter the stream of fire, to be tested by fire.

Those on His right were the first to enter the stream. And they came out shining like melted gold. And their deeds did not burn out, but showed lordship and dedication. And for this they were rewarded with the embrace of the Lord. After them those who had been expelled came to the stream and entered the stream to be tested by their deeds. But since they were sinners, the fire began to burn them, and the stream pulled them into itself. And their deeds burned like straw, but their bodies were gone, but remained to burn for years and for centuries endlessly along with the devil and his demons. And none of them could get out of this fiery stream. And they became hostages in the fire because they deserved this condemnation and punishment.

As soon as hell took the sinners, the righteous Judge stood up from His throne, surrounded by angels, standing in reverent fear of Him and singing psalms:"Lift up your high gates, and lift up the eternal doors, and the King of glory will come in! The Lord God. The God of Gods, together with Him, all his saints, will enjoy an eternal inheritance."

And the other army continued to sing along: “Blessed is he who walks in the name of the Lord, with all who have been honored with the grace of being called His sons. The Lord God and the sons of New Zion appeared with Him.” And the Archangels, welcoming the new inhabitants, moved away in all directions, singing: “Come into the arms of God, you who have not betrayed God our Savior. You who came and confessed Him in psalmody invariably.” And the next army sang: “God is the Great Lord and the Great King and sat down on the earth and firmly holds in His hand the whole earth and everything around it.”

This and other singing was listened to by all those who were with Jesus Christ, heading towards the Heavenly Chamber of the Lord, and the hearts of all the saints trembled with joy. And immediately the gates of the wedding house closed behind them.

And then the Heavenly King called upon his supreme Archangels. And Michael, Gabriel, Raphael and Uriel appeared to Him. And the commanders of their armies.

And behind them came the Twelve Lights of the World - the Apostles. And the Lord gave them brilliant Glory and twelve thrones, so that they could sit close to their teacher Christ in great honor. And they looked brilliant and indescribable. Their clothes shone with eternal light. They were majestic and transparent like pearls, that even the Archangels looked at them in admiration. At the end he gave them twelve crystal crowns, decorated precious stones, which shone dazzlingly when the glorious angels held them above their heads.

After this, 70 apostles came to the Royal throne. They also received well-deserved honors and awards. Only their crowns were more brilliant and wonderful.

Now it is the turn of the martyrs. They accepted glory and a place in the great army of angels, taking the place of the army thrown down from heaven along with Dennitsa. The martyrs became angels and commanders of the armies of heaven. And the saints immediately brought them crowns and placed them on their heads. As the sun shines, so did they shine. And so the holy martyrs, in divine glory, rejoiced immeasurably and hugged each other.

Then they brought in the divine throne of hierarchs, priests, deacons and other clergy and they were crowned with unfading and eternal crowns, corresponding to their zeal and patience in their spiritual feat. Each wreath was distinguished from the other in glory. Because the stars are different from one another. Thus, priests and deacons became more brilliant than other hierarchs. They were also given each one a temple to offer a spiritual sacrifice to the Lord and most holy thanksgiving to Him.

Then the holy assembly of the prophets entered. The Lord gave them the fragrance of incense - the psalter of David and the harp, and the timbrels, and the dancing light, the shining dawn, an inexpressible embrace of love and the praise of the Holy Spirit. Then the Lord of the Heavenly Chamber asked them to sing psalms. And they began to perform a melody that made everyone else moved and filled with grace. Having received their gifts from the Savior, they remained awaiting the subsequent rewards. And those rewards were such that the human eye had never seen such, and the human ear had never heard, and had never entered the hearts of men.

Then a large gathering of people who had been saved in the world entered: poor and rulers, kings and private owners, slaves and free. And they stood before the Lord, and He divided them into the merciful and the compassionate, and into the blameless. And he gave them the Paradise of Eden - heavenly and bright chambers, rich and magnificent crowns, consecration and embraces, thrones and scepters and angels to serve them.

Then those who, in the name of Christ, became “poor in spirit” entered and were exalted unusually. By His hand the Lord gave them crowns of extraordinary beauty and they inherited the Kingdom of Heaven.

Then those who lamented their sins received enormous consolation from the Holy Trinity.

Then the righteous and kindly inherited the heavenly earth, where the sweetest and most beautiful fragrance of the Spirit of God flows. And they experienced unknown pleasure and pleasure from what this holy land gave them. And their crowns emitted a peach-colored light, as if before dawn.

Then those who “hunkered for spiritual truth and justice” entered. They were given the honor of truth and truth as payment for their quest for justice. And their greatest reward was to see the Exalted Lord Jesus Christ, glorified and blessed by everyone and everything, saints and angels.

And then “those persecuted for justice” entered. And they were given honor and given miraculous life, and glory from God. And indescribable thrones were set up for them so that they could sit in the Kingdom of Heaven. And crowns were given to them, like melted silver and gold, having an unearthly light, so that the angels, seeing this light, would rejoice.

Then after them came an innumerable number of pagans (here I want to add on my own behalf that in all the original Greek this word has the meaning of nations and peoples), who did not know the law given by Christ, but on their own, having in themselves the goodness and truth of conscience. Many of them were like the sun from their purity and naivety. The Lord gave them a carefree Paradise, crowns shimmering in steel color and decorated with lilies and roses. But because they were not baptized, they were blind. They did not see the glory of the Lord, because baptism is the light and eye of the soul. Therefore, the one who did not receive baptism, but worked tirelessly and did good, receives the joys of paradise and all its benefits, enjoys its fragrance and sweetness, but cannot see all its splendor.

Then the Bridegroom entered and saw the whole holy army - those who were the children of Christians. They all looked about thirty years old. Christ looked at them with joy in his eyes and said:

“Oh, the robe of baptism not made by hands. But I don’t see any work. What should I do with you?”

And they answered him bravely: “Lord, we were deprived of Your blessings on earth, so do not deny them to us now that we have approached You.”

And Christ smiled again and gave them heavenly blessings. They received their crowns of chastity for their kindness in all matters; all the armies of saints and angels looked at them in admiration. It was a miracle to see all these hosts of holy angels, solemnly singing sweet hymns, delighted with these actions of the Lord.

Then the Groom looks - the Bride, illuminated by the magnificent Divine light, approaches Him, spreading around her throughout the Chamber the incense of heavenly divine myrrh. And on Her most beautiful head shone an incomparable royal crown, radiating light. And the angels were blinded by Her beauty, and the saints froze at Her reverent sight. The grace of the Holy Spirit held over Her like a diadem.

She entered the divine palace in an innumerable multitude of virgins, continuously singing hymns and glorifying and praising God. When the Great Queen approached the Bridegroom, together with Her entourage of holy virgins, she bowed to Him three times. Then the Great Caller, struck by Her beauty, bowed his head before His Great Mother, giving Her part and glory.

She approached Him with the greatest reverence and grace, and They embraced; She pressed an immortal and undying kiss to His hand. After this divine kiss, the Lord gifted all the virgins with brilliant dresses and multi-colored super-bright crowns. And immediately all the spiritual Powers approached Them, singing hymns and praising and sanctifying HER.

Then the Bridegroom stood up from his throne, and with His Mother on the right, and with the Greatest Miracle-Working Forerunner on the left, he headed towards the exit from the bridal chamber towards the Chamber of God, in which were countless gifts, which the human eye has never seen, which the ear has never heard of. human, and thoughts about them never entered the human heart. As soon as everyone around Him saw these gifts, they were filled with grace and began to celebrate and rejoice.

But Elder Niphon could not describe all the joy with which all those who loved God were filled. And no matter how much they asked him about this, he answered: “My children, I cannot describe all this, because there are no such human words and feelings that could describe this action taking place next to the Savior.”

Here you go.

"When He divided among all His saints those gifts, indescribable and unprecedented, He called the Cherubim to Himself to surround His throne. Then He said that they should be surrounded by their Seraphim. Behind them are the Powers of Those Holding the Thrones. The Initial Holders and the Heavenly Powers, and the Powers of the Heavenly Powers. To become like a wall surrounding a wall.

To the right of the Chamber of Ages, in great deanery stood Michael and his army. Gabriel and his army stood on the left. Uriel and his army stood in the west. And Raphael with his army stood in the east. And this army was so numerous and great. And they girded the wonderful House of God, as if with a great radiance. And all this was fulfilled according to the commandment of the Lord, the Great God and Savior of all saints."

But the greatest revelation was given to Saint Niphon at the end.

The Great Father HIMSELF of His only begotten Son, the Parent, the Unseen and Unhidden Light suddenly shone together with the Son and the Holy Spirit from above above this vast Chamber and the Forces surrounding it. He illuminated this purest Chamber with all its Powers, just as the Sun illuminates the entire earth. Thus the Father of Mercy illuminated everything and everyone.

And just as a sponge absorbs wine and holds it, so all the saints absorbed into themselves and were filled with the ineffable three-solar Divine Light and thus reigned continuously for all eternity. From this hour there is neither day nor night for all of them. There is only God the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit - the tenderness of unflickering life, pleasure and pleasure.

Then there was deep silence.

And after him, the first army, surrounding the Chamber forever and ever, performed an unspeakable blessing and praise with many voices, and the hearts of the saints trembled with unprecedented joy and fullness. From the first army of praise they passed on to the second army of Seraphim. And they began an indescribable and unknown praise. It poured out like honey into the ears of the saints, and they rejoiced indescribably with all their feelings.

Their eyes saw an unprecedented light. And they absorbed the divine smell. Their ears heard the hymns of the eternal divine powers. And their lips tasted the new Body and Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ in the Kingdom of Heaven. Their hands rose up in gratitude for these gifts, and their feet danced. So they experienced all their feelings and were filled with inexpressible joy. So the hymns passed from one army to another in seven circles. And the four columns of God - His four pillars - Michael, Gabriel, Raphael and Uriel sang psalms.

Have any of us ever heard perfect harmony? And their hymns were both terrifying and loud. So the hymns were heard inside the Chamber and outside. Sacred songs!!! They kindled the hearts of the saints with rapturous love for endless centuries."

When the saint saw all this in great ecstasy, he heard the voice of God to him: “Niphon, Niphon, your prophetic vision was beautiful!!! Write down everything you saw and heard in the smallest detail, because this is exactly how everything will happen!!!

I showed you all this because you are my faithful friend, beloved child, and heir to My Kingdom. Be sure that I have now considered you worthy to be a witness of these Holy Mysteries. For I am watching over all the upright and peaceful, who tremble at My word." (meaning those who keep the law of the Lord)

Having said this, the Lord freed Niphon from a terrible and many-wonderful vision, in which he spent two weeks in the spirit. When Niphon came to his senses, he sat in sadness, thoughtfulness and great repentance. His tears flowed like a river and he said:

"Incredible. How did I get such mercy as a prodigal. What awaits my pitiful soul? How can I be there, a sinner! How can I apologize to the Judge! Where will I hide my sins? Oh, worldly and unfortunate. I don’t sigh and I don’t shed tears for my sins!!! I have no repentance!!! I don’t do charity, I don’t give alms!!! I don’t say prayers!!! There is no love in me!!! Kindness and holiness are far from me!!! I deserve shame, I deserve punishment, not awards!!!

What should I do, poor and weak? Where should I go, what should I do to save my soul? What position will we find ourselves in there, sinners!!! And how can we give an answer for our earthly deeds before the Judge!!! Where can I hide so many of my sins? Oh worldly and miserable!!! I don't know what to do!!!

My eyes see only my shame and my face is in shame!!! With my ears I listen to demonic songs!!! Through my nose I inhale the earthly, caressing smells!!! I fill my mouth with polyeating. Woe is me, woe!!! My hands hold on to sin!!! My body rolls only about the swamp of sin and idleness, it only wants to lie in bed and overeat!!! Oh, lawless and darkened and destroyed!!! Where should I run!!! Who will save me from the darkness of inner Tartarus!!! Who will save me from gnashing my teeth? Woe is me!!!

I disdain myself as vile and disgusting!!! It would have been better for me not to have been born!!! Oh, what Glory I can lose, dark one!!! What payment, what crowns, how much joy, joy will I lose because I submitted to sin!!! Poor soul!!! Where will you go? What will you choose? Where is your struggle, where are your virtues?

Woe to you, sinner and unfortunate! Where will you belong on that day? Have you done anything good to please God? Smoked in the oven. How can you stand it? "Woe, woe, woe" in difficult times for those living on earth!!! Ah, unhappy and dirty, who only wanted to roll around in rot, working non-stop for her stomach!!! Lawless and mired in sins! What a shame for you to even try to look at Jesus!!! With what eyes will you reflect the light of the eyes of the God-man? This gentle look! Tell me, tell me!

You have seen all the miracles of the Lord that he will perform! Tell me, my soul, do you have deeds worthy of that Glory? How will you get there if you pollute the baptism from God? Woe to you then, my infected soul!!! Eternal fire lies ahead of you, and where then will sin and its father be, saving you? Lord my God! Save me from fire, from gnashing of teeth and from tartar!!!"

The saint prayed with these words ever since. On some days he was seen passing by, barely able to drag his feet, sighing bitterly and saddened with tears. Comparing everything with what he saw in the vision, he did everything he could for us with his prayer in order to deserve what was promised to him.

Often, often, when he again plunged into the memories of what he had seen, others saw him not in himself. He burned with a bright light from the appearance of the Holy Spirit and sighed, saying, “Lord, help and save my darkened soul.”

Translation from Greek by Servant of God Victoria

https://www.logoslovo.ru/forum/all/topic_4635/

© shakko-kitsune.livejournal.com

Do you know that after Satan is defeated and the righteous are resurrected, ordinary inhabitants of the earth will have another 1000 years of respite before the real End of the World? And then everything is completely inevitable: the dead rising from their graves, sinners in hellfire, and so on. Let's study.

It was about how the Antichrist (the Beast from the sea) and the False Prophet (the Beast from the earth) were thrown into a lake of boiling sulfur. However, Satan was still undefeated. Now his turn has come.

Chapter 20 (modern translation)

1 And I saw an angel descending from heaven with the key to the Abyss, in his hand he had a large chain.

The mentioned Abyss is not hell, but a completely separate place, a huge cave under the surface of the earth, where special sinners were kept, as well as all kinds of evil spirits (in one of the previous chapters, a fallen star opened it, and locusts crawled from there).

Stained glass window of York Minster, 1408

2 He seized the dragon - this is the ancient Serpent, that is, the Devil and Satan - and bound him for a thousand years,

An angel (presumably Michael) fights Satan and puts him in chains.

William Blake, c. 1805

3 he threw into the Abyss, locked it and sealed it on top, so that he would not deceive the nations until a thousand years had passed.

The seal with which the Abyss will be sealed (often the entrance to it is drawn to look like a well or a cave) is an analogue of the seal with which the Holy Sepulcher was sealed - for control. Here Satan is drawn incorrectly - according to the text, it should be the nine-headed Red Dragon, already familiar to us.

Luther Bible, 1534

Then he will have to be released for a short time.

The verse above immediately gives a prophecy that Satan is not completely defeated after all. But here the Dragon-Satan is drawn correctly, even with horns and crowns.

Hood. Rodney Matthews, modern day.

4 And I saw thrones on which those who had been given authority to judge sat.

God sits in the center on the throne, but around him are no longer the 24 elders we are used to, but new judges.

Ill. from an Old Believer book.

These are the souls of those who were beheaded for their testimony of Jesus and for the Word of God; They did not worship the beast and its image and did not brand themselves on their foreheads and hands.

The story of these judges: in lower case, their heads are cut off for refusing to bow to the Beast from the Sea. On the left, as usual, stands the witness John. An Angel flies in the central register, holding in his hands a banner with the souls of these believing martyrs. And finally, at the top they sit in the form of judges.

13th century miniature

They returned to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 5 But the rest of the dead did not return to life until a thousand years had passed. This is the first resurrection

In the center lies Christ, on the sides are figures of adults - these are resurrected judges, former martyrs for the Christian faith. Naked babies are images of resurrected souls. Below them are coffins with dead bodies. These illustrations imply that this first resurrection will not be physical. “The rest of the dead” who were not resurrected are both pagans and those who believed in Christ, but did not become martyrs for the faith, but died their own death.

Apocalypse Douce, 13th century

6 Happy and holy is he who receives life at the first resurrection! The second death has no power over them, and they will be priests of God and Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years.

Even before the Crucifixion, he promised his apostles to sit with Christ and be his priestly judges in heaven, so that they would be among them. This phrase, that after the “first resurrection” the Millennial Kingdom of God will begin, has given rise to a huge number of theories and movements (see chiliasm or millenarianism), I won’t even try to retell it.

Fra Angelico, “The Last Judgment” (fragment) 1429

7 And when a thousand years have passed, Satan will be released from prison,

Satan (here is not a Dragon, but a more familiar “angel”) did not escape from the Abyss himself, but was deliberately released by Divine forces. It is possible that his retribution would befall those who, during the Millennial Kingdom, became too relaxed and began to sin.

Hood. Bernie, 19th century

8 And he will again set out to deceive the nations from all four corners of the earth, that is, Gog and Magog, in order to gather them all for war.

Satan seduces wild peoples from distant steppes and deserts, called "Gog and Magog" (as in Old Testament), go to war against God.

13th century miniature

Their number is like the sand of the sea. 9 They covered the whole earth and surrounded the camp of the holy people and the beloved city of God.

Christians have a camp (camp) and a city (Jerusalem?), but their power does not extend to the whole earth, but is limited enough that Gog and Magog can surround them. Here these tribes are led by the Red Dragon, depicted in green. The dragon emerges from the Hellmouth (in the lower left corner), this is how the Abyss that released him is depicted.

Miniature from the 15th century.

But fire came down from heaven and devoured them.

Apocalypse of the Dukes of Savoy, 15th century.

10 The devil who deceived them was thrown into a lake of burning brimstone,

where the beast is already with the false prophet.

The lake with burning sulfur, located in hell, is also depicted here in the form of the Hellmouth: these are two symmetrical large heads with huge teeth, as well as blue heads at the very bottom. But these heads are not separate characters. The characters are depicted in this mouth, burning in fire: below is a brown Dragon-Satan with blue halos, to the higher left is the lower half of the leopard-print body of the Beast from the sea, then it turns out that the purple one is the false prophet-Beast from the earth. Some unnamed devil is supporting the fire with a red hook; note that he also has a face on his butt.

14th century miniature

And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

The Hellmouth is also depicted here, but in more detail. In addition to Beasts, sinners are tormented there, and the fire is served by many devils.

Georgios Klontzas, Greek icon of the "Last Judgment" 16th century

11 And I saw a huge white throne.

The white throne symbolizes impregnable purity. In this triptych on the left, apparently, the blood-stained robes of the rider on the white horse from the previous one. heads, and the wedding ring of the Lamb. The Book is depicted next to the throne.

Hood. Nancy McGregor, our days.

And the One sitting on it. At His presence, earth and heaven fled and were no longer to be found!

God is so terrible that “earth and heaven,” that is, in fact, the material universe, are fleeing from him, because he is taking on the task of remaking it. In the picture, don't miss the sword from the mouth. Tintoretto.

Tintoretto. The Last Judgment (fragment), 1560−62

12 I saw the dead, great and small, standing by the throne.

And now begins the Last Judgment, to which we, my hardy reader, have been heading since January, for 19 chapters already. In the lower case, throwing back the lids of the coffins, the dead emerge from the ground. In the middle there are angels trumpeting: although according to the text in this chapter they are not present, the image of trumpeting angels was so powerful earlier that it appears in virtually all Catholic works on this topic.

Miguel Jimenez. "The Last Judgment." 1480s

The books were opened, then another book was opened. This is the book of life. And they judged the dead according to their deeds, according to the records in the books.

Two kinds of books are mentioned, in the first the deeds of people are recorded. The second is the Book of Life, which was already mentioned in the previous one. Ch. Those whose names are not recorded in it are handed over for destruction.

14th century miniature

13 The sea gave up the dead that were in it,

The drowned, naturally, could not be buried according to the required religious rites. However, according to the Book, that there was innovation, this will not prevent them from receiving their due at the Last Judgment.

Frederic Leighton, “Then the sea gave up the dead that were in it.” 1892

And death and hell gave up the dead that they had, and each was judged according to his deeds.

Sea, Death and Hell here appear as separate characters who give away the dead. On illus. their names are signed next to each other. These are images of the demonic element, satanic existence, dark abysses into which people are immersed (therefore, the next chapter says that there is no sea in the Kingdom of Heaven).

Old Believer manuscript, ca. 1800

I’ll put up a few more illustrations about how the dead are resurrected during the “second resurrection.”

Magnificent book of hours of the Duke of Berry, 15th century.

Empty coffins.

Fra Beato Angelico, “The Last Judgment”, (fragment) 1430s

14 Then death and hell were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death - the lake of fire.

Death and Hell are concrete characters, not figurative ones. And they are also thrown into the fire.

Ted Larsen, 2000s

15 If anyone was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

Now they are throwing them into the fire ordinary people, pagans or sinners.

Memling, The Last Judgment (detail), 1460s

5, just the last 5 verses of this chapter - in fact, the only thing that is specifically said in the New Testament about the Last Judgment.

It was based on these 5 lines that European art received this huge and complex iconography of the Last Judgment. Well, ok, in addition to a couple of slips of tongue in other places of the New Testament, Old Testament prophecies, numerous apocryphal texts and commentators. These works of art have a rough diagram, let's try to learn how to read it.

On the left - saved souls go to Heaven, on the right - damned souls fly to hell (lake of fire). In the center at the top is Christ with the judges, in the center below can be anything, here is St. Michael weighing souls. Around him is the resurrection of the dead.

Memling, "The Last Judgment". 1460s.

The only schematic difference is that instead of Michael there are open coffins

Fra Beato Angelico, The Last Judgment, 1430s.

I won’t tell you about the Orthodox icon of the Last Judgment; everything there is much, much more complicated.

Option with only resurrection of the dead at the bottom

Bosch. "The Seven Deadly Sins and the Four Last Things", beginning. 16th century

Option only with saved and damned souls.