A Prophesy of Future Lawlessness by St. Anatoly the Younger (+1922)
From a letter of the Optina Elder [and New Martyr] St. Anatoly the Younger
SOURCE: Orthodox Life, #3, 1993
And from that heresies will spread everywhere and deceive many people. The
enemy of the human race will act with cunning in order to draw into heresy,
if possible, even the elect.
He will not begin by crudely rejecting the dogmas of the Holy Trinity, the
divinity of Jesus Christ and the virtue of the Theotokos, but he will begin
imperceptibly to distort the teachings and statutes of the Church and their
very spirit, handed down to us by the Holy Fathers through the Holy Spirit.
Few will notice these wiles of the enemy, only those more experienced in the
spiritual life. Heretics will seize power over the Church and will place
their servants everywhere; the pious will be regarded with contempt. He (the
Lord) said, by their fruits ye shall know them, and so, by their fruits, as
well as by the actions of the heretics, strive to distinguish them from the
true pastors.
These are spiritual thieves, plundering the spiritual flock, and they will
enter the sheepfold (the Church), climbing up some other way, using force
and trampling upon the divine statutes. The Lord calls them robbers (cf. St.
John 10:1). Indeed, their first task will be the persecution of the true
pastors, their imprisonment and exile, for without this it will be
impossible for them to plunder the sheep.
Therefore, my son, when you see the violation of patristic tradition and the
divine order in the Church, the order established by God, know that the
heretics have already appeared, although for the time being they may conceal
their impiety, or they will distort the Divine Faith imperceptibly, in order
to succeed better in seducing and enticing the inexperienced into the net.
The persecution will be directed against not only pastors but against all
servants of God, for all those ruled by heresy will not endure piety.
Recognize these wolves in sheep’s clothing by their proud dispositions and
love of power. They will be slanderers, traitors, everywhere sowing enmity
and malice; therefore the Lord said that by their fruits you will know them.
True servants of God are humble, love their neighbor and are obedient to the
Church.
Monastics will be greatly oppressed by the heretics and monastic life will
be scorned. Monasteries will become scarce, the number of monastics will
decline, and those who remain will endure violence. These haters of monastic
life, however, having only the appearance of piety, will strive to attract
the monks to their side promising them protection and worldly goods, and
threatening those who oppose them with expulsion.
These threats will cause great despair among the fainthearted, but you, my
son rejoice that you have lived until that time, for then the faithful who
have not shown any other virtues, will receive crowns merely for standing
firm in the faith, according to the word of the Lord (cf. St. Matthew
10:32).
Fear the Lord my son. Fear to lose the crown prepared (for you), fear to be
cast by Christ into the outer darkness and eternal torment. Stand bravely in
the faith, and if necessary, endure persecution and other sorrows, for the
Lord will be with you... and the holy martyrs and confessors, they will look
upon you and your struggle with joy.
But woe to the monks in those days who will be bound with possessions and
riches, who because of love of peace will be ready to submit to the
heretics. They will lull to sleep their conscience, saying, “We are
preserving and saving the monastery and the Lord will forgive us.” The
unfortunate and blind ones do not at all consider that through heresy the
demons will enter the monastery and then it will no longer be a holy
monastery, but merely walls from which grace will depart.
God, however, is mightier than the enemy, and He will never leave His
servants. True Christians will remain until the end of this age, only they
will choose to live in secluded, deserted places. Do not fear sorrows,
rather fear pernicious heresy, for it strips us of grace and separates us
from Christ. This is why the Lord commanded us to consider the heretic as a
pagan and a publican.
And so my son, strengthen yourself in the grace of Jesus Christ. Hasten to
confess the faith, to endure suffering as a good soldier of Jesus Christ (cf
II St. Timothy 2:13), Who has said, Be faithful unto death, and I will give
thee a crown of life (Rev.2:10).
To Him, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, be honor, glory, and dominion
unto the ages of ages. Amen.