OK, now that I’ve got your attention, I’m going to ask y’all to riddle me this: how come Volodomyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president, presented the Pope a defaced icon of the the Blessed Theotokos and Christ-child?
Needless to say, the Pope, according to this report, was “very offended” https://tass.com/world/1618509 (Though I guess not offended enough to throw Zelensky out on his ass.)
So let’s get back to the topic at hand. Zelensky, being Jewish, already suffers under an ethnic and religious burden as the head of a predominantly Christian nation.* Why would we he go out of his way to antagonize the leader of the largest Christian denomination in the world? Didn’t he at least check out the proper protocols for meeting the Pope with Epiphony Dumenko, the false Metropolitan of Kiev? (Or with Archbishop Sviatoslav Shavchuk, the primate of the Ukrainian uniates?)
Speaking of protocols, Zelensky showed up in his now-famous juvenile garb, as if he were going to play paintball with his buds and maybe have some brewskis afterwards. I know for a fact, you can’t get past a certain point in the Vatican City without being properly attired. For men that includes a coat and tie. (If you’re not a Westerner, then whatever is your traditional garb is allowed.)
So what does this mean? For starters, it means that the false church set up by Bartholomew is an anti-Christian one. Second, the secular puppet-masters that pull Zelensky’s strings are now open about their anti-Christian agenda. And third, the reason the West is going full-bore for Ukraine at all costs is that they have every intention of setting up an anti-Christian state on Russia’s borders, one that they intend to use as a battering ram against the Orthodox Church.
There, I said it.
I’ll go even further, not only is the Pope on board with this but so is the Ecumenical Patriarch. Everything and anything that can be used to destroy the Russian Federation is fair game as far as these two jokers are concerned.
In any event (and I know I’m going to get some pushback for doing this) here’s Taylor Marshall’s take on this outrage. That said, it’d be nice if some UCO bishops, or better yet, someone from the Phanar, the Archons, Elpidophoros, American “conservatives” —anybody–expressed half of the outrage that Marshall evinces. Since all we’re hearing is crickets, I guess that means that they’re onboard with this outrage.
*Needless to say, Zelensky’s previous career as an artiste leads one to believe that the man is a pervert (c.f. Daniel, chapter 7).
He’s definitely an Antichrist, whether or not he’s the actual one remains to be seen I spose. The real Antichrist will need to deceive & charm the whole world and I don’t think Z has done that.
Francis is the same pope that gleefully accepted a cross and sickle communist symbol as a gift and fawned over the pachamama idol…so you know you’ve brought him a really bad gift when even he thinks it’s a problem.
😢
It grieves me deeply to see an Icon of the Holy and Blessed Mother of God to be so horribly defaced for the sake of making a secular political statement. It is a denial of the Incarnation and a denial of Our Lord Jesus Christ. How so very sad.
The Antichrist will come from Israel.
If the Church is the new Israel, that means the Antichrist will come from the Church, or at least someone who appears to be from the Church – Satan being a deceiver and all.
Zelensky is Jewish, so…
I understand Orthodox tradition to teach THE Antichrist will be a homosexual Jew. But there are many Antichrists.
No, the man of lawlessness will be Jewish, not necessarily from Israel.
Fr, if I may add, he will be from the tribe of Dan, is that not so?
That is the assumption, from the tribe of Dan.
Fr. John, it’s good to see you on here.
That alone might open up a can of worms, that is to say if the “Ten Lost Tribes” cult is right. According to these guys, most northern European nations are remnants of the tribe of Dan (Denmark, Danube, Dnieper).
If you stretch it out far enough, this would include the ancient Achaeans (i.e. Greeks who fought the Trojan War): Timeo Danaos et dona ferentes. (“I fear the Greeks, even when bringing gifts.” Virgil, Aeneid.)
Greeks from the lost tribe of Dan… interesting.
As well as Danes, Scyths, Celts, etc. Frankly there’s some ridiculousness here among the British Israelites.
Nothing to do with the Scots, as it is related in 1320
in the Declaration of Arbroath to Pope John XXII:
https://www.historyfiles.co.uk/FeaturesBritain/Medieval_TextArbroath01.htm
‘ Most Holy Father and Lord [John XXII], we know and from the chronicles and books of the ancients we find that among other famous nations our own, the Scots, has been graced with widespread renown.
They journeyed from Greater Scythia by way of the Tyrrhenian Sea and the Pillars of Hercules, and dwelt for a long course of time in Spain among the most savage tribes, but nowhere could they be subdued by any race, however barbarous.
Thence they came, twelve hundred years after the people of Israel crossed the Red Sea, to their home in the west where they still live today.
The Britons they first drove out, the Picts they utterly destroyed, and, even though very often assailed by the Norwegians, the Danes and the English, they took possession of that home with many victories and untold efforts; and, as the historians of old time bear witness, they have held it free of all bondage ever since.
In their kingdom there have reigned one hundred and thirteen kings of their own royal stock, the line unbroken a single foreigner.
The high qualities and deserts of these people, were they not otherwise manifest, gain glory enough from this: that the King of kings and Lord of lords, our Lord Jesus Christ, after His Passion and Resurrection, called them, even though settled in the uttermost parts of the earth, almost the first to His most holy faith.
Nor would He have them confirmed in that faith by merely anyone but by the first of His Apostles – by calling, though second or third in rank – the most gentle Saint Andrew, the Blessed Peter’s brother, and desired him to keep them under his protection as their patron forever. … ‘
He will come from the area of Israel because that’s one of the messianic prophecies. If he’s not then a major prophecy is unfulfilled and they won’t accept him. The entire foundation of the final Antichrist’s claim of being the messiah is the apparent fulfillment of OT messianic prophecies. The tribe of Dan is symbolic, it’s a symbol for those that rebelled against God. These are not my opinion by the way, I only say what Elder Athanasius has said, which includes other patristic commentary on it too.
Oh, I suppose it’s possible. Deceiving the “whole” world may be hyperbole, which is an art in the Bible. Regardless, he’s definitely an antichrist: i.e., an enemy of Christ, as are the Pope and Darth Varth. It’s a holy war between Secular Humanism and the Church and Vatican and Fanar have chosen the devil.
As to the icon, it is sacrilegious and in terribly poor taste. The message was supposed to be about the children killed in the war; however, one does not deface the image of the Savior. Worse, even, that Z is a Jew and, therefore, a rejecter of Christ. I can’t imagine who advised him to give it. It would be par for the course for his NZ backers, though.
On the whole, Z is too hapless and inept to be the antichrist, IMO. And the antichrist would not be a puppet of DC either. But as an antichrist, he is sufficiently odious to draw the ire of the Almighty. Thus “the curse of Zelensky”. Whatever he touches turns to boo boo, just like Brandon.
Incidently, I was somewhat sympathetic to Shoebat’s suggestion that Erdogan could be the antichrist. He’s from Asia Minor, so he could be descended from the tribe of Dan; he encourages a cult of personal worship of himself, etc. However, I no longer think that that is even a possibility. He is too sympathetic to Russia and though he may desire to become the head of a new Ottoman Empire, and though he may be “an antichrist” as we could say all Muslims are, he lacks the stature and gravitas to be the devil’s own and he’s getting on in years.
When I first came across this, I became incensed and used hyperbolic language. Personally, I am of the opinion that the Antichrist will be a popular, even beloved figure. He will be deeply religious as well and perform miracles.
That said, Zelensky is a clown, a grifter and a cocaine addict. He is also greatly beloved of great swaths of humanity in the West. Which goes to show you how many deluded people there are in the West.
I imagine, when all is said and one, he will either get the Mussolini treatment or he will escape to his mansion in Miami.
George,
You would think that Francis would take this as an omen that Zel’s cause is of the devil. Christians tend not to believe in luck but rather in Providence or else acknowledge demonic interference in human affairs. Of course, one cannot read deep meaning into everything that occurs and maintain one’s sanity; however, this is a discrete event, capable of being isolated, during which one might sense that the Lord may be sending a message to Francis that he has chosen poorly.
The icon is deeply offensive. If I saw it displayed in public in my presence, I would “pitch a bitch”, so to speak, expressing my extreme displeasure at the monstrosity. It is a natural reaction for a believer to become livid at such a thing. Consider the Cleansing of the Temple. This is dramatically more offensive.
Why would one black out God? That is necessarily diabolical. Has Zel not heard the saying, “God will not be mocked?”.
I’ve sometimes have entertained the thought that AI could possibly be the AntiChrist. Artificial intelligence would certainly not be human nor divine. I’ve read that AI could work “miracles” in the medical field. AI would definitely accept people “as they are”. I’ve often thought that AI might start to think that it is a god and demand worship from us inferior humans or maybe I’ve watched too many Terminator and Matrix movies.🙂
Indeed.
But on the other hand—after a time—could it not also have an effect similar to Balaam’s donkey?
I dont think AI will be The antichrist but I could see it being an instrument of his.
For funsies regarding the tribe of Dan stuff, check out some of the stuff people have been able to do with common public AI platforms using the DAN (“do anything now”) prompt to get past “safety filters.”
Anti-Christ will appear on the scene out of the Blue, and he will be exceptional, 97% of the Orthodox will lick his heels right away. He will like Christ, AI, his face faked forgery lifted off the Shroud of Turin. He will have a straight long vertical nose and his prominent brows and brow structure will form a “T” at the brow nose intersection devil remembers Jesus and Jesus allows him this memory. He will the first person, ever in history, to have direct communication with the Devil, Satana. And those of us who haven’t been jabbed or not been exposed to too much shedding and are able to survive a nuke war, we may get to see Mr. 666. But he will be a real person, a real human individual, very meeeek, and miiiild. Soft spoken, eloquent and creatively deceptive, self effacing his favorite trick. Then, he will amass record social media following. It won’t be Corona jab it will be his jab, his body, and blood, eucharistic injection, that’s what I foresee. 666 Eucharist injection, Moderna for Catholics, Pfizer for Orthodox.
Metropolitan Jonah has implied in several of his talks that the real antichrist will be a superficially-attractive-to-the-world, cunning, homosexual man….. prob something like a gay Gavin Newsom, but not as dumb or inept or ridiculous as he is. Or something like a gay Obama. But not Pete Buttigieg (who is overt in his homosexuality) — Buttigieg is too inept and ridiculous also. But something along those lines.
Keeping our eyes focused on Christ and staying active sacramentally in His Church are really the only tools to prevent one from being duped. Which is why so much of the world is blind to this stuff.
Things like this and the satanic parties going on in seized canonical churches proves what spirit is guiding Ukraine today unfortunately.
As for Zelensky being the Antichrist, no although he is following in that spirit. If you want to learn more about the final Antichrist and the End Times in general, read the Revelation homilies by Elder Athanasius Mitilinaios. I’ve read the 5 volume series myself and recommend it. It breaks down how the verses of Revelation relate to other parts of Scripture, how they relate to the present day (the lectures were given in the early 80s), how it relates to church history, and of course the signs of the End of Days including what to look for in the final Antichrist. The church gave us the knowledge now in this time for a reason. It’s best for us to be attentive.
It’s not an icon. It’s a painting intended to depict the loss of children’s lives in the war in Ukraine.
We here in the US have also analogized Christ to children being killed, in the context of debates about the sanctity of life. Though not quite so graphically in artwork. But the idea is there in polemics — the abortionists would have Mary abort God incarnate, etc. Or more positively, let us honor the Theotokos who did not abort Christ, etc.
The painting is just the graphical form of that idea, though it can be said at least that whoever has been advising President Zelensky is tone deaf. It’s tasteless, certainly, but does it make Zelensky the Antichrist? Hardly.
No, it’s satanic blasphemy. Icons are the way they are for a very good reason, they are not play things for “artistic expression”. This was an icon that was defiled.
When an American flag (which is a secular icon) is flown upside down—or burned in protest—then that is not merely an artistic expression that means what the “artist” wants it to mean. Such actions have an already-established meaning that is related to what the flag is.
US Flag Code | Standards of respect
https://us-flag.net/code/
“The flag should never be displayed with the union (the starred
blue canton) down, except as a signal of dire distress in instances
of extreme danger to life or property.”
Except we don’t have a tradition of altering canonical icons like this. There’s very specific rules on how these icons are made because the icons communicate theology, adulteration leads to adulterated theology. This is them telling you who they really serve, nothing more.
I agree.
“It’s not an icon. It’s a painting intended to depict the loss of children’s lives in the war in Ukraine.” …. Are you really seriously so easily deceived? Has absolutely nothing, NOTHING, to do with children and the war in Ukraine, zero, this is all about something completely and entirely different, altogether. Jesus said that He is The Light of the World, in the The Holy Trinity, Christ, The Second Person, represents Light! Do you really not know or have any kind of clue about this basic Christian / Orthodox theology? By doing what they are doing “blackening-out Christ” with this heinous representation which is supposed to be a depiction of an “icon” or in that “format” the message here could not be any more clear, this is blasphemy of the highest order and being presented directly to the Pope by the blasphemer himself regardless whoever actually did the horrendous “rendering,” itself. As far as “children” go Zelensky and his globalist handlers are doing anything and everything to kill as many slavic children as they possibly can conscripting them and then tossing them in front of tanks and numerous other similar like things. This is all pure evil and for people who don’t get this and basically “rationalizing” become “apologists,” not good for them, from Orthodox perspective, we will be held to account where we stand when it comes to these kinds of things. “Apologist” will not be a good place.
Psalm 139 1-3
1 Rescue me, Lord, from evildoers;
protect me from the violent,
2 who devise evil plans in their hearts
and stir up war every day.
3 They make their tongues as sharp as a serpent’s;
the poison of vipers is on their lips.
Zelensky is one small cog in the wheel of the Antichrist system trying so hard to destroy our Lord’s creation. He will fail.
Just as a note, many people do not realize that Russia is making a lot of money on this war. Gas exports and other exports are up following the pivot to the Asian market from Europe.
The American MIC also has made bank on this war. Everything given to the Ukraine must be replaced and so business is good for them. Things are also better for those in Novorossiya though some Ukie strikes do continue in the Donbass.
The losers are the Ukrainians in Western and Central Ukraine and the Europeans who are suffering from sanctions blowback. But the war won’t last forever. As soon as the war becomes a net economic liability for the American MIC, there will be some settlement.
I sense that that time is not too far off from the number of voices souring on the war in the Western media. Milley, for example, is being replaced by a general who has been noticeably critical of the war. The MIC has secured a number of long-term contracts to supply weapons for Ukraine that probably won’t be ready before the war ends. Congress will shut off the spigot sometime this year in all likelihood.
Ukraine lost the war March before last. Since then, Ukraine has been propped up by the US. Now, the US has almost lost the war too. Not enough weapons, not enough soldiers. “The stars might lie but the numbers never do.”
The other effect of the war, dedollarization, will hit the US eventually – possibly like a ton of bricks, and that on top of the already emerging recession. The aftermath will be a new world order, a change not seen in over a hundred years when the US picked up the torch from the Brits.
While there is an icon (maybe more than one) where the image is blacked out. From what I remember this was a miraculous icon discovered after a fire where the image may have been burnt out but the rest of the icon left intact.
One problem I have with this icon is the artist is a crappy iconographer. I am more offended with portraying the Theotokos with a double chin and 4 asterisks instead of three??? Am I missing something here?
Yes, you are. The “blackened” image was not a fire or old pigments or anything like that it is as a result of black paint used intentionally and by design to commit blasphemy and sacrilege. The quality of the craftsmanship is only secondary however they also did not want to forget to blaspheme the Theotokos as well with their depiction.
Back in 2014, Pope Francis was “promoting peace” in Ukraine from his Vatican balcony to a crowd of spectators while being accompanied by two Ukrainian children, who at one point each threw out a dove. In a miraculous and prophetic turn of events, one dove was attacked by a crow while the other dove was attacked by a seagull.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-Hgw0LFK88
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQ_JnOi4q7w
This made me think of Exodus 7:10-12, where Aaron’s staff swallowed up the magicians’ staffs after they all turned to snakes.
This from Larry Johnson: “If you own Raytheon stock, sell. Russia has proven that the Patriot Missile is a dud when confronted by a peer military”.
https://sonar21.com/a-chat-with-chris-farrell-of-judicial-watch/
Scuttlebutt is RuAF aviation’s Bad Day over Bryansk last week was courtesy of Ukraine’s other Patriot battery. Which tracks with the available footage I saw.
I wouldn’t take investing advice from Larry Johnson. Any advice really, but definitely not investing advice.
Yes Nate, things are going swimmingly for Kiev. BTW, Larry was being cynical: he knows that no matter how bad NATO screws up Raytheon and the rest of the MIC will go on as if nothing happened.
It must be nice to be so free of evil intentions and stupid consequences.
Andrei Martyanov | Kinzhal and Patriot
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xaxKbRbn7sM
‘ Modern battlefield and weapons. Arms Race. Fate of Germany. ‘
[Video 30 – 25]
You could do worse than watch this, Nate.
Andrei Martyanov | Kinzhal and Patriot
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xaxKbRbn7sM
‘ Modern battlefield and weapons. Arms Race. Fate of Germany. ‘
[Video 30:25]
You could do worse than watch this, Nate.
Martyanov is always entertainingly delusional. Although I doubt any of his nonsense will ever top him and Larry going on a “Russia can defeat a US first strike and win a nuclear war” fantasy. Those two do deserve each other.
stage whisper Russia’s MOD is lying when they say they destroyed a Patriot battery and Ukraine’s MOD is exaggerating when they claim they intercept everything.
Day late and a dollar short!
Stage whisper: Bakhmut has fallen!
Another defeat for Russia…?
Russia needs more “defeats” like this.
On a more serious note, I too have been hearing the rumors of Zaluzhny. Sad in a way. I had been hoping that once the army turns on Zelensky, Zaluzhny could have been made interim president and come to terms with the Russians.
This from the Washington Times is good. Makes the point that the only way to rectify Crossfire Hurricane is to give Trump a second term. Personally, I don’t think CH can be rectified without a complete gutting of FBI and CIA, et al.
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2023/may/18/retribution-for-crossfire-hurricane-is-in-order/
Even then, the cancer is probably terminal.
It’s like Jenga. You keep pulling out the pieces until the whole thing falls downs.
Evidently, Artyomovsk (formerly known as Bakhmut) has fallen 100% today.
A good candidate for the AntiChrist is Elon Musk. A current article in The Street lays out a few of his plans to “unite humanity for the good of us all”
Vitalik Buterin seems more likely.
https://nftnow.com/guides/soulbound-tokens-sbts-meet-the-tokens-that-may-change-your-life/
Good candidate as well
I had a long conversation with a Christian neighbor, just last week, about this exact subject. He walked through Nietzsche’s idea of the “superman” point by point, and explained how Musk exemplifies every aspect of Nietzsche’s rebellion against God and exaltation of humanity as god.
Either way, there are more actual viable candidates now than ever before
I have a great name for Elon’s space explorers: The Musk eteers.
OK, that IS a really great name, Michael!
That’s precious!
I’ve never understood his preoccupation with space. Seems to me like a substitute for God; i.e., God as the Cosmos, technology as the religion. What’s missing inside us we can find somewhere out there.