As we read in the lives of the saints, during periods of heresy God permits plagues, famines, earthquakes, floods, civil wars, invasions, etc., to occur as a means to bring Christians to repentance. The heresy of Ecumenism has been plaguing the Orthodox Church now for 100 years and we can say with certainty that the majority of Orthodox Churches have been infected with this disease. Consequently, because of this heresy, God has permitted many disasters to occur, not only in the Orthodox Church, but in the world. Further to this, as often happens during periods of heresy, additional heresies arise. This is exactly what took place starting in 2020 when the heresy of Covidism manifested itself. As with Ecumenism, the majority of Orthodox bishops have submitted to this heresy, or have remained silent even though they know Covidism is contrary to Orthodoxy. Orthodox Christians throughout the world have had their faith shaken. This should not shock us or cause us to lose our souls because Christ Himself pre-warned us, saying: “Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8) “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.” (Matthew 7:15) Only a few Orthodox bishops during the last 100 years of Ecumenism - and now Covidism - have refused to submit to these vile heresies, and even fewer have openly condemned them. This, too, was foretold to us. Saint Paul the Apostle says: “For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, and will not spare the flock. Also, from among yourselves men will rise up and distort the truth, in order to lure the disciples into following them.” (Acts 20:29-30) Saint Paul also tells us that the reason God permits divisions in the Church is so that genuine Orthodox Christians can be clearly seen to have God dwelling within them. For God cannot dwell in those who are heretics (even if they are officially part of the canonical Orthodox Church). “In the first place, I hear that when you come together as a Church, there are divisions among you, and to some extent I believe it. No doubt there must be differences among you to show which of you have God’s approval.” (1 Corinthians 11:18-19) In this talk, Father Kosmas, with much pain, reveals something that he has always believed but was reluctant to say until the right time. It has become apparent to him, through those enlightened by the Holy Spirit - the saints, grace-filled elders and right-believing clergy - that now is the right time to fully expose the abomination. What abomination? The betrayal of Orthodoxy by most of the Orthodox hierarchs, priests, and even monastics. Father Kosmas then presents soul-saving advice given by saints and grace-filled clergy and monastics of what to do during these difficult times when it has become apparent that many clergy are, not only failing to teach Orthodoxy to the faithful, but are openly and defiantly teaching heresy as wolves in sheep’s clothing. The following questions are also discussed: What is meant by, “Now the devil is on vacation, because his work has been taken over by the bishops”? Should we consider cowardice to be a great sin? What did Elder Justin Parvu of Romania mean when he said, “The time will come when you will be sold by your shepherds. They will watch you being ripped apart by the wild beasts and they will not come to your help”? Why did the Mother of God refuse to enter the cell of a virtuous monk? For more, visit our website: www.OrthodoxTalks.com Duration: 4hrs 51mins
We read in several lives of the saints that they had to deal with various heresies in their time. Today the Orthodox Church is faced with two heresies: ecumenism and covidism. The heresy of ecumenism has been around for approximately 100 years, while the heresy of covidism began in 2020. Much has been written about ecumenism by our saints and holy elders, and the faithful are thus better equipped to deal with this heresy. Because the heresy of covidism is new, however, many of the faithful were justifiably confused - and even deceived - when it manifested. What is covidism? It is the heretical belief that one can contract diseases from a place, object or sanctified person in which the grace of God dwells – or more generally, that the grace of God bears no power at all to defend the faithful from sickness, particularly Covid-19. The covidists used various demonic arguments to justify the horrible practices that they introduced into our churches: forbidding the veneration of the Life-giving Cross, holy relics and icons; not allowing the faithful to partake of holy water, holy unction and holy oil within the church; changing the way Holy Communion is administered; not allowing the faithful to receive the blessing from a priest; the wearing of masks, and the closing of churches. Adding to all this sacrilege and blasphemy, the covidists went so far as to become pro-mass vaccination and to turn some churches into vaccination hubs. In this talk, Father Kosmas explains that all these restrictions and practices are sacrilegious and blasphemous, and contradict the examples found in the lives of saints and elsewhere in Orthodox tradition. He states that many of the faithful were deceived into believing that all these practices were correct, while others reluctantly accepted them due to fear, weakness or an incorrect understanding of obedience. Father Kosmas also analyses some of the reasons that many Orthodox clergy fell to such a low spiritual level, which eventually led them into the heresy of covidism. The following questions are also discussed: what is the difference between the terms endemic, epidemic and pandemic? How did the holy Orthodox Church deal with epidemics, pandemics, plagues, cholera, typhus and other deadly infectious diseases in the past? Why did the faithful pray to God about their bishop, saying, “Why, oh Lord, have You sent us such a monster?” How were bishops chosen in the past compared to how they are chosen today? Why did a contemporary elder constantly keep in mind the saying: “Better with a prayer-rope in Paradise than an epitrachelion in hell”? Should the clergy have trusted in the saints, elders and eldresses rather than the medical authorities and pharmaceutical companies? Why did Saints Athanasius the Great and John Chrysostom say that hell is filled with many bishops and priests? What did Abba Pambo prophesy regarding the clergy of the last times? What did Saint John of San Francisco and Saint Nicholas Planas say about those who believe one can get sick from Holy Communion? What happened to the clergy and laypeople that communed from the same chalice that a COVID-infected Bishop communed from first? What did some contemporary saints say about being blindly obedient to bishops and priests? Why did Blessed Father Kosmas of Grigoriou say that it would be better to study in a monastery than in a seminary? Other points covered in this talk include: how some clergymen secretly stood up and ignored the demonic orders of their bishops and their governments; an account of a Russian bishop in 1909 who refused to conduct the Great Blessing of the Waters over steaming pots... For more, visit our website: www.OrthodoxTalks.com Duration: 4hrs 44mins
When reading the lives of the saints, Orthodox Christians can encounter several temptations. One of these is doubt or unbelief, especially concerning events that happened many centuries ago. In the lives of saints we encounter supernatural wonders such as their endurance during martyrdom, their miracles, and their great ascetic achievements, and some find them hard to believe. The question arises: how does one overcome the temptation of doubt or unbelief when reading these marvellous lives? In this talk, Father Kosmas explains that doubt or unbelief occurs because the faith of present-day Christians has become “weak and dried up.” He then uses the advice of saints and elders to show how to overcome the temptation of doubt or unbelief when reading the lives of the saints, and refers to the examples of ancient and contemporary saints. The following questions are also discussed: when flying over Australia, what did St Paisios say about the absence of canonized saints there? Are there contemporary examples of saints revealing their relics as happened in ancient times? What does St Nicodemos the Athonite say to those who find it hard to believe that angels communed the desert ascetics of old? Have there been recent instances of such miracles as the warming of the frozen waters in the life of the Holy Forty Martyrs of Sebaste? Other points covered in this talk include: how in his youth a great elder lost his faith, then returned to the Church through a book on the lives of the saints; some examples of saints whose parents often read them the lives of the saints; whether anathemas apply to the heterodox (those outside the Orthodox Church); and how some find it hard to believe that St Ephraim the Syrian, who knew no Greek, spoke fluent Greek to St Basil the Great. Talk 81 duration: 4hrs 15mins Chanting duration: 29mins (Canon to the Most Holy Theotokos "Quick to Hear") Total duration: 4hrs 44mins Visit our website: www.OrthodoxTalks.com
This talk is a continuation of Talks 78 and 79. In the Orthodox Church there are many beliefs, customs, and traditions, but not all of these are essential for one’s salvation. The beliefs required of all Orthodox Christians are called dogmas. A few examples are the dogmas that Christ was both fully man and fully God, that the Virgin Mary is the Mother of God, and that the Holy Spirit is God. The question arises: is veneration of the saints and the belief that they pray for us a dogma of the Orthodox Church and therefore essential for every Christian? In this talk, Father Kosmas states that the teaching on the veneration and intercessions of the saints is indeed an essential Christian dogma. He explains that mere acceptance of this teaching is not enough, and proceeds to give important practical advice on how to establish a proper view of and relationship with the saints. The following questions are also discussed: why is it important to especially venerate the local and national saints of one’s country? Why did Saint John of San Francisco especially venerate Saint Herman of Alaska and Saint Peter the Aleut? Is it a sin for parents to provide their children with books and films on fantasy and falsehoods while ignoring the lives of the saints? Are the saints closer to those who venerate them, pray to them, and read their lives? Why does one Orthodox priest strongly recommend that adults today read the saints’ lives written for children? Is it permissible for Orthodox Christians to read the lives of Catholic saints and to pray to them? Other points covered in this talk include: the importance of giving simplified lives of saints to one’s children and godchildren; how one should imitate the virtues and sanctity of the saints; how the saints’ intercessions before God help and protect us; the importance of using the lives and writings of the saints to illustrate spiritual concepts; the dangers of early school enrolment; more examples of saints who themselves read the lives of saints; how under Turkish rule the lives of saints encouraged Orthodox Christians to maintain their faith, and helped those who had fallen away to return to the Church; how parents will answer on the Day of Judgement for not teaching their children to read the lives of saints; and the wonderful and powerful simplified versions of the lives of New Martyr Elias and Saint Sebastian of Jackson and San Francisco. Duration: 4hrs 14mins Visit our website: www.OrthodoxTalks.com
This talk is a continuation of Talk 78: “Why Do the Demons Tremble When We Read the Lives of the Saints?” For many years, few lives of saints were available in the English language, leaving the English-speaking Orthodox faithful without this soul-saving spiritual nourishment. Such is no longer the case, and we now have volumes of the lives of saints available in English. Nevertheless, the majority of Orthodox Christians are spiritually deprived because they read the lives of saints either rarely or not at all. In this talk, Father Kosmas uses the teachings of various saints and elders to show the spiritual value of reading the lives of saints and to explain why they are considered the encyclopedia of Orthodoxy. He reads from a range of saints’ lives and emphasises that we should study them in order to apply aspects of their lives to our own spiritual life. The following questions are also discussed: is it easy to confidently speak with the saints and to have our prayers answered? Why is there a greater emphasis on reading the lives of saints than on reading the Gospels? Why did the Roman Catholic Church remove many pre-schism saints from their calendar? How can Orthodox Christians overcome doubts and unbelief when reading about the great achievements and miracles in the lives of the saints? Can the lives of the saints help us understand more about ghosts and UFOs? Other points covered in this talk include: how Saint John of San Francisco emphasised studying and commemorating the saints of one’s homeland; the importance of reading the lives of recent saints and elders; how many deceptions and heresies among Orthodox Christians today are due to neglecting the lives of the saints; how to resist sexual temptation by reading about saints who were tempted; how the disabled and sick can benefit from reading the lives of saints who suffered similarly; and why a woman saint who was being tortured felt pain, unlike many martyrs who reportedly felt no pain. Duration: 4hrs 7mins Visit our website: www.OrthodoxTalks.com