„During the terrible times that we are facing, without many spiritually guides, those who want to please God through a pure life, have only God Himself and the teachings of the Holy Fathers as guidance and teacher”. (Saint Paisios of Neamț).
What was the great starets referring to by „the terrible times that we are facing” in 1766, when he was writting the words of this motto? Was he referring to temporary circumstances, as the Tatar invasion in 1758, the riots from Iași, in 1759 and Bucharest, in 1764 – 1765? Did he forsee the Russo-Austro-Turkish War that was going to devastate Moldova and Vallachia between the years 1769–1774? Without doubt he was referring to a period that was in many ways terrible, but, mainly, he was considering the spiritual twilight of mankind. This twilight was foreseen by Holy Fathers from the earliest of times. [ continuare … ]