The
Holy and Righteous John of Kronstadt recalled this vision which he
had in January of 1901:
After
evening prayers I laid down to rest a little in my dimly lit cell
since I was fatigued. Hanging before the icon of the Mother of God
was my lit lampada. Not more than a half-hour had passed when I heard
a soft rustle. Someone touched my left shoulder, and in a tender
voice said to me, “Arise servant of God John, and follow the will
of God!” I arose and saw near the window a glorious Staretz (elder)
with frosty gray hair, wearing a black mantia, and holding a staff in
his hand. He looked at me tenderly, and I could scarcely keep from
falling because of my great fear. My hands and feet trembled, and I
wanted to speak, but my tongue would not obey me. The Staretz made
the sign of the cross over me, and calm and joy soon came over me.
Then I made the sign of the cross myself. He then pointed to the
western wall of my cell with his staff in order that I should notice
a certain spot. The Staretz had inscribed on the wall the following
numbers: 1913, 1914, 1917, 1922, 1924, and 1934. Suddenly the wall
vanished, and I walked with the Staretz toward a green field and saw
a mass of crosses-thousands standing as gravemarkers. They were
wooden, clay, or gold. I asked the Staretz, “What are these crosses
for?” He softly answered, “They are for those who suffered and
were murdered for their faith in Christ and for the Word of God and
have become martyrs!” And so we continued to walk.
Suddenly
I saw an entire river of blood and asked the Staretz, “What is the
meaning of this blood? How much has been spilled?” The Staretz
looked around and replied, “This is the blood of true Christians!”
The Staretz then pointed to some clouds, and I saw a mass of burning
white lamps. They began to fall to the ground one after another by
the tens and by the hundreds. During their descent they grew dim and
turned to ashes. The Staretz then said to me, “Look!” I saw on a
cloud seven burning lamps. I asked, “What is the meaning of the
burning lamps which fell to the ground” He said, “Those are the
churches of God which have fallen into heresy, but these seven lamps
on the clouds are the seven Catholic and Apostolic Churches which
will remain until the end of the world!”
The
Staretz then pointed high into the air and I saw and heard angels
singing, “Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord of Sabbaoth!” Then a large crowd
of people with candles in their hands rushed by with joy on their
shining faces. They were archbishops, monks, nuns, groups of laymen,
young adults, and even children and babies. I asked the wonderworking
Staretz, “What is the meaning of these people?” He responded,
“These are all the people who suffered for the Holy, Catholic,
Apostolic Church, for the holy icons at the hands of the wicked
destroyers.” I then asked the great Staretz if I could sit down
next to them. The Staretz said, “It is too early for you to suffer,
so joining them would not be blessed by God!” Again I saw a large
group of infants who had suffered for Christ under Herod and had
received crowns from the Heavenly King.
We
walked further and went into a large church. I wanted to make the
sign of the cross, but the Staretz said, “It is not necessary to
cross yourself because this is a place of abomination and
desolation!” The church was very gloomy. On the altar was a star
and a Gospel book with stars. Candles made of tar were burning and
crackling like firewood. The chalice was standing there covered by a
strong stench. There was prosphora with stars. A priest stood before
the altar with a face like pitch and a woman was under the altar
covered in red with a star on her lips and she screamed and laughed
throughout the church saying, “I am free!” I thought “Oh, Lord,
how awful!” The people, like madmen, began to run around the altar,
scream, whistle, and clap their hands. Then they began to sing
lecherous songs. Suddenly lightning flashed, a frightening
thunderbolt resounded, the earth trembled, and the church collapsed,
sending the woman, the people, the priest, and the rest into the
abyss. I thought “Oh Lord, how awful, save us!”
The
Staretz saw what had happened as did I. I asked, “Father, tell me,
what is the meaning of this frightening church?” He responded,
“These are the earthly people, heretics who have abandoned the
Holy, Catholic, Apostolic Church and recognized the newly innovated
church which God has not blessed. In this church they do not fast, do
not attend services, and do not receive Holy Communion!” I was
frightened and said, “The Lord has pity on us, but curses those
with death!” The Staretz interrupted me and said, “Do not mourn,
but just pray!” Then I saw a throng of people, each of whom had a
star on his lips and was terribly exhausted from thirst, walking here
and there. They saw us and yelled loudly, “Holy Fathers, pray for
us. It is very hard for us because we ourselves cannot. Our Fathers
and Mothers did not teach us the Law of God. We do not even have the
name of Christ, and we have received no peace. We rejected the Holy
Spirit and the sign of the cross!” They began to cry.
I
followed after the Staretz. “Look!” he said, pointing with his
hand. I saw a mountain of human corpses stained in blood. I was very
frightened, and I asked the Staretz, “What is the meaning of these
dead bodies?” He replied, “These are people who lived the
monastic life, were rejected by the Antichrist, and did not receive
his seal. They suffered for their faith in Christ and the Apostolic
Church and received martyrs crowns dying for Christ. Pray for these
servants of God!”
Without
warning the Staretz turned to the north and pointed with his hand. I
saw an imperial palace, around which dogs were running. Wild beasts
and scorpions were roaring and charging and baring their teeth. And I
saw the Tsar sitting on a throne. His face was pale and masculine. He
was reciting the Jesus Prayer. Suddenly he fell like a dead man. His
crown fell. The wild beasts, dogs, and scorpions trampled on the
anointed Sovereign. I was frightened and cried bitterly. The Staretz
took me by my right shoulder. I saw a figure shrouded in white -- it
was Nicholas II. On his head was a wreath of green leaves, and his
face was white and somewhat bloodied. He wore a gold cross around his
neck and was quietly whispering a prayer. And then he said to me with
tears, “Pray for me, Fr. John. Tell all Orthodox Christians that I,
the Tsar-martyr, died manfully for my faith in Christ and the
Orthodox Church. Tell the Holy Fathers that they should serve a
Panahida for me, a sinner, but there will be no grave for me!”
Soon
everything became hidden in the fog. I cried bitterly praying for the
Tsar-martyr. My hands and feet trembled from fear. The Staretz said,
“Look!” Then I saw a throng of people scattered about the land
who had died from starvation while others were eating grass and
vegetation. Dogs were devouring the bodies of the dead, and the
stench was terrible. I thought, “Oh Lord, these people had no
faith. From their lips they expelled blasphemy, and for this they
received God’s anger.”
I
also saw an entire mountain of books and among the books worms were
crawling, emitting a terrible stench. I asked the Staretz, “What is
the meaning of these books?” He said, “These books are the
Godlessness and blasphemy which will infect all Christians with
heretical teachings!” Then the Staretz touched his staff to some of
the books, and they ignited into flames. The wind scattered the
ashes.
Further
on, I saw a church around which was a large pile of prayer intentions
for the departed. I bent over and wanted to read them, but the
Staretz said, “These prayer requests for the dead have been lying
here for many years, and the priests have forgotten about them. They
are never going to read them, but the dead will ask someone to pray
for them!” I asked, “Who will they get to pray for them?” The
Staretz answered: “The angels will pray for them!”
We
proceeded further, and the Staretz quickened the pace so that I could
hardly keep up with him. “Look!” he said. I saw a large crowd of
people being persecuted by demons, who were beating them with stakes,
pitchforks, and hooks. I asked the Staretz, “What is the meaning of
these people?” He answered, “These are the ones who renounced
their faith and left the Holy, Catholic, Apostolic Church and
accepted the new innovative church. This group represents priests,
monks, nuns, and laymen who renounced their vows or marriage, and
engaged in drinking and all sorts of blasphemy and slander. All of
these have terrible faces and a terrible stench comes from their
mouths. The demons beat them, driving them into the terrible abyss,
from where hellfire comes forth.” I was terribly frightened. I made
the sign of the cross while praying, “Lord deliver us from such a
fate!”
I
then saw a group of people, both old and young, all of whom were
terribly dressed, and who were raising a large, five pointed star. On
each corner were twelve demons and in the middle was satan himself
with terrifying horns and a straw head. He emitted a noxious foam
onto the people while pronouncing these words, “Arise you accursed
ones with the seal of ...” Suddenly many demons appeared with
branding irons and on all the people they placed the seal on their
lips, above the elbow and on their right hands. I asked the Staretz,
“What is the meaning of this?” He responded, “This is the mark
of the Antichrist!” I made the sign of the cross and followed after
the Staretz.
He
suddenly stopped and pointed to the east with his hand. I saw a large
gathering of people with joyous faces carrying crosses and candles in
their hands. In their midst stood a large altar as white as snow. On
the altar was the cross and the Holy Gospel and over the altar was
the aer with a golden imperial crown on which was written in golden
letters, “For the short term.” Patriarchs, bishops, priests,
monks, nuns, and laymen stood around the altar. They were all
singing, “Glory to God in the highest and peace on earth.” Out of
great joy I made the sign of the cross and praised God.
Suddenly
the Staretz waved his cross upwards three times, and I saw mountain
of corpses covered in human blood and above them angels were flying.
They were taking the souls of those murdered for the Word of God to
heaven while they sang “Alleluia!”
I
observed all this and cried loudly. The Staretz took me by the hand
and forbade me to cry. “What is pleasing to God is that Our Lord
Jesus Christ suffered and shed His precious blood for us. Such ones
will become martyrs who do not accept the seal of the Antichrist, and
all who shed their blood will receive heavenly crowns.” The Staretz
then prayed for these servants of God and pointed to the east as the
words of the Prophet Daniel came true, “Abomination of desolation.”
Finally,
I saw the cupola of Jerusalem. Above it was a star. Within the church
millions of people thronged and still many more were trying to enter.
I wanted to make the sign of the cross, but the Staretz grabbed my
hand and said, “Here is the abomination of desolation!” So we
entered into the church, and it was full of people.
I
saw an altar on which tallow candles were burning. On the altar was a
king in red, blazing, porphyry. On his head was a golden crown with a
star. I asked the Staretz, “Who is this?” He replied, “The
Antichrist!” He was very tall with eyes like fire, black eyebrows,
a wedge-shaped beard, a ferocious, cunning, evil, and terrible face.
He alone was on the altar and he reached his hands out to the people.
He had claws as those of a tiger for hands and he shouted, “I am
King. I am God. I am the Leader. He who does not have my seal will be
put to death.”
All
the people fell down and worshipped him, and he began to place his
seal on their lips and on their hands in order that they should
receive some bread and not die from hunger and thirst. Around the
Antichrist his servants were leading several people whose hands were
bound as they had not bowed down to worship him. They said, “We are
Christians, and we all believe in our Lord Jesus Christ!” The
Antichrist ripped off their heads in a flash and Christian blood
began to flow. A child was then led to the altar of the Antichrist to
worship him, but he boldly proclaimed, “I am a Christian and
believe in our Lord Jesus Christ, but you are a minister, a servant
of satan!” “Death to him!” exclaimed the Antichrist. Others who
accepted the seal of the Antichrist fell down and worshipped him.
Suddenly,
a roar of thunder resounded and a thousand lightning flashes began to
sparkle. Arrows began to strike the servants of the Antichrist. Then
a large flaming arrow flashed by and hit the Antichrist himself on
the head. As he waved his hand, his crown fell and was crushed into
the ground. Then millions of birds flew in and perched on the
servants of the Antichrist. I felt the Staretz take me by the hand.
We
walked further on, and I again saw much Christian blood. It was here
that I remembered the words of Saint John the Theologian in the book
of Revelation that blood would “be up to the horse’s bridle.” I
thought, “Oh my God, save us!” At that time I saw angels flying
and singing, “Holy, Holy, Holy. Lord of Sabbaoth!” The Staretz
looked back and went on to say, “Do not grieve, for soon, very
soon, will come the end of the world! Pray to the Lord. God be
merciful to His servants!”
Time
was drawing near to a close. He pointed to the east, fell to his
knees and began to pray so I prayed with him. Then the Staretz began
to quickly depart from the earth to the heights of heaven. As he did
so, I remembered that I did not know his name, so I cried out loudly,
“Father, what is your name?” He tenderly replied, “Seraphim of
Sarov!” That is what I saw, and this is what I have recorded for
Orthodox Christians.
A
large bell rang above my head, and I heard the sound and arose from
bed. “Lord, bless and help me through the prayers of the great
Staretz! You have enlightened me, the sinful servant, the priest John
of Kronstadt.”
Translated
by Priestmonk Orestes, Christ the Saviour Orthodox Seminary
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