Priest Da n i e l S y s o e v
Instructions f o r t h e i m m o rta l or what to do, if you still die
Charity fund ÂŤMissionary center of a name of priest Daniel SysoevÂť Moscow, 2012
As you know, this subject is one that is absolutely relevant to everybody, as you will have to die, whether you like it or not. Unfortunately, since Adam and Eve, death has been everyone’s fate. Although unfortunate, abnormal, unnatural, and contrary to what God intends for us, death becomes something of a second nature for us, something that the Lord had defeated with His Resurrection. However, he did not commit the cruelty of giving us an immortal life now, while we are still in corrupt bodies. Rather, he granted us Resurrection in immortal bodies. The very same ones, but immortal. One can understand why the Lord did not grant us eternal life right now. Grandmothers, consider this: would you like to live forever, continually sick? No. Think about this: When people say they would like to live forever, and don’t think about the fact that while it would be good to live forever, it would also be quite desirable to live without illness. Would you disagree?
Recommended for publication by the Publications Board Russian Orthodox Church PB 11–109 – 0864 Priest Daniel Sysoev Instructions for the immortal or what to do, if you still die ISBN 978–5–4279–0002–7 © Yulia Sysoeva, 2012 © Charity fund «Missionary center of a name of priest Daniel Sysoev», 2012
Contents
The History of the fall, and the appearance of handes . .......4 Above.......................................................................................11 The Structure of the Universe ..............................................13 About the soul . ......................................................................15 Reasons for death. The righteous, the sinners, and “those in between”............19 An ideal death. An awful death . ...........................................27 Preparations for death, temptations and virtues . ...............31 The approach of death. The moment of death....................43 Perception after death ..........................................................55 Prayers for the deceased, the funeral, and 40 days’ prayers...........................................60 The world beyondthe grave; the toll-houses; the examples of the saints .....................................................64 The significance of the Mysteries .........................................69 The Way to Heaven.................................................................74 Paradise...................................................................................81 The General Resurrection ....................................................86 Birth, baptism, school years...................................................91
The History of the fall, and the appearance of handes
In order to understand what is happening to us in life, in our discussion of death we have to first clarify the structure of the Universe. We have to realize that the structure of the Universe was constantly changing in radical ways. Originally, there was no Universe; there was only the Lord God. The Lord created two worlds, two creations that were mutually interconnected: the invisible world and the visible world. Every day, we hear about this as Psalm 103 is chanted. Both the invisible and the visible worlds were split asunder as consequences of falls into sin: The first was the fall of the Morning Star and the Angels that followed him, and the second was the fall into sin by Adam and Eve, the first people. With sin, sicknesses, corruption, and death entered into the visible world. The Lord said to Adam: “...Dust thou art, and to dust wilt thou return” (Genesis 3: 19) This contemplated not only man’s bodily departure 4
The History of the fall, and the appearance of handes
into the earth, but the fact that the human soul departs to the underground chasm of Hades, something that remained the case until the redemptive Resurrection by the Son of God was accomplished. The Bible describes Hades for us quite succinctly and in considerable detail. According to the Word of God, Hades is an enormous underground place (Joshua 14:Â 15). Of course, despite the fact that many people have taken the words of the Bible literally and tried to find Hades in the bowels of the earth, that image should not be taken literally. About five to seven years ago, there was a spate of published reports to the effect that drillers had discovered Hades below the surface of the earth. However, interestingly enough, those who reprinted the original newspaper report that led people astray failed to notice that the issue was published on April 1, and people simply did not get the [April Fools] joke. Actually, the underground does have a certain connection to Hades, and that connection is discussed in the lives of certain saints and in other sources of Church Tradition. However, the tie is not a geographic one, and does not suggest that geographically, Hades is below. In a certain sense, Hades is below, but in a different dimension. Our world has a dimension in addition to the three dimensions we use to measure space and time. I think that this is something each of us realizes, for we can guess 5
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things that are to happen, and we can comprehend time as such. Obviously, if we lived in but three dimensions, we would be unable to recognize or comprehend such a thing. Actually, our souls also belong to the invisible world, one with a relationship to this world, but as some type of supplemental dimension. Thus, according to the Word of God, Hades, which appeared as the result of a rebellion by the first humans, is a prison for souls, as the Holy Apostle Peter says. Just like a holding tank, but not a place of torture, not a place of punishment, but rather a place where, as the Bible says, souls are in something akin to age-long sleep. But in what sense of the term “sleep?” Here we must clearly understand how Jehovah’s Witnesses, who believe that the soul goes to sleep, are mistaken. For Jehovah’s Witnesses, death is sleep without dreaming. Perhaps Jehovah’s Witnesses do not in fact consciously have dreams, but all of us know that sleep is not a comatose state. While we sleep, our consciousness continues to function, but in a special way. We can even be conscious of ourselves, but we are incapable of influencing the dream. Do you see what happens? I can see something, but I am incapable of exerting any influence upon it. I can feel something, I can sense something, but it is impossible for me to change anything. Thus, you can see that the analogy to sleep is true. Like in ordinary sleep, in the underworld the 6
The History of the fall, and the appearance of handes
same kind of fate awaits one who has gone down into the underground place of confinement for souls. A few more words about Hades: Hades is a kind of underground into which people who have fallen into sin go, and to this day, all of the unbaptized, without exception, wind up there. Hades is a place with a certain structure. One finds himself higher or lower within Hades, depending upon the extent of evil he has done. Before the Lord entered into Hades, there was a special section for the righteous. It was separated from the rest of Hades by a certain chasm, but nonetheless it remained in Hades. It was referred to as the Bosom of Abraham. Remember, in the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, there was a very clear description of a certain sheol, i.e. an invisible place. Actually, Hades is a Greek term for “underground kingdom.� Sheol cannot be seen, because it is a place of darkness. In that sheol there was a special place set aside for the righetous who hoped in Christ, in the coming of God and in God’s intervention in history, a place for those who had encountered Christ God while they were yet alive. Experiencing that encounter made life more fulfilling for them, and, one might say, their hope made their life more substantial, more solidly built than that of the other occupants of Hades. 7
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However, they are no longer there, for what did our Lord Jesus Christ do when He descended into Hades? He freed all of the righteous. Likewise, he released all of the sinners who while yet alive on earth had repented of their sins, had served the One God, and had striven to come to Him. The Lord took them away as well, because they had believed on Him and had come unto Him. After the Lord destroyed the gates of Hades, it became possible to leave Hades, and those who wanted to, availed themselves of the opportunity. It was those who had sought after God during their life on earth that wanted to; if one had not sought after God in life, he could in no wise want to leave Hades, for after death, there is no repentance. The possibility of leaving Hades was granted those who had accepted Holy Baptism. This is the basis for the remarkable and mystical rite observed each Pentecost, when during the second prayer, directed to Christ the Savior, we appeal on behalf of the souls that are in Hades, in the hope that they might be shown mercy and help, to provide them some relief from their condition. Hades was, after all, devastated, and Satan was deprived of his power. Today he is in Hades. Before, he was not there. You have to know that before, Satan would come to Hades in order to mock its prisoners; but in no way did he live there. Satan’s authority was in another place. 8
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It was in the air, which is why he is called the prince of the realm of the air. It is very important for us to know that. Why? Because for practical reasons, it is extremely dangerous for us to hold an idea that demons live in Hades . According to the Book of the Prophet Ezekiel, Hades is so structured that ordinarily people’s souls were right next to those of their ancestors, all the way to the patriarch of the Chosen People. Thus, all of the ancestors of the first peoples lay as if in coffins. These were rational souls, possessed of consciousness, but incapable of changing anything. They lay in coffins, and around them lay their descendants. By the way, this is what gave rise to the idea of a cult of ancestor worship. This gave rise to the idea that in that world, where you were buried and with whom you were buried, was very important. It was such ideas that gave rise to the attitude towards cemeteries held by Russian people, and not just by Russians, but by other peoples on this earth, attitudes toward certain special places as somehow tied to what happens beyond the grave. There were links, but those links were in the past. Now it makes absolutely no difference to one’s soul where his body was laid to rest. Even if the human body is cremated, if the person himself did not want that done, there would be absolutely no sin imputed to him, and the damage to the body would not damage the soul. Did burning 9
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the Holy Martyrs inflict damage on them in any way? No. You see? It is very important to remember this, because sometimes people do not understand it properly. For all of us, in many ways the earth upon which we live is a place to which we have a heart-felt attachment. As the Lord said, “For where your treasure is, there shall your heart be also.� (Matthew 6: 21). And a person can be very intimately attached to the earth. One loves the earth, loves some things done on the earth, loves some earthly things. For the soul, none of these things pass away for no reason. The more a person loves the earth, the more attached to it he becomes, the more difficult it is for him to part from it. We will talk about about what happens when a person dies, about his fate and the nature of dying for the a soul. Where do we go when we leave the body? From the body, we go not into Hades, but into the air, and thus the question arises: Who lives there? This is something we need to clearly understand.
Above
Above the earth is the kingdom of Satan. Above the earth is the realm of the spirits beneath the heavens, a place where the devil rules. Sacred Scripture speaks frankly about this, calling it “spiritual wickedness in high places...” (Ephesians 6, 12); “the prince of the realm of the air” reigns in this kingdom near the earth. What is this tied to? According to an ancient text based on the readings of the Prophet Ezekiel, a cherub named Lucifer, then still faithful to God, was originally assigned as Guardian Angel of the planet earth (Ezekiel 28: 13–16). According to God’s plan, the earth was be the heartland of Creation. Lucifer was the first of the Angels, and accordingly authority to rule over the heart of material Creation ws entrusted to the highest of the Angels. It is precisely related to this is that when the rebellious cherub revolted against God, and when man supported him in that rebellion, he was able to establish his own dark kingdom above the earth and below the heavens. It is dark in the sense that it appears to be in 11
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darkness, for within it there is no Divine light. Any of the most unclean places on earth seem like oases of cleanliness in comparison to the uncleanness of the kingdom above the earth, but upon observation the place often appears to be filled with a false light, for, as the Apostle Paul says, “Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light” (II Corinthians 11: 14). He is also capable of appearing to people in other forms, but they are all unreal and changeable, as if some kind of mask that he assumes. Moreover, he shines with a certain light all his own – the light of Lucifer. This is the light seen by practitioners of the occult, sorcerers, and magicians. And they name the devil’s dwelling place quite clearly: They call it the astral, from the word “astrum,” or star. That is, the skies, the airy realm. The place is also called the cosmos. This does not refer to the material cosmos, which is obedient to the Creator, but rather to that aggregate of people and angels who live according to the laws of evil. It is over them that Satan rules. Therefore, when people talk about cosmic intelligence, they are talking about Satan. If you are invited to partake of cosmic intelligence, you must understand that you are being invited to personally tie yourself to Lucifer, and under no circumstances to God. The Heavens to this day are obedient to God, and are occupied by good, blessed spirits.
The Structure of the Universe
The Bible states that that there are three Heavens. In the Second Epistle to the Corinthians, the Apostle Paul says, “I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago (whether in the body, I cannot tell, or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth) such an one caught up to the third heaven. And I knew such a man (whether in the body or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth.) How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities.” (II Corinthians 12: 2–5). In that excerpt the Apostle Paul is talking about himself, but in the third person, as if describing not himself, but some other person. Thus, the first Heaven is the atmosphere, the second, cosmic space, and the third Heaven is the invisible world. It was into the invisible world that the Apostle Paul was caught up, and where he contemplated God. He also was caught up into Paradise, which, as the highest part of the world, 13
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is divided from it by a revolving, flaming sword. Nonetheless, that is the loftiest and most perfect part of the world. As St. Ephraim of Syria said, even for people in the flesh, it is in some sense attainable,. I do now know whether in the flesh or not. And that Paradise is also a preliminary place for souls. As St. John Chrysostom said, we received more than we had lost; we lost Paradise, but were promised the Kingdom of God. But as yet, the Kingdom of God remains unattainable, and the New Jerusalem has not a single resident . It was created by God, but has not yet been populated. It will be, once the Lord comes down to us with Heavenly fire. That will be on the day the world ends. Finally, above all worlds, God rules in His eternal Kingdom: God Who fills all things, Who holds all things, Who directs all things, Who permeates all, and Who is greater than all. He Himself is the place for everything and for Himself. God is omnipresent. But is God in Hades? The Bible directly states that He is also in Hades: King David says, “If I go up into heaven, Thou art there; if I go down into Hades, Thou art present there” (Psalm 138: 8). God’s realm fills absolutely everything, and everything exists by His Will. That is the structure of the Creation in which we live.
About the soul
Now, as to our souls: What is the soul? Many think that inside us lives some separate “little person,� and they do not want to believe in the soul. But remember, that the soul is an intelligence, with a will and with senses. Obviously, if one does not believe that he has a mind, he is logically called mad. There is nothing to talk about with such a person, for what is there to talk about with an irrational, weak-willed blockhead? In fact, the soul is the mind, with both will and senses, and also possessing a certain vital capacity that animates the body. St. John Damascene distinguishes between a rational and an irrational part existing within the soul . That rational part, as I have said, is the loftier part of the soul. Highest of all in the soul is the intellect; it is also called the spirit, for it contains the Holy Spirit, which through the mind enlightens the entire person. This is why a person comes to the Church – by faith, which first transfigures the mind and then subdues the will and feelings. 15
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In like manner, the irrational part of our soul is divided into that which is subject to reason and that which is not. An example of what is subject to reason is anger, created and instilled in us by God so that with its help we might drive sins away from us. There are other things having to do with our soul that are simply not subject to our reason. For example, there is the power that gives us the possibility of growing and developing, the power that supports life in our body. That power is not subject to our body, but it is also a manifestation of our soul, possessed of will and feeling. The apprehension of the soul as being a separate person living within us, reflects some measure ofcommon sense. The soul has, as it were, a separate mechanism directing the body. There is the concept of “phantom pain.� For example: a person has a leg amputated, and yet it hurts, because the lower part of the soul, not subject to reason, continues to search for the missing member. As St. Gregory of Nyssa says, the soul bears upon it the stamp of the body which is dear to it, for it is not normal for a person to be an incorporeal being. This is why we believe in the resurrection of the body, and not simply the soul. One who believes in the immortality of the soul and thinks that after death he immediately enters into the Kingdom of Heaven and receives the full measure of bliss is not a Christian. 16
About the soul
Death, as mentioned earlier, is also an abnormal state, but for a Christian, death is distinctly different from death of someone who has no idea of Christianity. Wherein does this difference among human beings lie? For the Christian, the individual is not destroyed, but for the non-Christian, it is, for the understanding of “individual person”encompasses both soul and body. “I am in pain,” says a person, although it is his body that hurts, while his soul is quite healthy. When someone who has not been baptized dies, the soul is parted from the body, and the power that binds them together is lost. The body is left to lie in the grave, and the soul goes off into the chasms of the underworld to await the day of Judgment. That is not how it is for the Christian. The tie between his soul and body remains intact, for God is omnipresent, and He seals the body and soul at Baptism, when the person receives the seal of anointing with Myrrh, the seal of the Holy Spirit. That seal is put on the body, but simultaneously the soul is blessed. When a person receives the Body and Blood of the Lord, he literally becomes of one body with Christ, with Christ’s Blood literally flowing in his veins. The person’s body becomes Christ’s Flesh, which is why we are called members of the Body of Christ. In this way, the tie between a Christian’s body and soul cannot be destroyed. The soul is 17
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separated from the body, but through God, the tie remains. It is for that reason that we pray before the relics of saints; in the righteous ones, the tie [between body and soul] has been maintained as well. Before, people did not pray [before relics]; until the Savior’s redemptive work of Redemption had been accomplished, that tie did not exist .
Reasons for death. The righteous, the sinners, and “those in between”
Now, as to dying. It is very important to remember that death is in the hands of God. He says, “ I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal; neither is there any that can deliver out of My hand.” (Deuteronomy 32: 39). In the Book of the Apocalypse, Christ says, “[I] have [in My hands] the keys of hell and of death.” (Revelation 1: 18). The keys depicted in the Savior’s hands in the icon are symbol of the fact that the Lord has complete authority over Hades and death. Note that He is not holding the keys to Paradise. They are kept by the Apostles and their successors, i.e. by the priests who remit people’s sins. Why does God call a person at some given moment? Ordinarily, we do not know all of God’s judgments, but there exist certain notions, certain general concepts that demand individual clarificatios. Often, one dies when he has sufficiently 19
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matured to enter into eternity. As it is written in the Gospels, “So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground; And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how. For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear. But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come.” (Mark 4: 26–29). So, the Kingdom of God develops within the person. As soon as that person has matured unto eternity, he is immediately taken away. By the way, the rate of maturation is in no way related to ordinary time. Here is what the book of the Wisdom of Solomon has to say on the subject: “...the souls of the righteous are in the hand of God, and there shall no torment touch them. In the sight of the unwise they seemed to die, and their departure is taken for misery, and their going from us to be utter destruction, but they are in peace. For though they be punished in the sight of men, yet is their hope full of immortality. And having been a little chastised, they shall be greatly rewarded: for God proved them, and found them worthy for Himself. As gold in the furnace hath He tried them, and received them as a burnt offering. And in the time of their visitation they shall shine, and run to and fro like sparks among the stubble. They shall judge the nations, and have dominion over the people, and their Lord shall reign forever. They that put their trust in Him shall understand 20
Reasons for death. The righteous, the sinners, and “those in between”
the truth, and such as be faithful in love shall abide with Him; for grace and mercy is to His saints,and He hath care for His elect.(Wisdom of Solomon 3: 1–9). The Lord continues, “But though the righteous be prevented with death, yet shall he be in rest. For honorable age is not that which standeth in length of time, not that is measured by number of years. But wisdom is the gray hair unto men, and an unspotted life is old age. He pleased God, and was beloved of Him: so that living among sinners he was translated. Yea, speedily was he taken away, lest that wickedness should alter his understanding, or deceit beguile his soul. For the bewitching of naughtiness doth obscure things that are honest; and the wandering of concupiscence doth undermine the simple mind. He was made perfect in a short time, fulfilled a long time, for his soul pleased the Lord: therefore hasted He to take him away from among the wicked. This the people saw, and understood it not, neither laid they up this in their minds, that His grace and mercy is with his saints, and that He hath respect unto His chosen. Thus the righteous that is dead shall condemn the ungodly which are living; and youth that is soon perfected the many years and old age of the unrighteous.” (Wisdom of Solomon 4: 7-16). Do you see what the question of maturity is in the eyes of God? It sometimes happens that the Lord leaves an already matured righteous one on earth for a time. This is done so that the person might bear witness to eternity before men. The person 21
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is already sufficiently mature, and is already living life eternal here on earth, but the Lord keeps him alive so that through him, someone might be brought to God. Here we can see that everything the Lord does is according to His will. Now, as to sinners. The Lord takes away sinners when they have reached the limits of evil. That is also something obvious to us. The person carried on disgracefully, and the Lord took him in the act, when he had reached the point of evil. But here as well, there are sometimes exceptions. For example, the Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, crossed the line into evil, but the Lord left him alone. Why? So that He might demonstrate upon him God’s power and glory, so that all peoples might hold the Name of God in awe. He graphically made it clear how you should not behave, and what would happen to those who behave badly. The Lord specifically states that in His eyes, [Pharaoh] was already a dead man, but that he was left alone so that the fullness of Divine Might could be demonstrated – as a graphic exhibit to make a point, if you will. It is in this vein that here are cases of extremely lawless people remaining on earth. The Lord leaves them here specifically so that He might then demonstrate His glory upon them, and remind people that they should not become attached to the earth. The earth is not the Kingdom of God, in the 22
Reasons for death. The righteous, the sinners, and “those in between”
sense that it is not a place where people will live for eternity. Blessed Augustine raises the question of why even righteous peoples are sometimes given evil rulers. After all, we know that rulers are installed not by man, but by God. He installs kings, and He brings them down, as He wills. God does so in order that people not get used to it, that they not think that all their hopes should be tied to the country’s earthly successes. That is why he sends evil rulers, so that man might be distracted from earthly vanity and instead might seek after the Heavenly Kingdom, which is incorruptible. I think that during the reign of Boris Nikolaevitch Yeltsin, people did not become very attached to the earth. Thus, the Lord accomplished His work. But let’s get back to the subject. Finally, there are the other people ,the so-called “in between,” whom the Lord also takes away. This happens because God knows that after someone has matured, he can fall into some grievous sin, and so He takes him away before that can happen. These are the principal directions that are taken as death approaches. Naturally, we do not know the span of time alloted to us. There have been instances in which the Lord has revealed to someone when death would come, but such cases are rare . Why? Because otherwise, man would say, “My death is not for a long time yet. Right now, I will go on a 23
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spree, and later will repent, and that’s that.” Later, that repentance would not follow, as the habit of sin would have become second nature, and the man would be incapable of entering into eternity. For that reason, the Lord hides from us the time of our death; yet we should be ever mindful of it. St. John Climacus gave a brilliant rule to be given to a priest, a pastor. “Don’t ever miss an opportunity to remind someone that he will die.” Our culture today follows quite the opposite. We are constantly told, “We try not to talk about death.” For example, in the past, how were coffins carried? In the village, a respected person was hand-carried, no? Later, they began to carry people by car, transporting them across the city, along with an orchestra. And now, they close him up in a “pazik” [a little minibus] with shades drawn so that nobody might see him, and they are off! I am often called to deal with the dying and the deceased. It is interesting to see how often people try to avoid staying with the deceased! This has to do with their being afraid of thinking about death. In fact, they are taking an entirely incorrect approach. A normal Christian should strive to often follow King Solomon’s advice that “It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting...” (Ecclesiastes7: 2). This is why it is very useful to visit the cemetery.. 24
Reasons for death. The righteous, the sinners, and “those in between”
Our seminarians used to like to visit morgues. I remember that I used to go. It is a very sobering experience; you come to your senses very quickly. In their cells, some of the saints used to keep skulls, coffins, and other reminders of death. Many would dig graves for themselves. — Why do infants die? — For this reason. The Lord sees that a baptized infant can now enter the Kingdom of God, but if left to live, will become a robber. Here is a wellknown story: An angel took an infant’s life. A certain monk wanted to know God’s Judgment; it was revealed to him that in time, the child would have grown up to be the leader of a gang of thieves, but that now he would enter the Kingdom of God. An infant’s death can also be explained by the fact that a person can attain the heights of righteousness very quickly. Take the example of Cyricus. How old was he? Holy Martyr Cyricus was three years old. He is a great Righteous One in the heavens. How about the Infants of Bethlehem? The Lord knows what paths man will take. The Lord is able, as they say, to calculate. God sees man’s exercise of free will, but does not decide it for him; He uses the exercise of free will by murderers and other people in order to accomplish what He has decided. By violating God’s Commandment, a murderer commits a sin; however, he is incapable of 25
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violating God’s will. Understood? For if the Lord does not find a given murder not in accordance with his wishes, He will not allow it to happen: there will be a misfire, a bomb will fail to go off, etc. There are many examples... I happened to be watching the news, and there was a report of a terrorist attack in India in which 65 people perished, but in which two explosive devices did not go off. It was the Lord’s will that certain people perish, and others not. Statistics demonstrate that on flights that crash, there is a onethird greater number of people than usual who are either late for the flight or have given up their tickets. You see, everything happens according to God’s will. However, in no way does that justify the evil done. Man’s evil will is used to accomplish God’s good will, but one can in no way justify doing evil. God simply uses those people, and that is all.
An ideal death. An awful death
Now, what kind of death is best.? For a Christian, the best death is to be martyred for the sake of Christ the Savior. That is the best possible way for man to die. Some people sent condolences to Optina Hermitage after the murder of three monk [on Pascha, 1993], but for a Christian, that kind of death is a very great joy. In the ancient Church, they would never send their condolences when someone somewhere was killed. All of the churches would immediately send out congratulations. Imagine, to congratulate them with having a new defender in the Heavens! A martyr’s death washes away all sins except for heresy and schism. All other sins – fornication, murder, adultery – are washed away. Heresy is distortion of the teachings of the Church, a distortion made not out of ignorance, but a conscious distortion, going against the will of God. Is that not so? Schism is an organized rebellion against the Church. All other sins are washed away. Remember the martyr St. Boniface! 27
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The Slavic language is always letting us down. Ever since the Slavs mistranslated the word “martyr,” we have always misunderstood it. We should not read the word “martyr” as commonly understood [one who has been tortured.] A martyr is a witness, a term Arabs correctly render as “shaheed.” Except that the shaheed is a witness to evil, the spirit-Allah, while for us, a martyr witnesses that Christ is good, and that He conquered death. Thus, a martyr is one who by his death has borne witness that Christ conquered death, that He rose from the dead. That is the meaning of “martyr,” a witness, not someone who was tortured. We have martyrs who died natural deaths. Take the example of the Protomartyr St. Thecla, who had a natural repose, but is still a martyr. Other examples are the martyrs St. Golindukha and St. Shushanika. We know that although they endured torture, they died natural deaths. Yet, they are martyrs, for they bore witness to the the Word of God with their lives and their deaths. Now: of course, we pray always. I think that when each of us signs himself with the sign of the Cross and makes a prostration at the prayer asking for “a Christian ending to our life, painless, blameless, peaceful, and a good defense at the Dread Judgment of Christ,” it is a heart-felt and sincere plea. I hope that each of us sincerely desires these 28
An ideal death. An awful death
things. It is interesting to consider that when talking about the end of life, of all the possible ways for life to end, the best death is one we can anticipate. For this reason being ill with cancer is often thought to be a kind mercy from God, for one knows that in several months, he will die. He can prepare, he can become reconciled to others, he can somehow correct himself, and can prepare himself for eternity. The most awful death that can befall a Christian is a sudden death, for then he goes off into eternity unprepared. — So you should not pursue medical treatment? — You should pursue treatment. Who says you should not? Under current law, a physician who conceals the diagnosis from the patient is a criminal, and is subject to incarceration for, I believe, up to three years, which is a fair sentence. The doctor is required to tell not the relatives, but the patient himself. I believe that this was enacted in 1995, following the example of the West. — What do you do if the relatives won’t disclose the patient’s condition to him? — They are criminals. If one knows that death is approaching, but conceals the fact, he is a criminal; he is an awful person. It is not good to lie, especially in such circumstances. AIDS is a punishment from God, one that can bring about a 29
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person’s correcting himself. What is the cause of 90% of the cases of AIDS? Narcotics or homosexuality. Only 3% of those infected with AIDS are children. 90%, or some say 95%, from drug addiction and depravity. [AIDS] is obviously a punishment from God. However, let’s get back to our subject.
Preparations for death, temptations and virtues
How does one prepare for death? When one is sick, what does he need to do? “Is any sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.” (James 5: 14–15). When illness strikes, we turn to Holy Unction. However, to this day, there is a myth, with origins in Roman Catholic teaching, that Holy Unction is the performance of “last rites.” That understanding is incorrect. Holy Unction in fact is administered for the purpose of getting well, and is often a Mystery of healing. I have witnessed many instances of healing. I know priests who have personally witnessed hundreds, even thousands of healings following Holy Unction. Why? Because in healing a sick person, the Lord proves to him that his body will be resurrected. Do you see why healing 31
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is given? In order to convince us in the resurrection of the body. If the body has no value, if it rots in the grave, there is no point in healing it. Thus, in case of any illness, it is essential to turn to the Mystery of Holy Unction. If you have been diagnosed with a potentially fatal disease, be it an oncological or some other malady, it is essential to prepare in the following way. First of all, it is essential to cut back to all your secular affairs to the very minimum, i.e. to say goodbye to all of your earthly affairs. You need to settle all of your debts, so that they not burden other people. You must be reconciled to those near and dear to you. You need to so arrange things that you have a lot of free time. The devil prompts us to lead an exhausting, frantic life. He tries to occupy us with so much hustle and bustle that we don’t have time to take a breath. In the Bible, when Moses came to Pharaoh and said “Let my people go,” (Exodus 5: 1), how did he respond? “Ye are idle, ye are idle; therefore ye say, let us go and do sacrifice to the Lord.” (Exodus 5: 17). That is how, to this day, the devil continues to speak (and why he is called a spiritual Pharaoh), so that in occupying themselves with daily hustle and bustle, people might forget about everything. If you have been given a diagnosis that is not comforting, you need to try to make more free 32
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time for yourself. Note that for us, things are now quite the opposite. People given such a diagnosis burden themselves with ever more work in an effort to avoid thinking about death. That is stupid. You need to think about it. You need to look into your soul and try to see what is missing, try to do now whatever good works you can. The gist is that the trajectory you take into eternity depends upon what you do before your death. To make a comparison: the faster a plane accelerates at takeoff, the steeper will be its ascent. This is to say, the more you strive after the life in God before your death, the higher you will ascend to the Kingdom of God. Remember that our task is not simply to get into Paradise, but to ascend as high as possible within Paradise, to receive as many gifts as possible. God wishes for His children to want the greater and not the lesser. The temptation that strikes before death is a temptation to become despondent. An awful sense of anguish comes crashing down upon the person, and he says, “How, why, for what reason am I dying now?” That question is pointless. You need to ask instead, “What should I do now?” Remember, that kind of silent anguish does not come from God. Christ is called God the Word. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1: 1). Our God is Christ, He 33
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is the Word, and that is why the Christian is completely rational, and every dumb irrational desire stems from God’s enemy. Who is it that wants to deprive us of reason? Only the enemy of God. Any despondency, any fatigue you experience does not come from God. How are you healed of them? By hope. Despondency is treated with sure hope. When one sees that he is threatened with death, in what should he surely hope? In the Creed, the Symbol of Faith, it says, “I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the age to come.” That is the best medicine for fatigue and despondency. Time is short, and we should thank God that he has revealed our looming death; it follows that it is time to pack our bags. Silly people say, “I am going to go on a tear before I die.” But why? It is much better to pack your bags. For example, suppose you have purchased a tour and have gone off to rest in a resort in some foreign land. While there, you need to buy something, so you have to exchange your rubles for dollars or euros. Do you have the required new currency? Exactly in like manner, when preparing to go off into the other world, it is essential to quickly convert as much as possible so that you will have the wherewithal to live there. It is literally through acts of charity that we gather up a heavenly treasure. The Lord says, “Sell 34
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that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (Luke 12: 33–34). What is your task? To quickly acquire as much capital as possible for yourself. Yet,it will not be very pleasant for me if I should go off to a foreign land with a lot of capital, but naked. The climate may be a problem for me. So it is after all essential for me to review my wardrobe and see whether my clothing is so ragged that I will disgrace myself before the foreigners. Likewise, when preparing to depart from this world, it is essential to see how your soul is clothed. The Lord said of the church of Laodicea, “Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked. I counsel thee to buy of Me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear, and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.” (Revelation 3: 17–18). Here is your task: to look to the clothing of your soul. In what is it attired? In virtues. Therefore it is necessary to see what is lacking, in order to at least begin to take corrective action. Remember, any passion that you do not 35
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oppose will consume you, for after your death, all of the passions come crawling out into the open. Note that this does not mean that you have to get a complete grip on yourself. Of course, it would be wonderful to be able to cope and be dispassionate. What is the best kind of death? When the Holy Spirit says to you plainly that you are already saved. There is an idea, like an assurance, a special state of the heights of spiritual life, in which the Holy Spirit Himself tells someone that he will get into the Heavenly Kingdom. The Apostle Paul said on the subject, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day; and not to me only, but unto all them also that love His appearing.” (II Timothy 4: 7–8). That is to say, the Apostle Paul was certain that he would be saved. Likewise, another interesting example: St. Anthony the Great rejoiced before his death, because he was certain that the Lord would save him, for the Lord Himself had so advised the saint. Remember what St. Seraphim of Sarov said, “Come to me at my grave, and I will pray to God for you.” Blessed Matrona would say the same. Why? Because they were so confident in themselves? No, rather because they had received the assurance from the Holy Spirit that they would be saved. That is not something 36
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you can do on your own. It is a decision made by God Himself, as He said, but it is something toward which you should strive, for in fact, your best assurance of being saved is God’s Word. — Can a demon confuse you? — No, a demon cannot. When God has made a pronouncement, you can’t confuse it with anything else. If you have any doubt, it is probably not from God. God’s Word comes directly in the following way: first the fruits of the Holy Spirit come, and then God speaks with the person. In the Epistle to the Galatians, it states, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance...” (Galatians 5: 22–23). Here these gifts of the Holy Spirit appear in witness of the fact that the person is approaching closer to God, and then God speaks to him. We know that right after someone has left the body, he will have to enter a state that is quite unpleasant for him; he will have to encounter evil spirits. As we know, our relations with them are, I would hope, not good. We would very much not want to have good relations with them. Thus, upon encountering the evil spirits, we will have to engage them in battle. To that end, it is necessary not only to examine what we are wearing, but also what weapons we will need to use in doing battle with them. What are these arms ? In Chapter 6 of 37
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the Epistle to the Ephesians, the Apostle Paul describes in detail the mechanics of preparing for that awful day: “Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” (Ephesians 6: 11–13). The day of death, the day we encounter the dark princes, is an excruciating, fierce day, so it is essential to inventory and take all of the weapons. What must the full armor of God be? St. Theophan the recluse tells us to examine how we are set for armor. What kind of “full armor” should there be? “So, stand, having girded your loins with truth,” says Theophan the Recluse. The loins of the mind must be bound with truth. First and foremost, the body must be clean; fornication, depravity, and things of that ilk must have come to an end. The mind must immerse itself in contemplation of God’s dogmas. It is essential that before you die, you examine yourself against dogmatic theology, for anyone entering into Paradise is asked to give the password. Did you know this? They do not let you in without the password. The Symbol of Faith is the password into the Kingdom of God. You 38
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cannot get in without it. The very word “symbol” means “password.” — And can we ever forget it? — If you have never thought about it, you will, of course forget it; if you were interested in it, you will not forget it. Thus, you first have to examine yourself against the Faith. Further, it is essential to put on the “breastplate of righteousness,” i.e. to check whether at that moment you are obeying all of the Commandments or not. Then, “your feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace.” That is to say, you must put on footwear, but what footwear? You must put on readiness to walk [following] along the Gospels into the world of God. Are you ever ready to always walk in accordance with the Gospels? You have to examine yourself. “Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherefore ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked..”. Look and see to what extent you trust in God. Examine yourselves in terms of despondency or despair; can you easily push them away, or no?. If it is not easy for you, ask God for an increase of faith. Yes, moving on. “And take the helmet of salvation.”The helmet of salvation is resolute hope in salvation from God. Now, as to the battle. Remember that your arms were given to you for use in battle: the helmet – so that you would hope 39
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in salvation, the sword – so that with the word of God, you might do battle with the demons, and so that with prayers, with the word of God, you might drive them out. You have to have a firm grasp of the dogmas so that no demon can knock you off track, and so that everything needed for righteousness might be at the ready. “And the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” First of all, read God’s word. I think, for example, that if one is taken ill with some serious, potentially fatal disease, he should re-read all of the Sacred Scriptures, from beginning to end, or at least begin to do so. Please remember that we use God’s word not just as a text, but as the highest form of prayer. After all, what is the difference between Orthodox prayer and sectarian prayer? Sectarians pray using their own words, while the Orthodox pray with the Bible. Thus, their saying that the Orthodox are not “biblical” is nonsense. It is the sectarians that are not biblical. They have torn pieces out of the Bible, and shove them in without any reason, knowing nothing. I myself have debated with Protestants. You show them a certain passage, and they say, “Oh, we did not know that.” They learn individual citations by heart, but do not perceive the Bible as something that is an organic whole. We Christians pray with the Word of God, and live by It. Have you ever noticed just how 40
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much from the Bible is read during the service? It is almost the entire service. Even the Canon of St. Andrew of Crete is thoroughly permeated with the Bible. That is why we attend to the Word of God, and pray through the Word. Do you understand? We teach ourselves to pray without ceasing. God’s Commandment calls for us to pray without ceasing, “Watch ye therefore, and pray always...” (Luke 21: 36). We should examine ourselves to see whether we are praying without ceasing or not. This is especially evident when we are flooded with attacks of fear. The prince of darkness is behind that, and the only means to drive him away is prayer. We are not ready for that. What should we do? We need to turn off all of our thoughts. Teach yourself that, and without fail,memorize the requisite technique: Turn off all your thoughts, and focus all of your attention on the words of the prayer: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner. Most-holy Lady Theotokos, help me. O Lord, through the power of the Honorable Cross, protect me. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.” Cast aside all arguments; even if they are the very most persuasive ideas, they come from Satan, and are intended to drive you to despondency and destruction. This is a preliminary, probing attack; the strongest attack will come right 41
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after your death, and thus it is essential that you prepare yourself for it. Now as to how those near and dear to us can help. If we ourselves are unable to go to God’s church, we should ask them to bring a priest to visit us at home as often as possible. It is especially important to strive to commune on the actual day of your death, for according to ancient tradition, confirmed by experience, one who has worthily communed of the Body and Blood of the Lord cannot be attacked by Satan for he has Christ within him. As the Apostle Paul says, one who communes with the Lord becomes one in spirit with the Lord (I Corinthians 10:16-17). Do you understand? This is why the devil has much greater problems dealing with such Christians. It’s very good to pray to St. Barbara and ask that we not have a sudden death. Remember St. Barbara.
The approach of death. The moment of death
Now we will talk about death. What are its stages? Upon getting a grave diagnosis, one first does not believe it, then becomes indignant and protests, then calms down; there follows a kind of humility. This happens with people of little faith. Believers need time to compose themselves so that they can quickly arrange their affairs. Do you comprehend that your time is short? Glory to God that you know that your time is limited, because then you can prepare. I have already talked about debts. I have already talked about the word of God. I have already talked about virtues that you need to begin to exercise, and about self-examination. If you can go to church, try to attend, try to spend time in church. You can even be there at times when there are no church services. You can sit with a book, with God’s Word, with the Holy Fathers. Train your mind to think more often about God. 43
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Try to watch television as little as possible, for it is an unnecessary distraction. Especially at this moment, you have absolutely no need of distractions. Get together with, talk with, your relatives, and absolutely do express your last will to your children. What kind of will? Not only as to finances. Convey to them your spiritual will; direct them toward the light of God, for they are your responsibility. Our ancestors did not fear death. In the past, princes wrote extensive wills describing their finances, their lands, and most important, conveying their spiritual will - what to do, and what not to do. They did not fall into hysterical panic; hysteria is something that has spread in our times. — Everyone has always been terrified of death. — Not true! — There was no hysteria, but they always feared death — Not true! Not everyone feared death. Christians were not afraid to die. People who had a serious approach to the Faith were not afraid of death. Now death begins its approach. How can we tell? First of all, you need to remember that in cases of cancer, quite often one day before death, as the body is failing, the pain abates; this is a great merciful kindness from God. As I said, you need to commune of the Body and Blood of the Lord. Of course, it is vital to gather together and 44
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talk to your family and relatives, and then to be by yourself, so that you can be with God in prayer. Someone near and dear to you can sit nearby, in silence. You can ask someone to read the Holy Gospels aloud. Such reading has enormous power: at the time of your death, it can ready the soul for its fate. That is why you should try not to leave people in the hospital, not to unload them on hospitals. It is better to die at home. Glory to God, there are many Orthodox hospitals; still, it is better not to do that [i.e. to leave the dying in the hospital]. Quite often before death one’s eyes gradually begin to open. He begins to see the other world. Often, he is visited by relatives and by Angels of God, or by evil spirits. You need to be ready for that, as the film that has covered people’s eyes since the moment man first fell into sin gradually thins, and his eyes open to the other reality. Here, you need to remember that Satan is a prattler. He has far less power than people imagine. As it was said in the Scriptures, “...the swords of the enemy have utterly failed...” (Psalm 9: 7). That is, from the moment Jesus Christ was Crucified, the enemy was completely deprived of his weapons. Therefore, should some ghosts, some demons suddenly appear to try to frighten you, remember that it is their job to frighten you. They are powerless. 45
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Remember what I once said about how a demon visited St. Antony the Great. An enormous red-eyed demon, a black giant rising up into the clouds. St. Antony simply laughed at him: — “So, why have you come to me?” says Antony the Great, “If you God has given you power over me, please take me. If not, why did you come to me? Well, why have you come to me?! What is it you need of me?!! Look, I will make the Sign of the Cross over you; go away.”Antony made the Sign of the Cross over the demon, and he ran away. When God sent His Angel to kill the Assyrians, the Angel did not stage any kind of demonstration before them. He simply went, slew them, and left. When God sent His Angels to slay the first-born among the Egyptians, did they put on any kind of show? Well, no, they simply went, did what they were sent to do, and departed. Understand this without reservation: that is how it often was. That was how the Saints treated the will of God, and that is how you should as well. Do you understand? The Sign of the Cross, a prayerful appeal to God, but without any pride. Remember that the power of the Cross is with us, but only on the condition that we pray to God. That is why we say, “Protect us o Lord through the power of Thine Honorable and Life-creating Cross, and preserve us from all evil.” We sign ourselves with the Cross. As St. John 46
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Chrysostom said, at those words, no satanic power can harm us. If you see that the time of death is nigh, it is of course essential to read Psalm 118, “Blessed are the blameless in the way,� the 17th Kathisma of the Psalter. If a priest is present, you should ask him, or someone close to you, to read Canon for the Departure of the Soul. It is better for a priest to read it, for there are special priestly prayers which are extremely helpful. In the event that one falls into extreme agony, a different prayer is read; if one’s suffering is prolonged, you should again call a priest. Even if he is unable to visit, he can read the prayer at home; the Lord hears his prayer. I once happened to be called to visit a certain dying woman. I had heard her Confession about a month and a half earlier, when I was serving in Yasenovo. I came to see her at 9:00 PM. As you know, a dying person is communed whether they have eaten or not. That is entirely unimportant; people on their deathbeds are communed in any case. The proceedings of the First Ecumenical Council spoke of this. Whether you have eaten or not is completely unimportant. If one is of the Orthodox Faith, he is to be communed. I arrive, and see the following awful picture: She is lying in bed, her eyes literally bulging from their eyesockets, the eyelids not at all visible. Her arms 47
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flailing at something right and left, she cries out “I am afraid, afraid, afraid.” I say, “Nadezhda, do you want to receive Communion?” “I do,” she says, and falls silent. That was in fact the last thing she ever said. I communed her of the Body and Blood of the Lord, and she immediately calmed down, smiled, and reposed. This was an attack by the demons of the toll houses, followed by a demonstration of God’s mercy. We need to pray about that. — What if the person is unconscious? — When someone is unconscious, you need to pray for him and to read the canon for the departure of the soul from the body. However, no Mystery of the Church is to be performed over one who is unconscious, except for the Mystery of Holy Baptism, should the person have expressed the desire to have it done. Holy Communion is not given to, nor Holy Unction administered over, people who are unconscious. Remember, a stroke does not mean a loss of consciousness. One may lose the ability to speak, but if he is conscious, he can be communed as long as he consents - with his eyes or some other sign. Again, as I have been saying, if he had striven to live according to the Law of God, God grants him the honor of Holy Communion. If someone has lived an uninhibited life, the Lord ordinarily does not give him the opportunity to have Holy Communion. 48
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— A woman was unconscious, but the priest decided to peform Holy Unction. The rite of Holy Unction began, and just as he began to read the Gospel, she came out of her coma and said, “I repent.” She received Holy Communion, and died the next day. — Here is what this means: according to the canons of the Church, such a person cannot receive Holy Unction. What are you supposed to do in such case? I have done the following myself. Ordinarily, you start with a Moleben for the sick. There is such a Moleben. God willing, the person regains consciousness. However, someone who is comatose is not granted any Mystery other than Holy Baptism. Baptism is not simply performed in every case, but only if the person had earlier expressed the desire to be baptized, but for some reason had not yet been able to act on that wish. In such cases, he is baptized by triple ablution. Now, as to the moment of death. When people come to the point of death, the differences between varying spiritual levels among different people become apparent. As the Scriptures say, “the death of sinners is evil...”(Psalm 33: 21). And remember, the Lord said regarding the foolish rich man, “Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee...” Literally, will be dragged out with instruments of torture. “Then whose shall those things 49
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be, which thou hast provided?” (Luke 12: 20). Truly, a certain spirit actually appears to people in the form in which he is depicted – as death with a scythe, or some other weapon. That spirit is the angel of death, who slays people, depriving them of life. Why are such things necessary? In order to cut off our attachments to the earth. If someone is not attached to the earth, if he believes on Christ the Savior, he will not see death in the literal sense of the word. When the Lord said that “He that heareth my word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”(John 5: 24). He said something literal, not indirect or allegorical. Do you understand? This is why those who die a righteous death do not see death. They see the Angels of God, or Christ Himself. You know the famous story of the man who was visiting Alexandria at the time a certain schema-monk considered by the people to be an ascetic struggler was dying. Demons came to the schema-monk and tortuously wrenched his soul from his body. Then the Voice of God said that this person had not given Him a moment’s rest. That was despite the fact that outwardly, he was considered a righteous man. Near him, a homeless man was dying. He lay in a canal, and God sent the Archangel Michael to take his soul. The Archangel Michael 50
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arrived, and the homeless man said, “I don’t want to go.” Then the Archangel went to God and said, “Lord, he does not want to go.” Then David began to sing such an angelic song that the soul in wonder left the body and went up to the Heavens. Actually, we pray about, and ask for, just that. The Lord spoke about this. Do you remember? He said, “I am the door; by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.” (John 10: 9). Will enter what? The Church. And through Christ, will come out of this world, and will find eternal pasture in Paradise, in the same place which is called a lush place. Lush in what sense? The word “lush” refers to an abundance of grasses, an abundance of greenery. Therefore one who has properly prepared himself in fact does not see death, and his death is easy. Therefore, it is not even called death. What is it called in the Scriptures? Departure. The Apostle Paul said, “...I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better. Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you.”(Philippians 1: 23–24). Normally, that kind of death is in fact the desirable one – to die in order to leave this world through Christ, in Christ’s presence, so that God’s love might fill the person to overflowing at the moment of death, so that his prayer might bring him to the point of dying with God. 51
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By the way, there can be various states before death. When the Angels came for Venerable St. Sisoes the Great, despite the fact that he had been told that he was already perfect, he asked to be given additional time in which to repent. He thought that he had not even begun to repent. Then he suddenly became radiant, and said, “Lo, Christ is come, saying ‘Bring me the chosen vessel of the desert.’” With those words, he left his body and was taken up in Christ’s arms to the Heavens. On the other hand, others rejoiced at the time of their death. One ascetic named Apollonius, rejoiced and was glad before his death. Others asked him, “Why are you rejoicing?” He answered, “I was meek, like Moses, zealous, like Aaron, courageous, like Joshua son of Nun, pious, like David, wise, like Solomon. If the Lord God granted that unto me, could he possibly not grant me the Heavenly Kingdom?” Very interesting, is it not? One could say that he spoke out in a way that was immodest. However, this was in fact modesty. The Lord granted this, the Lord granted everything, so could He possibly not grant the Heavenly Kingdom? Remember (and this is something important to remember at the moment of death), our hope is based not our good works, but on the death and Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, strive to keep your arms crosswise, 52
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hugging the Cross to yourself. Ask that [an icon of] the Crucifixion of Christ the Savior be suspended before you, so that remembrance of Him might accompany you at your departure from this world, and so that you might depart from this world into life. One who has properly prepared himself can count on that. I know examples of people who departed so peacefully. Physical pain is entirely unimportant. The venerable Holy Hierarch St. Gregory Palamas died of intestinal cancer. Awful pain. Yet, despite those pains, what did he say? The future Partriarch Philotheus, sitting near him, heard the following words, “To the Upper Room, to the Upper Room, to the light.” He smiled, and wearing a smile, departed from his body, while the room became filled with a sweet aroma and with light. There were physical pains, but they were like martyrs’ trials. A martyr’s body is submitted to tortures, but for him, it is all irrelevant. Do you understand? The soul is seized with an unearthly joy, entirely unconnected to the body. That is a state attainable by all of us today: When a Christian is already so caught up by an attraction to Heaven, physical suffering has no meaning for him. How does a person who is unprepared die? Ordinarily, life begins to ebb, as if falling away. Death begins from the tips of his toes and his hands. It goes at first from the fingers, then abruptly goes 53
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along the joints. Actually, as you known, Blessed Theodora saw how death would sucessively cut off and remove joint after joint. Often, ordinary people see this. Then it is as if life is concentrated in two places: in the heart and in the forehead. Later, if the person sees death, he seems to sense that he is taking a drink, or that death is cutting through the final thread, or he feels a sharp, painless blow. There are various sensations. For a moment he loses consciousness and has the sensation of falling. Many people see a tunnel. What is this? This is the return of consciousness. Sometimes this happens without a tunnel, and the person is suddenly beside himself. Sometimes, the person does not immediately realize that he has died. This happens frequently, especially when he had not prepared for death. In this regard, it is very important to know that after their death, people keep their convictions. Nowhere in the Scriptures does it say that people change after their death. To the contrary, it is said that in Hades, they do not confess God: “... in death there is none that is mindful of Thee, and in Hades who will confess Thee?� (Psalm 6: 4), because the person continues to be under the sway of his superstitions. Moreover, as I had said, after one’s death, the passions against which one has not struggled, come to the fore.
Priest Daniel Sysoev
Instructions for the immortal or what to do if you still die The translation Deacon Leonid Mickle Imposition Ruslan Nabiev Design Igor Ermolaev Charity fund «Missionary center of a name of priest Daniel Sysoev» is engaged in charitable activities, publishing activities and the Orthodox missionary projects. The site www.mission-center.com organized missionary on-line training that will enable people from all over the world to learn the basics of preaching according to the methods of Father Daniel. On the site www.mission-center.com the «Charity» column provides information about the families of died priests. God bless you! mission-center.com mission-shop.com mission-center@yandex.ru +7(495)922-03-31 Printed and bound in Russia by Ulyanovsk Printing House. Singed to the press 30.05.12. Format 70×100/32. Offset paper. Offset printing. Number of copies is 10 000. Order 000. ISBN 978-5-4279-0002-7
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