Religious expressions in the age of Revelations.

[Puma]

I think a thread is needed to record the expressions of people in any religion around the world in apocalyptic times.

I believe that as Earth changes (earthquakes, floods, volcanoes, plagues, etc.) intensify, we will see more religious expressions, mass masses, rites or others.

I remember the Mass that Pope Francis gave to the world on the occasion of the coronavirus pandemic. That evening in St. Peter's Square everything came together to reach the psyche of humanity, that something very terrible was looming over everyone:

The Pope's announcement

On Sunday, March 22, 2020 , at the end of the Angelus, Pope Francis announced to the world an extraordinary moment of prayer:

"Next Friday, March 27, I will preside over a moment of prayer in the parvis of St. Peter's Basilica with the square empty. We will listen to the Word of God, we will raise our supplication, we will adore the Blessed Sacrament with which, at the end, I will impart the Urbi et Orbi Blessing to which will be linked the possibility of receiving the plenary indulgence. We want to respond to the pandemic of the virus with the universality of prayer, compassion and tenderness. Let us remain united. Let us make our closeness felt to the most lonely and tested people. Our closeness to the doctors, to the health personnel, to the nurses, to the volunteers... Our closeness to the authorities who must take tough measures, but for our own good. Our closeness to the policemen, to the soldiers who on the road are always trying to maintain order, so that the things that the government asks to be done for the good of all of us are fulfilled. Proximity to everything."

It is six o'clock in the evening on Friday, March 27, St. Peter's Square is deserted like the squares and streets of the city of Rome, of the municipalities of Italy, of Europe. Of most of the world. It is raining, only the ambulance sirens break the deafening silence of these moments. The Pope, alone, climbs the long staircase leading to the Basilica's tabernacle, it seems that this afternoon he has decided to carry on his shoulders the weight of the prayers and hopes of the entire planet. After the reading of the Gospel of Mark, the Pope delivered a long homily in which he described the condition of all men at that moment: men alone, afraid, bowed down by pain. At the end of the reflection he entered the Basilica and with the Blessed Sacrament blessed the city of which he is bishop, Rome, Italy and the world.

Today , says the Pope, we live in a storm-tossed time:

"For weeks now it seems that evening has fallen. Thick darkness has thickened over our squares, streets and cities; it has taken hold of our lives, filling everything with a deafening silence and a desolating emptiness that paralyzes everything in its path: it is felt in the air, it is felt in our gestures, it is felt in our eyes. We find ourselves frightened and lost. Like the disciples in the Gospel, we were surprised by an unexpected and furious storm..."

Covid-19, hace un año el Papa confió a Dios la humanidad - Vatican News

Fue el 27 de marzo de 2020 cuando Francisco rezó en una Plaza de San Pedro desierta. El mundo sabía desde hacía dos semanas que el Covid-19 era una ...

www.vaticannews.va

 

[Puma]

Every September 29th, this ritual is performed to ask Archangel Michael for protection for the world.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1575492784428941312

In 2020 the Archangel was asked for protection against the coronavirus:

The faithful of the Catholic Church have rarely witnessed the breaking of traditions, be it the procession of saints, the Urbi et Orbi blessing or the consecration of a virgin to protect the people, however, with the arrival of COVID-19, the need to turn to God and his Blessed has increased in the devotees, who ask to be safe from the new pandemic.

In supplication to the Archangel Michael to defend the world against the coronavirus epidemic, the basilica, Santuario San Michele Arcangelo, in Italy brought out the sword of St. Michael on April 5.

The tradition, which takes place every September 29th on the occasion of the feast of the patron saint, has been interrupted twice in the face of historical difficulties, the first occurring in 1654, the year of the plague of the 17th century.

Alzan la espada de San Miguel Arcángel para detener la pandemia | Reina del Cielo

 

[Puma]

Russian Orthodox leader said Russian soldiers who die in the Ukraine war are committing a 'sacrifice' that 'washes away all the sins' as many citizens leave the country to avoid the draft​

The leader of the Russian Orthodox Church compared dying in the war against Ukraine to an act of "sacrifice" and that doing so absolved soldiers of their "sins."

Patriarch Kirill I made his remarks on Sunday, days after Russia announced a "partial mobilization" of troops, and men continue to be seen fleeing the country to avoid the draft.

"Many are dying on the fields of internecine warfare," Kirill said, according to a translation by Reuters. "The Church prays that this battle will end as soon as possible, so that as few brothers as possible will kill each other in this fratricidal war."

"But at the same time, the Church realizes that if somebody, driven by a sense of duty and the need to fulfill their oath ... goes to do what their duty calls of them, and if a person dies in the performance of this duty, then they have undoubtedly committed an act equivalent to sacrifice. They will have sacrificed themselves for others. And therefore, we believe that this sacrifice washes away all the sins that a person has committed," he said, according to Reuters.

Kirill is known to be a supporter of President Vladimir Putin and of the invasion of Ukraine.

He previously justified the war as a fight against "excess consumption" and "gay parades" infiltrating Ukraine, according to The Orthodox Times. Kirill has also described Putin's leadership as a "miracle of God."

Putin announced on September 21 a "partial mobilization" of 300,000 military troops — an act seen as an escalation of Russia's war against Ukraine.

Russian Orthodox leader said Russian soldiers who die in the Ukraine war are committing a 'sacrifice' that 'washes away all the sins' as many citizens leave the country to avoid the draft

Patriarch Kirill I, leader of the Russian Orthodox Church and supporter of President Vladimir Putin, said fighting in the war absolves sins.

www.businessinsider.in

What Kiril said about Putin's leadership being a miracle of God and about the sacrifice of soldiers reminds me of this:

A: Exciting times no doubt! Hollenoaea of Cassiopaea here! Ukraine is ancient site of landing of Kantekkians. It is highly coveted by 4D STS! Putin is doing service to all by attempting to remove psychopathic elements there. Unfortunately, the resistance of the power elite may lead to deaths of many innocent people.

 

[Puma]

Speech done. Listened to it. Putin is on a mission to bring balance to the world. Cosmic help required.

I understand that Putin is probably talking about Ilyin's concept of the messianic role of the Russian people, or resistance to evil by force of arms,

This two commets in the "Putin Recognizes Donbass Republics, Sends Russian Military to 'Denazify' Ukraine" thread, reminded me of what is known as the "Russkiy Mir" (o "Russian World") mission:


What is the "Russky Mir"?

Although there is no clear academic definition of what Ruskkiy Mir specifically means, different analysts have tried to explain it.

For some, it is the world that comprises the entire community associated with Russian culture, which shares a history, a language and certain traditions. For this reason, it is difficult to define a border.

For others, there is a basic territorial set that could be the core of this world, which could comprise Russia itself, as well as Belarus, Ukraine and Kazakhstan, among others.

"There are two criteria to define Russkiy Mir. The first is cultural, which encompasses all Russian culture as a whole, including those outside the territory," Juan Manuel de Faramiñán Gilbert, professor emeritus at the University of Jaen, explains to BBC Mundo.

"The second concept is geographical and is based on what was the old tsarist empire created by Catherine the Great. It could extend to the southern area near the Black Sea or even to Georgia," he adds.

But for Sergey Goryashko, a journalist with the BBC's Russian service, the definition of the Russian world in Putin's head has no borders.

"A couple of years ago, some school students asked Putin where the Russian border ends. And he replied that they don't end anywhere," he recalls for BBC Mundo.

"And that might be the definition of what the Russian World really means to Putin. Because if we look at his actions since 2014 (when he annexed Crimea), they prove exactly that the Russian World doesn't end anywhere. The Russian world is the whole world," he adds.

Another important element to consider when defining Russkiy Mir is the role of the Russian Orthodox Church, with millions of followers around the world.

Within this religion, the idea of a spiritual and cultural unity of the Russian community as a whole is promoted and enshrined through this concept.

Thus, the church is a great ally of the ideology behind the Russian world.

Qué es el "Russkiy Mir" ("Mundo Ruso") al que Putin quiere unificar - BBC News Mundo

¿Cómo se define exactamente el "Russkiy Mir", qué señales ha dado Putin de que quiera unificarlo y cómo la invasión a Ucrania puede ser clave para lograr este objetivo?

www.bbc.com

Kirill, an ally of Putin

Currently, there are two major Orthodox communities in Ukraine: the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP) - which is under the juridiction of the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) - and the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC).

"The Russian Patriarch of Moscow, Kirill I, sees the war with Ukraine as a kind of cultural war between a Western conception of life and an Eastern conception of life," Thomas Bremer, professor of ecumenical theology and researcher of the Russian Orthodox Church at the University of Münster, Germany, explains to BBC Mundo.

According to several scholars, Kirill, like Putin, shares the vision of a "Russkiy Mir" (or "Russian World") where Ukrainians and Russians are one "same people".

"Kirill has provided Putin with ideas, ideology," Cyril Hovorun, a Ukrainian Orthodox priest who teaches ecclesiology, international relations and ecumenism at Stockholm University, tells BBC Mundo.

Why is Ukraine so important?

Ukraine is not just another country in the world for Vladimir Putin or for the Russian Orthodox Church.

The dominant view of Russian nationalism is that Ukraine is a sister nation and, moreover, that it is the heart of the "Russian nation".

In particular, the capital, Kiev, has a spiritual significance of utmost importance for the Orthodox. It is part of the founding myth",

In 2019, Kirill compared Kiev to the significance of Jerusalem for global Christianity, according to Russian media outlet TASS.

Because of the above, Kirill has justified what they call the "special military operation" over Ukraine as a way to "save" this country from the Western world and its values.

La rebelión religiosa que se esconde detrás de la guerra entre Rusia y Ucrania - BBC News Mundo

Desde que comenzó la invasión, diversos obispos y sacerdotes fieles a la Iglesia ortodoxa rusa han manifestado su rechazo hacia Kirill, el patriarca de Moscú y máximo representante de dicha Iglesia.

www.bbc.com

This thing about Kiev being the heart of Russia and the comparison with the importance of Jerusalem for Christians also reminds me of what the Cs mentioned about the portals in the Middle East and Ukraine

(Ryu) Does Putin knows about Ukraine having a portal? And does he know about Kantekkians?

A: No

[...]

Q: (Andrian) Is it possible to know where the portal is located exactly? Western or Eastern, North, South Ukraine?

A: Near Kiev.

Q: (Juba) Is that the reason why Khazaria was the same as today's Ukraine. Portal, STS energy...

A: Partly.

(Alejo) Are there any other such download portals on the planet?

(L) Yes, we already discussed that. There's one in Israel. Are there any others besides Israel and Ukraine?

A: China, North America, South America.

It seems that Putin and Kirill are very clear about Russia's mission from a third density point of view. Geopolitically Ukraine is fundamental to Russia's security and culturally it represents the barrier against the evil of the West. But from the fourth density point of view, from the invisible to us so far, Ukraine and Israel (and other places) are portals through which the 4D STS plan to establish a kind of headquarters in view of the Ascension of the planet to the Fourth density.

It is actually a conflict taking place in two densities.

(Pierre) And the struggle for the portal is indicative of 4D STS wanting to use this portal?

A: Yes

Q: (L) Why do they want to use the portal?

A: Downloading is taking place there.

Q: (L) Downloading of what?

(Joe) Information.

(L) Do I really want to know? [laughter]

(Pierre) The naughty side of the information field is being downloaded there.

(L) So the STS bad guys download themselves via a portal into the people there?

A: Yes

 

[Puma]

Recently the two religious leaders, Pope Francis and Kirill the Patriarch of Moscow spoke about the ongoing war conflict in Ukraine. Francis calls to avoid a nuclear war and Kirill talks about the sanctity of the war that Putin is waging.

​

‘Learn from history’: Pope Francis warns on ‘danger’ of nuclear war​

Pope Francis on Sunday warned of the danger of nuclear war, recalling the “menace” that threatened the globe as the Second Vatican Council convened six decades ago.

“Regarding the beginning of the Council 60 years ago, we should not forget the danger of nuclear war that menaced the world right at that time,” he told crowds in his traditional blessing.

The pope was referring to the Cuban missile crisis in October 1962, when the deployment of ballistic missiles by the United States in Europe and the Soviet Union in Cuba risked escalation into nuclear war.

“Why don’t we learn from history? Even at that moment, there were conflicts and huge tensions, but the way of peace was chosen.”

Francis also offered his prayers to the victims of the “mad act of violence” in Thailand on Thursday.

“With deep emotion, I entrust their lives to the Father, especially the little children and their families,” the pontiff said.

He was referring to Thailand’s worst mass killing, where two dozen children were among the 36 people shot and slashed to death in an attack that shattered the serenity of the rural township of Uthai Sawan, robbing the small farming community of much of its youngest generation in the blink of an eye.

‘Learn from history’: Pope Francis warns on ‘danger’ of nuclear war

Pope Francis on Sunday warned of the danger of nuclear war, recalling the “menace” that threatened the globe as the Second Vatican Council convened six

english.alarabiya.net

On Putin’s birthday, Russian patriarch offers praise, says power is God-given​

On Russian President Vladimir Putin’s 70th birthday, the country’s leading Orthodox prelate has praised his leadership as divinely orchestrated and has urged citizens to offer two days of prayer for his health.

In an Oct. 7 congratulatory note, Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill of Moscow praised Putin’s reputation as a national leader “selflessly devoted to the Fatherland, sincerely loving the Motherland and giving her all your strength, abilities and talents.”

“The Lord placed you at the helm of power, so that you could perform a service of special importance and great responsibility for the fate of the country and the people entrusted to your care,” Kirill said, listing what he argued are some of the most important achievements of Putin’s reign.

Among these, he said, are the “transformation of the image of Russia, strengthening of its sovereignty and defense capability, protection of national interests, progressive socio-economic development, and concern for the wellbeing of fellow citizens.”

Thanking Putin for his support for church initiatives, Kirill voiced hope that the “fruitful cooperation” between the Russian Orthodox Church and Putin’s government would assist in the preservation of “the rich historical, spiritual and cultural heritage of Russia,” and of peaceful and prosperous life for citizens.

He closed the letter asking that God would bless Putin with “unrelenting strength” and that the leader would receive “abundant help” from God in his service to the country.

In a letter sent to clergy of the Russian Orthodox Church for the occasion of Putin’s birthday, Kirill asked all bishops, clerics, monastics, and faithful to offer “zealous home prayers” for Putin’s health.

He noted that Oct. 8 marks the feast of Russian Orthodox Saint Sergius of Radonezh, a spiritual leader and monastic reformer of medieval Russia who today remains one of the country’s most highly venerated saints.

Kirill recalled how at one point, Saint Sergius blessed the Prince of Moscow Demetrius of Donskoy and the Russian army as they fought against an enemy “who wanted the dismemberment of the Russian land and encouraged civil strife among its people.”

He called for a special liturgy to be celebrated on Oct. 8 for “the health of the President of Russia” and for the “longevity” of his reign, in commemoration of Saint Sergius and his efforts.

In his letter to clergy, Kirill asked that the special Divine Liturgy be recited using specific prayers for Russia and for Putin.

One of the prayers to be recited asks God to bless “the Head of State of Russia Vladimir Vladimirovich,” and to make him “rich mercy and Your bounty,” and to grant him “health and long life,” and to protect him “from all the resistance of visible and invisible enemies.”

A second prayer asks that “a prosperous and peaceful life, health and salvation and good haste in everything” be given to Putin and to “the power, army and people of our God-protected Fatherland.”

Pope Francis issued a rare direct plea to Putin to “stop the cycle of violence” during last Sunday’s Angelus address, while also urging Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to be open to negotiations.

He asked world leaders “to do everything in their power to put an end to the ongoing war, without allowing themselves to be drawn into dangerous escalations, and to promote and support initiatives for dialogue.”

On Putin’s birthday, Russian patriarch offers praise, says power is God-given

On Russian President Vladimir Putin’s 70th birthday, the country’s leading Orthodox prelate has praised his leadership as divinely orchestrated and has urged citizens to offer two days of prayer for his health.

cruxnow.com

 

[Puma]

▪︎ Russia

Now that some Companies Have Left Russia due to the conflict with Ukraine, billboards that used to advertise a hamburger, a soft drink or a car now have the space for religious images that of course reinforce the idea of a Russia with a sacred mission.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1580176100373958656

▪︎ Vatican

I don't recall Pope Francis ever talking about Yemen or Palestine before.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1580159344250871808

▪︎ Israel

Re-Enactment Of The Water Libation Held To Prepare For The Third Temple​

On Tuesday, a full-dress reenactment of the water libation as it was performed in the Temple was held in Jerusalem with several hundred participants led by Kohanim in priestly garb, accompanied by Levites playing musical instruments.

The event began at Shaar Hashpot (the dung gate) in Jerusalem's Old City where participants joined Kohanim (priests) in Biblically mandated vestments and Levites with musical instruments, also wearing special vestments.

The musically gifted Levites led the ceremony with joyous music on drums, violin, guitar, and clarinet, winding down ancient walkways into the valley below the Temple Mount.

The crowd sang and danced as they passed from the archaeological remains of the ancient City of David, through an Arab village, to the Shiloach (Siloam) Spring which was used in Temple times.

The procession was punctuated by stops during which four-foot-long pure silver trumpets were sounded.

At the head of the parade was the gold vessel, the water jug. At the Shiloach Pool, the jug was filled. The procession climbed back up to the top of the mountain. A model altar and its utensils had been set up in an open area adjacent to the Western Wall. The altar was decorated with large leafy willow branches as was done in the Temple.

The ceremony culminated in the priestly blessing after which the once-in-seven-years Hakhel ceremony was held.

Nations came from around the world to take part in the Sukkoth celebrations making it international worship of God.

Re-Enactment Of The Water Libation Held To Prepare For The Third Temple

On Tuesday, a full-dress reenactment of the water libation as it was performed in the Temple was held in Jerusalem with several hundred participants led by Kohanim in priestly garb, accompanied by Levites playing musical instruments.

www.prophecynewswatch.com

The ancient Jewish practice of hakhel, an every-7-years gathering, gets a 21st-century revival​

Every seven years, in ancient times, Jewish men, women, and children would gather at the Temple on the first day of Sukkot to hear the king of Jerusalem read aloud from the Torah.

In 2022, there’s no king and no Temple, and more than half of all Jews live far from Jerusalem — but the ritual is still inspiring Jews around the world to gather together. In fact, the tradition, known as hakhel, appears to be seeing a resurgence of popular interest.

Hakhel — the imperative “Assemble!” in Hebrew — is the penultimate commandment outlined in the Torah. “Gather the people — men, women, children and the strangers in your communities — that they may hear and so learn to revere your God and to observe faithfully every word of this teaching,” Moses tells his followers. Historical records show that the gathering was practiced during the time of the Second Temple in Jerusalem. But after it was destroyed in 70 CE, sending the Jews scattering, hakhel collapsed as a practice, too.

Most hakhel gatherings are designed to channel the spirit of the commandment and to celebrate the conclusion of the agricultural cycle, including sometimes by discussing environmental issues including how to combat climate change.

The ancient Jewish practice of hakhel, an every-7-years gathering, gets a 21st-century revival - Jewish Telegraphic Agency

Jews are commanded to hear the Torah recited by the king at the Temple. What happens when neither of those exists?

www.jta.org

 

[BHelmet]

Interesting idea but I am not sure… the lack of comments by our so-called religious leaders on some issues is as telling as what they do say. The lack of action: same.

Francis has pretty much completely undermined his own credibility as a real Catholic/Christian who tries to live the gospel of his own church. (IMO) Some of Francis’ expressions could even be called anti religious. (EG put your faith in the government and “health experts” rather than god. Or calling certain things a universal sin which are clearly a matter of personal conscience only. The list goes on and on. Kirill has had his moments of caving in to “the narrative” if I am not mistaken. And the Dalai Lama has been a clown for quite some time IMO. So, I don’t put a lot of stock in the grandstanding by high profile actors on the world stage, especially when it comes to spirituality.

I do know many rank and file Christians who are convinced that an apocalyptic end is at hand. They are mostly quiet about it. You’d never guess that is where their heads are at unless you lay your cards on the table first.

Interesting times indeed!

 

[Puma]

Pope meets for nearly an hour with Macron at the Vatican to discuss peace in Europe.

Macron arrived in Rome on Sunday to participate in the international meeting for peace organized by the Community of Sant'Egidio, where he urged not to let peace "be captured by Russian power" and called on religions to be "the resistance."



The Pope met for the third time with the President of France, Emmanuel Macron, at the Apostolic Palace of the Vatican, in a meeting that lasted for almost an hour, from 10:25 to 11:20 a.m., and where peace in Europe was the main topic of conversation.

According to the Vatican press release, the meeting "dealt with international issues, starting with the conflict in Ukraine, with particular attention to the humanitarian situation." "Special attention was also given to the Caucasus region, the Middle East and Africa," they added.

Macron arrived in Rome on Sunday to participate in the international meeting for peace organized by the Community of Sant'Egidio, where he urged not to let peace "be captured by Russian power" and called on religions to be "the resistance".

"Resistance consists precisely in never justifying violence, in not allowing oneself to be trapped by political projects that enslave or deny the dignity of individuals," added the French president at the meeting in the Nuvola congress center, in the peripheral Roman district of EUR.

The Pope presented him with a bronze medal, framed in marble, depicting St. Peter's and the colonnade by the baroque architect Gian Lorenzo Bernini. It is the medal struck in 1657 by Pope Alexander VII after laying the first stone of the left arm of the colonnade in St. Peter's Square.

"This medal bears witness to Bernini's original design, which envisaged building a third arm, never realized, to close the square; it was intended to increase the amazement of the visitor, before whom the majesty of the basilica suddenly appeared at the end of a path through a labyrinth of streets and alleys. It should be noted that the medal shows a single fountain in the center of the square, on axis with the obelisk, instead of the two that were made later", can be read in the explanations.

He also presented him with some of the most important papal documents of his pontificate, such as this year's Message for Peace; the document on human fraternity; and the prayer he prayed on March 27, 2020, when Italy was completely confined by the pandemic. For his part, Macron presented the Pope with the first French edition of the work "For Perpetual Peace", by the philosopher Immanuel Kant.

At the end of the private audience, Macron's wife, Brigitte, has told Francis that she prays for him every day. "I pray for you, I pray for you every day," she told the pontiff as she said goodbye after finishing the meeting with the French head of state.

El Papa se reúne durante casi una hora con Macron en el Vaticano para hablar de la paz en Europa

Macron llegó a Roma el domingo para participar en el encuentro internacional por la paz que organiza la Comunidad de Sant'Egidio, donde instó a no dejar que la paz "sea capturada por el poder ruso" y pidió a las religiones que sean "la resistencia".

www.proceso.com.mx

 

[Deliverance]

Alexander Dugin's speech at the XXIV World Russian People's Council

The XXIV World Russian People's Council on the theme "Orthodoxy and peace in the 21st century” was opened with speeches by people of great significance to Russia: spiritual leaders, politicians, philosophers, and statesmen.

katehon.com

October 25, 2022
The XXIV World Russian People's Council on the theme "Orthodoxy and peace in the 21st century” was opened with speeches by people of great significance to Russia: spiritual leaders, politicians, philosophers, and statesmen. All of them noted the importance of creating a state ideology for the preservation of Russian statehood.
His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia noted the dangers of globalism, which "organizes integration and unification processes through weakening and breaking the deep spiritual ties between people, and between God and man."
"Globalization does not make the world more united. The external unification of lifestyles in different parts of the globe is accompanied by the alienation of people from one another, the disintegration of communities and families, and a pandemic of loneliness," the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church said in his report to the plenary session.
The First Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration, Sergei Kiriyenko, read out Vladimir Putin's message to the Council’s participants. The President called for the preservation of our spiritual values, and also mentioned the consolidation of society, because, after all, this is what will help us to achieve all our strategic goals and resist external pressures.
Minister of Education Sergei Kravtsov noted that we are living in a critical historical moment and are entering a new era of moral awakening.

Below is the full speech of Alexander Dugin, who also spoke at the Council:

Honest Fathers, brothers and sisters,
We are, of course, in a very real war. This war is not only a war of armies, of men, it is also a war of the spirit. This is very important. We can say this: we see a horizontal confrontation - our army/our opponents, us against NATO (of course, not against Ukraine, needless to say). But there is another dimension to this war - the vertical. It is a war of Heaven against Hell. It is a war of the angelic armies. It is a war of the army of the Archangel Michael against the devil. This vertical dimension is ideology, the realm of ideas. It is the realm of the spirit in which this war, its main substance, unfolds. And the speech of our president on September 30spoke to the satanic nature of the Western civilization. This is not a metaphor.
Today, the Holy Patriarch in his wonderful report, gently hinted at the figure who stands on the other side, who defines, inspires, organizes our enemies. This figure is very close: we do not know the times, no one knows, even the Son of Man does not know the end times. But we can know by the signs, we can see how close they are.
In this respect, it is very important that we are confronted with an idea. The West is an ideology. Liberalism, globalism, secularism, and posthumanism are ideology. This is the realm of ideas, not the realm of matter, bodies and technology. Above all, it is an absolute lie: it is the overturning of the true proportions of the mind, of ideas, of religious foundations. That is why two ideas, two armies (because angels are spirits and minds) are colliding today: angels and demons. The battlefield is just Ukraine. On the one hand, we are Holy Russia, as His Holiness the Patriarch says, and we are confronted by forces of absolute global historical evil. Hence, more and more often we are talking about Armageddon, the end times, and the Apocalypse. This is all taking place before our eyes. We are taking part in the final (maybe the penultimate - no one knows) and very important battle. Without a spiritual, ideological, intellectual dimension, we cannot win.
And here I would like to draw attention to a very important thing: secularism, about which His Holiness the Patriarch spoke. The fact is that the enemy came to us before he revealed himself in the face of LGBT, transhumanism - that openly satanic anti-human civilization with which we are at war today. He once came neutrally. He said: let's leave Heaven, let's leave God in the name of man, in the name of the earth. And many believed him.
Averroes had the idea of two truths: theology was built on one truth, and the study of the world, human society, nature, on another, autonomous truth. Then secularism and humanism emerged, and it was said, "eternity is far away, we live in time." And gradually, while we were living in time, only in human material concerns, trying to arrange the world according to liberal, communist or nationalist principles, we were moving deeper and deeper away from God, moving further and further away. We were not sinking into the horizon: we were sinking below the horizon. We were going into the abysses of hell. If not with God, then with the devil. And this is what the Gospel says: your "yes" must be "yes," your "no" must be "no." The Laodicean church is rebuked by the Lord for being lukewarm, neither cold nor hot. This is the mix under which humanism, secularism, globalization, economic progress, comfort, and capitalism came into our world. They said: we don't mind God, just let us get down to earthly things. And it turned out that when we were distracted from God, we were not dealing with earthly things, but with subterranean things.
It is impossible to stand on this horizontal plane. And it is impossible to defeat the one we are fighting today without God's help. Asserting this vertical, spiritual, heavenly, Christian, deep, angelic dimension of being - without this we cannot win. It seems to us that we are pitting normality against pathology - but we will never win unless we stand for Truth, the fullness of Christian teaching, the religious teachings of other traditional faiths, unless we stand for the Divine vertical. This is the most important thing. Accordingly, science, politics, the constitution, and ideology must be based on this vertical. Science, if it is not based on Christ, on Truth, on morality, is already diabolical. Nothing neutral exists. There is a battle between Heaven and Hell. And we are Holy Russia, as His Holiness the Patriarch says in his message, in beautiful words, in the prayer we say. We are Holy Russia. But are we such saints? Look at yourselves, at us. If we are not for Holy Russia and do not head towards holiness, we will not prevail in it.

 

[Puma]

Putin dubbed 'fighter of the Antichrist' as 'de-Satanization' rhetoric escalates​

Russian President Vladimir Putin was dubbed a "fighter of the Antichrist" by a top religious figure as rhetoric referring to the war in Ukraine as a "de-Satanization" operation escalates.

Russian pundits and media presenting the invasion of Ukraine as a holy war are not new, with Russian ideologues frequently portraying the conflict as a struggle between the religious and traditional Russia versus the decadent and secular West. Russian Orthodox Christians and Muslims in the country have united in their opposition to the progressive values of the West, which they view as symbolized in the post-Maidan government in Kyiv. But recently, rhetoric from these camps has escalated into describing the West as "satanic," starting with Putin's use of the term in his speech announcing the annexation of several eastern Ukrainian territories, which has since been widely adopted by his key allies and Russian state media.

Patriarch Kirill, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, the world's largest by a substantial margin, has joined in these calls, moving to portray the conflict as a new crusade of sorts.

"Go bravely to fulfill your military duty. And remember that if you lay down your life for your country, you will be with God in his kingdom, glory, and eternal life," he said in a sermon directed toward newly mobilized troops at the Zachatyevsky Monastery in Moscow last month, according to the Daily Beast.

In a speech opening the 24th Congress of the World Russian People's Council, Kirill heaped praise on Putin, calling him a "fighter of the Antichrist" and even one that would help prevent an apocalypse.

He stated that Putin's Russia is fighting against a "unipolar world," a manifestation of globalism, of which "the essence of this phenomenon is the creation in the world of conditions for the emergence of a sole ruler, who will be the Antichrist," according to SOTA.

The patriarch specifically pointed to Western acceptance of gay marriage, euthanasia, and genetic experimentation as features of the "upcoming apocalypse."

Alexei Pavlov, the assistant secretary of the Russian Federation's Security Council, backed up this rhetoric in an op-ed published in Arguments and Facts titled "What is cooked in the 'witch's cauldron.' Neo-pagan cults gain strength in Ukraine." In the article, he alleges that neo-paganism, a new religion that seeks to return to worshiping pre-Christian gods, is growing rapidly in Ukraine, intertwined with satanism.

"With the continuation of the special operation in Ukraine, there is more and more evidence that the greatest atrocities in the territory of Donbass and in other Russian-speaking regions of Ukraine have been committed for many years by fanatics blinded by ideas that are far from common sense, morality and traditional religious teachings," Pavlov wrote. He also mentions the influence of some neo-pagan figures on Ukrainian nationalism, such as Volodymyr Shayan.

He goes on to claim that satanists and neo-pagans were put in positions of power by the United States. The "sects" in Ukraine then multiplied drastically, pointing to not just satanism and neo-paganism but certain Christian and Jewish groups as well.

"Using network manipulations and psychotechnologies, the new authorities turned Ukraine from a state into a totalitarian hypersect," he added.

The op-ed generated some controversy, however, as Moscow's head rabbi accused the author of antisemitism, according to Haaretz, despite his listing of Judaism alongside Christianity and Islam as holding "real values." Rabbi Berel Lazar was likely referring to one part of the op-ed in which Pavlov criticizes the ultra-Orthodox Judaism of two influential Jewish Ukrainian oligarchs, Igor Kolomoisky and Viktor Pinchuk, as holding the "superiority of the supporters of the sect over all nations and peoples."

Recently, the Muslim Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov fully endorsed Putin's messaging, calling for a Jihad in Europe against "devils" and vowing to take none of them prisoner.

Ukraine, which has the backing of the United States and much of the West, is still engaged in combating Russian invaders more than seven months after the full-scale war began.

Putin dubbed 'fighter of the Antichrist' as 'de-Satanization' rhetoric escalates

Russian President Vladimir Putin was dubbed a "fighter of the Antichrist" by a top religious figure as rhetoric referring to the war in Ukraine as a "de-Satanization" operation escalates.

www.washingtonexaminer.com

 

[Puma]

● Pope Francis asks for prayers for martyred Ukraine.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1586719574036078592

https://twitter.com/x/status/1586725532321955842

Martyred Christians

https://twitter.com/x/status/1586763157955026946

Will prefer to die in free democracy of India rather than among 'artificial' Chinese officials: Dalai Lama

Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama on Thursday said that he would prefer to breathe his last surrounded by the genuine and loving people of India, a free and open democracy, rather than among “artificial” Chinese officials. He made these remarks during a two-day dialogue with youth leaders at his residence in Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh at an interaction organised by the United States Institute of Peace (USIP).

ANI | 22 Sep 2022, 09:01 PM IST

Will prefer to die in free democracy of India rather than among 'artificial' Chinese officials: Dalai Lama

Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama on Thursday said that he would prefer to breathe his last surrounded by the genuine and loving people of India, a free and open democracy, rather than among “artificial” Chinese officials. He made these remarks during a two-day dialogue with youth leaders at...

m.economictimes.com

 

[Puma]

Israel will become a Theocracy wrote the analysts but when did it cease to be a theocracy?

"Israel is about to have its most religious government ever, meaning that Haredi and Orthodox demands are likely to be a top priority for the new Netanyahu coalition" Analyst in Haaretz wrote.



Israel's religious parties make big election gains

Israel's religious parties are celebrating big wins in Tuesday's election that saw Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing bloc on its way to forming a government.

With 84 percent of the vote counted as of Wednesday morning, the Shas party had picked up 12 seats and United Torah Judaism had secured 8 seats in the 25th Knesset (Israel's parliament).

The combined results of 20 seats for the ultra-Orthodox Jewish (Haredi) parties means that they will play a significant role in helping Netanyahu form a coalition.

The Religious Zionism alliance of Bezalel Smotrich and Jewish Power party leader Itamar Ben Gvir also had a big night on Tuesday, picking up 14 seats so far as the second largest party in the next Knesset after Likud and Yesh Atid.

Shas chairman Arye Deri called Tuesday night's exit polls showing big wins for his party "a tremendous achievement," adding that the party will "soon return to the leadership of the state."

“We will work with all our might for the weak strata [of society], for the strengthening of Israel’s Jewish identity and the fight against the cost of living,” said Deri.

Israel's religious parties make big election gains - I24NEWS

Haredi parties Shas and United Torah Judaism at 20 seats with 84% of the vote counted - Click the link for more details

www.i24news.tv

Netanyahu to form Israeli government of racists and fascists​

Seventy-five years after the UN vote to establish a homeland for the Jews on part of the Palestinian land administered under the British Mandate, Benjamin Netanyahu is set to form a government composed of the most reactionary forces in the country, including the fascistic and racist Religious Zionism Party, now the third largest party in the 120-seat Knesset.

Netanyahu’s government will be made up of racists from the religious and ultra-nationalist parties pledged to Jewish supremacy and the implementation of measures synonymous with apartheid. Their vicious attacks on the Palestinians are aimed at driving them out of both Israel’s internationally recognized borders and the lands it has illegally occupied since the June 1967 Arab-Israeli war, in defiance of international law and countless United Nations resolutions.

One candidate in line for high office is Itamar Ben-Gvir, leader of the Jewish Power faction within Religious Zionism. Ben-Gvir, a virulent anti-Arab who regularly incites violence against the Palestinians, chanting “Death to the Arabs,” has faced dozens of charges of hate speech.

Religious Zionism’s agenda includes Israeli rule over the West Bank, the expulsion of what it calls “disloyal” Palestinian citizens of Israel, who make up 20 percent of the country’s population, the demolition of the al-Aqsa Mosque to make way for the building of a Jewish Temple, the imposition of religious law and the destruction of the judicial system.

Last month, Yaakov Katz, editor-in-chief of the Jerusalem Post, called Ben-Gvir “the modern Israeli version of an American white supremacist and a European fascist.” A government that includes him, Katz warned, “will take on the contours of a fascist state.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky congratulated Netanyahu, tweeting that he hoped to open “a new page in cooperation” with the incoming government, a reference to the previous government’s refusal to send Israel’s Iron Dome technology and other advanced systems to Ukraine in an effort to maintain relations with Russia.

Israel’s open turn to the politics of Jewish supremacy and fascist terrorism thoroughly exposes the attempts to equate opposition to the Israeli state with anti-Semitism. Indeed, by embracing a program of ethnic cleansing, based on exclusivist conceptions of racial, religious and linguistic hegemony, and identifying this program with the Jewish people, the Israeli ruling class provides grist for the anti-Semitic mill internationally.

Netanyahu to form Israeli government of racists and fascists

Israel’s open turn to the politics of Jewish supremacy and fascist terrorism thoroughly exposes the attempts to equate opposition to the Israeli state with anti-Semitism. By embracing a program of ethnic cleansing, based on exclusivist conceptions of racial, religious and linguistic hegemony...

www.wsws.org

 

[Puma]

Pope Benedict XVI dies

https://twitter.com/x/status/1609236753541435399

 

[Puma]

Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, a leading theologian of the 20th century and the first pope to resign from office in nearly 600 years, has died at the age of 95.

Follow along here for live updates:

LIVE UPDATES: Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI dies at age 95

Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, a leading theologian of the 20th century, has died at the age of 95. Follow here for live updates.

www.catholicnewsagency.com

 

[Puma]

Pope Benedict Asked Biden Not to Attend His Funeral​

Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, who died last Saturday at 95, and the Vatican requested that President Joe Biden not attend Benedict's funeral, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Tuesday.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1610380687349006336

Benedict made the request prior to his death.

The U.S. will send Joe Donnelly, ambassador of the Holy See, "in line with the wishes of the late Pope and the Vatican. This is what their requests were. This is what their wishes were," Jean-Pierre said when asked if Biden would attend the funeral, which is being held Thursday in St. Peter's Square.

https://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/biden-benedict-funeral/2023/01/04/id/1103015/

https://twitter.com/x/status/1610704062697070593

I wonder if Biden was "persona non grata" for the emeritus pope.

(Joe) Is Joe Biden a practicing pedophile?

A: Yes

https://twitter.com/x/status/1609628644728573955