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 # GERONTISA GALAKTIA SPEAKING ABOUT DEMONS  

# ГЕРОНТИССА ГАЛАКТИЯ О ДЕМОНАХ  

# Η ΓΕΡΟΝΤΙΣΣΑ ΓΑΛΑΚΤΙΑ ΓΙΑ ΤΟΥΣ ΔΑΙΜΟΝΕΣ

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# ENGLISH

Gerontisa Galaktia said:

> “Demons are monstrous beings, completely distorted and terrifying. They do not willingly reveal their ugliness, yet at times God permits me to see them as they truly are.

Especially during the night, while speaking on the phone with Fr. Antonios (Moraitakis), they would appear around me. They moved strangely around the room but could not touch me. Sometimes their behavior was almost ridiculous, and I would describe them to Fr. Antonios.

Then I would touch the icon of the Archangel beside me and look at them firmly. Immediately they would flee in panic, disappearing even through closed windows.

Their appearance cannot truly be described. Sometimes they had one huge blood-red eye in the middle of the head; other times three small glowing red eyes. Their fingers looked unnatural, twisted like claws of large birds. Their smell was unbearable beyond anything earthly — a horrifying stench that caused nausea.

They constantly try to terrify, deceive, and mock human beings.

Once I asked the demon:

‘In the name of Christ who defeated you through the Cross, tell me: what do you consider your greatest achievement?’

And it answered:

‘Convincing people that I do not exist.’

Then I asked:

‘How do you convince them?’

And it replied:

‘By making them believe that everything I do is merely psychology, imagination, or fantasy.’

The demons rejoice in blasphemy, sorcery, violence, impurity, and spiritual corruption. They seek to drag humanity away from repentance and from Christ.

But people should not despair or fear excessively. Christ has absolute authority over evil. Without God’s permission, demons have no true power over a humble and repentant soul.

Do not fear the devil — but do not play with evil either. Remain close to Christ, pray, repent, and stay spiritually watchful.

Every good thing belongs to Christ. Every sin belongs to us and to the devil. Therefore repent sincerely, and evil will not prevail over you.”

  

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# РУССКИЙ

Геронтисса Галактия говорила:

> «Демоны — это чудовищные и обезображенные существа. Они не хотят показывать своё истинное уродство, но иногда Бог позволяет мне видеть их такими, какие они есть.

Особенно ночью, когда я разговаривала по телефону с отцом Антонием (Морайтакисом), они появлялись вокруг меня. Они странно двигались по комнате, но не могли прикоснуться ко мне. Иногда их поведение было даже смешным, и я описывала их отцу Антонию.

Тогда я касалась иконы Архангела рядом со мной и строго смотрела на них. И они в панике исчезали, словно убегая даже через закрытые окна.

Их внешний вид невозможно полностью описать. Иногда у них был один огромный кроваво-красный глаз посреди головы, а иногда — три маленьких светящихся глаза. Их пальцы были искривлёнными, похожими на когти больших птиц. От них исходил ужасный смрад, не похожий ни на что земное.

Они пытаются устрашать, обманывать и духовно разрушать человека.

Однажды я спросила демона:

„Во имя Христа, победившего тебя Крестом, скажи: что ты считаешь своим величайшим достижением?“

И он ответил:

„То, что я убедил людей, будто меня не существует.“

Тогда я спросила:

„И как тебе это удаётся?“

Он ответил:

„Я заставляю людей верить, что всё, что я делаю, — это лишь психология, воображение или фантазия.“

Демоны радуются богохульству, колдовству, насилию, нечистоте и духовному разложению. Они стараются увести человека от покаяния и от Христа.

Но человек не должен впадать в отчаяние или чрезмерный страх. Христос имеет абсолютную власть над злом. Без Божьего попущения демоны не имеют настоящей власти над смиренной и кающейся душой.

Не бойтесь дьявола — но и не играйте со злом. Будьте рядом со Христом, молитесь, кайтесь и сохраняйте духовную бдительность.

Всё доброе принадлежит Христу. Каждый грех принадлежит нам и дьяволу. Поэтому искренне кайтесь, и зло не сможет победить вас.»

  

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# ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΑ

Η Γερόντισσα Γαλακτία έλεγε:

> «Οι δαίμονες είναι τερατώδη και παραμορφωμένα όντα. Δεν θέλουν να δείχνουν την πραγματική τους ασχήμια, όμως κάποιες φορές ο Θεός επιτρέπει να τους βλέπω όπως πραγματικά είναι.

Ιδιαίτερα τη νύχτα, όταν μιλούσα στο τηλέφωνο με τον πατέρα Αντώνιο (Μωραϊτάκη), εμφανίζονταν γύρω μου. Κινούνταν παράξενα μέσα στο δωμάτιο αλλά δεν μπορούσαν να με αγγίξουν. Μερικές φορές η συμπεριφορά τους ήταν σχεδόν γελοία και τους περιέγραφα στον πατέρα Αντώνιο.

Τότε άγγιζα την εικόνα του Αρχαγγέλου που είχα δίπλα μου και τους κοιτούσα αυστηρά. Αμέσως έφευγαν πανικόβλητοι, ακόμη και μέσα από κλειστά παράθυρα.

Η μορφή τους δεν περιγράφεται εύκολα. Άλλοτε είχαν ένα τεράστιο κατακόκκινο μάτι στο μέσο του κεφαλιού και άλλοτε τρία μικρά κόκκινα μάτια που έλαμπαν. Τα δάχτυλά τους ήταν αφύσικα, σαν νύχια μεγάλων πουλιών. Η δυσωδία τους ήταν ανυπόφορη, πέρα από κάθε γήινη βρώμα.

Προσπαθούν συνεχώς να φοβίζουν, να εξαπατούν και να καταστρέφουν πνευματικά τον άνθρωπο.

Κάποτε ρώτησα έναν δαίμονα:

“Στο όνομα του Χριστού που σε νίκησε με τον Σταυρό, πες μου: ποιο θεωρείς το μεγαλύτερό σου κατόρθωμα;”

Και εκείνος απάντησε:

“Το ότι έπεισα τους ανθρώπους πως δεν υπάρχω.”

Τότε τον ρώτησα:

“Και πώς το καταφέρνεις;”

Και απάντησε:

“Κάνοντάς τους να πιστεύουν ότι όλα όσα κάνω είναι απλώς ψυχολογία, φαντασία ή αυταπάτη.”

Οι δαίμονες χαίρονται με τη βλασφημία, τη μαγεία, τη βία, την ακαθαρσία και την πνευματική διαφθορά. Προσπαθούν να απομακρύνουν τον άνθρωπο από τη μετάνοια και από τον Χριστό.

Όμως ο άνθρωπος δεν πρέπει να απελπίζεται ούτε να φοβάται υπερβολικά. Ο Χριστός έχει απόλυτη εξουσία πάνω στο κακό. Χωρίς την άδεια του Θεού, οι δαίμονες δεν έχουν πραγματική δύναμη πάνω σε μια ταπεινή και μετανοημένη ψυχή.

Μην φοβάστε τον διάβολο — αλλά μην παίζετε ούτε με το κακό. Μείνετε κοντά στον Χριστό, προσεύχεστε, μετανοείτε και να έχετε πνευματική εγρήγορση.

Κάθε καλό ανήκει στον Χριστό. Κάθε αμαρτία ανήκει σε εμάς και στον διάβολο. Γι’ αυτό να μετανοείτε ειλικρινά και το κακό δεν θα σας κυριεύσει.»

Αυτό είναι από τα βασικά σημεία που τους ξεχωρίζουν θεολογικά από τον κύριο Χριστιανισμό.

 

Αυτό είναι από τα βασικά σημεία που τους ξεχωρίζουν θεολογικά από τον κύριο Χριστιανισμό.

 Πιστεύουν ότι ο Ιησούς είναι το πρώτο και ανώτερο δημιούργημα του Θεού (τον ταυτίζουν με τον αρχάγγελο Μιχαήλ πριν έρθει στη γη).Δεν αποδέχονται τη διδασκαλία της Αγίας Τριάδας όπως την κατανοούν οι Ορθόδοξοι, Καθολικοί και οι περισσότερες Προτεσταντικές Εκκλησίες.Για αυτούς, ο Θεός (Ιεχωβάς) είναι μόνο ένας, και ο Ιησούς είναι υποδεέστερος, όχι ίσος ή ομοούσιος.

Αυτό είναι από τα βασικά σημεία που τους ξεχωρίζουν θεολογικά από τον κύριο Χριστιανισμό.

From Saint Anthinos

 

A Saint once had a Turkish friend — a man of remarkable kindness, who helped Christians and acted with love and integrity. The Saint often wondered what would become of this man’s soul, since he was not Orthodox, yet his heart was sincere and compassionate.

After his friend’s death, the Saint prayed and asked God to reveal the truth.

In a vision, he saw his friend in a place filled with light and peace. Surprised, he asked:

— “What is this place? It resembles Paradise.”

And the man replied:

— “My friend Anthimos, the mercy of God is greater than we understand.”

The Saint then asked:

— “Why did you not become Orthodox?”

And he answered:

— “I was afraid for my head.”

The story reminds us that fear has kept many from openly confessing faith throughout history. It also reminds us that God alone knows the depths of every human heart.

Orthodoxy does not teach “many paradises,” but it does teach that divine justice is inseparable from divine mercy. The final judgment belongs to God — not to us.

His mercy is deeper than our categories.

His justice is purer than our opinions.

The Holy Fire: Where Faith Meets Scientific Curiosity

 

The Holy Fire: Where Faith Meets Scientific Curiosity

Every year, on Holy Saturday in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, thousands gather to witness one of Christianity’s most mysterious and revered events: the descent of the Holy Fire. For centuries, this phenomenon has inspired awe, devotion, and—more recently—scientific curiosity. Among those who have sought to explore it through both faith and empirical observation is Archbishop Gennady Zaridze.

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A Researcher Bridging Faith and Science

Archbishop Gennady Zaridze is not only a clergyman but also a thinker deeply interested in the dialogue between theology and science. With a background that embraces both spiritual tradition and analytical inquiry, he represents a rare effort to approach religious phenomena with scientific tools—without diminishing their sacred meaning.

In 2016, he traveled to the Holy Land with a specific purpose: to observe and measure the physical properties of the Holy Fire during the annual ceremony. His goal was not to “debunk” the miracle, but to better understand its observable characteristics and, perhaps, illuminate how such an event might strengthen faith in a modern, scientifically minded world.

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Measuring the Unusual: Temperature Observations

One of the most striking aspects of the Holy Fire is a widely reported phenomenon: in the first moments after its appearance, the flame does not burn the faithful. Pilgrims often pass the flame over their faces or hands without injury—an act that would be impossible with ordinary fire.

To investigate this, Archbishop Zaridze employed a pyrometer, a device used to measure temperature from a distance, along with silver plates that can help gauge heat intensity through thermal conduction and discoloration.

His findings were remarkable:

• Immediately after the descent, the flame’s temperature was measured at approximately 40°C (104°F)—warm, but not enough to cause burns.
• After about 15 minutes, the temperature rose dramatically to over 300°C (572°F), consistent with the behavior of ordinary fire.

This rapid transformation suggests that the Holy Fire exhibits an unusual thermal profile—initially mild and later intensifying into a typical high-temperature flame.

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Methods and Observational Approach

Archbishop Zaridze’s methodology was simple but deliberate:

• Pyrometric readings were taken at different intervals to track changes in heat.
• Silver plates were exposed to the flame to observe how quickly they reacted to rising temperatures.
• Observations were conducted in real-time, within the natural conditions of the ceremony, without interfering with the religious proceedings.

While these methods do not constitute a controlled laboratory experiment, they provide valuable field observations that raise intriguing questions about the nature of the phenomenon.

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Supporting Observations: Electromagnetic Activity

The Holy Fire has also attracted attention from scientists outside the clergy. Notably, Andrei Volkov of the Kurchatov Instituteconducted measurements during previous celebrations.

Volkov reported detecting unusual electromagnetic activity in the area surrounding the event at the moment the Holy Fire appeared. While the exact cause and significance of these readings remain unclear, they add another layer of scientific intrigue to the phenomenon.

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Interpreting the Phenomenon

From a strictly scientific perspective, the Holy Fire raises more questions than it answers:

• Why does the flame initially behave as if it has a significantly lower temperature?
• What accounts for the sudden increase in heat after several minutes?
• Could environmental, chemical, or physical factors play a role—or is something else at work?

For Archbishop Zaridze, however, the purpose of such an investigation is not to reduce the Holy Fire to a purely physical explanation. Instead, he يرى the phenomenon as a sign that invites deeper reflection, where science can observe but not fully explain it.

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Faith, Mystery, and Meaning

For millions of believers, the Holy Fire is not merely an anomaly—it is a miracle, a sacred sign of divine presence and continuity within the Orthodox Christian tradition. Scientific observations, like those of Archbishop Zaridze and Andrei Volkov, do not diminish this belief. Rather, they can enrich it by showing that even in an age of technology and measurement, certain experiences retain an element of mystery.

In this way, the Holy Fire stands at a unique intersection:
a phenomenon observed with instruments, yet understood through faith;
measured in degrees, yet felt in devotion.

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Conclusion

The investigation of the Holy Fire by Archbishop Gennady Zaridze offers a compelling example of how science and faith need not be in opposition. Through careful observation and respectful inquiry, he has highlighted unusual physical properties of the flame while affirming its spiritual significance.

Whether viewed as a miracle beyond explanation or a phenomenon awaiting deeper understanding, the Holy Fire continues to inspire both reverence and curiosity—reminding us that some of the most profound human experiences lie at the boundary between what we can measure and what we believe.