The Stages of the Soul After Death and the Aerial Toll Houses: The Truth According to the Orthodox Church

Dear brothers and sisters,

In our previous video, we spoke about whether the dead can see us, and we learned that the soul continues to live and remains conscious. Today, we will discuss something very serious and deeply spiritual: what happens to a person immediately after death, what stages the soul passes through, and what are known as the aerial toll houses.

Our Church teaches that when the soul separates from the body, it does not remain alone. It is received by the angels of God. Saint Macarius of Egypt says that the angels accompany the soul with peace and reverence for God. A person does not depart from this world alone.

According to Church tradition, during the first three days, the soul remains close to the earth. It sees the places where it lived and remembers its life. This is why, shortly before dying, people sometimes speak as though they can see things and people.

Afterward, the soul is led to see places of light and joy, as well as places of sorrow, so that it may understand spiritual reality. Then begins the journey that the Holy Fathers call the aerial toll houses.

What Are the Aerial Toll Houses?

The aerial tollhouses are not physical places as we might imagine them. They are spiritual examinations. At each toll house, a particular category of sins committed during a person's life is examined.

These accounts are mentioned by various saints, including Saint Ignatius Brianchaninov, and in the vision of Blessed Theodora.

The traditional account describes the following aerial toll houses:

• The toll house of slander.

• The toll house of insult and abusive speech.

• The toll house of envy.

• The toll house of lying.

• The toll house of anger and wrath.

• The toll house of pride.

• The toll house of blasphemy.

• The toll house of idle talk and foolish speech.

• The toll house of usury and deceit.

• The toll house of laziness and excessive sleep.

• The toll house of greed and love of money.

• The toll house of drunkenness.

• The toll house of resentment and holding grudges.

• The toll house of witchcraft and divination.

• The toll house of gluttony.

• The toll house of idolatry.

• The toll house of homosexuality.

• The toll house of pleasing people and seeking their approval.

• The toll house of adultery.

• The toll house of murder.

• The toll house of theft.

• The toll house of fornication.

• The toll house of mercilessness and lack of compassion.

At each toll house, the demons accuse the soul of its sins, while the angels present evidence of any repentance shown during the person's lifetime, including confession, good deeds, and the grace of God.

Ultimately, a person does not save himself. God saves through His mercy.

The aerial toll houses are not meant to frighten us. They are meant to show us how serious our lives are. Every action matters, every word matters, but repentance also possesses tremendous power.

After this journey, the soul enters a temporary state. The righteous dwell in peace and light, while those who have not repented experience sorrow. All await the resurrection of the dead and the Final Judgment.

Here we find something deeply comforting: the prayers of the living can greatly help the souls of the departed.

This is why we hold memorial services and pray for those who have died. Our Church does not do these things merely as a formal ritual. It does so because these prayers truly matter.

The message, therefore, is not fear but spiritual vigilance. We must live with repentance, prayer, and love, because God does not want anyone to perish. He desires that all be saved, and He awaits us with open arms.

Understanding the Soul's Journey More Deeply

Let us look more deeply at what this journey of the soul means.

The Holy Fathers teach us that after death, a person can no longer hide from himself. The conscience is fully illuminated, and everything comes to light.

Saint John of Damascus explains that the soul then clearly understands the true condition of its life. The things it justified while on earth are seen as they really were, while even the smallest good deeds acquire great value.

The Holy Fathers place particular emphasis on the forty days following death. During these days, the soul passes through these stages and prepares to enter its temporary state until the Final Judgment.

This is why the Church has special prayers on the third, ninth, and fortieth days after death. These observances are not arbitrary; they have deep spiritual meaning.

On the third day, we commemorate the Resurrection of Christ and pray that God will also raise the soul spiritually.

On the ninth day, we pray in remembrance of the nine orders of angels.

On the fortieth day, we remember that our Lord Himself ascended into Heaven, and we pray that the departed soul may find rest in the place appointed for it.

The Power of Prayer for the Departed

I will share an incident related to spiritual fathers.

A priest was praying fervently for a man who had died suddenly. One night, he saw the man in a dream, looking sad and troubled.

The man said to him, "Father, your prayers are helping me, but I need more."

The priest increased his prayers and memorial services. A few days later, he saw the man again, this time radiant and peaceful.

This story illustrates the great spiritual significance attributed to the prayers of the Church.

The Holy Fathers also teach us something else: even a small prayer can bring great consolation to a departed soul.

A simple "Lord, have mercy," a candle, or an act of charity offered in the name of someone who has departed this life can be meaningful. Nothing offered in love is wasted.

The Toll Houses Are Not a Mechanical Process

There is something very important to understand: the aerial toll houses are not a mechanical procedure, nor are they simply like examinations.

They represent the revelation of a person's spiritual condition.

If the heart has learned to repent, love, and forgive, the soul approaches this journey with peace. If a person has lived far from God, the soul experiences the sorrow of separation from Him.

Saint Isaac the Syrian expresses a profound spiritual truth: God never ceases to love the human being, even after death. Yet a person experiences God's love differently depending on the condition of his or her heart.

This shows us that God does not act out of vengeance. God loves.

Therefore, the purpose of this teaching of the Church is not to terrify us. It is to awaken us, to help us live rightly from this moment onward, to stop postponing repentance, and to stop neglecting our souls.

Every day we live is a gift from God. It is an opportunity for salvation, a time for love, and an opportunity for change.

And the most comforting truth of all is this: as long as we are alive, things can still be corrected.

As long as we breathe, God awaits us.

Let us therefore live, dear brothers and sisters, with prayer, confession, forgiveness, and love, so that the journey of our souls may be filled with light and peace.

Next Friday, the next part of our series will be published, and we will discuss something many people wonder about:

What is Paradise really like, according to the Orthodox Church? What will we do there? Will time exist as we know it here? Will there be trees, men and women, and will we recognize one another in Paradise?

It is a beautiful and deeply comforting subject.

May you all be well, and may God bless us all.

Amen.

An Important Orthodox Caution About the Aerial Toll Houses

It is important to approach the teaching about the aerial toll houses with spiritual discernment and an understanding of Orthodox theology.

Although accounts of the toll houses appear in the writings and spiritual experiences of certain Orthodox saints and ascetics, the detailed teaching about the toll houses is not universally accepted by all Orthodox theologians, nor has every detail of these accounts been defined as dogma by an Ecumenical Council.

Some Orthodox writers and monastic traditions understand the toll houses as a spiritual reality in which the soul encounters the consequences of its sins and the accusations of demonic powers. Others caution that these accounts should not necessarily be interpreted as a literal, chronological description of what happens to every soul after death.

The Orthodox Church firmly teaches that death is followed by the soul's continued existence, that each person will face God's judgment, and that the final resurrection and Last Judgment will come at the end of the age. The Church also teaches the importance of repentance, the mercy of God, and prayer for the departed.

However, we should be careful not to present every detail found in private revelations, hagiographical accounts, or particular interpretations of the toll houses as an indisputable article of the Orthodox faith.

Above all, we must remember that our salvation rests in the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ, not in fear of demons or in an attempt to calculate our passage through the afterlife.

The proper Orthodox response is not panic or speculation, but repentance, participation in the sacramental life of the Church, love for our neighbor, forgiveness, and trust in the Lord.

As Christians, we are called to remain spiritually vigilant while placing our hope in Christ, who conquered death through His Resurrection.

May the Lord grant rest to the souls of all who have departed this life, forgive their sins, and bring them into His eternal Kingdom. Amen.

From potential disruptions to Aegean

https://vimeo.com/1234829877 

Geopolitical dynamics in the Eastern Mediterranean have always moved fast, but sudden shifts in neighboring regimes can create unforeseen ripples across the entire region. When major political transitions or instability occur in Turkey, the immediate fallout will inevitably impact both Greece and Cyprus.  

From potential disruptions to Aegean maritime trade routes to temporary logistics supply-chain shocks, island communities are often the first to feel the impact. Ensuring local resilience isn't about panicking—it is about responsible foresight.  

Key Considerations for Regional Readiness:

 Stockpiling Essential Supplies: Ensuring local communities, especially on vulnerable islands, have adequate reserves (food, energy, and medical supplies) to sustain potential multi-month supply chain delays.  

 Protecting Maritime Sovereignty: Maintaining clear communication and strong strategic coordination across the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean corridor.  

 Strengthening Civil Defense: Empowering local infrastructure and supply networks to operate self-sufficiently during periods of heightened tension.  

In times of regional uncertainty, waiting for a crisis to unfold is a risk we cannot afford. Preparation is strength.  

📝 Ελληνική Έκδοση

Τίτλος: Να Είστε Έτοιμοι: Γιατί οι Γεωπολιτικές Αλλαγές στην Ανατολική Μεσόγειο Απαιτούν Στρατηγική Προετοιμασία

Οι γεωπολιτικές ισορροπίες στην Ανατολική Μεσόγειο είναι πάντα εύθραυστες. Τυχόν απότομες πολιτικές εξελίξεις ή μεταβολές στην ηγεσία της γείτονος χώρας μπορούν να προκαλέσουν αλυσιδωτές αντιδράσεις σε ολόκληρη την περιοχή, επηρεάζοντας άμεσα τόσο την Ελλάδα όσο και την Κύπρο.  

Από πιθανές διαταραχές στις θαλάσσιες εμπορικές οδούς του Αιγαίου έως προσωρινά προβλήματα στην εφοδιαστική αλυσίδα, οι νησιωτικές περιοχές είναι συχνά οι πρώτες που επηρεάζονται. Η διασφάλιση της τοπικής ανθεκτικότητας δεν είναι ζήτημα πανικού, αλλά υπεύθυνης πρόβλεψης.  

Βασικοί Πυλώνες Προετοιμασίας:

 Επάρκεια Βασικών Αγαθών: Διασφάλιση αποθεμάτων (τροφίμων, ενέργειας και ιατρικού υλικού) για τις τοπικές κοινωνίες, ιδιαίτερα στα νησιά, σε περίπτωση διακοπής της τροφοδοσίας.  

 Προστασία Θαλάσσιων Οδών: Διατήρηση ισχυρού συντονισμού και ετοιμότητας σε όλο το εύρος του Αιγαίου και της Ανατολικής Μεσογείου.  

 Ενίσχυση Πολιτικής Προστασίας: Ενδυνάμωση των τοπικών υποδομών ώστε να μπορούν να λειτουργήσουν αυτόνομα σε περιόδους κρίσης.  

Σε περιόδους αβεβαιότητας, η αδράνεια είναι πολυτέλεια που δεν διαθέτουμε. Η προετοιμασία είναι ισχύς

Everyone must see this

A bus arrived on November first. I will not say from which part of Athens. On November first, Saint David is celebrated. The priest and about fifty people were sitting in the hall, and I decided to tell them something that had deeply moved me. I had learned about it that summer. I will tell you about it.

However, while I was speaking, a man and a woman kept crossing themselves over their mouths.

I thought, “Apparently they woke up early, and because they are tired, the poor people want to yawn, and that is why they are covering their mouths with the sign of the cross.”

That is what I thought.

Listen, then, to what I told them.

Some pilgrims had come to the monastery of the Panagia in Karpathos.

They said there was a great church dedicated to the Panagia there. It was a very beautiful church, surrounded by cliffs all the way down to the sea. You could enter only from the front, and there was a square where the people of Karpathos would sit.

As soon as the Divine Liturgy had finished, the priest said, “Do you see this chandelier? It is a magnificent chandelier. We have not seen one like it in any church in Greece. I ask the gentleman who donated it to come up to the pulpit and tell us why he gave us this gift.”

A gentleman came up and said,

“I am now an old man.

When I was a young child, my mother died.

My father worked on the ships and had to travel constantly. How could he raise me? After a short while, he married another woman, and they came here to the Panagia, to the square, just like everyone else, to sit and talk.

As soon as it began to get dark, my stepmother took me by the hand. She took me to a place where nobody else was around and threw me off the cliff.

Then she returned with crocodile tears, shouting, ‘I lost the child! The child fell! I lost the child!’

My father said she had gone mad.

Meanwhile, night had fallen.

There was no way for them to climb down the cliff. The jackals began howling.

My father, together with the village president, the policeman, the teacher, and everyone else, sat at the edge of the cliff and shouted:

‘Little Kostaki, don't be afraid. In the morning we will come and get you, Kostas.’

This continued throughout the entire night.

As soon as dawn broke, they heard Kostaki's voice:

‘Dad, I am fine! I am at such-and-such beach.’

He mentioned the place, apparently one they knew.

The people went crazy with joy.

They gathered all the ropes in the town. A young man tied himself to a large tree and climbed down.

He brought me back up from below.

As soon as my father saw me, he embraced me and said,

‘My Kostaki, why, my boy, did you leave us in agony all night when you were alive?’

I said,

‘Dad, when Mother threw me down, she was caught. She died in prison. The police were there.’

An aunt of mine took me into her arms.

My father did not understand.

He asked, ‘And why didn't your aunt shout, since you weren't shouting?’

‘She kept her hand over my mouth and told me, “No, my boy, don't shout now, because they will be killed.”’

But when morning came, she told me, ‘Now shout,’ and my aunt left.

The priest understood.

He took me by the hand and brought me inside the church.

‘Could this aunt have been Saint Irene? Saint Catherine? Saint Paraskevi?’

‘No,’ I said.

As soon as we reached the iconostasis and I saw the Panagia, I said,

‘This is the aunt who held me in her arms throughout the entire night.’

I said,

‘This Panagia became my mother at the most difficult moment. Doesn't she deserve a gift?’

I went to Canada and studied chemistry, and the first money I earned bought this chandelier.”

I was so deeply moved that everyone who came that year—one, two, five, a hundred people—I would tell them:

“Come, let me tell you a story.

Come, let me tell you a story about how our Panagia comes running to us even when we do not call upon her.”

So, as I was telling this story on the bus, as soon as I finished telling the miracle, I continued:

“You see, my Christian brothers and sisters, our Panagia…”

I could not say anything else.

Those who had been crossing themselves over their mouths were demon-possessed.

I did not know it.

But the people on the bus knew, and they grabbed them because they got up to beat me.

Feeling safe because they were holding them back, I said:

“Well, devil, you have misunderstood, because we are talking about the Panagia.”

And they said:

“You filthy old woman! In this filthy monastery you are ruining my plans!”

I thought they were insulting her.

I thought they were saying that they did not want people to hear her.

I thought they did not want people to hear her son.

And I tell you, they were so ready to beat me.

But I was safe because they were holding them, so I said,

“Ah, because this bothers you so much, I will keep saying it.”

But I assure you, when I left the monastery, a nun said to me:

“Don't go and tell the children about this, because who knows what temptation may come upon us.”

Every time we tell the story, another temptation comes.

That is how angry the devil becomes.

WE ARE CLOSE TO THE EVENTS

 

The Muslims were born and developed around the seventh century, and this was the work of the cousin of Muhammad’s wife, who was Jewish, and he was Jewish as well, and they wanted to strike against Christianity. This is what they always did.

And they entered into this matter, and, of course, they had the command, through demonic prompting, to exterminate the Christians. Those who spoke against the Christians said to destroy them with a sharpened sword. This is what they are doing now in the events in Syria and all these things, and they have it in mind to do the same to us here.

Now they have brought us the illegal immigrants, obviously with an evil purpose, obviously with the intention of causing us harm. But I will tell them that they will not succeed, because events are developing and coming quickly.

And when Turkey disappears, pay attention; the illegal immigrants will not be able to act in this situation, since they were obviously promoted by other powers, great powers, or a great power, in order to harm us.

Let me remind you, however, because I must also be clear, what Kissinger said against us some years ago:

“We will strike them in their language, we will strike them in their culture, and we will strike them in their faith.”

These things are being followed, and we are seeing these events.

Of course, here we must point out, to tell the truth, that we must understand that there was also the cooperation of our own “Janissaries.”

Our era resembles the era of what is called Byzantium, shortly before the Fall, after the attempt at union at Ferrara-Florence.

At that time, there were two movements: those in favor of union and those opposed to it.

The supporters of union, as you understand, were the friends of union with the Europeans. The opponents of union were fewer.

In our own time, there are again the same positions of those who favor union and those who oppose it. Please pay attention.

They are all those who studied in the West and became friends of the Westerners.

The destructive actions being carried out against the Church, against Orthodoxy, and even by those wearing cassocks, the supposed Orthodox, and on the political level by politicians who have betrayed and sold out the country will stop.

Saint Kosmas says that they will even impose taxes on your chicken coops, but they will not have time.

They will not have time because events will take place in our country.

Unfortunately, the anti-Greek people who have been cultivated both in political power and in ecclesiastical authority, because they followed the commands of the political authorities and became instruments, will unfortunately be pushed aside.

And I certainly pray that God will give them repentance, because it is a tragedy that after so many years inside the Church they have reached this state of great betrayal that exists today.

God never abolishes His promises. It has been centuries now since He gave these prophecies, and today we see them unfolding.

Because these things are near, we do not know the exact date. Of course, no date has been given to us.

Nevertheless, they are near, and I believe that those younger than me—and I also believe that if God allows me to survive and live a little longer—I will experience them myself.

So, you should know that we are very, very close.

Of course, there is great confusion, and many people are unbelievers. That does not concern us. Everyone can do whatever they want.

The events that are coming and are near will convince them.

The last of the prophets was our contemporary, Saint Paisios.

Someone asks, referring to this prophecy: “I asked the Elder what the developments concerning Turkey would be.”

He answers me:

“Look, the Turks will make only one provocation against Greece, and it will have to do with the territorial waters, and hunger will strike us. Greece will become hungry, and because this storm will last for some time, for months, we will say that we have nothing even to eat.”

Then I asked him:

“Elder, how will I know that we are approaching war?”

He said:

“When you hear on television that they are discussing the miles, about extending the territorial waters from six to twelve miles, then behind that comes the war.”

This follows.

“What will we do? Will the Greek army take part in this war?”

“No.”

“The government will make a decision not to send the army,” he means into the Great War.

“Because whoever takes part in this great war between the states is lost.”

Then, because people in Greece will become very afraid, they will turn toward the Church and toward God, and they will repent.

That is why, because there will be repentance, we Greeks will not suffer harm.

God will have mercy on Greece because the people will turn toward the Church and toward monasticism. They will begin to pray, and many Turks will be baptized, who, as I mentioned at the beginning, are secretly Christians.

The Turks will attack us, but Greece will not suffer great damage.

As we said, there are also other prophecies, but they are now well known, especially those of Saint Paisios.

Therefore, we do not need to, and we cannot, know exactly the time when these world-changing events will happen, because no such date has been given to us.

Besides, it is not right to place absolute faith in dates, because when people repent, God may suspend decisions He has made, as happened in the case of Nineveh.

The opinion, however, of many who observe the signs of the times is that we are very close to the days when these shocking events mentioned in the prophecies of the Holy Fathers of our Orthodox Church will begin to take place.

Now I will tell you, and then I will finish with the prophecy of Saint Porphyrios, a great saint who, of course, did not concern himself with prophecies.

However, during a gathering of brothers to whom he was speaking, he mentioned that God would save us through calamity.

One evening, when we had entrusted to him our sorrow and distress over everything that was happening around us, he revealed this to us:

“Our era is like the era of Christ.”

The situation was obscure and difficult then, and it is the same today in our own days.

At that time, the world had reached a miserable condition.

But God had mercy on us, and now we must not lose hope.

I see, through the midst of calamity, someone very important, a man of God, appearing.

Pay attention: he will awaken and unite the people toward what is good.

I wish you repentance, my brothers. Remain calm.

Let us turn to the Lord, who, as I said, can give us grace and sustain us through the tribulations of these days.

And let us remain optimistic, because God does not make mistakes, and He protects us on a personal level, on a family level, and on a national level.

And, of course, I wish all the best to our brothers in the diaspora, wherever they may be—in America, Australia, Europe, and elsewhere.

THE GREAT WAGER: A Spiritual Warning from Fotis Kontoglou

 THE GREAT WAGER: A Spiritual Warning from Fotis Kontoglou. A couple of days ago, I was reading an old book by Fotis Kontoglou, the great Greek hagiographer and writer. I came across a very beautiful passage that I wanted to share with you. It is called “The Great Wager.” It speaks about the great wager between believers and unbelievers—in other words, about the struggle that takes place between a person who believes in God and one who does not. The believer does not wage war against the unbeliever. Rather, he simply tells him, with love, that he is going down the wrong path and that he should begin to think more seriously about these things—to seriously consider spiritual matters and the truth of Christ. For Christ is the Truth. There is no other truth apart from Christ. Let me read this passage slowly and say a few words about it. A Night Beneath the Stars. One beautiful spring night, just before midnight, before I went to sleep, I went into the little garden behind our house. I stood there for a while, looking up at the nearby sky, filled with stars, as though I were seeing it for the first time. Sometimes it seems that a person’s consciousness suddenly opens, and he sees something familiar as though it were completely new. That night I looked at the sky as a child would look at it for the first time. How beautiful the colors seemed to us when we were children! How beautiful the fragrances of the flowers were! Everything had an indescribable, almost virginal beauty. These things filled the space of the child’s soul. And when we grow older, perhaps we retain something of those childhood experiences. Sometimes a particular fragrance, a certain light, or some familiar sight brings those beautiful memories back to us. That night the sky seemed to me to be filled with something profound, as though a distant hymn were coming down from above. It seemed as though I could hear sacred hymns, quietly repeating: “Arise, O Lord, our God, and worship at His feet.” An elderly holy man once told me that at such hours the heavens seem to open, and the air itself becomes filled with the fragrance of musk and with the glory of the Lord. This is why Kontoglou’s description is so beautiful. Who could look at the flowers of spring, smell their fragrance, and gaze upon the stars of a clear night without feeling something great within his soul? My dear friends, look up at the sky on a clear spring night. Look at the stars. You must have felt something. I could have remained there until dawn, as though I had no body and no connection with the earth. But I thought that someone in the house might wake up and worry that I had disappeared. So I went inside, lay down, and soon fell asleep. The Man Who Appeared to Me: I do not know whether I was awake or asleep when I suddenly saw before me a strange-looking man. He was pale and yellowish, almost as though he were dead. His eyes were open, and he looked at me with terror. His face was like a mask. His skin appeared dark and strangely distorted. With one hand he held his chest, as though he were suffering terrible pain. The sight made me shudder. He kept looking at me without speaking, as though he were waiting for something. Everything was extraordinarily strange. Then I heard a voice. As soon as I heard it, I knew who he was. He opened his mouth and sighed, but his voice seemed to come from very far away—as though it were coming from a deep well. I could see that he was in terrible pain, and I began to suffer with him. His hands, his legs, and his eyes—all of him—seemed to express unbearable agony. I went toward him because I wanted to help him. But he waved his hands, telling me to stop. Then he began to cry out so terribly that I froze. He said, "I did not come here by myself. They sent me.” I trembled all over. I was completely overwhelmed, and I asked God to have mercy on me. He continued: “I want to die, but I cannot.” Then he said, "What you told me has come true.” “Do you remember a few days before my death, when you came to my house and spoke to me about religion? There were two other friends with me who were unbelievers, just like me. When you spoke, they laughed. They told me that it was a shame for someone with such a good mind to believe such nonsense. They said that these were merely old women’s stories. We had heard such things so many times. And we laughed at you. But now, my friend, I understand what you were telling us.” “I Thought I Would Live Forever” “Do you remember what you told me many times? You told me, 'My friend, save money if you want, but you will die just like everyone else. Look how much you already have—and yet you always want more.’ And I told you that I had made a kind of agreement with life—that I would live for many more years. You asked me, 'What do you want to do with all those years?’ And I answered, 'You will see how old I become. I am seventy-five, and I will live beyond one hundred.’” This, too, was a deception. A person can imagine that he has many years ahead of him, yet the human heart can stop at any moment. Nothing guarantees us another day—or even another minute. The human heart depends upon extraordinarily delicate electrical and biochemical processes. A tiny electrical impulse causes the heart muscle to contract, again and again, keeping the body alive. And yet a person’s entire earthly life can end in a single moment. I thought I had made a contract with life. I said, "I will live beyond one hundred. I have taken care of my children. My son makes good money. My daughter has married a wealthy man. My wife and I have everything we need.” And I thought I was secure. I laughed when Christians spoke about death and the end of life. The Great Irony This is the irony that many secular people and unbelievers use against Christians. When Christians speak about the end of our lives, when we make the sign of the Cross and say that we want our final years—and especially our final moment—to find us as Christians, people sometimes laugh at us. But what does it actually mean? It means that we want to be prepared. We want to leave this world as Christians. That is not something ridiculous. It is something of enormous importance. When we hear in church about death and judgment, we are shaken. We make the sign of the Cross. We understand that our life will end. And we want that end to find us spiritually prepared. Yet some people laugh at this and consider it foolish. But now let us see what happened. “Why Did Your Merciful God Allow Poor People to Exist?” The unbeliever asks: “Why did your merciful God create poor people? Why should I give money to the poor? Why did He bring them into the world?” This is another misunderstanding. We are told to give alms to the poor, not merely because the poor need material help, but because helping them is also for the benefit of our own souls. In reality, the poor often benefit us spiritually far more than we benefit them materially. We may give them a little money, some food, or something they need. But through them, God allows us to practice mercy, charity, and love. The ideal is not to keep every surplus thing in our own pockets. The Danger of Becoming Dependent. And then there is another danger that we should think about. Imagine a society in which everything depends upon cards and electronic systems. You have money, but it exists only through a card. You need the card for everything. Without it, you may find yourself unable to buy what you need. Even today, if you do not have a telephone card, you may have difficulty making a telephone call. You must find another telephone, a public phone, or someone willing to help you. I am not saying that every card is evil or that we should literally reject every modern service. These things can be useful. It is a matter of personal judgment and conscience. We should not condemn someone simply because he uses such services. We do not have that right. But we should remain spiritually alert. We should avoid becoming completely dependent upon systems that could eventually control every aspect of human life. This is an act of vigilance and, where necessary, an act of spiritual resistance. God sees the intention of the heart. Saint Paisios warned that after such systems of identification and cards, even more restrictive forms of identification and control could eventually appear. Whether one agrees with every detail of such warnings or not, the spiritual lesson remains: Do not surrender your freedom of conscience. Do not allow modern conveniences to become chains. “Why Should I Give Anything to the Poor?” The unbeliever continues: “Why should I give anything to lazy poor people? Why did God create them? Why should I support them?” But God does not abandon the poor. And He also uses the existence of the poor to test the hearts of those who have more. The poor allow us to practice mercy. They may receive something from us materially, but we can receive something much greater spiritually. “I Will Live to Be 110.” The man continued: “I was a doctor. I had studied. I knew how to speak. I knew how to make fun of religion. I believed only in things that could be seen and measured. I told myself that I would live to be 110 years old. I was certain of it.” But suddenly everything changed. He seemed to be suffering terribly, as though he were being burned. Something came from his mouth. He cried, "Oh! Oh!” Then he became silent for a moment. Finally he said, "What I told you a few days ago has happened. I died. I died—and I lost the wager. What terror! What horror! I cried out: ‘Mercy! Mercy!’ But no one heard me. What torment this is! Everything you told me has come true. You won the wager.” “You Were Right” He continued: “When I was in the world you live in, I thought I was the intelligent one. I was a doctor. I had learned how to speak and how to ridicule religion. I believed only in tangible things. But now I see that what I called fairy tales and superstition is real. Now I understand. Now I see what I refused to believe. But it is too late.” His voice slowly faded away. I fell asleep for a while. Then, suddenly, I felt a cold hand touching me. I opened my eyes and saw him again. This time he looked even more terrible. He appeared smaller, almost like a distorted old Byzantine figure. He opened his mouth and told me, "Soon it will be dawn, and they will come to take me away. Those who sent me will come.” I asked him, "Who sent you?” He answered with confused words that I could hardly understand. Then he told me, "There are many others here like me. They are the ones who mocked you because of your faith. Now they understand that human reasoning does not extend beyond the grave.” The Malice of the Devil He also spoke about people who had received kindness from Christians and yet repaid that kindness with hatred. This is one of the great evils of the devil. Sometimes when we show kindness to someone, that person does not rejoice. Instead, he feels humiliated. He thinks, "They are better than me. They have something I do not have. I am in a worse condition than they are.” And instead of responding to kindness with gratitude, he responds with bitterness. This is a terrible spiritual condition. The man said, "I am being severely tormented because I rejected the love of God. As one of the saints said, the love of God becomes a scourge for those who refuse to accept it.” The Great Wager. Then came the most important words: “You who have Christ in your heart, you for whom the word of Christ is the Truth, you have won the great wager. You have won the great wager between believers and unbelievers. I, the miserable one, lost. I perished. I tremble and sigh, and I cannot find peace. Unfortunately, I am in Hell. There is no repentance there anymore. Woe to those who leave this world as we did. While we were on earth, we allowed our passions to intoxicate us. We joined ourselves with those who did not believe in God or in the life to come. And the world applauded us. It applauded us when we mocked those who believed. The world applauds evil. You can see it in the theaters. The more vulgar and obscene a performance becomes, the more applause it receives. And when performers see that obscenity receives applause, they give the people even more of it. It becomes a vicious circle. If the world stopped rewarding obscenity, obscenity would diminish. But instead, the world applauds it.” When Evil Is Crowned, and Goodness Is Mocked He continued: “Look at what happens. Evil is crowned, while goodness is condemned. The world applauds those who live according to their passions and mocks those who believe in God and eternal life. People called us clever. They called you fools. And we accepted that applause. We thought we had won. But now I understand. Our wickedness was not a victory. It was our destruction.” He described how the world can insult Christians with every kind of accusation: “Hypocrites! Religious fanatics! Blasphemers! Fascists! Obscurantists!” And many other names. Yet Christians are called to receive such insults with patience rather than hatred. If those who mock Christianity could see, even for a moment, the reality of the spiritual world from which this man was speaking, they would be terrified. I wish they could be warned. I wish they could change their ways. But I have no permission to return and warn them. It is like the rich man in the Gospel who begged Abraham to send Lazarus to warn his brothers. He was not sent. A Final Warning: We will all be judged according to our deeds. Those who live in sin must take the consequences of sin seriously. Those who live in repentance, faith, and love place their hope in the mercy of God. These are spiritual flowers from the writings of Fotis Kontoglou, reflections on the immortal values of Orthodox Christian life. This particular passage is deeply moving because it resembles accounts found in the writings of various saints—accounts of visions, of souls experiencing the consequences of their earthly lives, and of the terrible realization that can come after death. My dear friends, those who do not believe may one day be confronted with a reality they did not expect. And then it will be too late to correct what should have been corrected during this earthly life. That is why this message deserves to be taken seriously. Not only by those who believe, but especially by those who mock religion and regard everything spiritual as a joke. It is time to think seriously—very seriously—about God, about Christ, about death, about the soul, and about the life to come. The great wager is not about money. It is about eternity. And every human being is making that wager through the way he chooses to live.