This has happened before in our history, when light alternates with darkness.
Now, it is said that the darkest hour is just before dawn, and those of you who are older, those of you who have spent nights in your orchards, you know that the darkest hour is just before the light begins to break.
We are living in this darkness, not only because our displacement continues, dragging on and reaching half a century, but because of all these events.
Geneva has faced many trials from all nations, including our own evolution. The people of God, with whom we speak, see things that the media do not see, that our politicians do not see, and that people in power, in any kind of authority, do not see. Today, powers are many, and often they are stronger in places where they are not visible.
The people who can see tell us, and I must say this to you, the people of Morphou, because you are a suffering people for many, many years, and your children too, because we live in constant waiting. And waiting is tiring, but when waiting is accompanied by patience and prayer, it is refreshing. Our problem is to find these two, along with the waiting for the freedom that we must keep in our hearts, no matter how many years pass.
This is the destiny of Cyprus, to be reunited, as a holy woman once told me when she departed here for the Holy Grotto of Saint Galactia in Crete, where she now rests, performing miracles for a year. She said to me, "My bishop, this is how it will be for your island." She showed me her two hands joined together, and then separated them. "They divided it this way," she said, "but God will bring it back together, not humans, not human plans." She opened her fingertips and said, "There will be a union without war. There will be a terrible war elsewhere, but not in Cyprus."
We must pray for those elsewhere, for they are also people—in Ukraine, in Libya, in Vietnam, and in America, which awaits the worst, poor America. We must pray, "Christ, give me the patience and faith of the saints." We will need it, for it is not just about war events. There will also be shortages of fuel, food, and medicine, even here in Cyprus. That’s why everyone should make their preparations, so that you don’t say later that the bishop didn’t tell you. I’m telling you, make your preparations. We are living in the second and a half year of the Third World War; they just don’t tell us.
And it doesn’t need to start in our neighborhood, but our neighborhood is already under pressure. So, I ask you, we may not face large war events, but maybe we’ll have some small incidents. But at the end of this global upheaval and adventure, after the Third World War, there will be reunion and freedom for the entire land. Why? Because the Russians will fall out with the Turks, and what they did to Ukraine, they will do ten times worse to Turkey. This is the reason. These things will not happen magically. Whoever believes that, I, as your bishop, must share my faith and my experience with you. Whoever wants to, can listen. Keep these things in mind, please.
It is not enough to just stock your refrigerators and cellars, because if we do not learn to share with those who do not have, these things will not last long. The secret is to learn to share your food, your medicine, your soul, your comfort, your love, your support, especially with the weak.
And one last thing that the last saint left us, who was canonized by the Ecumenical Patriarchate, was a Cretan priest-monk, who was also my confessor when I was a student, Saint Evmenios, a disciple of the holy elders. Among the many things he told me, and now I share them on the internet so we can all benefit, was this: "Do you want, deacon," just as you are now, deacon, "do you want to know if you are on the path of God? You will not understand it from great sermons or large crosses or fasting. Even Satan believes and fears, but it means nothing. You will understand from two things: first, examine your heart. Do you easily forgive those who hurt and wrong you? Do you forgive quickly and easily? Then you are on the path of the saints."
"The second thing," he said, "and there is no third, is to see how much patience you have in afflictions, accusations, and slanders from people. If you endure with patience and prayer, and you forgive, then you are on the path of Christ, the path of the saints, the path of Saint Mamas, Saint George, Saint Paraskevi, the path of freedom—from our passions and from the Turks."
I wish this for you, and may you pray for us as well. I must go now.
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