Saint Iakovos Tsalikis: “Most people come to the Mysteries without repentance…”

~ Around 1983, we found ourselves at the Holy Monastery of Saint David. I felt the need to confess, and so I stood before the holy elder, Saint Iakovos Tsalikis.

After reading the prayer of absolution for me, he suddenly began to speak — completely unexpectedly, without me asking him anything:

— “Andreas, my child, most people come to the Holy Mysteries without repentance.

In confession, of course, it is the spiritual father’s duty to help the faithful repent first, and then confess and receive absolution.

But in Holy Communion, they stand alone before Christ and must approach with contrition and repentance for their sins.

God has given me the gift to see those who come without repentance as dark, while those who have repented appear radiant.

Once, I saw a young man approaching for Holy Communion, completely dark. When he reached the Holy Chalice, I said to myself: ‘Who are you, Iakovos, to judge him?’

I made the mistake and gave him Communion! But as I placed the spoon in his mouth, I saw a flash of light leave the spoon and return to the Chalice.

I was stunned! The unrepentant man did not receive Communion!

God taught me that without repentance, neither should the faithful receive Communion, nor should the priest give it to them — if, of course, he knows.

The first responsibility of spiritual fathers is to teach repentance, and to offer the Mysteries of the forgiveness of sins and Holy Communion only to those who have truly repented.”

 ~ Saint Paisios of Mount Athos ✝

About life after death

In the Orthodox Christian understanding, death is not the end but a passage — a doorway from the temporary to the eternal. The human being does not cease to exist; rather, the soul continues in a new dimension, standing before God.

Life after death is not merely a continuation but a state of fulfillment or deprivation of divine Grace, depending on the way a person lived in this life. The Saints teach that physical death is only a temporary separation of the soul from the body, not an annihilation of existence. At the Second Coming, body and soul will be reunited in the Resurrection.

As Saint Paisios reminds us, death is not the final word — it is only a brief separation before entering eternal life.

Κάτι σχετικό για τη μεταθάνατο ζωή:

Στην Ορθόδοξη παράδοση, ο θάνατος δεν θεωρείται τέλος αλλά πέρασμα· μια πόρτα που οδηγεί από το πρόσκαιρο στο αιώνιο. Ο άνθρωπος δεν παύει να υπάρχει, αλλά συνεχίζει σε μια νέα διάσταση, όπου η ψυχή του βρίσκεται μπροστά στον Θεό.

Η ζωή μετά τον θάνατο δεν είναι απλώς συνέχεια της παρούσας, αλλά μια κατάσταση πληρότητας ή στέρησης της θείας Χάριτος, ανάλογα με την πορεία του ανθρώπου σε αυτή τη ζωή. Οι Άγιοι μάς διδάσκουν ότι ο φυσικός θάνατος είναι προσωρινός χωρισμός από το σώμα, αλλά όχι εξαφάνιση της ψυχής· οριστικά όλα θα ενωθούν ξανά κατά τη Δευτέρα Παρουσία, όταν θα αναστηθούν τα σώματα.

Με λίγα λόγια, όπως είπε και ο Άγιος Παΐσιος, ο θάνατος δεν είναι το τέλος, αλλά μια μικρή αναμονή πριν τη συνάντηση με την αιώνια ζωή.

It’s coming

 The islands of the Aegean, steeped in history and faith, have faced sudden turmoil. Turkish forces launched attacks on key locations in Crete and Samos, striking towns and harbors, causing panic and displacement among civilians. Smoke rises over the coastal towns as communities struggle to find safety.

Among the gravest events was the assault targeting the highest spiritual authority of the Orthodox Church. The Patriarch, a lifelong servant of faith and prayer, faced threats from extremists, leaving a profound mark on the Orthodox community worldwide.

In Rhodes, a separate attempt at capture took place but was ultimately unsuccessful, thanks to the determined resistance of local defenders. While the city remains free, the attempted attack has left scars on the island and its people.

These events serve as a somber reminder that the cost of conflict is measured not only in geography or strategy but in human lives, faith, and culture. Communities turn to prayer, support, and acts of solidarity to withstand the trials of these days. Clergy and laity alike call for justice, peace, and resilience, hoping that through collective care, spiritual and civic renewal can follow.

In these trying times, documenting truth, supporting the affected, and praying for guidance are paramount. Through remembrance, vigilance, and faith, the Aegean communities seek to endure and rebuild.

Saint Porphyrios was already deceased when he answered that phone call — a shocking testimony.

 

Demons attack saint iakovos

 

 

📖 The Angel of Light Deception

“Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.”

— 2 Corinthians 11:14

Deception often comes clothed in beauty and false holiness. Even monks and faithful Christians have fallen to illusions disguised as divine visions.

⚠️ The Fathers’ Warnings on Dreams and Visions

The Holy Monastery of Saint Nicodemus, in its text “On Dreams and Visions,” teaches us that misplaced trust in dreams can lead to spiritual ruin. The Fathers urge discernment and obedience to the Church, not to private revelations.

✝️ The Unchanging Gospel

“Even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed.”

— Galatians 1:8

The Gospel of Christ, as preserved in the Orthodox Church, is complete and final. No vision, dream, or “new revelation” can replace it.

🔥 Modern Confusion: Seeking Spectacle Over Truth

In our times, many chase after “prophets” and “new visions.” This pursuit of spectacle distracts from the voice of the Holy Spirit and the firm foundation of the Holy Fathers and Apostles.

🕊️ Holding Fast to the Tradition

The true Light is Christ Himself. We remain safe by holding to:

• The Holy Scriptures
• The Apostolic Tradition
• The witness of the Holy Fathers

Only then do we avoid deception and walk in the authentic Light of the Gospel.

What every person must know about life after death.

 

MUST SEE

 

What the soul sees when it dies. Testimonies and teachings of the Saints.

What does the soul see when it leaves the body? Some forms accompany it.

What the saints saw and what they handed down to us. Today, we will hear holy testimonies from

Those who saw, lived, and left us their experience written with

Pain and truth. A video that might change the way

You see life and death.

Agios Paisios. The soul leaves consciously. Saint Paisios teaches us.

The soul does not leave the unconscious. He knows that he is leaving the body. It doesn't

Get lost. He doesn't sleep. He knows. He says characteristically.

When a man dies, he first sees his body below as if observing it from

Above, and then begins his great journey. The soul says it is present. She knows what

Is happening around her, and the pain, the needs, the prayers of her people touch her.

Deeply.

The customs of demons. Saint Makarios the Egyptian.

After the exodus, the soul goes through spiritual customs. stations where

Demons try to accuse her not by fairy tales but by her very nature.

Deeds. St. Macarius says, "When the soul departs, it passes through the

Air. There the customs await it. If it is not cleansed, it fights a terrible battle."

But this is not said to fill us with fear. It is said to fill us with

Repentance, to live with confession, humility, and faith. Because then customs

Have no power. Christ is our Lord. No one can take

The soul is in his hands. Agios Andreas the Cross-Christ Salos. Angels

Welcome. Saint Andrew is one of the

Epiphanies he experienced saw the soul of a man ascending to heaven. He says

His soul was illuminated by a ray of light. Around her, the angels were drunkenly singing a hymn.

To God and in front of an angel was holding the Gospel open. This

Is the honor given to justice. The church is a heavenly

Reality. Your faith, your repentance,

Your prayer, all these are recorded. They don't go to waste. Saint John the Damascene. The

Direction of the soul. St. John says that the soul, when

It departs and does not hover at random. She goes somewhere specific,

depending on her life. If he lived with repentance and faith, he would go to the light.

If he lived away from God, then he would go to dark places.

Says the soul is directed according to weight and light.

What the soul sees when it dies. Testimonies and teachings of the Saints.

What does the soul see when it leaves the body? Some forms accompany it.

What the saints saw and what they handed down to us. Today, we will hear holy testimonies from

Those who saw, lived, and left us their experience written with

Pain and truth. A video that might change the way

You see life and death.

Agios Paisios. The soul leaves consciously. Saint Paisios teaches us.

The soul does not leave the unconscious. He knows that he is leaving the body. It doesn't

Get lost. He doesn't sleep. He knows. He says characteristically.

When a man dies, he first sees his body below as if observing it from

Above, and then begins his great journey. The soul says it is present. She knows what

Is happening around her, and the pain, the needs, the prayers of her people touch her.

Deeply.

The customs of demons. Saint Makarios the Egyptian.

After the exodus, the soul goes through spiritual customs. stations where

Demons try to accuse her not by fairy tales but by her very nature.

Deeds. St. Macarius says, "When the soul departs, it passes through the

Air. There the customs await it. If it is not cleansed, it fights a terrible battle."

But this is not said to fill us with fear. It is said to fill us with

Repentance, to live with confession, humility, and faith. Because then customs

Have no power. Christ is our Lord. No one can take

The soul is in his hands. Agios Andreas the Cross-Christ Salos. Angels

Welcome. Saint Andrew is one of the

Epiphanies he experienced saw the soul of a man ascending to heaven. He says

His soul was illuminated by a ray of light. Around her, the angels were drunkenly singing a hymn.

To God and in front of an angel was holding the Gospel open. This

Is the honor given to justice. The church is a heavenly

Reality. Your faith, your repentance,

Your prayer, all these are recorded. They don't go to waste. Saint John the Damascene. The

Direction of the soul. St. John says that the soul, when

It departs and does not hover at random. She goes somewhere specific,

depending on her life. If he lived with repentance and faith, he would go to the light.

If he lived away from God, then he would go to dark places.

Says the soul is directed according to weight and light.