Saint Nektarios of the last starets of Optina (1853-1928)

Many, knowing his prophetic gift, asked: "What awaits us?"

"Great social catastrophes await humanity," he replied. "Our current sufferings are like insect bites, compared to the sufferings of the last years. Many feel it instinctively, like ants in bad weather.

But faithful Christians may not be afraid for God's grace always protects them. In the end it will happen to the faithful which was done with the apostles before the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. Every believer, wherever he is, will be transported in a cloud into the ark of the Church. Only those who are inside will be saved.

 Our age is similar to Noah's. For six centuries the Lord warned of a flood, but they did not believe him and did not regret it. they did not listen to him.

 Even the workers he hired to build the ark didn't believe it, so they only got their paycheck, but they weren't saved, and they got lost in the flood. That time is a harbinger of our own. The ark is the Church. Only those inside will be saved.

Nektaria Konchevich once asked him about the fate of the world which Starets Nektarios talked a lot about it. Finally, he smiled meaningfully and said the following words:

Why are you addressing my weak-mindedness my little one (he always underestimated himself

saying he is of limited mental capacity). He said: "Ask the monks of Optina. They will tell you everything you need to know about this topic."

When I visited them and asked them, they replied: "There are people who are constantly dealing with the outcome and are constantly looking for signes of the  end the world. But they do not care about their souls; they are only interested in impressing others, in transmitting news that will make sense. But it is not beneficial for man to know the time of the Second Coming. Hurry up and pray, said our Savior. This means that we do not need to guess, since everything will be revealed to the faithful when the time comes; but to hurry and be spiritually alert, that is, to always be ready."

Saint Nektarios of the last starets of Optina (1853-1928)