St. Paisios the Athonite

- Elder, what does "Glory to God" mean?

"Glory to God means "Let God be known to men." You also see what Christ said: "I glorified You on earth; and now glorify me, Father", some misunderstand and say: "I, Father, have made you known on earth, make me known also, that people believe."

- Elder, I feel the need to say more "Glory be to God" than "Lord have mercy." Is this good?

"That's good, blessed. I can spend the whole day doing manual labor and saying “Glory be to God. Praise be to God, for I live. Thank God, because I will die and be close to God."

Praise be to God, even if you put me in hell and take someone from hell to Paradise. And if He will not remember me in hell and grieves, let Him take many from hell to Paradise, so that His joy for them may be greater and His sorrow for me lessened."

"Glory be to God" should never be missing from your lips. I, when I am in pain, have "thank you God" as a pill for pain. "Glory be to God" is superior to "Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me".

"Papa-Tychon used to say: " Lord have mercy" has a hundred drachmas, "Glory to You God" has a thousand drachmas; that is, it is much more expensive.

He wanted to say that man seeks God's mercy out of necessity, while praising God out of respect, and that has greater value.

He even recommended that we say "Glory be to God", not only when we are well, but also when we pass trials, because trials are also allowed by God for medicines of the soul."

- Elder, sometimes when I say "Glory to God", I feel a flutter inside me. What is this?

"Joy is spiritual. Now, because you gave me the joy of saying "glory to God", from my joy I will begin to write "glory to God, glory to God", and I will fill a piece of paper with "glory to God".

May God grant you in the next life to be with the Angels who constantly praise God. Amen."