The topic of various miraculous and supernatural phenomena is very relevant today. Often in the "Question to the priest" heading there are questions about how to relate to the myrrh-streaming of icons, to the Holy Fire in Jerusalem, to the healing abilities of individuals, to prophetic dreams and frank visions, and even to the spontaneous movement of furniture in an uninhabited apartment where a person has recently died … In this regard, we present a detailed and reasoned reflection on the nature of the miracles and signs of the bishop of the Old Orthodox Church of Christ of the Belokrinitskaya hierarchy (DCH BI) Alimpiy (Verbitsky).
Brief information about the author
Yuri Verbitsky (future Bishop Alimpiy) was born in 1962 in the city of Evpatoria into a Greek and Polish family. A short acquaintance with the Old Believers in his youth prompted him to study the documents of canon law and the history of the schism of Patriarch Nikon. He took the initial monastic tonsure in the Russian Orthodox Church, then for several years at the invitation of Archbishop Kirill (Gundyaev) of Smolensk and Vyazemsk he worked as a diocesan icon painter. Having ascertained the non-canonical nature of the douche baptism, in the summer of 1988 he received the three-immersion baptism in the same faith parish of the Moscow Patriarchate in Mikhailovskaya Sloboda. In the autumn of the same year, he was united with the 2nd order, through chrismation and renunciation of the Nikonian heresy, to the Russian Orthodox Old Believer Church, where he was immediately tonsured into monasticism. The tonsure was performed by Metropolitan Alimpiy (Gusev). In 1996 g.created a monastic skete in the Ryazan region, where he lived for about 20 years. In the 90s he was engaged in icon painting, restoration of icons in churches. In particular, the frescoes of the church-bell tower of the Resurrection of Christ in Rogozhskoye belong to the brush of Alimpy. On the initiative of Metropolitan Andrian (Chetvergov), in 2004 he was elected a member of the canonical commission of the Russian Orthodox Church of the Orthodox Church, of which he was until 2007. In 2007, he became the compiler and one of the initiators of an open letter to the Consecrated Council, which condemned the tendency of rapprochement with the Russian Orthodox Church. After the Consecrated Council in 2007, together with a number of clergy and laity, he left the jurisdiction of the Moscow Metropolitanate of the ROC and at his Council proclaimed the creation of the Ancient Orthodox Church of Christ of the Belokrinitskaya Hierarchy (DCH BI). He was ordained bishop while already in the DCH BI. Currently he is engaged in icon painting, research and journalistic activities.
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In human life, sometimes there are phenomena called signs or miracles: visions, revelations, unexpected and supernatural healings, multiplication of fruits, myrrh streaming of icons, etc. Miracles occur contrary to the natural laws of nature and cannot be explained from a scientific point of view. the source of their origin is in the spiritual, not the material world. According to the explanation of blah. Theophylact, “a sign is called what is done in accordance with nature, only in an extraordinary way. Such is the sudden healing of Peter's mother-in-law, who was sick with fever. Here, the healing of fever is a matter in accordance with nature; it happened in an unusual way: as soon as Christ touched, the fever passed. A miracle is an action performed on something that is not in accordance with nature. This is the healing of a person who has been blind from birth."
Genuine miracles are served according to the ineffable love of God and have a definite saving purpose: the confirmation of unfaithful souls in the Faith, deliverance from enemies, healing of those suffering from mental and physical ailments … We see numerous examples of such miracles both in the Old and the New Testaments: the passage of the Jewish people through The Red Sea, the supply of the Israelites with heavenly manna, the defeat of the enemy army by the Angel of God (Old Testament); multiplying loaves, taming the storm, healing the sick and raising the dead by Christ (New Testament).
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The devil, from time immemorial a hater of the human race, is also capable of performing "miracles": to sink, destroy, lead away from the true knowledge of God, as well as from the Right Faith and Orthodox worship of God. These were the "miracles" of the Egyptian magicians who competed with Moses (Old Testament); "Miracles" performed by Simon the sorcerer during the gospel sermon of the Apostle Peter (New Testament).
To distinguish genuine, God's miracles from imaginary, demonic, is necessary for each of us, so as not to get carried away and not fall into deception. In discussing miracles, one should rely on the teaching of St. Churches: Holy Scripture (especially the Holy Gospel) and Holy Tradition (the heritage of the Holy Fathers).
Let's turn to the origins of Christian history. The Holy Evangelist Mark, concluding his Gospel, says that the Apostles, after the ascension of the Lord, “preached everywhere, with the Lord's assistance and the confirmation of the word with subsequent signs” (Mark 16:20). “You see,” Blessed Theophylact explains, “everywhere, first our (action), and then God's assistance. For God helps us when we act and lay a beginning: and when we do not act, He does not cooperate. Note also that deeds follow words and the word is confirmed by deeds, as in the Apostles then the word was confirmed by subsequent deeds and signs. " The apostles turned to God with a prayer: "Give Thy servants with all the boldness to speak Thy word, while Thou stretches out Thy hand for healing and for making signs and wonders in the name of Thy Holy Son Jesus" (Acts 4: 29-30).
St. Apostle Paul also speaks of the subjugation of the Gentiles to faith "in word and deed, by the power of knowledge and miracles, by the power of the Spirit of God" (Rom. 15, 19). “Since signs and wonders are also by the power of demons, he added: by the power of the Spirit of God,” we read in the Explanatory Apostle. Thus, the signs of God were given to assist the word of God (i.e., the preaching of the Gospel). With the assistance of miraculous signs, the apostles quickly spread the Faith of Christ throughout the universe: the signs were clear and powerful evidence of the truth of Christianity for both barbaric and educated nations. When the word of the Gospel was spread and the Faith was planted everywhere, then the signs were taken away, as having finished their ministry, and ceased to operate on a large scale and everywhere: they were rarely performed by God's chosen saints. John Chrysostom, St. Father and writer of the 4th century, says,that in his time the gift of signs had already ceased to operate, although there were still in places, mainly between the monks, men of the standard. Saint Gregory Dvoeslov, St. Father of the 6th century, writes: “Signs and wonders were necessary at the beginning of the Church of Christ, for the spread of faith; just like us, when planting trees, until then we only water them with water until they take root, and when they grow and put their deep roots into the ground, then we stop watering them”.then we stop watering them. "then we stop watering them."
And the Apostle Paul testifies that the ability to speak in different languages is “a sign not for believers, but for unbelievers” (1 Cor. 14:22), “for believers do not need them, because they already believe,” explains Blessed Theophylact …
Let us now consider what, in essence, are the wonders and signs that appear in our time, and how the God-bearing Fathers teach to relate to them.
Pictured: Flying Monk Joseph Cupertino (1603 - 1664).
Miracles and Patristic Tradition
In our time, you can often hear that various facts of miracles, signs, visions and prophecies are mentioned in the discourse on faith, to testify to the truth of a particular faith. The mysterious and supernatural nature of these phenomena conquers any argument, especially since the reality of the fragrant currents of the world, bleeding and healings is beyond doubt: most of such facts have witnesses, documented or even confirmed by scientific expertise. However, let us think: how are myrrh-streaming icons, exorcisms, healings and all kinds of signs equally observed among mutually exclusive denominations that the Church of Christ recognizes as quarrelsome, schismatic, or completely heretical? Moreover, our contemporary, who is not always sufficiently knowledgeable in the Orthodox faith,tempted to view these phenomena as an action of God's grace in other denominations.
But even those who have completely Orthodox views and, on the basis of patristic teaching, know that all heretical communities, without exception, are completely devoid of saving Grace, sometimes experience difficulties in understanding the nature of heretical miracles. Moreover, as will be shown below, it is far from always appropriate to see in these miracles exclusively forgery or satanic action.
The Monk Nikon, Abbot of the Black Mountain, who asceticised near Antioch the Great in the 11th century, wrote especially comprehensively about this. and during his lifetime he was still revered as a teacher of the Church. His books "Pandects" and "Tacticon" are thematic collections on topical moral and canonical issues.
Expounding the patristic teaching on the nature of various miracles, the monk divides them as follows: 1) miracles occurring among the Orthodox, 2) miracles among heretics, 3) miracles among non-Christians. We will also follow this sequence and to begin with, we will quote the introduction to the 33rd Word of the book "Pandects":
Thus, the venerable Nikon determines the reliability and salvability of any miracles and deeds of piety by two criteria: whether there is purity of Orthodoxy and the fulfillment of God's commandments in a given situation.
Sometimes outright sinners also perform miracles
Further, with the following examples, he shows that miracles are sometimes performed by obvious sinners (although they belong to the Orthodox faith), and that this is not at all in accordance with God's will.
There was a certain elder who often went to the eminent city of Antioch, and gained the faith (trust) of many. He himself was not an ascetic, but loved to be satisfied with food and drink and lived in all kinds of neglect; and he had a humble appearance and dwelt in a (ascetic) place, because of which many Antiochians believed him. Then, according to the fate known to God alone, he became famous for various miracles, and this was then known among people. At the same time, our blessed father, Cyrus Luke, Metropolitan of Anavar, often taught him to stop working miracles, but he would not obey. One day his own disciple, meeting with me, said: “One afternoon, together with the elder, we came to Antioch, to the house of one of the Christ-lovers, where the elder had his fill and, burdened with food and drink, went to bed. And I and my second brother were taken by another Christ-lover for the night in his house, and his friend was with him. As we walked together, we heard them say: we see that what is said in the Scripture is not obligatory, for this father eats, drinks, is satisfied, has other pleasures, and at the same time is holy and has the effect of giving healings. - This is what the disciple of that elder told, from which one could conclude that the meaning of these miracles consisted in the refutation of the Divine Scriptures and the imposition of a carnivorous life. The blessed patriarch, Cyrus Theodosius, imprisoned the elder for correction in prison. But the Antiochians did not allow this and liberated him by force. However, in the end he himself suffered from this, for it happened that the head of the robbers, belonging to the Armenian heresy, called that old man to bless him, a heretic; the elder was ordained as a priest and, having done everything according to the order, returned to his dwelling. And then he comprehended God's righteous judgment,which was not hindered by the miracles he performed, and nothing else, but he was punished for the same sin; for the chief of the robbers, whom he blessed, came to the old man's dwelling with his robbers and, seizing him, tortured him with terrible tortures: he put the hot coals in the shoes worn by the elder, and put them on his feet, which he burned, after which he left. Since then, the elder has not performed miracles and has not done anything else, but he moved from place to place, suffering terribly, and thus ended his life. Since then, the elder has not performed miracles and has not done anything else, but he moved from place to place, suffering terribly, and thus ended his life. Since then, the elder has not performed miracles and has not done anything else, but he moved from place to place, suffering terribly, and thus ended his life.
Another of ours, a priest ordained monk, lived in the world; then it happened that he fell into sin with a dedicated woman. And not only did he not abandon his passion, but he became addicted more than before, completely lost his shame before God and people, clearly and publicly indulging in this passion, and at the same time he performed miracles. When he saw those lying in a fiery fever, he put his foot on them, and they were healed. So it all went on; but subsequently the All-Bounteous God put the Divine thought into his heart: if all sinners sin, they do it secretly and are ashamed, but I openly and without shame, and at the same time I have the effect of miracles. So he thought. Then he saw a certain old man who had a small monastery in Lida of Halinzia, and when he came to him, he told about everything. But the elder, being reasonable, understood everything, and said to him: Woe, woe to you!This is an insidious act of the devil; firstly, in the fact that you indulged in passion, and secondly, that you shamelessly sinned and performed miracles, deceiving people with your miracles, so that they would say: it is good and acceptable before God to commit sin and to neglect the divine Scriptures and the true will of God. So the demons have found an accomplice in you, so that you can bring many people to destruction. Hearing this and so on, he believed the elder with all his heart and since then has departed from demonic miracles, and did not continue to do so, and, turning to repentance, told me about everything in detail, having love for me.it is good and acceptable before God to commit sin and to neglect the divine Scriptures and the true will of God. So the demons have found an accomplice in you, so that you can bring many people to destruction. Hearing this and so on, he believed the elder with all his heart and since then has departed from demonic miracles, and did not continue to do so, and, turning to repentance, told me about everything in detail, having love for me.it is good and acceptable before God to commit sin and to neglect the divine Scriptures and the true will of God. So the demons have found an accomplice in you, so that you can bring many people to destruction. Hearing this and so on, he believed the elder with all his heart and since then has departed from demonic miracles, and did not continue to do so, and, turning to repentance, told me about everything in detail, having love for me.
Further, we heard that one brother had a relationship with a certain nun. And, wanting to live with her in a worldly way, like a husband and wife, but ashamed to leave the monastic life in his own country, he decided to go with her to a foreign country in order to fulfill this. When they left, they had not yet had time to fully fulfill their passion, because they were on the way. Meanwhile, they approached the monastery, where they thought about repentance, and said to each other: Let's imagine that we have already committed a sin, what is the benefit to us? Therefore, let us now return to our homes. And on their way back, they reached a monastery called the king's, and stopped to rest; then, defeated by the devil, they fell into sin. And in the evening, before the gates of the city of Antioch were closed, the brother fell and died outside the city. The nun, not knowing what to do, went into the city, took a shovel and a hoe from one of her acquaintances, and after dark, when no one saw,went out, dug the earth and covered the body of the monk, then, having waited until morning, went to Antioch. When the Antiochians left the city in the morning, they saw a grave that was not there in the evening, and did not know what to think about it. Then they came to the conclusion that it was some holy servant of God who died, who, not wanting human glory, allegedly ordered his disciples to secretly bury himself here at night. Having judged in this way, they began to bring their sick, and by Satanic action and God's permission, known to God alone, all were healed of their Diseases. But God, seeing such a deception, corrected everything as follows. The aforementioned nun, already in Antioch hearing about what had happened, not knowing what to do, took another nun with her, left the city and, standing apart from the people, looked at the miracles taking place. Then, by Divine providence,a certain monk came from the desert monasteries, who saw a large people and nuns standing separately and began to instruct them to remain silent in their cells and not walk among the laity. And he asked them: "Do you have a spiritual father?" The one who knew the secret answered: no, father, we have not. Then the monk, guided by God's providence, detained her for confession, and she revealed everything to him in detail. Hearing about this, he instructed the nun as befitting and let go, and he went into the city, took a shovel and a spade, went out, and, remaining outside the city, took out the monk's body at night and threw it into the river, and leveled the place, as it had been before, and retired. And since then the devilish action in that place has ceased."Do you have a spiritual father?" The one who knew the secret answered: no, father, we have not. Then the monk, guided by God's providence, detained her for confession, and she revealed everything to him in detail. Hearing about this, he instructed the nun as befitting and let go, and he went into the city, took a shovel and a spade, went out, and, remaining outside the city, took out the monk's body at night and threw it into the river, and leveled the place, as it had been before, and retired. And since then the devilish action in that place has ceased."Do you have a spiritual father?" The one who knew the secret answered: no, father, we have not. Then the monk, guided by God's providence, detained her for confession, and she revealed everything to him in detail. Hearing about this, he instructed the nun as befitting and let go, and he went into the city, took a shovel and a spade, went out, and, remaining outside the city, took out the monk's body at night and threw it into the river, and leveled the place, as it had been before, and retired. And since then the devilish action in that place has ceased.and left. And since then the devilish action in that place has ceased.and left. And since then the devilish action in that place has ceased.
Also, as we heard, at another time, in the same Antioch, a wandering monk appeared who had a charter with the written names of God, Archangels and Angels, and all saints, with the help of which he performed many miracles. Then, by the providence of God, some former knowledgeable monk came and, after asking, found out about what he had learned. Then he went and asked the person who had the charter, and he replied that he knew nothing about it, except that another monk had given him this charter on the way, and more, - said, - I know nothing; and that many told him that nothing inappropriate was written there, but only God's name, Archangels, Angels and other saints. A skilled monk ordered to read it in front of everyone, and when he read it, it turned out that at the end there were three words written that the reader did not understand. A skilled monk took it and in front of everyone said that these three words mean:“I renounce, I renounce, I renounce”; and this meant renouncing everything listed at the beginning of the scroll. Thus, miracles came from Satan.
We also heard from some that in the days of the famous Antiochian patriarch, the wife of one husband committed adultery, after learning about what, her husband killed her. And a few days later this woman began to work miracles. The holy patriarch, being knowledgeable, recognized the treachery of the demons and, so that they would not be deceived by the miracles of this woman and did not think that adultery could be pleasing to God, commanded to take her body and throw it into the river, which eradicated the deception. All this and much more happened in our time, and we saw one thing ourselves, and heard about the other. And we have outlined a few of the many here so that you know and be experienced. In all these listed cases, it was said about the faithful ("Tacticon").
It should be emphasized that these examples relate to the obvious action of the devil, where the main characters are obvious sinners, who, however, belong to the Orthodox confession.
Heretics also perform miracles
But of particular interest to our topic is another category of miracles performed by heretics, about which we read further:
“… the same happens among the Gentiles, by the action of demons, for the approval of heresy. Let us now tell how in the Black Mountain, in the region of Antioch, there was a certain ascetic of a heretical confession, an Armenian by birth; approaching death, he called his loved ones and sent his co-religionist to bring a shovel and a spade for burial, and before his death he predicted: "After I die, you will find that my body was burnt." Then, when all had left, then, having returned, they found that everything was fulfilled according to the prediction of the monk and his body was burned up; so they buried him. Then they took the earth from his grave, and when the dew came down, they sprinkled it within those limits on the fields affected by pests, and the disaster stopped. Since then, they have always done this to protect the fields, and the calamity each time stopped under the influence of the earth taken from the grave. Hearing about this, one of our brothers made a cross,on which he wrote: "Jesus Christ, the Son of God," - went and placed him over the heretic's tomb, after which these miracles stopped.
Let us also tell about the virtuous heretic: the elder, often mentioned by us, said: in my neighborhood, in the same Black Mountain, in solitude, there lived an Armenian heretic, very decorated with deeds and virtues. Once, when I was talking with him, he said: "Inside my heart I see something unusual and amazing, but I meet with some kind of obstacle that prevents clear cognition." When I heard about this, then having a certain experience, I realized that his soul, having been purified by active virtue, had reached its characteristic state, but heretical obscuration created a veil. I told him everything, and he, being virtuous, believed my words and decided to convert to Orthodoxy. When the heretics-Armenians found out about this in one of the monasteries, fearing that such a virtuous man would not abandon their faith, they summoned him and did not allow him to leave,until he died.
In Cyzicus there was a heretical Dukhobor bishop named Macedonius, who by prayer moved the olive tree to another place, which blocked the doors of his vain prayer room. And when the unrighteous creditor oppressed the widow, forcing to repay the debt of her deceased husband, in a larger amount, the aforementioned bishop, having learned about this when they were going to bury her husband and carried him to the grave, touched the bed on which he was lying, and forced the dead to speak, and say how much was borrowed from the lender. Subsequently, when that heretic died, various visions and signs took place on his grave.
So, knowing about this, continues St. Nikon, - we will not consider everyone who performs signs indiscriminately as saints, as it is said: "… do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see if they are from God, because many false prophets have appeared in the world" (1 John 4: 1) … And those who pretended to be Christ's true apostles, Paul called false laborers. And this is not surprising, for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light, therefore it is not great if his servants are presented as servants of righteousness, whose end will correspond to their deeds. For unclean demons serving false prophets arrange signs and healings of bodily suffering to deceive both, presenting the deceased as resurrected and talking ghostly with the living. The demon enters a dead human body and shows that it moves, as if resurrected, by the vain prayer of a deceiving man. And as if on behalf of the dead, the wicked one speaks with the deceived person, what he wants and what he is asked about, telling human secrets and words, like knowing and observing when something happens to people, visiting them and eavesdropping. But may the Lord deliver us from this deception.
Again, demons perform signs of the multiplication of earthly fruits, or their impoverishment, the movement of winds, rains, lack of rain and drought; burdening the earth and the like; speak like people and open human thoughts and reasoning, guessing about them by external bodily signs that correspond to certain thoughts, and especially by faces, and predict long or shortly. Those who have carefully and thoroughly studied the art of medicine can predict in the same way. Some Saracens predict similarly, probably learning about those who will die in the war, according to certain signs. Likewise, demons, delving into the properties of human nature, foreshadow human death. For, being incorporeal spirits, they consider human bodies, forces, actions, excesses and deficiencies of the body, vitality and blood, without needing any medical skill.- They guess, but do not know in advance, predicting death; the same can be said about the wise men and ventriloquists: for the demons, knowing who stole and where the stolen is, can tell about it.
… Some heretic monks wearing hair shirts, having heard about Saint Pachomius, came to him at the monastery and conveyed to some of the brethren: “We were sent by our father to the Great to say: if you are really, as I heard, a man of God, and God listens to you then let us go and walk together with our feet across the river, so that all of us know who has greater boldness before God. " When the brethren informed the Great about this, he was indignant at the brothers and said: why did they even listen to such words? Do you not know that such tests are alien to God and are far from our residence and from the Orthodox faith? Even sane lay people will not think of this. What divine law tells us to do this? On the contrary, the Savior commands in the Gospel: "… let your left hand not know what your right hand is doing" (Matthew 6: 3). There is nothing worse than this madnessif we left to mourn our sins and stop worrying about how to avoid eternal torment, but, as infancy of the mind, would turn to similar trials. The brothers asked: how did this heretic, alien to God, dare to call you to this? The blessed one answered them: if God had let him, then he could, with the help of the devil, cross the river, walking as on dry land, to strengthen their wicked heresy, by means of such an act, enthralling the deceived. Go and say to those who brought this message: “This is what the man of God Pachomius says: my whole feat and all my zeal consists not in walking with my feet on the river, but in getting rid of condemnation at the Divine Judgment, crossing that fiery the river that will flow before the throne of Christ, and overcome such satanic actions by the power of the Lord. " And he commanded the brethren not to think highly of their achievements,and do not strive to see visions or demons, and do not arrange such things ourselves, and do not tempt the Divine with such petitions, as it is said in the Scriptures: "… do not tempt the Lord your God" (Matthew 4: 7).
This riddle is revealed in his reasoning by St. Athanasius of Alexandria.
They asked Saint Athanasius of Alexandria: "How do heretics often perform signs?"
Answer. “This should not surprise anyone, for we heard the Lord say:“Many will say to Me on that day: Lord! Lord! Did we not prophesy in Your name? And did they not drive out demons in your name? And did not you name many miracles? !!! Then I will declare to them: I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness”(Matthew 7, 22-23). Often the cause of a miracle is not the life of the miracle worker, but the faith of those who come, for it is written: your faith has saved you. However, you should also be aware that sometimes those who are in wickedness bring to God great works of asceticism, and as retribution in this age they accept the gift of healings, so that in the next age they will hear: … you have already received your good in your life (Luke 16:25); and now they don't owe you anything. See that it does not happen the same with the Orthodox."
This is what they say about heretic miracle-workers, who thereby affirm their heresies, just as it happens with the Orthodox. But at the same time one should not investigate Divine judgments and allowances, but be more afraid and carefully guard oneself, seeking the right faith and the truth of Orthodoxy, as well as what is written in paternal traditions and the Divine commandments themselves, with great humility. And the one who retreats in faith or in deeds falls into the abyss.
Such are the testimonies that there are sincere ascetics among heretics who, for various reasons, sometimes perform miracles. Many of them were people in their own way virtuous and sincere, but for the salvation of all of them, according to the same St. Nikon lacked the only condition - belonging to the true Orthodox Church. This is what the Holy Fathers say. Therefore, before being amazed at the asceticism, miracles, or moral virtues of heretics, let us pay attention to whether they contain the Orthodox faith.
Miracles are performed by the unfaithful
Now for the most extreme examples: it turns out that miracles happen even in a non-Christian environment. Further, in the book of St. Nikon, we read:
A question to Saint Anastasios Sinait: "With what power do the unbelievers perform signs, miracles and prophecies?"
Answer. “Signs, miracles and prophecies are often performed by the unworthy ones, out of some need or Providence; as it was with Balaam and his wife-sorceress. Also, the Apostles met some unbeliever who was casting out demons in the name of Christ; then they forbade him, and told Christ, to which He replied: "… do not forbid him … for whoever is not against you is for you" (Mark 9: 39-40). Therefore, if you see that heretics or unbelievers perform any sign, according to some judgment of God, then do not be surprised, and for this reason do not doubt the Orthodox faith. Often such signs are a consequence of the faith of the one who comes, and not the dignity of the one who performs them. Thus, it is not seen that John, the greatest of those born of wives, performed any sign; while Judas, one way or another, did, for he was together with those sent to raise the dead and cleanse the lepers. Therefore, do not be surprised if you see someone unworthy or evil doing signs. For it is not signs and prophecies that certify the holiness of an Orthodox man, but his faith and life. Since often not only Orthodox sinners, but also heretics and unbelievers performed signs and prophesied, according to some Providence, as we have mentioned, by the permission of God, what happened to Balaam, Saul, Nebuchadnezzar and Caiaphas: with a specific purpose, the Holy Spirit acted in them, besides that they remained unworthy and sinners. Thus, sinners and unbelievers often perform signs and prophecies according to an unknown Providence, which is not a manifestation of holiness, which is evidenced only by fruits, according to the Lord: from their fruit you will know them. The Apostle points out the fruits of a truly spiritual husband: spiritual fruit is love, joy, and peace, and longsuffering,goodness, benevolence, faith, meekness, abstinence - there is no law on such, if a person will acquire such fruits, then regardless of whether he performs signs or not, he is holy and a friend of God. For it does not happen that the true servant of God is left without spiritual gifts: whether he receives the word of wisdom, or the word of knowledge, faith, or the gift of healings, or any other of the gifts of the Holy Spirit named by the Apostle. And without such fruits, the one who performs signs or prophesies is one of those who on that Day will say: “… Lord! Lord!.. Didn't we perform many miracles in your name? And they will hear: Amen, I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of Lawlessness”(cf. Matthew 7, 22-23).whether he does signs or not, he is holy and a friend of God. For it does not happen that the true servant of God is left without spiritual gifts: whether he receives the word of wisdom, or the word of knowledge, faith, or the gift of healings, or any other of the gifts of the Holy Spirit named by the Apostle. And without such fruits, the one who performs signs or prophesies is one of those who on that Day will say: “… Lord! Lord!.. Didn't we perform many miracles in your name? And they will hear: Amen, I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of Lawlessness”(cf. Matthew 7, 22-23).whether he does signs or not, he is holy and a friend of God. For it does not happen that the true servant of God is left without spiritual gifts: whether he receives the word of wisdom, or the word of knowledge, faith, or the gift of healings, or any other of the gifts of the Holy Spirit named by the Apostle. And without such fruits, the one who performs signs or prophesies is one of those who on that Day will say: “… Lord! Lord!.. Didn't we perform many miracles in your name? And they will hear: Amen, I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of Lawlessness”(cf. Matthew 7, 22-23). And without such fruits, the one who performs signs or prophesies is one of those who on that Day will say: “… Lord! Lord!.. Didn't we perform many miracles in your name? And they will hear: Amen, I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of Lawlessness”(cf. Matthew 7, 22-23). And without such fruits, the one who performs signs or prophesies is one of those who on that Day will say: “… Lord! Lord!.. Didn't we perform many miracles in your name? And they will hear: Amen, I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of Lawlessness”(cf. Matthew 7, 22-23).
Holy Apostles. “Not everyone who prophesies is reverend, and not everyone who casts out demons is holy. For Balaam, being a wicked sorcerer, prophesied both Saul and Caiaphas. The devil and the demons with him often broadcast. But this does not indicate a spark of piety. It is clear that the wicked, even if they prophesy, do not manifest piety by this, and those who drive out demons, because of their descent, do not become monks, but will share the last torment with them."
About this Chrysostom. “For the Antichrist, who comes with the permission of God, will perform, through the demons serving him, numerous signs and false miracles, for the destruction of the unbelievers and for testing the faithful. And there is nothing surprising in this that he will ghostly perform various signs with the help of the devil, if it is known that other sorcerers and wise men performed various miracles through demons, such as Jannes and Jambres, under Moses, who turned their rods into a serpent, turning water into blood and produced numerous frogs that filled the Egyptian land. Again, Simon the sorcerer, in the days of the Apostles, performed all sorts of signs and ghosts, forcing statues to walk, did not burn while lying in fire, flew through the air and turned stones into bread; turned into a snake and presented himself in the form of various animals; he opened the locked gates, tore the iron bonds;during feasts, he showed various idols: household vessels went about by themselves, serving, in the absence of those who wears; made the shadows move, passing them off as the souls of the dead. Having made peace with many sorcerers who wanted to expose him, he stabbed their ox and, treating them, overlaid with all kinds of diseases and demons. And when Caesar pursued him, he fled in fear, presenting another in his guise”.
A table based on chapter 43 from the book Tacticon, compiled by monk Alimpius (Verbitsky).
About similar phenomena in our time
Above, miracles were considered that appear through people of a far impious way of life, as well as representatives of heterodox and even pagan communities.
Let us briefly speak about the following phenomenon of today: massive myrrh streaming (and bleeding) of icons (and even portraits of hierarchs!) Observed in non-Orthodox denominations.
Let us recall that the miracles of God are given according to His special discretion and care, as well as by the intense prayer of a righteous person, on special occasions. The Lord granted miracles in order to show mercy to a person, to assure, correct or comfort him. When God-fearing Christians were granted miracles by the grace of God, they tremblingly brought gratitude to the Lord for the blessing bestowed, adding to this deep repentance and the consciousness of their unworthiness.
The current "serial" myrrh streaming of icons, portraits and even paper calendars among the heterodox cause a desire to see similar things again and again, to have a "miraculous" image in their church, or even at home, and the result of all this is the conviction of the "truth" of their faith, confidence that "we believe and live correctly," but in fact - the ultimate deception, delight.
Such a sinful desire to see a miracle, "begging" for it from God was highly condemned by Sts. Fathers, since it is a sign of a soul of little faith and unsteadiness, often deceived. considers himself worthy of a miracle.
The Monk Isaac the Syrian discusses this subject in the following way: “The Lord at all times is a close intercessor to His saints, but unnecessarily does not manifest His power by any obvious deed and sensual sign, so that His intercession does not become as it were usual for us, so that we have not lost the reverence we owe to Him and have not caused us harm. This is what He does, providing for the saints: He allows them, in every circumstance, to show a feat corresponding to their strength, and to labor in prayer; at the same time it shows them that His secret care for them never ceases […].
It befits in sorrow to ask for God's help; to tempt God unnecessarily is disastrous. Truly, the one who desires this is unrighteous […]. The true righteous constantly think that they are not worthy of God. The fact that they recognize themselves as cursed, not worthy of the care of God, testifies to their truth”(Word 36).
The present human society (of little faith and immersed in passions) is tempted by the evil one. Fallen human nature is highly impressed and captivated by supernatural phenomena. The devil presents them: to seduce the frivolous and blind with the mind, thereby arranging the way for the last "miracle worker" - the Antichrist.
Before the second coming of Christ, when the Right Faith, spiritual knowledge and reasoning become scarce to the extreme, “false Christs and false prophets will rise and give great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, the elect. “Look, I told you in advance,” says the Lord (Matt. 24, 24-25). Blessed Theophylact explains the words of the Lord: “When the Antichrist comes, there will be many false Christs and false prophets who, with the cunning of the devil, will present such phenomena to the eyes of the audience that will deceive some, and the righteous themselves, if they are not always sober, may be deceived. I (the Lord) told you about this in advance, and therefore you will not have an excuse, for you can be saved from deception."
How can you protect yourself from diabolical tricks presented in the form of "miracles"?
- Carefully observe yourself, keeping the purity of Orthodoxy.
- To delve into the Divine commandments and scriptures of Sts. Fathers.
- Not to seek miracles and not to desire them, but to care for the salvation of the soul.
- Do not investigate Divine judgments and allowances, for what reason miracles occur among unrighteous believers.
Let us also pay attention to the spiritual men, through whom God's Providence led to salvation lost and deceived souls in the examples cited by St. Nikon. They are called reasonable, skilful, knowledgeable (having spiritual knowledge).
Knowledge of Church Tradition, prudence and spiritual sobriety should be fundamental in our attitude to miracles. Spiritual reasoning is born of humility. “Only he who has humility can be recognized as reasonable; he who does not have humility never gains reason”(St. Isaac of Syria, Word 89).
conclusions
Let us try to briefly summarize the content of the quoted passages from the works of the Monk Nikon.
- Miracles performed by sinners of the Orthodox confession do not testify to their virtue and holiness.
- The miracles of heretics do not at all confirm the truth of their faith.
- Among the heretics, there were sincere ascetics who tried to fulfill the commandments, but at the same time were deprived of communion with the true Orthodox Church. Some of them received the gift of miracles for the labors of their asceticism, while others performed signs according to the faith of those approaching or according to the unknown Providence of God. The Gospel says about those and others: “Many will say to Me on that day: Lord! Lord! Did we not prophesy in Your name? And did they not drive out demons in your name? And did not many miracles work in your name? And then I will declare to them: I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness”(Matthew 7, 22-23).
- By themselves, all miracles in general cannot serve as a criterion of truth, but acquire meaning depending on who performs them and why.
- The only criterion of truth is the purity of Orthodoxy and the observance of the Divine commandments.
- Through false miracles, demons try to mislead people, either about morality or about religion.
Evidence from Old Believer Apologetics
In addition to all of the above, it is interesting to quote in translation one of the sources of 19th century Old Believer apologetics. Unfortunately, there is no possibility of its exact attribution - this is one of the hectographers of the Rogozhskaya Library. To the question of a new believer missionary pointing out miracles in the Nikonian church, our polemicist replies:
- There can be different attitudes towards miracles and miracles: some trust them completely, and even consider them as proof of Orthodoxy of the society in which they are sometimes performed, while others, on the contrary, never recognize them as the criterion of truth. We, with sufficient signs of truth, will not deny miracles, but we will not consider them as evidence of the truth and Orthodoxy of the society, wherever they are performed. For the history of the Church shows that miracles sometimes also happened among people whom the Orthodox Church considered heretics and wrong-minded people.
Further, - every arbitrary deed implies some predetermined goal; similarly, any known miracle must have a conscious and reasonable basis - not only a visible, but also a real necessity. At the same time, the healing of a person who suffers by the permission of the Providence of God cannot be the final goal. The goal is always revealed in the need, by means of some miracle, to confirm or assure someone of the truth of God. When writing was not yet widespread enough, or due to lack of faith, there was a need for supernatural signs, just as in the days of pagan Rus, Metropolitan Michael set the Gospel on fire, which did not burn. “Miracles are for not only those for the sake of the suffering,” we read in the weekly Teaching Gospel, “but there are many many who see for the sake of and hear Christ doing,may they be attracted to those for the sake of their friends."
In the church dictionary of Peter Alekseev, for the word "miracles", first of all, the 13th chapter of the First Epistle to the Corinthians is given, which is interpreted as follows: for this chapter there are notes that the gifts of miracles, after the spread and satisfied approval of the Gospel teaching, ceased to be. Miracles ceased even before the time of Augustine, as is evident from his book On True Godliness (chapter 25). They were given to the unbelievers, and the Scriptures to the faithful. The Primary Church abounded with miracles for calling the unbelievers. And the end-time church of the faithful is more based on Scripture than miracles. Therefore, at present, miracles are no longer necessary. Holy Scripture and Holy Tradition, as the living voice of the Orthodox Ecumenical Church, are much more reliable than signs and wonders: “More than the dead who rise,The Scriptures are the most reliable essence,”says St. John Chrysostom. “If a miracle worker teaches wrong, we must not listen to him” (Margaret, word 4). Miracles are dark and incomprehensible, because sinners, heretics, and even pagans also performed them: the wise men worked and are doing them. But in what cases, and by what power miracles are performed - this goes beyond the limits of our knowledge. So, it is known that some cast out demons without being disciples of Christ. The pagan emperors Vespasian and Hadrian, according to rumor, worked miracles: they healed the blind and sick with various diseases. The alleged miracles of Apollonius of Tyana were also known. The book of Nikon Montenegrins tells about such false miracle workers as a heretic bishop who performed miracles; the fornicator monk worked miracles after death; another monk worked miracles through a charter; an adulteress killed by her husbandworked miracles; an Armenian heretic performed miracles during life and after death. And the Prologue for January 9 tells about a similar "miracle worker". Also, two hundred years after the fall of the Roman Catholic Church from Eastern Orthodoxy, one Catholic priest, by the name of Fulk, worked miracles: he expelled demons, healed the blind, dumb, deaf, lame, whoever he wanted, delivered good deeds, and whoever he wanted he punished (Roberts, History of the Christian Church, 1891, p. 131). Further, in the same "History" it is said about other miracle workers of the Catholic Church. Therefore, it is very wrong to witness the Orthodoxy of the Church and the godlyness of a person's life by miracles alone. contradicts the teachings of St. Churches. Also, two hundred years after the fall of the Roman Catholic Church from Eastern Orthodoxy, one Catholic priest, by the name of Fulk, worked miracles: he expelled demons, healed the blind, dumb, deaf, lame, whoever he wanted, delivered good deeds, and whoever he wanted he punished (Roberts, History of the Christian Church, 1891, p. 131). Further, in the same "History" it is said about other miracle workers of the Catholic Church. Therefore, it is very wrong to witness the Orthodoxy of the Church and the godlyness of a person's life by miracles alone. contradicts the teachings of St. Churches. Also, two hundred years after the fall of the Roman Catholic Church from Eastern Orthodoxy, one Catholic priest, by the name of Fulk, worked miracles: he expelled demons, healed the blind, dumb, deaf, lame, whoever he wanted, delivered good deeds, and whoever he wanted he punished (Roberts, History of the Christian Church, 1891, p. 131). Further, in the same "History" it is said about other miracle workers of the Catholic Church. Therefore, it is very wrong to witness the Orthodoxy of the Church and the godlyness of a person's life by miracles alone. contradicts the teachings of St. Churches.1891, p. 131). Further, in the same "History" it is said about other miracle workers of the Catholic Church. Therefore, it is very wrong to witness the Orthodoxy of the Church and the godlyness of a person's life by miracles alone. contradicts the teachings of St. Churches.1891, p. 131). Further, in the same "History" it is said about other miracle workers of the Catholic Church. Therefore, it is very wrong to witness the Orthodoxy of the Church and the godlyness of a person's life by miracles alone. contradicts the teachings of St. Churches.
Conclusion
Now we have come to an important conclusion: if, according to the Monk Nikon, through numerous false miracles the devil tries to draw the gullible into some error, moral or confessional, then it is fair to ask: what is the general meaning of the miracles of our time, observed in the same way, in the most diverse confessions and confessions? It doesn't take much discernment to conclude that the prince of this world is successfully spreading yet another myth:
- “God is everywhere”, the rest are invented restrictions and conventions;
- the boundaries of the Church are not encompassed by one Orthodox confession;
- saints and grace are in every denomination;
- virtues of a general nature are more important than the purity of Orthodoxy;
- most important of all are "human values".
Such views are quite consistent with the spirit of the times. Here we are dealing with the substitution of the true doctrine of the Church - the ecclesiological heresy of our time. Thus, Christianity is deprived of the first commandment (about love for God; see Matthew 22: 37-38), becoming just a humanistic teaching, which is implanted by the prince of this age through false miracles. Despite the abundance of the printed word, the modern Christian is not always sufficiently familiar with Holy Tradition, which is why he often indulges in illusions, reducing the content of faith to general moral norms and "universal human values." By the example of the writings of the Monk Nikon one can be convinced that the Orthodox Tradition (ie the Teaching of the Holy Church), so unpleasant and unknown to our contemporaries, is alien to such "humanism" and resolutely rejects it.
