St. Paisios the Athonite
1About the ‘6 Miles’ he said that it concerns the issue of the continental shelf. About the Turks, who constantly create provocations.
The Elder said: “The Turks… leave them. They have their funeral wheat tied at their belt. They have it, they carry it with them…” As for when Turkey will dissolve, no matter how many times we asked him and discussed it, he never said: “This we do not know. God told us that He will show us signs. But things are heading in that direction…”
2In 1992, Elder Paisios explained to an aviation officer: “St. Kosmas of Aetolia was right in what he foretold about Examilia, the 6 miles. Examilia are not villages or cities, but the 6 nautical miles surrounding the Greek coastlines and our islands. Every point that lies 6 miles from the Greek mainland or island shores is Examilia. That is the place where what Saint Kosmas prophesied will unfold.”
To pilgrims he elaborated: “When the Turkish fleet moves against Greece and reaches Examilia, 6 miles from our shores, they will be destroyed. This is God’s will. It will be the moment when they will carry kollyva at their belts (a sign of mourning), but it will not come by our hand. That moment will commence all the events leading up to the return of ‘The City’ (Constantinople).”
Saint Kosmas once proclaimed: “The Turks will leave, but they will return and reach Examilia.”
Elder Paisios clarified that Examilia represents every point 6 nautical miles from the coast.
“When they reach 6 miles, destruction will come. This will mark the beginning of the end.”
The Elder described a scenario that begins with heightened tension and a pivotal provocation: “Look after the provocation of the Turks, the Russians will descend to the Straits. Not to help us. They will have other interests. But, without wanting to, they will help us. Then, the Turks, in order to defend the Straits, which are of strategic importance, will gather other troops there. At the same time, they will withdraw forces from occupied territories. But then the other states of Europe, specifically England, France, Italy and 6 or 7 other states of the EEC, will see that Russia will seize parts, so they will say: Why don’t we go there too, maybe we can get some? But everyone will chase the lion’s share. That’s how the Europeans will enter the war. The government will decide not to send troops. It will only keep troops at the borders. And it will be a great blessing that it will not take part. Because, whoever takes part in this war, is lost… Then, because in Greece the people will be afraid, many will turn to the Church, to God, and will repent. Therefore, because there will be repentance, we Greeks will not suffer harm. God will have mercy on Greece, because the people will turn to the Church, to monasticism and they will begin to pray.”
He foresaw that Russia would press its campaign beyond Turkey: “Russia will continue the war after Turkey’s destruction until the Persian Gulf. And then the troops will stop outside Jerusalem! Then the Western powers will give notice to the Russians to withdraw their troops from these places, that much time the sprouts need to grow around 6 months. But Russia will not withdraw its forces and then the Western powers will begin to assemble troops to attack them. The war that will erupt will be global. There will be massive slaughter, the cities will become slums.”
3- Elder, our homeland is surrounded by enemies, and all the great powers (Americans, Europeans) help them, and especially the Turks.
“The Turks,” he replied, “have their funeral wheat at their waist. They will suffer great harm. There will be a clash in the Aegean. We will not suffer great harm.”
4Then I asked: “Elder, how will I understand that we are close to war?”
“When,” he said, “you hear on television that there is an issue about the miles, about the extension of the miles (of the territorial waters) from 6 to 12 miles, then behind that comes war. It follows.”
5“Before, or during the discussion about the 12 miles, the Elder (i.e., Elder Paisios) had said to an acquaintance of mine that the Muslims of Western Thrace will declare Independence. We, on the other hand, will say: ‘Well, for so many years we have been in the right and we have not made any extension to 12 miles, and now you, within our own territory, are making a declaration?’ And then we will proceed with the extension to 12 miles! Keep this in mind, because it comes from a serious source, and others here have heard it as well and have known it for a long time from other sources. In other words, the Elder spoke about this matter also to others, apart from my acquaintance who told it to me.”
6 George Giannou, an Air Force officer, recounts: In the spring of 1987, I visited Elder Paisios in his cell at Panagouda. Troubled, I asked him whether there would be a war with Turkey. The Elder answered calmly, giving one unmistakable sign that, according to him, would precede the events: “When we see Greece taking its embassy from Turkey and Turkey taking its embassy from Greece, then we should say: ‘By the embassies of the Theotokos, Savior, save us.”
7Mr. D… K…, from K…, had visited the Elder.……………And the Elder continued: “Know this: Turkey will be dismantled. There will be a war in 2 halves. We will be victorious, because we are Orthodox.”
- “Elder, won’t we suffer harm from the war?”
“Eh, at most they may touch one or 2 of our islands, but they will give us Constantinople. You will see it, you will see it!”
Present during the conversation was also Mr. D…’s son.
8To Mr. D… K… the Elder also said: “Turkey will be partitioned. We, because we are Orthodox, will not suffer harm, at most 1 or 2 of our islands may be affected. But by the force of circumstances they will be compelled to give us Constantinople.”
9He was asked when Cyprus would be liberated, and he answered: “Cyprus will be liberated when the Cypriots repent. Make spiritual bases so that they may drive out the bases of the Turks, the English, and the Americans.” He saw the Cyprus issue as a spiritual matter, not a national or political one, and that its solution would come from the repentance of the people and prayer.
10When they asked the Elder about Constantinople and Asia Minor, he always brought into his words the prophecy of Saint Kosmas of Aetolia. He said specifically that the Russians, the blond haired race, will give the City to the Greeks.
11About Constantinople he said: “One day we will take the City. It is ours. We will not suffer harm. When we set out for the war, the others will already have taken the City. Halfway there, the Greeks will turn back. The City will have been taken by the Russians, and they will give it to us. Not because they love us, but because they will be forced to give it to us by circumstances.”
12“Then the Russian will intervene from above, and it will happen as the prophecy of Saint Kosmas says. The great powers will take care… The Greeks must guard Constantinople. And thus God will grant it to us. God will help us, because we are Orthodox.”
- Elder, I objected, what kind of Christians are we? Do you know how sinfully Greeks live out there? Day and night they entertain themselves and roll in sin. How will God help us take the City?
And with his simple, wise manner, he told me: “There is the leaven, and this leaven sustains the Church and Greece. For this leaven the Lord will do what He will do.”
- Finally I asked him, Elder, will we see these things?
Then the Elder, looking toward the slope where a large group of pilgrims was descending, told us: “Go now, be well. I have told you many things for today.”
And thus we left him, full of joy and admiration for his wisdom and kindness.
13In the spring of 1993, we visited Elder Paisios. We asked him whether there would be a war with Turkey, and the Elder said: “Yes, there will be a war, and Turkey will be struck from the north. It will suffer enormous destruction, but not a single Greek nostril will bleed. As for the City, it will be governed by Russians, Greeks, and Europeans. This storm will reach as far as Israel, and then the Jews will understand their mistakes”
14He told me: “I have the impression that the time has come. I believe the time has come.”
- Which time, Elder?
“The time for us to take the City.”
- How will we take the City? Will we have war again?
“No, we will not have even a single gunshot. There is not going to be a war.”
- Then, Elder, how will we take the City?
“They will give us the City.”
- Who? The Turks? Is that possible?
“No, the City will be given to us by the Russians. They will take it in a war they will wage with Turkey, and they will give it to us.”
- But Elder, do the Russians love us so much that they will give us the City, just like that, without a war?”
“No. They will know that none of their aims can be achieved unless they give us the City. Thus they will be forced to grant it to us.”
I know, and the Elder himself confirmed it to me, that a certain military officer who visited Mount Athos received the Elder’s blessing, at an unsuspected moment, to be the flag‑bearer of the Greek forces during their entry into Constantinople.
15It had impressed me that he spoke a lot at that time about Constantinople, about its return to the Greeks. He considered that this would not be long in coming. I was impressed.
I said to him: “Elder, how can this happen? It seems impossible to me that the City could become Greek again.”
And the Elder replied: “My children, God is almighty. If He turns the screw of the minds of the powerful of the earth just a little, a little, not much, one turn with His screwdriver, everything can happen. Nothing is impossible for God.”
He meant that we will take the City, not by war, but that they will give it to us, they will grant it to us.
16I said: “And which countries will participate?”
“Look. After the Turkish provocation, the Russians will come down to the Straits. Not to help us, they will have other interests. But without wanting to, they will help us. Then, the Turks, in order to defend the Straits, which are of strategic importance, will gather more troops there. At the same time, they will withdraw forces from occupied territories. But then the other European countries, specifically England, France, Italy, and another 6 or 7 EEC countries, will see that Russia will seize territories, and they will say: ‘Shall we also go over there, in case we take a piece?’ But all of them will be chasing the lion’s share. Thus the Europeans will also enter the war.”
“Elder,” I asked him afterwards, “will they give the City to us?”
“They will give it to us, not because they want to, but because that solution will serve the interests of the foreigners. Then they will understand this. What I am telling you, do not tell anyone. They will call you crazy. Because the circumstances are not ripe yet. Then you will understand.”
This conversation with the Elder took place in 1991, when I was serving in the army.
Another time, the Elder said: “The administration of the City, by us, will be both military and political.”
I also met three officers who had gone to the Elder. Of the three officers, one said: “Only to me did the Elder say that I will be a commander of a military unit in the City. To the others he said nothing.”
Another group had gone to the Elder. One of them was studying civil engineering at the Polytechnic of Xanthi. At one moment, the Elder turned, pointed at him with his finger, this young man, note, was visiting the Elder for the first time, and said to him: “You, as a civil engineer, will contribute to the reconstruction of the City, because the City will be rebuilt from the beginning.” He turned and pointed at him in front of everyone. The young man was a student at the time.
Then the Elder turned to me and said: “And you, Anestis, will go to the City. And you two, he pointed to me and my friend, will go to the City, but for another purpose.” He did not reveal the purpose to me. After this, the desire entered me to learn Turkish.
17In November 1993, together with my presvytera, we visited the Holy Monastery of Saint John the Theologian in Souroti, to venerate and receive the blessing of Elder Paisios. During the conversation, I asked him whether the time had come for us to take Hagia Sophia again. He answered: “Father Ioannis, we are at the threshold of taking the City.”
18“And we will take Constantinople. They will give it to us, that is. Not out of kindness or justice. NO. But God will arrange things so that the interests of the great powers come together in such a way that it will suit them for us to have the City. And we will take Cappadocia as well.”
I looked at him in puzzlement.
“And Cappadocia, Elder?” I asked.
“Well!... Things will be so loosened up there that anyone will be able to go, so it will be as if we have it. Hitler and Mussolini are raising their heads again. The Americans say, ‘What is happening here?’ The English and the Americans will help us.”
- But Elder, the Turks are 10 million in the City… and they will give it to us? How will we be able to control them?
“They will move them across, to the other side. My thought tells me (he emphasized ‘my thought’) that they will do it for the waters… to make them international… Then cholera will fall upon Turkey and great harm will occur. Very many will die. Saint Arsenios has said this too. He had written a notebook with prophecies… have I shown it to you?”
- Yes, Elder.
“…and then 1/3 of them will become Christians.”
19He brought us a notebook in which were written some prophecies of Saint Arsenios the Hatziefentis. In it the Saint prophesied the events of 1923 and said that the Greeks would return again to their homeland.
The Elder said that besides the Kurds and Armenians forming their own states, cholera will fall upon Turkey and the Turks will be decimated by the disease.
20“We will take the City..”
A group of students from the Athoniada School agreed to ask the Elder whether we will take the City and whether they themselves would still be alive then.
They went to his hut, received a treat, but were embarrassed to ask. One signaled to another, and in the end none dared to ask the question. Then the Elder said to them: “What is it, lads? What do you want to ask? About the City? We will take it, and you will be alive as well.”
One of the boys conveyed the Elder’s words to the teacher, Konstantinos Mallidis, who was a good Christian and a fervent patriot. He came with interest to confirm it more clearly from the Elder himself and asked about the City. The Elder answered him: “Leave those things, Kostas, those are not for us. We must prepare for another City.”
These were indications of their impending death, because indeed it was not long before Kostas departed first, and then the Elder, for our true and heavenly Homeland, “The New City,” the upper Jerusalem.
21A group of pilgrims agreed among themselves to ask the Elder to speak to them about Constantinople. Soon the Elder returned, and to everyone’s surprise, before they managed to ask anything, showing that his spiritual “radar” had perceived their thoughts, he said:
Elder: “So, tell me will we take the City?”
The group stood speechless and said nothing.
Elder: “Come on, tell me will we take the City?”
The group remained silent, astonished.
Elder (joking): “Lentil‑soup warriors…”
Theodoros: “We will take it, Elder.”
Elder: “Glory to God.” (He makes the sign of the Cross, turning toward the east and looking toward the City.)
Dimitrios: “If it is from God, Elder, blessed, we will take it.”
Elder: “Yes, it is from God! We will take it! Not that we will take it, but they will give it to us as a solution, because they will think that this is in their interest.”
Dimitrios: “Elder, will this evil last long?”
Elder: “Storms, storms it will be! But we will have to pass examinations.”
22A group of young students from the Athoniada School were walking down toward the Elder. One subject occupied them: they had heard that the Elder had told some people that we would take Constantinople. But they wanted to hear it from his own mouth, and they also wondered whether they themselves would be alive when it happened.
So, on the road, they said among themselves that someone should ask the Elder about this matter when they sat with him. They arrived, sat with him, but none dared to ask the question.
They stood up, received his blessing, and as they turned to step onto the path, the Elder, seeing them off, smiling, said to them: “And know this: We will take Constantinople, and you will be alive in that time!”
The students were stunned by his words and marveled at the Grace he had, by which he was informed of everything, and also at the fact that he told them that in their own generation all these tremendous events would take place.
23During the Litany of the Fearsome Protection in 1992, the umbrella of the Panagia was being held by the warrant officer of the Commando Regiment, V.T., from Ioannina. As we were walking, I was on his right and the Elder was on his left. At one moment the Elder said to the officer: “Come now, I wish that you will be a flag‑bearer also in the City (Constantinople), when we enter.”
Turning toward me, he said: “Did you hear what I said?”
“Yes, Elder, I heard it.”
“Amen,” I answered.
Then he laughed and made his characteristic exclamation: “Ah!” (meaning: “Alright, then.”)
A day later I went down from his cell and asked him about the City, and he said to me: “We will take Constantinople back, but not we ourselves. We, with the way the majority of our youth has ended up, are not capable of such things. But God will arrange for others to take the City and give it to us, as a solution to their problem.”
All these excerpts were translated by The Holy Wisdom. Below you will find all the relevant sources of the words of St. Paisios the Athonite.
Testimonies of Pilgrims: Elder Paisios the Athonite 1924–1994, Volume 1, page 259–260.
These prophecies of St. Paisios were uploaded on July 11, 2010 on the YouTube channel NOIAZOMAI: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xsJYLaMv8mc
Testimony of Charalambos Charalampidis, Physician, Kavala, Testimonies of Pilgrims: Elder Paisios the Athonite 1924–1994, Volume 1, p. 278.
Testimony of Anestis Mavrokefalos, Gymnast, Alexandroupoli, Testimonies of Pilgrims: Elder Paisios the Athonite 1924–1994, 2nd Edition, page 434.
This testimony was published on the website National‑Pride on October 21, 2014. The website is no longer accessible: http://national-pride.org/2014/10/21/%CF%83%CE%BF%CE%B2%CE%B1%CF%81%CE%B7-%CE%BC%CE%B1%CF%81%CF%84%CF%85%CF%81%CE%B9%CE%B1-%CE%B3%CE%B5%CF%81%CE%BF%CE%BD%CF%84%CE%B1%CF%83-%CF%80%CE%B1%CE%B9%CF%83%CE%B9%CE%BF%CF%83-%CE%B1%CF%80%CE%BF/
In 2021, Anna Pankrata published an article on Triklopodia presenting a thorough, structured compilation of the prophecies attributed to Saint Paisios, bringing together scattered testimonies, recorded sayings, and lesser‑known accounts into a single cohesive presentation: https://www.triklopodia.gr/%CE%BC%CE%B9%CE%B1-%CF%83%CE%BA%CE%B5%CF%80%CF%84%CE%BF%CE%BC%CE%B5%CE%BD%CE%B7-%CE%B5%CE%BB%CE%BB%CE%B7%CE%BD%CE%B9%CE%B4%CE%B1-%CF%80%CF%81%CE%BF%CF%86%CE%B7%CF%84%CE%B5%CE%B9%CE%B5%CF%83-6/
A Chosen Vessel, page 289.
A Chosen Vessel, page 309.
Life of Elder Paisios the Athonite, page 699.
Testimonies of Pilgrims: Elder Paisios the Athonite 1924–1994, Volume 1, page 140.
Testimonies of Pilgrims: Elder Paisios the Athonite 1924–1994, Volume 1, pages 259–260.
Testimony of Charalambos Charalampidis, Physician, Kavala, Testimonies of Pilgrims: Elder Paisios the Athonite 1924–1994, Volume 1, page 278.
Testimony of Gavriil Markou, Testimonies of Pilgrims: Elder Paisios the Athonite 1924–1994, Volume 1, pages 278–279.
Testimony of Stefanos Papavasileiou Kouvoukliotis, Thessaloniki, Testimonies of Pilgrims: Elder Paisios the Athonite 1924–1994, Volume 1, page 286.
Testimony of Archimandrite Theokletos, Protosyngellos of the Metropolis of Aitolia, Akarnania, Testimonies of Pilgrims: Elder Paisios the Athonite 1924–1994, 2nd Edition, page 212.
Testimony of Anestis Mavrokefalos, Gymnast, Alexandroupoli, Testimonies of Pilgrims: Elder Paisios the Athonite 1924–1994, 2nd Edition, page 434.
Testimony of Priest Fr. Ioannis Kalaidis, Neochori, Sintiki, Serres, Testimonies of Pilgrims: Elder Paisios the Athonite 1924–1994, 2nd Edition, page 448.
Father Paisios Told Me, page 77.
Father Paisios Told Me, page 79.
Life of Elder Paisios the Athonite, page 316.
A Chosen Vessel, page 219.
A Chosen Vessel, page 267.
Elder Paisios, page 209.