RUSSIA BEFORE THE SECOND ADVENT

According to what is written in this book, the history of Russia right up until the revolution of 1917 and the post-revolutionary period was predicted by Russian prophets long before the actual events.” 

Thus, Orthodox writer Sergius Nilus predicts the story of the monk-seer Abel, which he heard from one of the Optina Pustin Monastery on June 26th 1909:

“In the times of Empress Catherine the Great there lived in Solovetsk Monastery one profoundly spiritual monk by the name of Abel. He was sagacious and clairvoyant, yet was of artless disposition, and everything that became revealed to his spiritual eye, he announced openly, never bothering about the consequences. The hour came when he began to prophesy: that the time would come when the Empress would die, and even predicted by what means she would die. Despite the vast distance between the Solovetsk Isles and St.Petersburg, Abel’s words reached the ears of the Privy Chancellery. From there an inquiry reached the Monastery. The Father Superior of the Solovetsk Monastery didn’t hesitate long: he simply had the Monk Abel promptly sent to the capital, where they immediately seized him and had him thrown into the dungeon.

When Abel’s prophesy came true and the new Tsar Pavel I learned about it, he requested that Abel be brought before him. So the monk was released from the dungeon and taken to the Tsar.

“Your words came to pass,” said the Tsar, “so I grant you pardon. Now tell me: what lies in store for me and my rule?”

“Your rule will be as if it wasn’t: neither you will be happy, nor will you make others happy. And you will not die a natural death,” said Abel.

The Tsar, predictably, didn’t like this prophesy. So it was back to the dungeon for the monk. Yet, traces of the prophesy were imprinted in the mind of the heir to the throne Alexander I. So when the events predicted by the seer came to be, once again the monk was summoned to make the journey from the dungeon to the royal palace. 

“I forgive you,” said the Tsar, “only tell me what my rule will be like?”

“Your Moscow will be burnt down by the French,” said Abel. Once again, his road lay back to the dungeons…

The prophesy, however, came true. In 1812 the invading French forces burnt Moscow, then our forces liberated the country and entered Paris, showered with glory… Once again they remembered about Abel and granted him freedom. Some time later they wanted to ask him about something, but this time Abel, wise to the experience, disappeared without trace…”

From other sources writer Sergius Nilus learned that the monk Abel lived in the second half of the 18th century - the first half of the 19th century. In his long life (he lived to be over 80) he spent 21 years in prison for his prophesies. According to historical sources, the seer, in a conversation with Emperor Pavel I, predicted prominent state events not only for that particular period, but far into the future, right up until the First World War, the death of Imperial Russia and the martyr’s death of the royal family. About Nicholas II he said this Tsar would be like ‘Saint Job the Longsuffering Martyr”.

“A royal crown he shall exchange for a crown of thorns,” said Abel, “and his people shall betray him, just as God’s Son was. There shall be a great war, a world war… People shall fly through the air, like birds, and swim under water like fishes; they shall begin to destroy each other with evil-smelling sulphur. The betrayal of the Tsar shall increase and grow in scale. On the eve of victory in the war the Royal throne will collapse. Blood and tears will soak the wet earth. Crazed common folk will seize power, and truly, an Egyptian sentence will dawn.”

The soothsayer Abel burst into bitter tears, yet continued:

“And afterwards the Godless shall torment the Russian land, rob it of its sacred holies, closing down churches and executing the cream of the Russian people. In this manner the Lord shall vent His anger upon them for Russia’s betrayal of the Saintly Tsar. This is written in the Gospel. Psalms 19, 20 and 91 revealed his destiny to me.

…And then Russian hopes will come to be and the Orthodox cross will shine atop of St.Sophia Cathedral in Constantinople, the smoke of holy incense and prayers will fill all of Holy Russ, leading it to glory and flourishing. 

So spoke Abel. His eyes glowed with an unearthly fire…

Emperor Pavel was plunged deep into thought…

Abel stood motionless. There were invisible threads connecting the monarch and the monk. The Emperor raised his head and his eyes, directed far into the distance, as if penetrating the mists of time, reflected profound suffering and torment…

Finally, the Tsar said:

“I thank you for all you have predicted about the destinies of my land and my descendant Nicholas II, for I shall see to it that the Book of Fate be revealed to him. Let my great-grandson be told of the road of long-suffering trials and glory that shall befall him.

Father, write down all you have just told me, so that I may place it in a chest, seal it up and see to it that your prediction await my great-grandson here in the study of  my Gatchina Palace. Go you know and pray fervently in your cell for me, my family line and the fortunes of our State.”

Placing Abel’s written statement in an envelope, the Tsar wrote on it in his hand: “To be opened by my descendant on the 100th anniversary of my death.”

On March 11th 1901, the 100th anniversary of the martyr’s death of Pavel I, after a memorial service at his tomb at the Petropavlovsk Cathedral of St.Petersburg, Emperor Nicholas II, accompanied by his Royal Minister Baron Fredericks and other royal retinue, arrived at Gatchina Palace to fulfill the request of his long-deceased ancestor. 

The Emperor opened the chest and read Abel’s prophesy about the fate of Russia and his own several times. He had previously often felt it was no mere chance he was born on the day of memory of St.Job the Longsuffering. Now he knew the heavy burden he was destined to carry on his royal shoulders; knew of the impending bloody war, the troubled times in the state and the great upheavals; he also knew of the ill-fated year when he would be betrayed and abandoned by one and all…”

Writer Sergius Nilus also makes mention of the following account of Nicholas II, dating to January 6th 1903:

“This was on the day of the Orthodox feast the Epiphany. Festive salvoes were heard from Petropavlovsk fortress. It so happened that one of the guns was loaded with case-shot, which hit the ground right near the pavilion outside the royal residence – the Winter Palace, where the Tsar and his royal retinue and clergy were present at the time. 

The calm with which the Tsar reacted to the event which could have cost him his life was so remarkable that it couldn’t fail to draw the attention of his retinue. He didn’t bat an eye, and only calmly inquired: “Who commanded the battery?” When they told him, he only remarked with sympathy, fully aware what punishment awaited the commanding officer: “Oh, poor man! How I pity him!”

They asked the Tsar how the incident had affected him. He replied: “I fear nothing before 1918”.

The Tsar pardoned the Commander of the battery, since, by Grace of God, nobody was hurt…”

From the chronicles of the St.Seraphim-Diveyevo Convent it is known that Tsar Nicholas II frequently visited the local saintly nun Praskovia, who was noted for her gift of sagacity. Once, Praskovia told the Tsar: “Tsar, renounce the throne of your own free will!”…

Early in 1905 yet another famous elder, Varnava, from the Gethsemane cell outside Moscow, likewise predicted martyrdom for Nicholas II. We do not know the details of the conversation between the Emperor and the Elder. We only know that  the elder blessed Nicholas II to accept the martyr’s cross whenever the Lord deemed expedient to place this burden on his shoulders.”

The Holy Saint John of Kronshtadt, who was granted the gift of prophesy by the Lord, told his spiritual children, anticipating the social catastrophe looming before Russia:

“Fear not, Brothers, let the godless Satanists revel in their minute of devilry: “And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.” “For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord.” So let us not fall into despondency seeing all that is happening in the world today!”

“I foresee a resurrection of a powerful Russia, ever more strong and great. On the relics of the Saintly Martyrs, as on a sound foundation, a new Russia shall rise up … strong in its Faith in Christ our Lord, and in the Holy Trinity! And by behest of the Holy prince Vladimir it will be as a united Church! The Russian people have ceased to comprehend what Russ is: it is the pedestal of the Lord’s throne! The Russian people need to realize this and thank the Lord that they are Russians.”

And in conclusion let’s hear the prophesy of the great Russian saint Seraphim of Sarov, contained in the book “Russia before the Second Advent”. The Saint lived in the early 19th century. This is what he said:

“Before the birth of antichrist there will be a prolonged and terrifying revolution in Russia, beyond the limits of any man’s imagination, for the bloodshed will be dreadful, indeed… The French revolution is nothing compared to what awaits Russia. It will lead to the death of numerous people, staunchly devoted to their Motherland. The property of churches and monasteries will be looted; the Lord’s churches – desecrated; the wealth of good people will be pillaged and destroyed; rivers of Russian blood will run thick and fast across the land. But the Lord will show pity for Russia and through overwhelming suffering will lead it to great Glory”…

Such are the facts, stored in church chronicles.