This speech was made at 7pm on 22 December 2020. Go on google and try searching for it, using whatever search terms and filters you’d like. You won’t find it.
“The truth is we won the election by a landslide. We won it big. By midnight [on Election night] we had a commanding lead in the swing states… these numbers were impossible for Joe Biden to overcome and the Democrats knew it.” He goes on to cite the real numbers that we all saw on election night.
So what happened?
Ballot stuffing
Dominion machines switching votes from Trump to Biden
No signature verification on absentee ballots
Kicking out GOP poll observers
Counterfeit ballots with machine stamped bubbles for Joe Biden
Putting Trump ballots in Biden trays
Transporting hundreds of thousands of mail-in ballots across state lines
Dead people and illegal aliens voting
Unexplained ballot dumps and massive spikes for Joe Biden in the dead of the night
“We cannot allow a completely fraudulent election to stand.”
Yes, I realize it’s all Monopoly money at this point in terms of the Republic. But there are millions of souls who are truly suffering at the hands of covid crime against humanity, so this does matter. The relief bill is an absolute disgrace, and everyone on both sides knows this. For what it’s worth. Video is four minutes.
Time is drawing short. Vespers on the sixth day of the Greater Advent.
O Rex Gentium, et desideratus earum, lapisque angularis, qui facis utraque unum: veni, et salva hominem, quem de limo formasti.
O King of the nations, and their desire, the cornerstone making both one: Come and save the human race, which you fashioned from clay.
The King of Heaven is the King of all nations. Pray especially today for your friends and family who are outside the Church, outside of Christianity, agnostics, and atheists. He is their King too, whether they like it or not.
“The cornerstone, making both one.” There is neither Jew nor Greek: there is neither bond nor free: there is neither male nor female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Gal. 3:28)
You never know what sort of channel of grace you may be destined to vector. But He knows, and has known, since before He created you. When you finish reading this, offer prayers for the impossible causes in your life. Ask the Blessed Virgin to help deliver the message.
“There will be a complete organization—a church of Satan set up in opposition to the Church of Christ. Satan will assume the part of God the Father; Antichrist will be honored as Saviour, and his prophet will usurp the role of Pope. Their ceremonies will counterfeit the Sacraments…”
PART TWO: Following are excerpts (pp 129-139, Kindle edition) from The Apocalypse of St. John by Fr. Sylvester Berry, first published in 1921. Current 2016 edition and Kindle available HERE.
~CHAPTER XIII~ ANTICHRIST AND HIS PROPHET Apocalypse Ch. XIII
Antichrist could not accomplish his nefarious work without disciples and followers. Hence the beast may be taken by extension to represent the whole empire of Antichrist. Nevertheless it is certain and, in fact, Suarez holds it as an article of faith, that Antichrist is a definite individual. The words of St. Paul to the Thessalonians leave no room for doubt in this matter (2 Thess. 2:3-9).
It is a very general opinion that Antichrist will set himself up as the Messias. This opinion seems to be supported by the words of our Saviour: “I am come in the name of my Father, and you receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him you will receive” (Jn. 5:43; see also 1 Jn. 2:18). The coming of Antichrist opens the decisive conflict between the Church and the powers of hell. It shall be the complete realization of the prophecy of Genesis: “I will put enmities between thee and the woman and thy seed and her seed” (Gen. 3:15). The seed of the serpent is Antichrist and his followers; the seed of Mary, the woman, is Jesus Christ and His faithful disciples.
Through the power of Satan, Antichrist will perform great wonders to deceive the people and lead them to accept him as the true Messias. St. Paul says that the coming of Antichrist will be “according to the working of Satan, in all power, and signs, and lying wonders” (2 Thess. 2:9). Our Lord also warns the faithful of false miracles in those days: “For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show signs and wonders insomuch as to deceive (if possible) even the elect. Behold I have told it to you beforehand” (Matt. 24:24-25).
Those who adore Antichrist on account of his “lying wonders” thereby adore Satan who gives the power to perform them. Power and material prosperity are the rewards for those who serve him as the devil signified to Christ on the mountain: “All these (kingdoms) will I give to thee, if falling down thou wilt adore me” (Matt. 4:9). Antichrist accepts this infamous bargain and receives the empire of the world—“Who shall be able to fight against him?”
During this time he will pour out blasphemies against God and against the Blessed Sacrament of the altar (the tabernacle of God). He will also malign and vilify those who remain faithful to God and to His Church. He will be given power to wage war against the Church and to overcome it for a time. He shall rule over many nations and many peoples will adore him: his kingdom shall have the semblance of catholicity or universality. This is the great revolt of the nations foretold by St. Paul (2 Thess. 2:3), but it shall not be truly universal; one nation, at least, shall remain faithful to the Church in those days, and the elect whose names are written in the book of life will not adore Antichrist.
Antichrist and his followers, at first victorious, shall soon be overcome and destroyed. As they have meted out to others, it shall be measured unto them (Matt. 7:2). They who have led the faithful into captivity and put them to death, shall themselves be made captives and put to the sword. Hence the faithful must suffer in patience with full confidence of victory.
The beast arising from the earth is a false prophet—the prophet of Antichrist.Our divine Saviour has a representative on earth in the person of the Pope upon whom He has conferred full powers to teach and govern. Likewise, Antichrist will have his representative in the false prophet who will be endowed with the plenitude of satanic powers to deceive the nations.
The “abomination of desolation” has been wrought in many Catholic churches by heretics and apostates who have broken altars, scattered the relics of martyrs and desecrated the Blessed Sacrament. At the time of the French Revolution, a lewd woman was seated upon the altar of the cathedral in Paris and worshipped as the goddess of reason. Such things but faintly foreshadow the abominations that will desecrate churches in those sorrowful days when Antichrist will seat himself at the altar to be adored as God. 13-15. The prophet, of course, shall have power to perform the wonderful works of his master. Among other prodigies, he will bring down fire from heaven, probably to offset the preaching and miracles of Elias, and thus seduce great numbers. He will also have statues of Antichrist erected to be adored by those whom he has seduced. These statues will give out oracles as did those of ancient paganism. In fact, the reign of Antichrist and his prophet will be a veritable renewal of paganism throughout the world.
The followers of Antichrist will be marked with a character in imitation of the sign that St. John saw upon the foreheads of the servants of God. This indicates that Antichrist and his prophet will introduce ceremonies to imitate the Sacraments of the Church.
In fact, there will be a complete organization—a church of Satan set up in opposition to the Church of Christ. Satan will assume the part of God the Father; Antichrist will be honored as Saviour, and his prophet will usurp the role of Pope. Their ceremonies will counterfeit the Sacraments and their works of magic be heralded as miracles.
None could buy or sell without the contamination of pagan worship. (Catholic Library, Archeology Series, Vol. IV., p. 123.) In the days of Antichrist, the false prophet will adopt similar tactics to accomplish the downfall of the faithful. No one will be able to buy or sell the necessities of life without implicating himself in the worship of Antichrist…
Starting about one hour from now on the East Coast of the USA, the Great Conjunction of 2020. Don’t be late; it will only be visible for about 90 minutes after sunset. If you are anything of a stargazer, you’ve been watching Saturn chase Jupiter across the early-evening sky for months now. Tonight at twilight, they meet.
Laramie Hirsch did his thing over at forge-and-anvil.com. Reprinted here with permission.
On Christmas Week, there will be a conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter. These two planets will unite and appear as one single star. Many Christians throughout the world suspect that it was just such a conjunction that took place during the time of Christ’s birth. Indeed, it has been posited that the Nativity Star that guided the Magi consisted of two of our solar system’s planets joining together. Will things be different this time around?
Three Worlds, One Ballgame
Many are excited for this occasion, particularly the astrological community. They call it The Great Conjunction. They’ve noted how all year, both Saturn and Jupiter were in a close proximity in the night sky throughout 2020. Not only that, but these planets “danced” with the planet Pluto since January, making for a kind of drawn out “triple conjunction” event that would thrill even the ancients (that is, had they known about the existence of Pluto).
Both Jupiter and Saturn are planets named after primary “father gods.” Jupiter is the name of the supreme king of the gods in the Roman pantheon, and his father, Saturn, is a primeval titan and lord of the universe. For any Christian who studied Greek/Roman mythology in middle school, perhaps it is easy to compare the relationship between Jupiter and Saturn and that of Jesus Christ and God the Father. Both examples are of a divine family, and in each example, there is a father who is a lord of the universe and a son who is closer to the world of mortal men. Many scholars like to point to the proto-Christian characteristics of the un-Christianized pagan religions. However, while the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son, in the case of this year’s Jupiter/Saturn dance, it is the dark world of death, Pluto, which passes between father and son. And in that context, when we consider the troubles people endured in 2020, it only seems fitting that the year be symbolized by two supreme gods passing a spirit of destruction and decay between one another. 2020 was a horrible year, after all.
But 2020’s “ball game” between “father and son” ends most amazingly, as Jupiter and Saturn will embrace, pulling off a once-in-a-lifetime alignment quite uncommon in history. In fact, this rare sight hasn’t been seen since the 1600s. Many astrologers have waited a long time to see what would happen this month.
A Profound Baptism?
As it is, when Jupiter and Saturn pass one another in the sky every 20 years, they hold a special title: The Great Chronocrator. The title is another way of collectively calling these planets “Time Lord,” because, according to classical astrologers, such a generational event marks a new cycle. However, this year the Great Chronocrator will present itself in a very special way: it will manifest itself in the constellation of Aquarius.
Now, non-Christian astrologers get excited about the Age of Aquarius. For many such hippy dippy thinkers, this time period will be a New Age utopia. For others, the Age of Aquarius will simply be a new epoch of mankind, and they make no pretensions as to what will happen. But for believers in Jesus Christ, the constellation of Aquarius holds special meaning, as it is often associated with baptism. The “water carrier” of Aquarius pours water from his pitcher into the mouth of the Southern Fish, Piscis Austrinas—the parent fish of the Pisces, a constellation of two fish that have an enormous amount of Christian symbolism.
So, what does it mean when we see The Great Chronocrator tossing around Pluto—a death world—and finally terminating in a constellation that implies baptism? Does this mean that mankind itself is also on the verge of some type of baptism? And if so, what kind of baptism are we talking about? Is it a baptism of water? Or will it be, given the nature of Pluto, some kind of a baptism of fire? After all, Pluto is the ancient god of the underworld, a place of fire and pain.
But, hold that thought.
The Christmas Star That Is Known To Many
Isn’t The Great Conjunction a kind of repetition of what happened at the first Christmas? The Great Conjunction occurs on Christmas Week, after all. Why discuss death and pain during such a happy season? Are we not supposed to be celebrating the birth of Jesus?
Many people were excited only five years ago, when they were treated to a famous documentary called, The Star of Bethlehem. It discussed a conjunction much like ours, which happened at the time of Christ’s birth. There were others, however, who were aware of the astronomy behind the Christmas Star. This conjunction was discussed and demonstrated in 1980 by Professor Jack Finegan and astronomer John Mosley. Before that, it was discussed by Roger W. Sinnott in Sky and Telescope in 1968. Even going as far back as the 1600s, Johannes Kepler proposed that some kind of an astronomical wonder must have occurred in order to enable the famous star that guided the Magi to Christ. And then there’s this fellow:
Venus and Jupiter approached more closely on this occasion and, at the closest, were separated by only 3 minutes of arc, one-tenth the width of the full Moon.
With that close an approach, it would be difficult to make out the planets as two separate points of light. What’s more, as seen from Babylonia, the two planets would be approaching each other steadily as they sank toward the western horizon. Indeed, they would reach their minimum separation at 10 P.M., Babylonian time, just as they were setting. We might imagine that the watching astrologers would see the two planets apparently join into one as they reached a point on the western horizon in the direction of Judea.
Is the fact that the unusual “star” was seen in the direction of Judea enough to make them think of a Messiah?
Isaac Asimov, “Star In The East”, The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, 1974
Amazing that even an atheist such as Isaac Asimov can momentarily entertain this cosmic notion. Alas, he concludes later on that though he was tempted to believe, he won’t. Still, whether the Cult of Scientistry buys into Christianity or not, people of good will and open minds have nevertheless had the option of going to Christmas planetarium shows for years to wind back the clock and see that ancient sky for themselves.
But, now, remember what Asimov told us here: Christ’s birth was presaged by a conjunction of Jupiter and Venus, not a conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn. So…
…2020’s Conjunction Presages Something…Different
Consider the differences between the conjunction of the Nativity, and this, our Great Conjunction of 2020.
Before the Nativity, in the sky it was a meeting of Jupiter, the “god-king of the planets” with Venus, the only planet in antiquity associated with a female. Just as the Masculine Spirit of God the Father came upon Mary to conceive Jesus Christ, so also do we see the “god-king planet” of Jupiter meet with the female Venus in a cosmic act of union. Furthermore, that ancient conjunction took place in the constellation of Leo, a lion constellation that connotes royalty and kingship.
Finally, while there are many other cosmic anecdotes from that period, I will only point to this one example. Before the Jupiter/Venus conjunction that “announced” Christ’s birth, Jupiter itself, during its retrograde, actually circled over Leo’s bright star, Regulus. Regulus is the “king star” of the skies. Jupiter was able to “crown” Regulus. In other words, before the Nativity Star conjunction event, a “god-king planet” entered a “king constellation,” and it crowned “the king star.” This would have been a major announcement to the ancient world that some kind of a king-of-kings was about to enter the world—and with the benefit of hindsight, we all recognize Him as our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
But in The Great Conjunction of 2020, we will not see the merging of “god-king and woman.” We will instead see the merging of Jupiter and Saturn. The “god-king” (Jupiter) meets up with his father, the “god of time” (Saturn). And in that context, if we’re drawing parallels to the Christian Godhead, we have to ask ourselves: what does it mean when we see the New Testament Son of God fall more in line with the Old Testament God of Abraham? Wouldn’t that be what is implied with this astronomical placement? Do you suppose that implies something comfortable? When one reflects on how God the Father regarded mankind in the Old Testament, does the word “gentle” come to mind? (Hint: no.)
And, again, consider in which constellation these two forces join: Aquarius. It is implied that some kind of a baptism is involved with this conjunction. Perhaps informed Catholics recollect the following message from Heaven:
As I told you, if men do not repent and better themselves, the Father will inflict a terrible punishment on all humanity. It will be a punishment greater than the deluge, such as one will never have seen before. Fire will fall from the sky and will wipe out a great part of humanity, the good as well as the bad, sparing neither priests nor faithful. The survivors will find themselves so desolate that they will envy the dead. The only arms which will remain for you will be the Rosary and the Sign left by My Son.
Our Lady of Akita
Or, consider a lesser-known 20th Century prophecy:
Clouds with lightning rays of fire and a tempest of fire will pass over the whole world, and the punishment will be the most terrible ever known in the history of mankind. It will last 70 hours. The wicked will be crushed and eliminated. Many will be lost because they have stubbornly remained in their sins. Then they will feel the force of light over darkness. The hours of darkness are near.
Blessed Sister Elena Aiello
Rather than a baptism of water, as it was with Noah’s Flood, the Earth will suffer a baptism of fire. Many Catholics recognize this day as The Great Conflagration, the Three Days of Darkness, or The Chastisement. However, a discussion about that dread day is beyond the scope of this article.
But in regards to the above, recall once more that Jupiter and Saturn have had Pluto—the planet of death—passing between one another during the troubled year of 2020. As a matter of fact, a Saturn/Pluto conjunction occurring last January was popular among astrologers. Later in the year, we saw Saturn “hand off” Pluto to Jupiter for a March conjunction. Now think about that. The “celestial father god” (Saturn) gave his “god-king son” (Jupiter) the power of death (Pluto).
At La Salette, Our Lady sat and wept because she could no longer hold back the punishments of God. Have we not been warned repeatedly by the Queen of Heaven that she can no longer hold back her Son’s hand from striking the world?
Moreover, recall how (as mentioned previously) before the conjunction of Christ’s Nativity, the “king star” Regulus was crowned by the “god-king” planet (Jupiter) in the king constellation of Leo. Now, do we have some kind of similar pre-show? Yes we do. Simply remember the cosmic events of 2017, in which the very Woman of Revelations was portrayed in the heavens—just after Pope Francis’ Year of Mercy, and during the 100th anniversary of the apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima. Rather than a sign for birth, beginning, and kingship, 2017 gave us a celestial message literally from the Book of the Apocalypse.
Finally, take special note that The Great Conjunction of 2020 doesn’t happen during the Christmas octave. It transpires during Advent, a time in the liturgical year in which we are reminded of eschatology, chastisements, and the end of the world. True, we do look forward to the coming of the Messiah—but it is his Second Coming we await, as we meditate upon death, judgement, Heaven and Hell.
And most ominous of all, The Great Conjunction of 2020 takes place on…the winter solstice. This is the darkest day and the longest night of the year. What a moment for such a celestial event to take place. A stark venue for a potentially stark message.
PART ONE of TWO: Following are excerpts (pp 120-123, Kindle edition) from The Apocalypse of St. John by Fr. Sylvester Berry, first publish in 1921. Current 2016 edition and Kindle available HERE.
~CHAPTER XII~ CONFLICT BETWEEN THE CHURCH AND SATAN Apocalypse Ch. XII
It shall be war unto death, between the Church and the powers of darkness, in a final effort of Satan to destroy the Church and thus prevent the universal reign of Christ on earth.
Satan will first attempt to destroy the power of the Papacy and bring about the downfall of the Church through heresies, schisms and persecutions that must surely follow. Failing in this, he will then attack the Church from without. For this purpose, he will raise up Antichrist and his prophet to lead the faithful into error and destroy those who remain steadfast.
The Church is ever in labor to bring forth children to eternal life. In the sad days here predicted, the sorrows and pains of delivery shall be increased many-fold. In this passage, there is an evident allusion to some particular son of the Church whose power and influence shall be such that Satan will seek his destruction at any cost. This person can be none other than the Pope to be elected in those days. The Papacy will be attacked by all the powers of hell. In consequence, the Church will suffer great trials and afflictions in securing a successor upon the throne of Peter. The words of St. Paul to the Thessalonians may be a reference to the Papacy as the obstacle to the coming of Antichrist: “You know what withholdeth, that he may be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity already worketh; only that he who now holdeth, do hold, until he be taken out of the way. And then that wicked one shall be revealed” (2 Thess. 2: 6-7).
The tail of the dragon represents the cunning hypocrisy with which he succeeds in deceiving a large number of people and pastors… Arianism led away many bishops, priests and peoples. The pretended Reformation of the sixteenth century claimed still larger numbers but these cannot be compared to the numbers seduced by Satan in the days of Antichrist. The dragon stands before the woman ready to devour the child that is brought forth. In other words, the powers of hell seek by all means to destroy the Pope elected in those days.
The woman brings forth a son to rule the nations with a rod of iron. These are the identical words of prophecy uttered by the Psalmist concerning our Saviour Jesus Christ (Ps. 2:9).They confirm our application of this vision to the Pope, the vicar of Christ on earth to rule the nations in His stead and by His power. It is now the hour for the powers of darkness. The new-born Son of the Church is taken “to God and to His throne.” Scarcely has the newly elected Pope been enthroned when he is snatched away by martyrdom. The “mystery of iniquity,” gradually developing through the centuries, cannot be fully consummated while the power of the Papacy endures, but now he that “withholdeth is taken out of the way.” During the interregnum, “that wicked one shall be revealed” in his fury against the Church.
It is a matter of history that the most disastrous periods for the Church were times when the Papal throne was vacant, or when anti-popes contended with the legitimate head of the Church. Thus also shall it be in those evil days to come. The Church deprived of her chief pastor must seek sanctuary in solitude there to be guided by God Himself during those trying days.
Remember, the CDC admits they have no idea how many “cases” there are, and there could be 10x more than the reported numbers. Which means they have absolutely no idea what masks do or don’t do, although history will surely show they did more harm than good.
Also, pneumonia and influenza have been cured, because those cases have gone to zero. Everything is Covid.
We will never escape this, short of war or supernatural intervention.
Introit: Isa. 45:8 Drop down dew, ye heavens, from above, and let the clouds rain the Just. Let the earth be opened and bud forth a savior. Ps. 18:2. The heavens show forth the glory of God, and the firmament proclaims His handiwork.
Collect: O Lord, show yourself an all-powerful God and come to us. Aid us with Your powerful assistance so that, through Your grace and merciful forgiveness, we may attain salvation, which now is hindered by our sins.
The following was originally posted here on : Address of Cardinal Biffi on the occasion of the centenary of the death of Vladimir Soloviev, 13 August 2000. HERE
Vladimir Sergeievich Soloviev: an unheeded prophet H.E. Giacomo Cardinal Biffi, Archbishop of Bologna
Vladimir Sergeievich Soloviev passed away 100 years ago, on July 31 (August 13 according to our Gregorian calendar) of the year 1900. He passed away on the threshold of the 20th century — a century whose vicissitudes and troubles he had foreseen with striking clarity, but also a century, which, tragically, in its historical course and dominant ideologies, would reject his most profound and important teachings. His, therefore, was a teaching at once prophetic and largely unheeded.
A Prophetic Teaching
At the time of the great Russian philosopher, the general view — in keeping with the limitless optimism of the “belle epoque“‘ — foresaw a bright future for humanity in the new century: under the direction and inspiration of the new religion of progress and solidarity stripped of transcendent elements, humanity would enjoy an era of prosperity, peace, justice, security. In the “Excelsior” — a form of dance, which enjoyed an extraordinary success in the last years of the 19th century (and which later lent its name to countless theaters and hotels) — this new religion found its own liturgy, as it were. Victor Hugo proclaimed: “This century was great, the one coming will be happy.”
But Soloviev refused to allow himself to be swept up in this de-sacralized vision. On the contrary, he predicted with prophetic clarity all of the disasters which in fact occurred.
As early as 1882, in his “Second Discourse on Dostoevsky,” Soloviev foresaw — and condemned — the sterility and cruelty of the collectivist tyranny which a few years later would oppress Russia and mankind. “The world must not be saved by recourse to force.” Soloviev said. “One could imagine men toiling together toward some great end to which they would submit all of their own individual activity; but if this end is imposed on them, if it represents for them something fated and oppressive… then, even if this unity were to embrace all of mankind, universal brotherhood would not be the result, but only a giant anthill.” This “anthill” was later constructed through the obtuse and cruel ideology of Lenin and Stalin.
In his final work, The Three Dialogues and the Story of the Antichrist (finished on Easter Sunday 1900), one is struck by how clearly Soloviev foresaw that the 20th century would be “the epoch of great wars, civil strife and revolutions” All this, he said, would prepare the way for the disappearance of “the old structure of separate nations” and “almost everywhere the remains of the ancient monarchical institutions would disappear.” This would pave the way for a “United States of Europe.”
The accuracy of Soloviev’s vision of the great crisis that would strike Christianity at the end of the 20th century is astonishing.
He represents this crisis using the figure of the Antichrist. This fascinating personage will succeed in influencing and persuading almost everyone. It is not difficult to see in this figure of Soloviev the reflection, almost the incarnation, of the confused and ambiguous religiosity of our time.
The Antichrist will be a “convinced spiritualist” Soloviev says, an admirable philanthropist, a committed, active pacifist, a practicing vegetarian, a determined defender of animal rights.
He will also be, among other things, an expert exegete. His knowledge of the bible will even lead the theology faculty of Tubingen to award him an honorary doctorate. Above all, he will be a superb ecumenist, able to engage in dialogue “with words full of sweetness, wisdom and eloquence.”
He will not be hostile “in principle” to Christ. Indeed, he will appreciate Christ’s teaching. But he will reject the teaching that Christ is unique, and will deny that Christ is risen and alive today.
One sees here described — and condemned — a Christianity of “values,” of “openings,” of “dialogue,” a Christianity where it seems there is little room left for the person of the Son of God crucified for us and risen, little room for the actual event of salvation.
A scenario, I think, that should cause us to reflect…
A scenario in which the faith militant is reduced to humanitarian and generically cultural action, the Gospel message is located in an irenic encounter with all philosophies and all religions and the Church of God is transformed into an organization for social work.
Are we sure Soloviev did not foresee what has actually come to pass? Are we sure it is not precisely this that is the most perilous threat today facing the “holy nation” redeemed by the blood of Christ — the Church?
It is a disturbing question and one we must not avoid.
A Teaching Unheeded
Soloviev understood the 20th century like no one else, but the 20th century did not understand Soloviev.
It isn’t that he has not been not recognized and honored. He is often called the greatest Russian philosopher, and few contest this appellation.
Von Balthasar regarded his work “the most universal speculative creation of the modern period” (Gloria III, p. 263) and even goes so far as to set him on the level of Thomas Aquinas.
But there is no doubt that the 20th century, as a whole, gave him no heed. Indeed, the 20th century, at every turn, has gone in the direction opposed to the one he indicated.
The mental attitudes prevalent today, even among many ecclesially active and knowledgeable Christians, are very far indeed from Soloviev’s vision of reality.
Among many, here are a few examples:
Egoistic individualism, which is ever more profoundly leaving its mark on our behaviors and laws;
Moral subjectivism, which leads people to hold that it is licit and even praiseworthy to assume positions in the legislative and political spheres different from the behavioral norms one personally adheres to;
Pacifism and non-violence of the Tolstoyan type confused with the Gospel ideals of peace and fraternity to the point of surrendering to tyranny and abandoning the weak and the good to the powerful;
A theological view which, out of fear of being labeled reactionary, forgets the unity of God’s plan, renounces spreading divine truth in all spheres, and abdicates the attempt to live out a coherent Christian life.
In one special way, the 20th century, in its movements and in its social, political and cultural results, strikingly rejected Soloviev’s great moral construction. Soloviev held that fundamental ethical principles were rooted in three primordial experiences, naturally present in all men: that is to say, modesty, piety toward others and the religious sentiment.
Yet the 20th century, following an egoistic and unwise sexual revolution, reached levels of permissivism, openly displayed vulgarity and public shamelessness, which seem to have few parallels in history.
Moreover, the 20th century was the most oppressive and bloody of all history, a century without respect for human life and without mercy.
We cannot, certainly, forget the horror of the extermination of the Jews, which can never be execrated sufficiently. But it was not the only extermination. No one remembers the genocide of the Armenians during the First World War.
No one commemorates the tens of millions killed under the Soviet regime.
No one ventures to calculate the number of victims sacrificed uselessly in the various parts of the earth to the communist Utopia.
As for the religious sentiment during the 20th century, in the East for the first time state atheism was both proposed and imposed on a vast portion of humanity, while in the secularized West a hedonistic and libertarian atheism spread until it arrived at the grotesque idea of the “death of God.”
In conclusion: Soloviev was undoubtedly a prophet and a teacher, but a teacher who was, in a way, irrelevant. And this, paradoxically, is why he was great and why he is precious for our time.
A passionate defender of the human person and allergic to every philanthropy; a tireless apostle of peace and adversary of pacifism; a promoter of Christian unity and critic of every irenicism: a lover of nature and yet very far from today’s ecological infatuations — in a word, a friend of truth and an enemy of ideology.
EPISTLE 2 Thess. 2:1-8 Brethren, we beseech you, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and of our gathering together unto Him: That you be not easily moved from your sense nor be terrified, neither by spirit nor by word nor by epistle as sent from us, as if the day of the Lord were at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for unless there come a revolt first, and the man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition who opposeth and is lifted up above all that is called God or that is worshipped, so that he sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself as if he were God. Remember you not that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? And now you know what withholdeth, that he may be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity already worketh: only that he who now holdeth do hold, until he be taken out of the way. And then that wicked one shall be revealed: whom the Lord Jesus shall kill with the spirit of His mouth and shall destroy with the brightness of His coming.
