Considering the "Elder" Ephraim

from Joanna's notepad

March 16, 2013

This is an excerpt from my letter to a friend who is planning again to go to the Ephraimite monastery of St. Anthony's in Arizona for Lent:

... Consider this:  It might have been St. John who suggested that maybe ["suggested", because we don't know, it has not been revealed to us] that taking the mark of the beast on the hand or on the forehead MIGHT represent this:

– taking the mark on the forehead means you believe Antichrist is God and worship him.

– taking the mark on the hand means you do not believe Antichrist is God, but you admit his power – that he has rule over your earthly life.  

  The mark on the forehead is a willing submission to Antichrist, and the mark on the hand is an unwilling submission to Antichrist.  Both are submissions to Antichrist.  St. Anthony's is an example of taking the mark on the hand.  First, they submit to commemorating the EP, and, second, they accept the use of the new calendar [whether they actually use it themselves or not].

  The EP is a mason and an ecumenist – not a true Christian, but a puppet of Antichrist.  The holy canons provide for Churches that refuse to take the mark of the beast on their hand.  World orthodoxy has then, partly to justify themselves, said of those Churches that they are "unofficial" and "outside the Church" – that even if the EP is corrupt, his office must be honored.  Or they hide behind the old "We are working from within" which is against the Saint's teaching:  "Don't give a drowning man your hand, instead hand him a stick."

And I repeat that the fact that the American Greeks don't understand monasticism and so unfairly criticize St. Anthony's for valid monastic practices, is not cause to "side" with the monastery.  We are not choosing the side of American Greeks or the side of the Monastery.  We are on the side of truth.  The American Greeks are wrong about the toll houses, monastic obedience, etc. but the monastery is wrong in their unorthodox teachings, and wrong in abusing obedience with their monks and by extending "obedience" to laity.  "Two wrongs don't make a right."  [That's not a quote from a saint, it is a proverb my father repeated.]  And while the ancient monastic practices are the ideal, in today's evil climate they are not to be applied with any vigor or surely they will be abused.  

  

And consider this:

   1. It's likely that the American Greek critics, by virtue of being of the world and worldly in their perceptions, are more able to recognize a cult than is somebody who is ensnared in one.  

   2. It's probable that the critics SENSE something is wrong, but can't put their finger on it, so they lash out at anything that, out of context, is shocking.  If they were comfortable with the monastery in general, they would come to accept and maybe even understand these things, in time, as they grow to trust the monastery.  But instead of growing in trust, they grow in distrust. 

   3.  Monasteries are supposed serve the world.  First with prayers, and, maybe, for those that receive pilgrims, secondly by offering spiritual nourishment.   The nourishment should be directly from the holy fathers, or at least consistent with the holy fathers, and should always help strengthen the pilgrim to function in the world to which he must return after his pilgrimage – not to put further burdens on him.  Celibacy and marriage mixed together is a nightmare and totally unorthodox.  The whole reason monks live in monasteries is to avoid temptation.  That is why Mt. Athos does not even permit women to visit.  If a husband and wife both desire celibate lives, then, traditionally they each go to a separate monastery and convent.  

  Married people have different obligations.  They abstain during fasts and one day before receiving communion.  That's enough, what the Church prescribes.  That's a chaste marriage.  Who is this elder Ephraim who dares to know better than the Church?  St. Paul says the marriage bed is honorable, and that married persons abstain "for a time" [during fasts] by mutual consent.  There have been very few genuine God-pleasing God-approved celibate marriages.  St. John Kronstadt was one, both he and his wife were virgins – and we all know that it is far easier to maintain virginity than to try to be celibate AFTER losing virginity.  Note first that this was THEIR idea and just between them and God [no "spiritual father" involved in the decision].  Plus, they did not live in that tempting situation for long.

Something else is on my mind.  I don't like the way the monastery seems to create a "dependency" in the laity on the monastery.  [I've observed this not just in you, but in another friend, too, who no longer lives in Oregon who used to make frequent pilgrimages to Goldendale – trips she could not afford.]  It is as if the monastery has become the only place where you can keep up with Antichrist's progress toward the NWO and world orthodox apostasy, and somehow this information is necessary for salvation?  No, instead it creates fear.  Knowing that the Sandy Hook incident was staged has no bearing on salvation, in fact such knowledge is probably more distracting than anything beneficial.  What is the shock?  We already know from our Church prophets that all the world governments must be corrupt before Antichrist can appear on the world stage.  Where is the monastery getting it's information anyway:  Alex Jones?  Infowars?  Wherever, it is not accurate, anyway.  For example, with the Sandy Hook hoax there is as yet zero evidence to support the claim that either father of Lanza or Holmes were going to testify to anyone about anything.  So from where is St. Anthony's getting their information?  From the "clairvoyant elder"?  I don't think so.  Instead of instilling fear and dependency, the monastery should be strengthening visitors to go back to the world in peace, with greater love for God, deeper trust in Him, increased boldness in prayer, deeper awareness of God's presence.

Something else I want you to see.  A video of "elder" Ephraim:

  What is all the fidgeting about?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvcvLykW5Jk

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The video is 1½ hours, but just watch the first 4 minutes.

 

  Notice in the beginning, even after taking the microphone in his left hand, the pseudo-elder fidgets with a speck of dust with his right hand before he begins to speak.

  What does this mean?  Is this the demeanor of a hesychast?  Is this fidgeting, maybe, because, "ye must become as little children," so he is acting like a fidgety child?  Maybe, we're supposed to think he is a "holy fool"? ...

related post:

http://startingontheroyalpath.blogspot.com/2011/03/we-should-have-listened-to-fr-seraphim.html

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.Update 2025
This video is from 1992.  Filmed at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church in Pittsburgh, PA upon an unexpected visit from Elder Ephraim.  

 

In case the YT video gets deleted, I uploaded a copy of the entire video to Joanna's Shared Library:  The link is purposely not activated.  You have to copy-paste.  Also, you need to download the video to view it.  It is 456 MB.
https://app.box.com/s/uh3a0sigkek7o2bz7sg7nu19ao9sf2e8

     Until today (Jan 2025) I had not watched the whole interview.  The Ephraimites leave this video up.  Did they forget? Or are they proud of it?   To me, all I see is sickness, demons and mental illness.           

     Watch his body language.  Never mind what he is saying, about which I could write at least a full paragraph...  but about his body language there is just too much to see.  Do a Google search about what it means for body language when the eyes go up and to the right.  Notice the change in his demeanor when he hands the microphone back to the interpreter.  While looking at the body language, keep in mind that Ephraim did not expect to be interviewed like this.  He made a surprise visit to this parish (EP-American Greek).  So, the elder Ephraim was prepared to be in the spotlight.  He just did not know in advance that he would be recorded.

     Notice how as the interview progresses "elder" Ephraim seems to get less fidgety.  Is he just getting relaxed with his audience? Remember he was prepared to have to speak.  If the elder is simply getting relaxed with his audience, well, why was he nervous in the first place?  Somebody who is working for God is secure in that — from the start.  So, what is the excuse or reason for elder Ephraim's demeanor at the beginning of the interview and throughout the interview and then towards the end of the interview?  

The first thing that comes to my mind — remember what St. John S&SF told us about Antichrist: that he will have demonic assistance in his popularity.  People will love him and think he is wonderful.  In witchcraft this would be called a "love spell" — but in this case the love spell is put on the whole world.  How is it that so many people are taken in by Ephraim?  This is why I think first of this spell idea.  The only other answer is that Ephraim is real, and that is not possible unless we are all already in hell.

What else besides demons could have so many people mesmerized — hypnotized.   To me, this man is so obviously mentally ill and/or possessed.  And yet, people think he is a gift from God (!) (?)

Next, I go immediately to the remedy. Here is how to save yourself from being fooled:

  Learn about the Optina elders.  These are the last true elders before the end times.  Once you get to know them, read about them, pray to them,  — then seeing the true elders you can not be fooled by the false elders.

The list of false elders is increasing.  To be safe follow these rules:

  1. Any "elder" who supports/defends/dismisses the new calendar is a false elder.  Too many incorrupt/miracle-working saints died for the Church calendar.   God even showed us with a visitation — a sign in the sky when the Cross appeared in the sky.  Even heathen saw it!

  2. It is possible and likely there are holy people worth knowing who were born after 1850.  But, to be on the safe side, trust no "elder" born after 1850.   If you reject a true saint by mistake, for the sake of safety, then, when you get to heaven, you can greet him there and apologize for ignoring him.  I promise, he will not love you any less.  He will praise you for your caution, and maybe even thank you. 

So here are your 2 important red flags:  New Calendar and died after the Russian Revolution. 

You could spend 20 lifetimes studying the Optina elders and still not master them.  Nothing more is needed for salvation.  Read their lives.  Pray with them! They truly are here! with you! The only thing to be careful about is to remember that there are no true elders today.  St. Seraphim of Platina (†1982) taught us this.  Monks no longer have the benefit of "revealing thoughts" or personal instructions for practicing the Jesus Prayer.  

Today we have a hard enough time faithfully doing morning and evening prayers.  And this labor will count for us greater than the earlier practices.  Same as, in the times when the Church had the Optina elders, then they no longer had stylites.  We are coming too close to the end of times for these things to manifest.  We (ROCOR) lost our last clairvoyant bishop in 1966 when St. John Maximovitch reposed.  Some bishops since then have made sporadic prophecies, but none were fully clairvoyant.  Yet, these bishops' labors will count for them even more than those olden day bishops who had gifts.*

*  [So said a true prophet, I wish I could cite this... I might have readers who never heard this prophecy.  If you can provide a cite, please email me and I will add it here.  Be sure to tell me the link to this post.  joannahigginbotham@runbox.com]

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