Elder Ambrose Lazaris used to say about the end of the world that it will last as long as the Six Psalms of Matins lasts, a few minutes.
At the time when we will be judged, in heaven the Angels will chant the Six Psalms [that is why we do not sit during the reading of the Six Psalms].
All people living at that time will experience death instantly and immediately after will be resurrected.
We will all be with our bodies in an intangible way, in another form, as the Evangelist Mark says, we will not take up space, but one will see and recognize the other and all will be at the age of thirty three years old.
The Lord will hold the book of life, the Gospel, and automatically we will go right or left on our own, for we shall know whether we are for Heaven or not.
That is why at the Despotikon (Bishop's Throne), where the Bishop sits, the icon of Christ illustrates the type of the Great High Priest, the book is open and there is no oil lamp above - that is, it declares that there is no mercy in the Second Coming [the Greek word for "oil" is similar to the word for "mercy"].
While at the Iconostasis the book held by Christ is closed, and there is an oil lamp, because we still have mercy.
Source: From the book Γέρων Αμβρόσιος Λάζαρης, Ο πνευματικός της Μονής Δαδίου, Ο επιστήθιος φίλος του αγίου Πορφυρίου. Translation by John Sanidopoulos.
At the time when we will be judged, in heaven the Angels will chant the Six Psalms [that is why we do not sit during the reading of the Six Psalms].
All people living at that time will experience death instantly and immediately after will be resurrected.
We will all be with our bodies in an intangible way, in another form, as the Evangelist Mark says, we will not take up space, but one will see and recognize the other and all will be at the age of thirty three years old.
The Lord will hold the book of life, the Gospel, and automatically we will go right or left on our own, for we shall know whether we are for Heaven or not.
That is why at the Despotikon (Bishop's Throne), where the Bishop sits, the icon of Christ illustrates the type of the Great High Priest, the book is open and there is no oil lamp above - that is, it declares that there is no mercy in the Second Coming [the Greek word for "oil" is similar to the word for "mercy"].
While at the Iconostasis the book held by Christ is closed, and there is an oil lamp, because we still have mercy.
Source: From the book Γέρων Αμβρόσιος Λάζαρης, Ο πνευματικός της Μονής Δαδίου, Ο επιστήθιος φίλος του αγίου Πορφυρίου. Translation by John Sanidopoulos.
