The Seal of the Cross and the End of the World

By Fr. Vasilios I. Kalliakmanis

A) In recent years the issue of the end of the world has received much publicity. Online and print media, both secular and religious, have devoted thousands of pages to "informing the public". Alongside these things films have also aired with breathtaking visuals and analogous content, having as a subject the year "2012". There was so much interest regarding this issue and so many questions were posed to scientists that the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in America was forced to open a relevant website and give answers refuting the rumors about the destruction of the universe.

Is an Eclipse a Sign of the End Times?

Numerous biblical passages link end-times events with astronomical phenomena. The sun, the moon, the stars, meteors, and possibly even eclipses are mentioned in connection with end-times Bible prophecies. For example, when asked about the timing of the end times, Jesus says, “There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars” (Luke 21:25). It’s natural that, whenever strange or rare astronomical phenomena occur, many wonder if the end times are approaching.

St Basil's Eschatological Vision: Aspects of the Recapitulation of History and the 'Eighth Day'

ST BASIL’S ESCHATOLOGICAL VISION:

ASPECTS OF THE RECAPITULATION OF HISTORY AND THE ‘EIGHTH DAY’

(PHRONEMA, VOL. XXV, 2010)

By Mario Baghos

Saint Basil's Cathedral and the Book of Revelation

Saint Basil's Cathedral in Moscow was built from 1555–61 on orders from Ivan the Terrible, and today is painted in a potpourri of saturated, bright colors that dominate all other buildings in the Red Square. The color scheme has evolved considerably since the complex was constructed, and the current colors were chosen and applied between 1680 and 1848. The Cathedral’s original color was said to have been white to match the white stone of the Kremlin, while the domes were gold. The new color scheme was chosen in accordance with descriptions of the New Jerusalem found in the scriptural Book of Revelation:

The Influence of the Apocalypse of Pseudo-Methodius

Written in Syriac in the late seventh century, the Apocalypse of Pseudo-Methodius shaped and influenced Christian eschatological thinking in the Middle Ages. Falsely attributed to Methodius of Olympus, a fourth century Church Father, the work attempts to make sense of the Islamic Conquest of the Mediterranean world. The Apocalypse is noted for incorporating numerous aspects of Christian eschatology such as the invasion of Gog and Magog, the rise of the Antichrist, and the tribulations that precede the end of the world.