Below the reader will find my translation of a sermon given by Met. Longin of Bukovina (Ukraine). He is well known for his extensive work with orphans.

The sermon was delivered on the 28^th of November, 2021. It was given in, I believe Romanian. The area of Bukovina in Ukraine has many people of Romanian roots. The video has Russian subtitles. My translation is from the subtitles. The title is my own for the purposes of my blog. His sermon needs no further commentary, as it speaks firmly for itself.

Begin translation –

Dearly beloved faithful, let us bless the Lord for this wonderful day and for the Divine Liturgy this day. May the mercy of God be with each one of you.

Until the end there will be those faithful to Christ, for the trials will be heavy and great but you are strong because you are Orthodox and because you have God. Our strong fortress is God; our might is God. Therefore, we place our hope on God, so that we may successfully travel through this world and reach the joy of eternal life.

It is vital not to forget to what God has called us; God has established us for service, be you a bishop, a priest, a monk, a layman, or whatever you may be. God has called us to serve Him. Let us not forget where we are called and with what we must enrich ourselves. Everything here is fleeting and eternal life awaits each of us; so we should be strong and ready for the trials that come upon us, for they will be severe. As we can see in everything that is being prepared and currently taking place.

It is written in the Scriptures, and you hear of it even now, you will not be able to buy or sell. How close is this state of which God spoke is, that whoever is not marked with the name of the Beast will not be able to sell or buy. But God also tells us that He will care for us, “See the birds of the sky; they do not sow, or reap, or gather into barns. Your heavenly Father feeds them, are you not of more value than they” (cf. Matt. 6:26). O you of little faith, God cares for you! You are in His image and likeness and He will care for you at all times, only let us be faithful to the Lord. Let us fully dedicate ourselves to the service of the Lord; let us serve the Lord; let us be calm and let us walk in this world so as to acquire the Holy Spirit in our hearts. Let us never forsake God, for God shall never forsake mankind. He always works to do everything needed for man, but this also depends on a person – will he remain in God or forsake Him?

Tremendous events are being prepared. I’m speaking of those who desire one (new) faith, meaning that there would be a uniting of religions. This must happen soon because if they do not establish one (new) faith they will not be able to crown the Antichrist. I want to tell you, for I believe and it is said, it will be given to you according to your faith – in whatever you place your faith that you will be. What do you think? Does God exist? I believe. Why would you think God does not exist? Simply because one doubts that God exists.

Go to the great ones of this world, the great scientists, and ask them to remove your brain and place a new one in your head, can this be done? No. God has placed your brain there; you can’t imagine the millions of nerves and capillaries, no one can do what God has done. Look around, if God does not lay His hand on something, nothing will be accomplished; even the fact that you came to church today, you could not come here outside of God’s will.

They (worldly powers) are preparing everything. Maybe you have already heard, seen, and understood that they are preparing for the destruction of people.

Do you believe in the mystery of confession? In repentance? Confess your sins, says God. Do you believe you will receive forgiveness? I believe, brethren, that through repentance God will forgive us and will set our lives aright.

You believe that Communion is the very Body and Blood of Christ on the altar, which our most-precious God left for us – I leave you My Body and My Blood, this is My Body and this is My Blood; take eat, this is My Body, broken for you for the forgiveness of sins. Do you believe this? This is My Blood of the New Covenant which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins.

What do you think, will God forgive you? I believe that for this He left His Body and Blood, for the healing of soul and body; for the healing of the faithful. I believe all this.

I just don’t believe in a vaccine. Don’t kill me for not believing in a vaccine. I don’t believe! I don’t believe in “medicine” that didn’t go through all the proper laboratory methods of control (and testing). I have acted correctly, I didn’t believe and now they have brought a 2^nd dose, a 3^rd dose, and a 4^th dose! And they keep bringing them, what so that I could (eventually) receive the devil into myself? I won’t receive it.

I’ll die; who is so worried about my death? The world is dying from hunger; the world has been dying without medicine; the world does not even have a penny to save its life.

Look how they now care for us now! That we would not die; that we would not be ill; that we would not be contagious. Observe who is afraid – in whatever you believe, with that you will be left, my brethren.

I believe in the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. But they are talking about more vaccines! Quick, we must make another vaccine! In three months we will have a better and stronger vaccine, then comes an altogether more serious sickness or virus! Don’t believe this stupidity, my brethren, for all that God allows will come upon people. You stay faithful to the Lord and if you are Christians indeed then have trust.

It is terrible that some come before the people and before the altar and say crazy things, for example, when bishops suspend priests from serving because they are not vaccinated. The time is coming when they will not allow you in church without the vaccine, what does the one even have to do with the other?!

Those who got vaccinated so as not to die, may God keep them from death. I want to die for Christ and His Gospel and the guarding of the holy.

And why did they begin to lie before the people? They created a vaccine and the world is dying; they created a vaccine and the world is sick. I don’t play politics, but I ask you all – live in the grace of God, bathe yourselves in the grace of God. And so what if I get sick and die? Which of us will live on this earth forever?

Therefore be at peace and do not be afraid, as the holy Fathers say. Things will become troublesome and ugly. There will be enmity between vaccinated and unvaccinated, this hatred and sin will be huge, but hatred is a death-bearing sin.

Why not leave people in peace, let them choose what to do. Those who believe in God the Holy Trinity, in the crucifixion of Christ, come to Him! Those of you who believe that Holy Communion destroys evil and cleanses our sins and transgressions, what could be stronger than this! Plus we have holy unction, holy water, and holy prosphora. Let them say that I’m crazy but I’m no fanatic, for we must speak the truth to the people.

They even want to prevent people from working too. Why? Why have they not been able to stop the virus? Because they didn’t stop the madmen who made it in a laboratory; why are they not contending with them? Rather they are contending with us! People have been suffering in this world, there are those who live day to day on crumbs and they eat them with tears, suffering, and poverty.

This is why I desire that you have much faith and hope from God and that you would not fear or be troubled. Remember, those who seek to save this life will lose it, and those who lose it for the Kingdom of God and eternal life will be victorious. I will place my hope in God. If I die, I die with God because I have placed my hope on Him. But if someone places his hope on some earthly things, then he will remain with them.

This is why you are witnessing a battle. With whom do you want to remain – with God or the devil? Remain in the true Orthodox faith, guard the faith as purely as possible and as beautifully as possible. This land is full of the blood of the holy martyrs for the Faith. Their blood is still fresh, yet undried on the walls of darkness.

What is taking place today is neither funny nor entertaining, for even the communists did not bring so much harm as those today who call themselves Christians and yet themselves forbid (other people) entrance into churches! They would have us go around like dogs in muzzles, all in a frenzy – all the year in masks, which are full of microbes, this is how they torture people. It is as if we have lost our reason and we don’t understand what is happening to us, we don’t know where we are going or where we came from.

Lift your hands to God in heaven in prayer, turn to God! Pray that as bishops and priests we would not think about wealth and money, nor about that which is passing away, rather that we would think about the (true) life and soul of the people, which we must protect. Let us no more put a price on (coming to) church … Let us work for the Lord and for the eternal. Let us do everything the Lord has commanded. Let us bless the words of the Father and seek the Kingdom that has been prepared for us before the foundation of the world.

I leave you to the arms of the Lord, my dear ones. May a guardian angel be in your homes. Never forget that the Lord loves you. The Lord is waiting for you even in those places you have yet to go. Don’t be disturbed by the (secular) laws being passed.

I very strongly believe, based on the words of the holy Fathers, that we have entered a terrible apocalyptic battle. Be ready. Read the Scriptures, even as we read from the apostle today about the fruit of the Holy Spirit, which we must bear. Please read the Scriptures and according to that image bear fruit, so that we may manifest them as long as we are on this earth, and that they may be established in our souls unto the Kingdom of God. And the rest that is from the devil, let us flee from it. Live with the Lord and rejoice because He loves you, even though we are sinners and unfeeling. Do you not desire to hear the voice of the Lord, full of love, that is calling you to Himself; His voice full of forgiveness? He has done everything that we may come to Him. Do not remain without eternal life. Do not remain without salvation. Do not remain without Christ, dear brethren.

It is vanity if we say we believe in God but do not fulfill what He says. May He have mercy on us and help us, together with each person on this earth. May the Lord help us all to return to Him – then there will be one flock and one shepherd, amen.