Celebrating together the Holy Easter
Johannesburg, South Africa
March 31 – April 8, 2010
Christ is Risen! Truly He is Risen!
Wednesday, March 31, 2010 was arrival day in Johannesburg, South Africa. We were seventy three participants from eighteen countries that gathered together on behalf of His All Holiness Pope and Patriarch Theodoros’ II invitation to Vassula Ryden to join him in Johannesburg as He would be there during Holy Week. This invite had come when she was visiting Egypt in November 2009 and met with him; he asked her and the group to join him in Johannesburg. She had told him she would think about it because it is so far and an expensive trip. As soon as it was announced, many showed an interest to attend this trip. The program was then arranged according to the Patriarch’s schedule and we would be joining his schedule of services.
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The priests who were part of the group were Fr Joseph Iannuzzi who traveled from Rome and Fr Joseph Ssali from Uganda.
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We stayed at the Lake view lodge near the Johannesburg airport.
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The Holy Unction Service at St.Andrews
At five pm we departed on a large Pullman bus and a smaller van to take us to the Greek Orthodox Church named St. Andrew’s which is in Krugersdorp. The Patriarch would be there for the service of The Holy Unction. Upon arrival we were able to be present for the Gospel readings as there are seven that are read for this service. We then were anointed with the Holy Oil on our foreheads, chin, cheeks, and hands by the Priest who says; O Holy Father, physician of our souls and bodies, have mercy, forgive and save your servant….A beautiful way to start our first evening with a healing service.
We then were invited to go to the hall next to the Church for refreshments. There we greeted His All Holiness, Archbishop Seraphim and the Parish Priest Fr. Evangelos Nicolaides and the rest of the community.
Vassula had presented his All Holiness with a small gift.
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Many people in the community recognized Vassula as she has been there before and they were so happy to meet with her again. A young man approached Vassula and thanked her for bringing him closer to the Greek Orthodox Church through the TLIG Messages and Vassula said,“it was not I it was Jesus.”
Divine Liturgy at The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese
Thursday, April1, 2010 In the morning, we departed for the Greek Archdiocese in Houghton to attend Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great of The Last Supper with his All Holiness in the chapel of the Holy Trinity which is on the same grounds.
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Archimandrite Panteleimon Arathymos , director of the private office of the Patriarch, served along with Deacon George Coconas. There was also an American named John Burnett and is ierapostol who was chanting along with an African seminarian who had a gifted voice from the Lord. One of the Gospels that were read from Matthew 26 says, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to His disciples, and said.“Take and eat; this is My Body.” then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying,”Drink from it all of you. For this is My Blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” After this unifying service we had with His All Holiness, there was a beautiful spread of Lenten treats with refreshments served outside on the beautiful grounds of the Archdiocese.
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Georgia Klamson presented the Patriarch with a photographic book by Dimitrios Panagos on The First Decade of Archbishop Demetrios of America. His All Holiness was so pleased and said many admirable words about Archbishop Demetrios. In turn the Patriarch then presented a silver monogrammed plate of the Patriarchate of Alexandria to the TLIG group.
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Janna Drekovic had given the True life in God messages in Russian volume one and two to the Patriarch. He was going to meet with Patriarch Kyrill of Russia in Alexandria Egypt the following week.
Patriarchal concelebration in Alexandria,EgyptJanna spoke to him in Russian as His All Holiness speaks fluent Russian. He had served in Odessa in the Ukraine for ten years. She asked him if he could give the books to Patriarch Kyrill and Patriarch Theodoros reassured Janna three times as he was blessing her that he will deliver them. Janna also told him there are many prophecies on Russia and he said that he knows about them.
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Russian Prophecies
“Vassula, your sister is dead, but the Lord is near her now and will resurrect her and Love will love the Unloved and she will cry up to Him: “You are My God and Saviour!” with this cry, the demons shall take flight; fearing, demons will flee; for this nation will become one and God’s most devoted servant; healed and resurrected by God’s Strength, her stature of holiness will attract all her neighbours by her devotions to the Almighty; Russia will be the symbol of God’s Glory of God’s Mercy and Love; her hymns and chants, that are so sweet in Our ears, with her graceful movements, will rise up to heaven like incense; Love will resurrect her as He resurrected her a thousand years ago;
“I am the Lord, the Resurrection; when I will resurrect Russia, she will restore My gifts, she will embellish My House again with love and I will unite her again to Me; I will offer her My Bread and My Wine and she will not refuse My Food; she will accept My offer and she will eat My Bread and drink My Wine, renewing herself, praising Me; I will clothe her with My Glory; I will adorn her majestically; I will irrigate her from My Own Springs; I will replenish her stores; My Eyes are upon her, ah Vassula, just wait and see! daughter, how I long to see Peter, My Peter, visit your sister… “(February 1,1988)
those who have taken the wrong turning will fall; I will destroy the luxurious forces with My Fire and the proud will be brought low; I intend to rebuild My House and I shall adopt her sons and daughters to honour Me; Vassula, do not just stand there bewildered and uncomprehending; I tell you, your sister Russia will be the head of many nations and will glorify Me in the end; listen carefully and understand:
her shepherds will be gathering
while treaties will be breaking elsewhere, and while rebellion will be working its way elsewhere to abolish the Perpetual Sacrifice, Russia’s shepherds will be gathering to restore My House, reverencing the Perpetual Sacrifice, worshipping and honouring Me;
when in the last days nation after nation will decline and pervert itself for having erected the disastrous abomination in the Holy Place, Russia’s shepherds will be gathering to sanctify her altars;
and while others will be reverencing a lifeless form, an invention of human skill, an unbreathing image, Russia’s shepherds will be gathering, glorifying Me, for I, God, will preserve her Integrity;
and while efforts very evilly are being spent elsewhere to shorten the days of My mouthpieces, since they are the hope of this world, Russia’s shepherds will be gathering, to protect My Holy Sacrifice, and I, for My part, will be setting My Throne in her, and I will assemble all those who bear My Name together for My Glory;
I will repair her broken altars, for many who live under My Name will side up with her in the end, and her shepherds will, with one hand, and one spirit re-erect My tottering House; what had once been twisted will now be straightened, and I will adorn Russia with impressive vestments because of her zeal in Me; I will place her shepherds at the head of innumerable nations; I have engraved her with the seal of consecration to offer Me, once more, incense and an appeasing fragrance; this is why I will overwhelm her shepherds with miracles;
“Russia, My Loyalty and My Gentleness will sanctify you; Russia, My daughter, acknowledge Me entirely and I promise you on oath to exalt your descendants like stars and give them sacred vestments; acknowledge Me entirely, Russia, and I will annihilate all your opponents; I will, if you acknowledge Me wholly, do fresh wonders in you to prove to everyone living under the sun, My Mercy and My Holiness;” (December 13,1993)
The Holy Passion Service at St Athanasios
We then departed for lunch back at our lodge and rested. In the evening, at five pm, we departed for the Greek Orthodox Church of St. Athanasios in Benoni to attend the service of the Holy Passion where the twelve Gospels are read at this service. Our group filled the church pews waiting for The Patriarch to enter. It was a royal and grandiose entrance as the Patriarch processed down the aisle. The Parish priest is Archimandrites Markos Theodosis, Father Markos came over to greet Vassula as he knew her, he is a young priest and we found out that he had been reading the tlig messages while he was in seminary.
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The Dismissal Hymn; May Christ, our true God, who endured spittings, and scourging, and buffetings, and the cross and Death for our salvation, through the intercessions of His most pure and Holy Mother, the power of the precious and life-giving cross…
After the service, we were invited to go to the Hall for refreshments. Vassula had given photographed copies of her paintings (as she is an artist) of Jesus and The Theotokos to His All Holiness. He said he will frame them .He mentioned his most loved one is Jesus with the blue eyes which is referred to as Jesus of the Shroud. She also gave to Archbishop Seraphim, Fr. Markos, another priest, and Archimandrite Panteleimon Arathymos.In fact the other priest loved the paintings so much he personally got a few more copies for himself.
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Vassula’s painting are being sold now in order to raise money for the the TLIG Prayer Group in Rhodes, who will be hosting future retreats and gatherings there. If yo