The Russian Orthodox Church explained why you should not fear the “fourth prophecy” about the end of the world
Archpriest of the Russian Orthodox Church Sergiy Ivanov told what the so-called “fourth prophecy” means, which is associated with the expectations of the end times.
Ivanov noted that the Church is wary of attempts to literally interpret prophecies. Biblical texts contain complex images and symbols, the meaning of which requires theological understanding. Therefore, end-time stories remind believers of the need for spiritual vigilance rather than provide a specific forecast.
The expression “fourth prophecy” is not a common term in the Orthodox tradition. It can be found in popular literature, where so denote individual predictions, but there is no official church doctrine with this name.
The priest also drew attention to the words of Jesus Christ from the Gospel of Matthew. According to the biblical text, no one knows about the day and hour of the end times except the Heavenly Father.
According to Sergei Ivanov, the Orthodox Church does not reject prophetic texts and regularly addresses them during divine services. Their task is not to frighten a person, but to encourage him to think about faith and his own spiritual life.
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