By Theo
I met Fr. Paisios in 1975. Ever since I met him 30-40 times, almost every time by myself. I never heard him say "prophecies", such as when there will be wars, when we will take Constantinople, who will be commander-in-chief, etc. After his death I saw many "prophecies" distributed in magazines and books or disseminated by the media. I thought he might have actually said such things, but not to me. Until about a month ago when I heard from a friend of mine that the day before he visited the Holy Mountain and Fr. Isaiah, who was a novice of the Elder and now lives in his cell, told him that the Elder never uttered such "prophecies", and never referred to when there will be war, etc.
As for the politicians who "use" his name, the last time I met him, together with others, on 10/09/1993, which was election day, he told us with indignation about politicians of the then two major political parties who exploited his name (of course he never recommended a politician for the people to vote for) to gain votes and how he supposedly "decorated" one of them when he met him.
The above demonstrates the unethical use of some holy people and Mount Athos by "well-wishers". Figures like Fr. Paisios aimed towards the depth of the soul, towards that which remains and leads us to Christ and eternity, and not to the frivolous and transient.
Let those who read such "prophecies" and recommendations be careful then, and not accept and propagate them so easily.