In the summer of 2025, I spent two nights on the Holy Mountain of Athos — July 29 and 30 — at Kalokalou Monastery.
On July 30, together with a small group of other pilgrims, I had the blessing to visit Elder Gabriel the Athonite (Γέροντας Γαβριήλ ὁ Ἁγιορείτης), who gave us the three precise signs that must be fulfilled before “the Events” take place.
The cell of Elder Gabriel the Athonite lies close to the cell of Saint Paisios under the Monastery of Koutloumousiou.
Although frail and confined to bed, the Elder rose briefly to open the door himself. Then, lying back down, he spoke to us quietly but with unmistakable strength. For about twenty-five minutes he offered short counsels—simple, clear sentences that seemed to pierce directly to the heart.
The last part of our conversation concerned what the Athonite Fathers call “the Events” (τὰ γεγονότα) — a time of great geopolitical and spiritual upheaval foretold by Christian Orthodox Saints such as Saint Paisios the Athonite and Saint Cosmas of Aetolia — and Elder Gabriel revealed to us three specific signs that must be fulfilled before these Events take place.
But first, let’s explain what the Athonite Fathers mean by “the Events”. According to Athonite prophetic tradition, this period unfolds through the following sequence :
- Provocation (military attack) by Turkey toward Greece (“θα αρχίσουν οι Τούρκοι πρώτοι”).
- Greece will experience partial suffering and loss.
- This attack triggers a reaction from Russia, which, according to the Fathers, will erase Turkey from the map.
- Then foreign powers — Russia, the United States, and Europe — will be drawn into the conflict around Constantinople, marking the beginning of the “General War”.
- The world will face immense casualties, the destruction of major cities, the fall of the Pope, and the instauration of ONE Patriarch for all Christians, after which Constantinople will be liberated and returned to Greek and Christian hands.
- Finally a short period of peace and repentance before deeper end-times events.
And Here Are the Three Signs Elder Gabriel of Mount Athos Spoke to Us of Before “the Events” Begin :
- Israel will attack the nuclear program of Iran.
This prophecy is also known from Elder Theodoros Agiofarangitis of Crete and was later repeated by Metropolitan Neophytos of Morphou in his public talks long well before any such strike occurred. - Gaza will be razed.
This statement, Elder Gabriel told us himself, probably comes from him. - When Erdogan leaves.
With these few words — “Όταν φύγει ο Ερντογάν” — the Elder indicated that the true beginning of the Events will coincide with the end of President Erdogan’s era, whether by departure, fall, or death.
Looking back from today’s perspective, the first two of these three signs have already been fulfilled with striking accuracy :
1️⃣ Israel’s strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities — This occurred on April 19, 2024, when Israel launched a series of precision attacks on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, an event widely covered by international media. This corresponds exactly to the first sign mentioned in the prophecy.
2️⃣ The razing of Gaza — Following the escalation that began in October 2023, large parts of Gaza were devastated by continuous military operations. The destruction and humanitarian crisis that ensued clearly align with Elder Gabriel’s second statement: “Gaza will be razed.”
3️⃣ The departure of Erdogan — This is the only sign still pending. The Elder’s words, “Όταν φύγει ο Ερντογάν” (“When Erdogan leaves”), therefore remain the unfulfilled condition that, according to him, will signal the true beginning of what the Athonite Fathers call the Events.
Today, as I write these lines — October 6, 2025 — I no longer wished to wait before sharing this testimony. My visit to Elder Gabriel took place in July 30, 2025, and since then we can already observe growing tension in Turkey surrounding President Erdogan.
Particularly after his September 25, 2025 visit to President Trump in USA, reactions within the Turkish deep state were strongly negative. Many analysts now interpret this as a sign that the stage is being prepared for Erdogan’s departure from power, exactly as Elder Gabriel foretold.
Note that Erdogan is not very young, so such a scenario is not far from reality — it may happen very soon. And if Erdogan truly leaves, whether by departure, fall, or death, then we should be prepared for a radical shift in Turkish policy under the following regime — one that, according to the Events, will initiate the first step: an attack against Greece.
Final Reflection
Elder Gabriel the Athonite did not elaborate, nor did he use dates or dramatic language. The atmosphere in the small room was calm and prayerful. What struck me most was that his tone carried no fear, only an invitation to repentance, simplicity, and inner peace.
He spoke as someone who sees time differently—less as a calendar of disasters and more as a sequence of opportunities for human hearts to turn back to God.
Elder Gabriel’s frail voice reminded me that even prophecies are ultimately calls to purification of heart. The real “events,” perhaps, begin within each of us—when we decide to awaken spiritually before history does it for us.
Whether such events unfold literally or symbolically, the message of the Fathers remains the same :
prepare the soul, live with love, and fear nothing.
Here are some my photos from this visit to Mount Athos, along with some taken by other pilgrims I met there :
If you require additional information on this topic, feel free to explore our article about Anonymous Prophecy of 1053.
