Prophecy about Kurdistan from Athonite Saints

Kurds are a people without a sovereign state. History has lead them to be scattered across the territories of Turkey, Iran, Syria and Iraq. The dream of the Kurdish people has always been independence. What was once only a dream is now beginning to reveal a genuine outline.

And the most amazing thing about it is that saints from Mount Athos spoke of this when it was still unthinkable to even consider such a possibility.

After the 2003 American campaign in Iraq, an Iraqi of Kurdish origin, Jalal Talabani, became president. Three years later Iraqi (southern) Kurdistan declared de facto independence and elected the Kurd Masoud Barzani as their president.

Image 1. Iraqi (Southern) Kurdistan

A chain reaction was to follow. Kurds in Syria resolved to demand the independence of Syrian (Western) Kurdistan with its capital in Afrin, in Syrian territory. This autonomous region is located in the north of the country, near the Turkish border, as was reported by the Turkish Star newspaper. Masoud Barazani stated that the decision was accepted by Iraqi president Jalal Talabani and the Iraqi Sunni political elite. Currently, Kurds control three cantons in Syrian Kurdistan: Afrin, Kobani and Kamishli.

Image 2. Syrian (Western) Kurdistan

The current conflict with Kurds in Turkey is escalating. Not a day goes by that the Turkish and international media don’t mention another confrontation, especially in the southeast of the country.

Tied to these events, analysts expect Kurds in Iran to become active in creating an integrated, independent state of Kurdistan and in seeking its recognition in the international arena.

In light of these recent intrigues, I would like to share with our readers the prophecy of two well-known saints of the Orthodox Church, who amazingly foresaw these events! One of them is Saint Paisios the Athonite, a saint of the latest times. Someone asked Saint Paisios about the events unfolding in Serbia and he answered: “Now the Europeans are making Turkey glad by giving independence to states where Muslims live (Bosnia and Herzegovina). I see that Turkey will [also] be divided in a “noble” way. The Kurds and Armenians will rise up once again and the Europeans will begin to talk about the independence of these nations. And they will say to Turkey: “we did you a favor, now Kurds and Armenians should gain independence in the same way.”¹

And what do we see taking place today? Today the Kurdish question is one of the key issues raised when discussing Turkey’s entrance into the European Union. Europe calls for more regionalization and autonomization of the Kurds, as well as respect for their rights according to European standards. In response to the EU’s demands, which have become a form of political pressure on Turkey, for the first time ever the Turkish authorities officially allowed Kurds to use their native Kurdish language; and in the academic year of 2013-2014 a number of the country’s schools began teaching in Kurdish. Furthermore, for the first time in history the pro Kurdish party, the “People’s Democratic Party” (in Turkish the HDP), was able to pass the 10% barrier by gaining 13.12% of the votes in the 2015 general elections, securing 80 seats for its representatives in the Grand National Assembly.

Image 3. Results of the 2015 Turkish general elections

The so-called “Land of the Kurds” is located in southwest Asia. Presently the name “Greater Kurdistan” refers to an ethnographic, and not a political entity.

Saint Paisios foresaw this train of events! Later Saint Paisios gives more concrete details of these changes: “Then I asked him”, a pilgrim writes, “about the inflexibility and unceasing provocation of the Turks. He put his hand on my shoulder, and with a very serious tone, said, “Fear not my child, I am preparing to enter an eternal sleep, I will no longer be here, but I will see everything from Heaven, for we are all here only temporarily. Turkey will be divided into three or four parts. The countdown has already begun. We will take our land, the Armenians will take their territory and the Kurds will take theirs. The Kurdish problem is already in the process of being resolved. It won’t happen right now, but very soon, when the current generation governing Turkey ceases, and a new generation of politicians claims power, that is when Turkey’s division will take place...”²

And in another testimony a pilgrim wrote: “In March 1994 I met elder Paisios in the monastery at Souroti. I became very worried when he took me by the hand and despite his failing health said, “You shouldn’t be upset and fear the Turks. Turkey will be destroyed. It will be destroyed by allies. In Bosnia a Muslim state will arise (at that time the state of Bosnia was yet to exist), but this event will eventually be used to work against them, because as a result of it, a Kurdish state will arise in the very heart of Turkey.”

Without a doubt the first person to prophesize the independence of Kurdistan was the great 18th century saint Cosmas of Aetolia. The obscure areas of his prophecies were later interpreted by Saint Paisios. For example, this one: “The Turks will leave but they will come back and reach the Eximilia. One third of them will perish, one third will become Christian and another third will go to the Kokkini Milia.”

A well-known historian and the author of two books on Saint Cosmas of Aetolia, Afanasiy Zoitakis, wrote the following about the prophecy: “The foremost specialist on Turkey and professor at Ottawa University, Dimitri Kitsikis, whilst commenting on current events, said that the prophecies of Saint Cosmas of Aetolia concerning the break up of Turkey are unfolding before our very eyes. One third of the Turkish population (or 25 million) are Alawites³, says the professor, and they regard Christianity favorably. In addition, one mustn’t forget about the large percentage of secret Christians in Turkey. As concerns the third who will retreat to the Kokkini Milia, according to professor Kitsikis, here the prophecy speaks of the creation of the state of Kurdistan. This interpretation coincides with that of St Paisios the Athonite, who dearly loved St Cosmas of Aetolia. St Paisios interpreted this prophecy with greater detail. He said that the Eximilia is the six nautical miles of continental shelf in the Aegean where Turkish and Greek interests are constantly in conflict. Due to these six nautical miles a serious conflict will take place and the world’s superpowers will get involved. This will ultimately lead to the downfall of Turkey.” ⁴

The Venerable Saint Paisios the Athonite and the Equal of the Apostles Saint Cosmas of Aetolia possessed the gift of knowing God’s will concerning events of global importance. I am certain that the time is near when we will see the fulfillment of their prophecy concerning a sovereign state of Kurdistan.

Monk Madai

Translated by Aviv Saliou

1 Source: Hieromonk Christodoulos. Izbranniy Sosud (Starets Paisii 1924-1994) [Chosen Vessel (Elder Paisios 1924-1994)].

2 Source: Nikolaos Zurnatzoglou. Svidetelstva Palomnikov k Otsu Paisiu - monakhu Sviatoi Gory Afon. (Pilgrims’ Testimonies about Father Paisios - Monk of the Holy Mountain).

3 Alawites or Alawis are a religious sect in Shia Islam whose beliefs differ strongly from mainstream Islam. They believe in a triad of divine emanations and claim Ali, Muhammad and Salman the Persian as divine incarnations. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/

4 Source: http://www.pravoslavie.ru/put/81840.htm