Until 1981, no matter how much one looked, no matter where one turned to in their research, one would not find a single hint in the Orthodox world, not even a possibility of whether 666 is the mark of the antichrist. Orthodox tradition completely ignores such a theory.
From 1981, however, opinions diametrically opposed to the Orthodox began to circulate. It has been claimed that 666 is the antichrist's mark, that those who accept it, even in the form of a barcode, are transformed into demonic personalities, that 666 as a code on identity cards is a lifelong and indelible seal of the antichrist by the energy of Satan, etc. These views started in the United States of America from Mary Stewart Relfe's writings, which became bestsellers, but they also reached Greece. They were supported, in fact, to such an extent that theologians, monasteries, hieromonks, etc. fought against the barcode, considering it the antichrist's mark, and preached with all their might that anyone who accepts it is transformed into a demonic personality and takes upon himself the seal of Satan.
Metropolitan Meletios Kalamaras of Nikopolis and Preveza (+ 2012), worried about the theological distortion that had been caused in the teaching of the Church of Christ and in the minds and consciences of the faithful of the Church, wrote in 1997 a study titled The Mark of the Antichrist in the Orthodox Tradition (Το Χάραγμα του Αντιχρίστου στην Ορθόδοξη Παράδοση). In his book, after informing the reader where these views came from, he cites what has been handed down to us by the Church Fathers on the subject: Who is the antichrist? What does the Bible say about the antichrist? What is the mark of the antichrist in the Orthodox tradition? Which is the seal of Christ and which is the seal of the antichrist? He comes to the conclusion that the Christian, shortly before his baptism, renounces the devil and with his baptism receives the seal of Christ. Metropolitan Meletios teaches, with this book, that it is wretched for the baptized Christian, who has received the seal of Christ, to tremble at the devil and his miserable and suffering instrument, the antichrist!
For his views, Father Meletios was criticized by a section of clergy and monks and they insulted him with theological arbitrariness. Metropolitan Meletios, expressing the opinion of the Church and her teaching, taught the omnipotence of Christ's love and that "no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand" (John 10:29).
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
From 1981, however, opinions diametrically opposed to the Orthodox began to circulate. It has been claimed that 666 is the antichrist's mark, that those who accept it, even in the form of a barcode, are transformed into demonic personalities, that 666 as a code on identity cards is a lifelong and indelible seal of the antichrist by the energy of Satan, etc. These views started in the United States of America from Mary Stewart Relfe's writings, which became bestsellers, but they also reached Greece. They were supported, in fact, to such an extent that theologians, monasteries, hieromonks, etc. fought against the barcode, considering it the antichrist's mark, and preached with all their might that anyone who accepts it is transformed into a demonic personality and takes upon himself the seal of Satan.
Metropolitan Meletios Kalamaras of Nikopolis and Preveza (+ 2012), worried about the theological distortion that had been caused in the teaching of the Church of Christ and in the minds and consciences of the faithful of the Church, wrote in 1997 a study titled The Mark of the Antichrist in the Orthodox Tradition (Το Χάραγμα του Αντιχρίστου στην Ορθόδοξη Παράδοση). In his book, after informing the reader where these views came from, he cites what has been handed down to us by the Church Fathers on the subject: Who is the antichrist? What does the Bible say about the antichrist? What is the mark of the antichrist in the Orthodox tradition? Which is the seal of Christ and which is the seal of the antichrist? He comes to the conclusion that the Christian, shortly before his baptism, renounces the devil and with his baptism receives the seal of Christ. Metropolitan Meletios teaches, with this book, that it is wretched for the baptized Christian, who has received the seal of Christ, to tremble at the devil and his miserable and suffering instrument, the antichrist!
For his views, Father Meletios was criticized by a section of clergy and monks and they insulted him with theological arbitrariness. Metropolitan Meletios, expressing the opinion of the Church and her teaching, taught the omnipotence of Christ's love and that "no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand" (John 10:29).
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
