Defilement of the Temple

We conclude with a segment from the History of the Arians, by St. Athanasius the Great, written during the Arian crisis of the fourth century. In one section, he writes about a heretic bishop named Costyllius, who had taken over a diocese, presuming to rule it as a valid member of the Catholic hierarchy (Part VIII, §74):

He has thought to change laws, by transgressing the ordinance of the Lord given us through His Apostles, by altering the customs of the Church, and inventing a new kind of appointments. For he sends from strange places, distant a fifty days’ journey, Bishops attended by soldiers to people unwilling to receive them; and instead of an introduction to the acquaintance of their people, they bring with them threatening messages and letters to the magistrates. [Emphasis added]

But St. Athanasius had none of it, and uses the example to assert a very clear idea of what he believes the “Abomination of Desolation” will be in the end times—the takeover of much of the visible Church by heretical and apostate bishops (Part VIII, §75):

Terrible indeed, and worse than terrible are such proceedings; yet conduct suitable to him who assumes the character of Antichrist. Who that beheld him taking the lead of his pretended Bishops, and presiding in Ecclesiastical causes, would not justly exclaim that this was “the Abomination of Desolation” [Dan. 9:27] spoken of by Daniel? For having put on the profession of Christianity, and entering into the holy places, and standing therein, he lays waste the Churches, transgressing their Canons, and enforcing the observance of his own decrees. Will anyone now venture to say that this is a peaceful time with Christians, and not a time of persecution? A persecution indeed, such as never arose before, and such as no one perhaps will again stir up, except “the son of lawlessness,” [2 Thess. 2:8] do these enemies of Christ exhibit, who already present a picture of him in their own persons. [Emphasis added]

St. Gregory observes elsewhere that, “For all his haughty pride, all his crafty machinations, he [Satan] prosecutes at that time by the strength also of secular power.”[2] This aligns with the view of history we have proposed, and especially with our view that the Great Apostasy involves the defection of temporal powers from their previous allegiance to Christ the King. (See, for example, Katechōn #1, and Katechōn #4).

But what was particularly chilling was his “prophecy” about the state of the Church just prior to the appearance of Antichrist, based on his reading of the book of Job[3]:

For by the awful course of the secret dispensation [God allowing evil to grow until the end times], before this Leviathan [Antichrist] appears in that accursed man whom he assumes [Antichrist], signs of power are withdrawn from Holy Church. For prophecy is hidden, the grace of healings is taken away, the power of longer abstinences is weakened, the words of doctrine are silent, the prodigies of miracles are removed. And though the heavenly dispensation does not entirely withdraw them, yet it does not manifest them openly and in manifold ways as in former times. And this is so caused by a wonderful dispensation, in order that the Divine mercy and justice may be fulfilled together by one and the same means. For when Holy Church appears as if she were more abject, on the withdrawal of signs of power, both the reward of the good increases, who reverence her for the hope of heavenly things, and not on account of present signs; and the mind of the wicked is the more quickly displayed against her, who neglect to pursue the invisible things which she promises, when they are not constrained by visible signs. When therefore the humility of the faithful is deprived of the manifold manifestation of wonders, by the terrible judgment of the secret dispensation, there is heaped up more abundant mercy for the good, and just anger for the evil, by the same means. Because these signs of power cease, in great measure, in Holy Church, before this Leviathan manifestly and visibly comes, it is now rightly said, “Want will go before his face.”[/color]

In short, St. Pope Gregory the Great predicts the Church will be severely weakened prior to the unveiling of Antichrist. There will be fewer miracles, fewer prophetic voices, its penance will be less fruitful, and “the words of doctrine” will fall silent.

But, as he explains, this is all under the providence of God, who, as St. Paul makes clear in 2 Thessalonians 2 (see Katechōn #3) sends Antichrist as a punishment against “those who are to perish, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.” (2 Thess. 2:10)

For those who persevere in love of God, such punishment cannot but be for their good, as indeed their perseverance will be rewarded by the return of Our Lord in glory, who will bestow on them even greater rewards for their having believed without seeing.

https://www.thekatechon.com/blog/st-pope-gregory-the-greats-prophecy-of-the-end-times-church[/font]