"I (Elder Sophrony) remember a conversation between him (St. Silouan) and a certain hermit, who declared with evident satisfaction, 'God will punish all atheists. They will burn in everlasting fire.' Obviously upset, the Staretz said, 'Tell me, supposing you went to paradise, and there looked down and saw somebody burning in hell fire -- would you feel happy?' 'It can't be helped. It would be their own fault,' said the hermit. The Staretz answered him with a sorrowful countenance: 'Love could not bear that,' he said, 'We must pray for all.'"
+ St Silouan the Athonite
