Commemorated on january 2 on january 2, we commemorate the life of st. Seraphim of sarov taught everyone the following rule of prayer. The goal of christian life is the acquisition of the grace of the holy spirit. The author lived the orthodox ascetic life in the russian tradition and knows something about the saint from the inside, as it were.
January 2 nd is the feast of st seraphim of sarov in the orthodox church the true aim of our christian life consists of the acquisition of the holy spirit of god. Seraphim of sarov author of on acquisition of the holy spirit. This popular saying of st seraphim of sarov serves as the basis for his teaching on the spiritual life. Russian monk and mystic who received the high honorific title of starets meaning in russian, spiritual teacher. Seraphim of sarov eastern orthodox church now has a web page. At the age of ten, seraphim was miraculously healed from a serious illness by means of the kursk icon of the theotokos. True, there is nothing essentially new in it, for the full revelation was given to the apostles from the very day of pentecost. Introduction s aint seraphim of sarov was born in 1759, in city of kursk. He is generally considered the greatest of the 19th century startsy elders and, arguably, the first. It is good to depict the faces of god and the saints, but we are men, and sinful men, the elder said. Dostoevsky affirmed that the russian people recognizes sanctity as the highest value, and formal canonisation in the russian church confirms popular veneration, russian spirituality is especially illuminated in its saints. Seraphim chichagov, born leonid mikhailovich chichagov, was a metropolitan bishop of the russian orthodox church who was executed by firing squad, and was one of the first to be canonized by the church in the 1990s as a new martyr.
The spiritual renewal of russia and the end of the world. During the course of his illness, he saw the mother of god in his sleep, who promised to heal him. A growing repository of orthodox christian akathists. Seraphim of sarov, whose centenary was celebrated on 1 august 2003. Lord jesus christ, son of god, have mercy on me, a sinner.
The front of the cross shows the crucifixion of our lord jesus christ against the background of the jerusalem wall. St seraphim of sarov a russian orthodox church website. Expertly crafted icon prints laminated and mounted to order. Its the original christian church founded by jesus and continued by his apostles.
Saint seraphim of sarov was born in 1759, in city of kursk. Seraphim of sarov as our greek friends explained to us, very many people now know of fr. His parents were pious orthodox christians, examples of true spirituality. From tender childhood he was under the protection of the most holy mother of god, who, when he was nine years old, appeared to him in a vision, and through her icon of kursk, healed him from a grave sickness from which he had not been expected to recover. Seraphim of sarov, born prokhor moshnin, is one of the most renowned russian saints and venerated both in the eastern orthodox church and the catholic church. This account has the most information ive seen, and is the thickest book on him ive seen as well. August, 1934 september 2, 1982 was a hieromonk of the russian orthodox church outside russia in the united states, whose writings have helped spread orthodox christianity throughout modern america and the west and are also quite popular in russia, serbia, bulgaria, romania, and greece. Saint seraphim was born in the town of kursk in 1759.
Seraphim born prohor moshnin was born in 1759 to a merchant family in kursk. He is generally considered the greatest of the 19th century. As a boy, he immersed himself in church services and church literature. A spiritual biography, is the best account i have read regarding saint seraphim. Seraphim of sarov commemorated on january 2 on january 2, we commemorate the life of st. He is generally considered the greatest of the 19thcentury startsy. A growing repository of orthodoxchristian akathists. Seraphim was born to isidore ivanovitch and agathia photievna moshnin on the night of 1920 july 2 1759 3 in kursk, russia.
At the age of 18, seraphim firmly decided to become a monk. Seraphim of sarov s conversation with nicholas motovilov a wonderful revelation to the world. As for fasts, and vigils, and prayer, and almsgiving, and every good deed done for christs sake, these are the only means of acquiring the holy spirit of god. Seraphim extended the monastic teachings of contemplation, theoria and selfdenial to the layperson. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for the space of half an hour. He taught that the purpose of the christian life was to acquire the holy spirit.
Follows the format of the jordanville liturgical calendar. Hieromonk seraphim secular name eugene dennis rose. Orthodox spirituality has produced many holy and famous men, but none in recent centuries to compare with st seraphim, starets of the monastery of sarov, in russia. August, 1934 september 2, 1982, also known as seraphim of platina, was an american hieromonk of the russian orthodox church outside russia who cofounded the st.
His mother blessed him with a large copper crucifix, which he wore over his clothing all his life. Life and teaching of saint seraphim of sarov kindle. Those who have truly decided to serve the lord god should practice the remembrance of god and uninterrupted prayer to jesus christ, mentally saying. Seraphim of sarov orthodox cathedral home facebook. Seraphim of sarov enlarging the heart enlarging the heart. Seraphim of sarov orthodox cathedral, santa rosa, california. Our domain name web address is our web page was activated on friday, september 15, 2000.
His name day falls right after the beginning of the new calendar year. Let any christian, upon arising from sleep stand before the holy icons, and read the lords prayer our father thrice, in honor of the mostholy trinity, then the hymn to the theotokos o theotokos and virgin, rejoice three times as well, and finally, the symbol of our faith once. After an initial period as a monk working within the community, he became a hermit, living deep in the forests in a world of solitude which was destroyed only when he was attacked. Welcome to saint seraphim orthodox christian church, located in beautiful santa rosa, sonoma county ca. This liturgical calendar contains detailed instructions for all sundays and major feasts throughout the year. Herman of alaska brotherhood and monastery in california. Seraphim of sarov central to seraphim s approach to the faith was the acquisition of the holy spirit, which he called the true goal of the christian life.
Our web page was activated on friday, september 15, 2000. Life and teaching of saint seraphim of sarov kindle edition. Life and teaching of saint seraphim of sarov kindle edition by puretzki, nicolas, of sarov, monastery, portaitissa, convent. Born into a military family, he enlisted as an artillery officer after finishing his schooling. Born to a middle class family at kursk, he was originally named prokhor moshnin, changing it to seraphim upon entering a rnonastery at sarov in 1777. The square stamp above the crucifix contains the image of the savior not made by mans.
It is the same church described in the bible as the body of christ and the bride of christ. Our venerable and godbearing father seraphim of sarov was a russian ascetic who lived at the sarov monastery in the 18th century, and is considered a wonderworker. This beloved saints humility and kindness to both people and animals provide an excellent example for all of us. Stephen freeman acquire the spirit of peace and a thousand souls around you will be saved.
It is particularly relevant for the faithful striving to lead a spiritual life in the midst of a secular, materialistic society. Furthermore, the russian seraphim has become so dear to the hearts of simple believers that they take him to be their own greek saint, and the less educated might even say that sarov is somewhere in greece. This book is an insight to the way of life, how to learn from those who have become great by humbling themselves before god. Seraphim of sarov 17591833 holy saint and starets of the russian orthodox church. We turn to you, father seraphim, for you delight in the salvation of the sinner and in the teachings of the church. Bishop seraphim zvezdinsky performed the rule of the mother of god every day, and. He gave his life over to this acquisition through prayer and discipline and he urged the same practice on his visitors.
If the rector so directs, a polyeleosrank service may be served for st. Seraphims life, writings and tireless work greatly contributed to the spread and deepening of. Seraphim of sarov as he is a saint to whom ive special devotion. Several days later there was a religious procession in kursk with the locally revered miracleworking icon of the mother of god. Young seraphim loved to read the lives of the saints, to attend church and to withdraw into seclusion for prayer. Seraphim of sarov who am i, a wretched man, that my portrait should be painted. Revelation 8,1 the russian revolution was prophesied by many holy people long before it actually took place.
Glory to the holy, and consubstantial, and lifecreating, and indivisible trinity. A lofty and sound soul does not despair over misfortunes, of whatever sort they may be. Seraphim of sarov the elder zosima greatly valued and loved bishop seraphim zvezdinsky and always spoke of him as that saintly bishop. If you have any questions, or need the bot to ignore the links, or the page altogether, please visit this simple faq for additional information. Perhaps his most popular quotation amongst orthodox believers is acquire a peaceful spiri. Influenced by his experiences in the russoturkish war and meetings with john of kronstadt, he resigned from the military and became a clergyman. This is perhaps the most famous quote of the great russian saint, seraphim of sarov. He translated orthodox christian texts and authored several works some of them considered polemical.
I have just modified 3 external links on seraphim of sarov. This revelation is undoubtedly of worldwide significance. Orthodox icons st seraphim of sarov addeddate 20090803 14. Saint seraphim, we yearn to see you as you see us, through the grace of the holy spirit, and therein we may truly say. Customers will be emailed a pdf of the liturgical calendar, which includes a. An orthodox rosary although the rosary is associated with catholics, it is believed by some orthodox to be originally an orthodox form of prayer that fell out of common practice in the east, but was adopted by the west. After this, he entered the sarov monastery as a novice. The iconography of the cross is related to the spiritual exploits of st. Akathist hymn to saint seraphim of sarov akathist hymns. Seraphim of sarovs conversation with nicholas motovilov. Let any christian, upon arising from sleep stand before the holy icons, and read the lords prayer our father thrice, in honor of the mostholy trinity, then the hymn to the theotokos o theotokos and virgin, rejoice three times as well, and finally, the. Seraphim of sarov on despair just as the lord is solicitous about our salvation, so too the murder of men, the devil, strives to lead a man into despair. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading life and teaching of.
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