Icon of Seraphim of Sarov photo meaning what helps

Icon of Seraphim of Sarov - What to ask for, What helps. Memorial Day, History of Seraphim of Sarov. Where the relics, temple and church are located.

The image of the great miracle worker, help in all matters

The monk is one of the most beloved saints of Russia. He lived recently, at the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries, and was glorified at the beginning of the 20th century under the care of Emperor Nicholas II, also glorified among the saints of the Tsar-Passion-Bearer.

Seraphim of Sarov is a healer, a mourner and a prayer book about the many needs of people: his health and that of his family, success in trade, a happy marriage.

The saint greeted everyone who came to him with the words: “Christ is Risen, my joy!” His soul seemed to be in heaven all the time, next to the Lord, to whom he completely devoted his life. At first he renounced the world completely, remaining in silence. More than once he was attacked by robbers or envious people, beating him and trying to steal - however, he had nothing to steal, and he responded to anger only with pity and love for the offenders... When he was honored to ascend to the level of holiness, living a righteous life and constantly being in prayer, The Lord called him to bring his light to people: he began to accept everyone who wanted to hear his advice.

Life of the Reverend

The monk overcame many difficulties in his life path. He came from the family of a pious merchant. His father died early, and his mother raised him and his brothers and continued the trade left behind by her husband.

As a child, the future saint, who bore the child name Prokhor, was saved by the Lord from death in a truly miraculous way: he and his mother climbed the bell tower of a rural church and accidentally fell straight from the top floor of the bell tower. The mother, who saw her son fall too late, ran downstairs in fear... However, the boy was alive and unharmed! Everyone saw this as a sign from God, and the future saint himself, from childhood, began to dream of monasticism - of dedicating himself to God.

Soon, as a young man, Prokhor went to Sarov monastery. After spending several years there in obedience, he was tonsured a monk and received the rank of priest - from now on until his death he remained in the rank of hieromonk. Then he took a three-year vow of silence, living in a cell near the monastery. After enduring the test of silence, he took the blessing of the abbot of the monastery to become a hermit. This type of asceticism, also called a retreat, is taken on only by very brave people who want to devote themselves to God and pray for the whole world, remaining in obscurity.

By the command of God, after some time, having fulfilled the feat of silence and prayer, the monk returned to the monastery. Now the saint could help people with advice and perform the Sacraments of the Church for them. Living alone, constantly in prayer, he became very famous in the vicinity of the monastery due to his miracles. Many received spiritual consolation from him.

However, for the monk himself, glory only meant trials: evil people envied him. It is not known who exactly committed the crime, but the old man was beaten and mutilated. After the attack, he barely survived; until his death, the monk remained hunchbacked and moved with a staff, but did not murmur against the Lord and did not take revenge on the offenders.

By God's providence, the saint continued to give spiritual advice and heal everyone who came to him, not far from the monastery, in a small secluded cell. For his humility and gentleness, and his feats of prayer, the Lord honored him with the gift of miracles. He helped people with advice and performed the Sacraments of the Church for them.

Having learned about the meekness and gentleness of the monk, which were so clearly manifested, even more people began to come to him. The monk blessed the women who often visited him to receive advice and spiritual consolation to create the Diveevo Convent. He himself did not live in this monastery, but he instructed the sisters in letters or conversations, and took part in the development of plans and construction of the monastery. He himself dug the so-called “ditch” - a small ditch around the monastery, prophetically saying that it would be guarded by the Mother of God herself and the Antichrist would not be able to cross this ditch. In addition, the monk predicted his canonization, saying: “The king who glorifies me, I will also glorify,” that is, I will help him become a saint. He was officially recognized as a saint during the reign of Emperor Nicholas II, truly a great saint, a passion-bearing king.

A prayer to Seraphim of Sarov is an appeal to the wonderworker and righteous man as to a living priest living next to us, because the monk really bore the priesthood. Perhaps even today a righteous priest and miracle worker lives next to us, in a rural monastery...

Icon of the Mother of God Tenderness Seraphimo Diveyevo

The image of the “Unbrided Bride” is an image of the Mother of God on the day when Archangel Gabriel, at the command of God the Father, appeared to Her to announce the Good News - that it was She, a pure and chaste girl, who would conceive from the action of the Holy Spirit and give birth to the Son of God, the Messiah, Who will save humanity from the power of sin. On the icon Holy Virgin is depicted as the Archangel saw Her, who spoke about Her purpose: with her hands folded prayerfully on her chest, her gaze downcast.

The miraculous image of “The Unbrided Bride” is painted on canvas attached to an icon cypress board. Around your head Holy Mother of God, along the halo there is an inscription: “Rejoice, Unbrided Bride.”

The icon belonged to the elder. This image was constantly in the cell (room in the monastery) of the saint, that is, the venerable saint of God constantly prayed to the Most Holy Theotokos in front of him. It is known that the Mother of God Herself appeared to him after prayer. With oil from the lamp, which always burned in front of the icon, the monk anointed the sick and mourning people who came to him. He also called the Mother of God “The Joy of All Joys,” invoked Her blessing on all matters, and advised all others to do the same. The saint died in prayer before the icon “The Unbrided Bride” on January 2, 1833.

In 1927, the Diveyevo Monastery was closed, but the abbess of the monastery, Abbess Alexandra, secretly left with the miraculous icon and several sisters to Murom. For many years of persecution of Orthodoxy, it was preserved by the sisters of the monastery, and then by pious laity. In 1991, when the Soviet Union was collapsing, the image of the “Non-Bride Bride” was transferred to Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Rus'. Realizing the spiritual and material value of the icon, he left the image in the Church of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God at the Patriarchal Residence in Moscow (Chisty Lane), and now this image is taken out for veneration by all believers in the Epiphany Cathedral of Yelokhov only once a year, on the day of remembrance of the icon.

Where is the miraculous icon located?

The Holy Trinity, Seraphim-Diveyevo Church houses unfading relics.

In the capital.

The Patriarchal Church of the Deveyevsky Metochion preserves a fragment of the relics of the Most Holy One.

Novospassky, Sretensky, Donskoy and other churches.

The Danilovsky Monastery has preserved not only a fragment of the relics, but also several copies of the image of the Immaculate One.

The main Elokhovsky Epiphany Cathedral Church preserves the miraculous image together with particles of the stone in which the Blessed One ascended during his thousand-day stand, and also part of the clothing.

Kuntsevo Church, named part of the Noble One, you can offer a prayer to the image.

The cathedral also has a shrine in honor of the image of the Mother of God.

Seraphim's place of eternal rest in Old Peterhof is the Temple of the Wonderworker;

Narva Cathedral in honor of Christ can be worshiped before the sacred composition.

What does it help with?

People turn to the icon of Seraphim of Sarov with prayer in many life difficulties. They ask for a saint

• about healing diseases,


• for help in sudden troubles,


• for health problems in children,


• if it is impossible to get rid of vices, bad habits,


• in case of difficulties with housing, housing issues, mortgages.

The relics of the saint, residing in the Diveyevo Monastery, are the source of many miracles, healings and unexpected joys, witnessed over several centuries.

People who recognize the life of the monk and turn to him in prayer also testify that Saint Seraphimushka - as he was called during his lifetime and is called by the people to this day - becomes like family to believers. Through prayers to the saint, many miracles are performed.

They pray for an end to spiritual torment and for the acquisition of peace;

Also, prayers are invoked to the iconographic composition with the aim of renewing harmony between external and inner worlds, in a similar way, gaining sincere resilience.

The holy preacher will undoubtedly help to concentrate the pilgrim on a genuine move, if he gets lost and goes the wrong way;

Prayerful insistence can help to cope with despondency and pride;

They ask for a miraculous composition and healing from serious illnesses.

There is evidence that the Blessed One, even during his existence, had the ability to raise people to their feet, even from the most critical diseases, and for this he used prayer and water taken from the spring. If you send a prayer service to this immaculate one, he will be able to help with joint diseases, internal organizations and certain other issues.

The treatment itself is carried out not only physiologically, but also mentally:

For young girls who honestly and openly read the prayer, the face of the saint will undoubtedly help them form strong relationships, get married, change their own life activities for the better, and for those who were previously united by a family union, it will undoubtedly help strengthen their love and relationships;

In addition to all of the above, the church composition also helps in promoting trade and commerce, however, only in those cases when the money earned will be spent not only on oneself, but also distributed for sponsorship and to help a relative.

Days of remembrance and holiday icons

August 1 - the discovery of the honest holy relics of the venerable saint of God. It was on this day that they were examined both under Nicholas II and after the revival of Orthodoxy in Russia - in 1991. Both times this happened on the birthday of the holy elder.

Prayer for health, healing of illnesses

The saint experienced many bodily sorrows and suffered infirmities in seclusion and due to attacks. That is why they pray to him for the healing of diseases, especially the musculoskeletal system:

“Oh, great saint of God, our reverend father Seraphim, who bears the Holy Spirit within himself! Look from the radiance of your glory at us, humble and weak, burdened with sins, asking you for help and consolation.
Look at us kindly, help us to preserve the Lord’s commandments without sin, to hold fast to the Orthodox faith, to diligently offer repentance for our sins to God, to gracefully prosper in Christian piety and to be worthy of your intercession for us to the Lord God.
Oh, saint of God, hear us praying to you with faith and love, do not turn away from us who need your intercession: both now and at the time of our death, help us and with your prayers protect us from the evil attacks of Satan, so that the power of demons does not possess us, but so that with your help we may be worthy to enter the blessed abode of heaven.
We place only our hope in you, our merciful father and prayer book: be truly our leader of salvation, lead us to the Eternal and unfading Light of eternal life through your intercession for all people at the Throne of the Most Holy Trinity, so that together with you we may forever glorify with all the saints Holy Name Father, Son and Holy Spirit forever. Amen".

Reverend Hieromonk Seraphim of Sarov, patron and founder, was glorified by the church in 1903 on the initiative of Emperor Nicholas I. The image of the great ascetic of Orthodoxy is one of the most revered in the history of the Russian Church. Saint Seraphim became famous both among the Orthodox parishioners of the church and outside it. Today, his face is worshiped by Christians in different parts of the world.

Seraphim of Sarov gained his fame and the glory of the righteous while still alive. It is surprising that this man was not endowed with clergy, but from an early age he was honored to see the Mother of God with his own eyes. Numerous images of St. Seraphim, found in all Christian churches, are a true reminder of his spiritual exploits and the wonderful opportunities that he uses to this day for the benefit of people.

The first signs to the youth

Born in 1759, in the city of Kursk, a youth who received at baptism name Prokhor. His father, the famous merchant Moshnin in the city, was known as a believer and God-fearing man. He invested a lot of money in maintaining Orthodoxy and even began the construction of a temple in honor of St. Sergius. However, without completing the work, he soon died, when his son was not yet three years old. The merchant's wife, Agafya, took upon herself all the worries regarding the construction of the sanctuary.

One day, a mother took her young son to a construction site. While examining the high bell tower of the temple, the boy stumbled and fell to the ground. The frightened mother ran downstairs and found Prokhor safe and sound; she saw in this the protection of God.

At the age of 10, due to illness, Prokhor’s health was in danger. But in a dream, the youth saw the Mother of God descending from Heaven to his bed and promising healing. On that day, an icon of the Sign was carried through the streets of ancient Kursk in a religious procession. Mother of God. Agafya carried her son in her arms so that he could venerate the miraculous icon, and from that day the patient quickly began to recover.

Prokhor's elder brother, Alexey, continuing his father's merchant business, decided to accustom his younger brother to it. However, the boy was not interested in trade; his soul yearned for the Lord. Every morning he went to the temple to listen morning prayer. Prokhor learned to read and write early, and then his favorite pastime was reading. And he read spiritual books, Holy Bible, gospel, Lives of the saints. The mother rejoiced at such godly aspirations of her son.

Upon reaching the age of 17, the young man already knew for sure that he did not want to lead worldly life . Prokhor decided to devote himself to monastic life and first went to the Kiev Pechersk Lavra. The recluse Dosifei, who was called perspicacious in the monastery, saw in the young man a true servant of Christ. After two years of the monk’s stay in the monastery, Dositheus advised Prokhor to go to the Sarov Monastery, which was located in the Tambov province, and blessed him on his way.

In 1778, a 19-year-old monk found himself in the Sarov monastery, with its abbot, Elder Pachomius. From then on, Prokhor began to diligently fulfill all the obediences assigned to him, read his favorite spiritual books, the psalter, the Apostolic Epistles every day and remained in constant prayer. Soul true Christian thirsted for a strict life, he received permission from the brethren and began to go into the forest to perform prayers, surprising the monks with his patience.

He practically did not sleep, endured all illnesses on his feet and in prayer, rejected all help, trusting in his suffering only in God. One day, when Prokhor’s condition was so critical that his life was again under threat, the Mother of God appeared to him again and, as in his distant childhood, healed him of his illness. After this miracle, on the site of the cell in which this salvation took place, a temple and hospital wards were built.

And in August 1786 Prokhor turned already 28 years old, he was tonsured a monk and named Seraphim . A year later, the monk was ordained a hierodeacon. And he spent six years in this ministry, without resting, forgetting to eat, but the Lord gave him strength for everything. At the age of 35, in the rank of hieromonk, Seraphim left the monastery and went to live in a deep forest, at a distance of 6 km from the Sarov Monastery, on the bank of the Sarovka River. He lived in a cell where there was only one room with a stove.

One day the Reverend was attacked evil people, demanding money, which the hermit, of course, did not have. The bandits tied up and severely beat Seraphim. But, having found in the cell only a few potatoes and a single icon of the Mother of God - Tenderness, they got scared and ran away. And the saint, having regained consciousness, thanked the Almighty for his suffering and began to pray for the forgiveness of the robbers.

When the ascetic of Christ, covered in blood, came to the monastery, and everyone saw his wounds, they were greatly surprised. The old man had all his ribs broken and his head fractured. Then Seraphim fell ill, and again a vision of the Most Holy Theotokos came to him, descending to the sick man with the words addressed to the doctors: “Why are you working. After all, this is from my family!” And five months after suffering serious wounds, the monk returned to his cell again. People, having learned about their father being reborn from death, began to come to him for advice and help.

There are such testimonies of pilgrims coming to holy father for help when the hermit hand-fed a huge bear or other wild animals that did not touch him, but loved him. Seraphim saw through people and knew how to recognize their needs without words. He avoided some parishioners, and those who were truly in grief and trouble accepted and gave his instructions.

The holy wonderworker was visited not only simple people , but also notable persons. He taught everyone to live with loyalty to the Church and the Fatherland. More than once they seduced the elder with the spirit of ambition and offered him to be both an archimandrite and an abbot. But he always strived for true asceticism and rejected all offers. And only in 1810, when the elder lost the strength to come to the monastery, he left his forest cell forever and returned to the monastery, where he continued to lead a reclusive life.

For five whole years the elder did not go out to people and brethren. And even after opening the door, he still didn’t talk to anyone, because he had taken a vow of silence. And in the entryway, near the door to the cell, he placed an oak coffin, near which he prayed, preparing for eternal life. Pilgrims more than once saw how Seraphim, praying to the Lord, suddenly rose above the ground and soared. After ten years of silence, the Monk Seraphim went out to serve the world, but before that he had the appearance of the Mother of God, who gave him permission to end his seclusion.

One day I came to the Sarov monastery deacon, he was from Spassk, and falsely accused another priest. Saint Seraphim immediately recognized the deception and drove away the covetous man with the words: “Go away, perjurer, and serve no more.” For three years the deacon could not utter a word; his tongue became numb. He remained silent until he admitted that he was wrong and that he had falsely denounced another.

What is the miracle of the appearance of the Seraphim Spring and the Diveyevo Monastery worth? In 1825, the elder saw the Mother of God near the Sarovka River, who appeared with the apostles John and Peter, struck the ground with her staff, and at the same moment a transparent fountain burst out. It was the Mother of God who gave instructions for the founding of the Diveyevo monastery in that area. Taking a shovel in his hands, Father Seraphim himself began to dig a well. From this clean water Unprecedented miracles and magical healings still occur.

Two years before the death of the elder, the Christian Church honored great righteous man Seraphim celebrating the appearance of the Mother of God. This event was like an omen of the departure of the holy saint from earthly life and his acquisition of imperishable glory. On January 2, 1833, smoke and a burning smell were seen from the saint’s cell. After all, candles were always burning in his little room, and he said: “As long as I’m alive, there won’t be a fire. But when I die, my death will be revealed by fire.” Having opened the doors, the governors found the lifeless body of Father Seraphim.

No one counted how many miracles Seraphim has since performed on behalf of the Lord, and how many more will be performed. In his cell, after his death, numerous unopened letters were discovered, but people received solutions to the questions outlined in them. This means that the elder, possessing the gift of insight, answered the letters sent without even opening them. After the funeral, in January 1833, St. Seraphim was declared a saint.

Almost 70 years after the elder’s earthly death, on August 1, 1903, his relics were removed, transferred to a beautiful sarcophagus (shrine), and the canonization of the holy venerable elder took place. More than three hundred thousand believers gathered for that holiday. A religious procession took place from Diveevo to the Sarov monastery. Throughout the entire journey, the participants sang holy chants, and Bishop Innokenty of Tambov overshadowed the believers sign of the cross and the miraculous icon of the Mother of God, which the elder bequeathed to the sisters of the Diveyevo monastery. Orthodox chroniclers claim that until that day Russia had not known such crowded holidays.

In the Diveyevo Monastery and the Sarov Monastery you can read written confirmations of cases of completed healings only according to the prayers of the monk Seraphim. The terminally ill were brought back to life. Thus, by the power of prayer over the relics of the miracle worker, the landowner Manturov was cured of serious illnesses legs And as a sign of gratitude, the landowner renounced his property, sold everything, remained poor, and devoted the rest of his earthly life to serving the Lord.

The saint’s relics were returned to Diveevo in 1991. And again there was a crowded religious procession, led by Patriarch Alexy I. And all this thanks to the love of Seraphim of Sarov.

The name of the wonderworker Seraphim is glorified by Orthodox believers twice a year:

• January 15 is the day the elder canonized;
• August 1 is the date of the discovery of the incorruptible relics.

What do they pray for?

It has long been known that God's righteous people, endowed with miraculous abilities, do not heal themselves; they send requests to God through prayer, who, loving them, fulfills them. all petitions. Seraphim of Sarov constantly prays for all of us, his miraculous prayers They fulfill wishes, save in difficult times, help overcome adversity.

Who does Seraphim of Sarov help? Believers who revere the personality of the saint pray in front of his icon:

• so as not to succumb to sin;
• do not forget yourself in this life;
• be able to overcome temptations;
• find your way;
• find peace of mind;
• help cope with pride and despair.

People ask the miraculous icon:

• cures from diseases;
• successful marriage;
• protection from ill-wishers and envious people;
• assistance in financial well-being;
• promotion in business and trade.

On the eve of the holiday in honor of St. Seraphim, held in Diveevo on the old New Year, pilgrims specially gather to walk together with the nuns at night along the groove of the Virgin Mary in a procession of the cross. Believers go reading the Mother of God prayer, in which the words “Virgin Mother of God, rejoice!” are repeated more than a hundred times.

The pilgrims are convinced that it was at this moment that the converts to the saint words and requests help in curing diseases and fulfilling all your wishes. The face of Seraphim of Sarov heals not only the body from wounds, but also the soul. You can pray to a saint if someone has seriously offended you, when your soul is heavy.

Prayers to the saint

There are several prayers to the saint that help in different life situations.

1. To protect against troubles and envious people, they read a prayer for help: “Oh, great saint of God, reverend and God-bearing Father Seraphim! Look at us, burdened with sins, we ask for your help and consolation. Turn your mercy to us and help us with the commandments of the Lord to preserve the Orthodox faith, accept repentance for our sins, which we diligently offer to God, we graciously succeed in Christian piety and want to be worthy of your prayerful representation to God for us. Holy saint of God, hear us praying with faith and love, do not despise us who demand your intercession now and at the hour of death, help us and protect us with prayers from evil slander and the deeds of the devil. Just as we do not possess those powers, but with your help we will inherit the bliss of the heavenly abode. We only trust in you, merciful father. Be our true guide to salvation and lead us to the eternal light of life. By your God-pleasing representation at the throne of the Most Holy Trinity, we glorify and sing with all the saints the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen".
2. To save yourself or a loved one from illness, you need to read a prayer for healing (you can next to a photo of the patient): “Father Seraphim, great wonderworker, I come running to you, quick to obey! I am glad to see your pious face. Hear the voice of my words. Give me the gift of healing, the gift of insight, the gift of healing for weak souls, show your strength. I call on you, when I leave earthly labors for heavenly rest, cover me with your love, just as it is impossible to count your miracles, multiplying like the stars of heaven, so grant me healing. I beg you boldly, O meek saint of God, turn to Him in prayer, offer up an honorable prayer for me, so that the Lord will grant this beneficial life and spiritual salvation, protect me from falls and teach me true repentance, stumbling-free entry into the eternal Kingdom of Heaven, where you are now shining in glory. And I sing with all the saints of the Ancestor Trinity until the end of time. Amen".
3. They ask for love, family and marriage in the following prayer: “Reverend Father Seraphim, filled with the love of God, Divine unceasing servant, beloved son of the Mother of God, hear me, who loves and grieves you greatly. Let me also be a zealous servant of Godly love. That love that endures for a long time, does not envy, is not proud, does not exalt itself, is merciful, does not act outrageously, does not rejoice in untruth, but rejoices in the truth. Beg the Mother of God to give original love, and serve on earth with your intercession and prayers to the Mother of God and all the saints, I too will reach the kingdom of love and light, I fall at the feet of the Lord, who gave the commandment about true and eternal love. Father, do not reject the prayer of the heart that loves you, forgive me my sins, voluntary and involuntary, beg your loving God. Help us bear common burdens, do not let others do what we do not want for ourselves, let us walk our path in truth, love and patience. This love serves as my being and only with this love, my heartfelt song, let me end my earthly life and begin with it my eternal life in the country true love. Pray for us, beloved father and lover of us! Amen".

There are a large number of legendary icons in Christianity. One of the most popular is the icon of Seraphim of Sarov, the importance of which is very difficult to overestimate. The saint was born in the 18th century, but over the years of his life he contributed to the development of the Christian faith through righteous deeds. During his lifetime, he managed to help a large number of people. And today prayers are addressed to his image.

In the article we will look at some facts from the life of the saint, the meaning, how the icon of Seraphim of Sarov helps and what miracles are being performed today.

Life of the Reverend

Seraphim was born in the mid-18th century in Kursk. The saint's family was wealthy.

When the boy was three years old, his father died. Shortly before Seraphim's death, he began construction of the temple. After his death, all responsibilities fell on the boy's mother. One day she took her son with her to a construction site. A child, while playing, fell from a bell tower. The woman was very frightened, but when she went downstairs, she saw her son safe and sound. In this she considered God's provision.

The second time the boy's life was in danger was when he was 10 years old. He became very ill. There was no hope for recovery. But one night little Seraphim dreamed of the Mother of God, who promised to heal him.

At this time, a miraculous icon of the Sign of the Mother of God was moving around Kursk. Agafya, that was the name of the child’s mother, put her son next to her and asked for his speedy recovery. After this, Seraphim, or, as he was also called after baptism, Prokhor, began to recover.

Later, when the boy grew up, his older brother, who was engaged in trade, began to teach Prokhor his skills. The boy was not interested at all. His soul yearned for God. He visited the temple daily and prayed all the time. To do this, he had to wake up early in the morning in order to be in time for the morning service. Prokhor quickly learned to read and write and began to read the Holy Scriptures. Mom paid attention to her son’s desire to be closer to the Lord and was happy about this, so she did not force him to go help his brother.

Already in adolescence, the young man decided to devote his life to serving God. His mother did not object to her son and gave her blessing.

His first teacher was the recluse Dositheus from the Kiev Pechersk Monastery. It was he who saw the guy as a true servant of Christ and blessed young guy for life in the Sarov desert.

At the age of nineteen, Prokhor was received by Elder Pachomius as abbot in the desert in Sarov. And so began the service of the venerable Lord. Afterwards they began to call him Seraphim of Sarov. Throughout his life he carried his special attitude towards the Mother of God.

Death of Seraphim

The icon of “Tenderness” of Seraphim of Sarov was in his cell all his life, near which he anointed parishioners with oil from a lamp. And it was near this icon, praying, that the elder gave up his soul to God. Before his death, the Mother of God came to him in a dream and informed him of his imminent death. Knowing that he would soon be gone, the elder prepared a grave for himself and gave his final orders.

The old man awaited his death with joy. This was an opportunity for him to reunite with the Lord.

And Seraphim of Sarov bequeathed his main inheritance - the icon of “Tenderness” - to the sisters of the Diveyevo monastery. And he gave the order to build a separate cell for her, for which he allocated funds.

“Tenderness”, the favorite icon of Seraphim of Sarov, in the photo below.

Finding the relics

Only at the beginning of the last century was the canonization of St. Seraphim of Sarov carried out. On his birthday, the relics were transferred to the Sarov monastery. The procession with the relics and the icon, as historians report, was grandiose and lasted all day. They claim that this was the first time such a holiday took place in Russia. During the opening of the coffin with the relics, everyone present fell to their knees, including the emperor, who also participated in the procession.

In the same year, a book was published with the teachings of the monk, which he managed to write before repose.

Iconography

The icon of Seraphim of Sarov is of great value for Orthodox people.

The portrait of the elder was painted during his lifetime. Today it is stored in America.

Below is a photo of the icon; Seraphim of Sarov is depicted younger than the age at which he passed away.

His gaze is confident, happy and intent. The face expresses calm, the shape is thin, the hair is combed back. Generally appearance The saint radiates kindness and grace.

Near the icon of Seraphim of Sarov, one cannot leave the feeling that he is looking straight into the soul.

Iconographic images of the saint

Often on icons Seraphim of Sarov is presented in 4 forms:

• The most common one is an old man with a staff.
• Feat of standing. The period when Seraphim stood on the stone in a prayer position for about 1000 days.
• An image with a rosary in one hand and the other blessing those in need.
• Prayerfully folded hands crosswise on the chest.

History of the icon

Before we talk about how the icon of Seraphim of Sarov helps, let’s consider its history.

The first was written immediately after the death of the elder. He was awarded this thanks to his bright deeds during his life. Seraphim constantly received parishioners, saved them from illnesses, and helped with advice. He was merciful and generous.

The next and one of the largest icons was painted a little later, at the beginning of the last century. In the year when the relics of the monk were transferred. This happened thanks to Nicholas II, who initiated the canonization of St. Seraphim.

On these icons the elder is depicted both from the waist up and to his full height. He holds a cross in one hand and raises the other up, crossing his fingers. With this gesture he directs everyone who looks at the icon towards the sky.

Where is the icon?

As noted above, one of the first icons is in America. In general, today, perhaps, there is not a single Orthodox church where there is not an image of Seraphim of Sarov.

And, of course, the oldest icon is located in the Sarov Monastery in the Nizhny Novgorod region.

The miraculous face is located in Old Peterhof at the Seraphim Cemetery.

The miraculous image is kept in Estonia in the Church of the Resurrection of Christ.

One of the most famous images of an old man with a stone is kept in the Elokhovsky Epiphany Cathedral.

Some of the elder’s relics remained in the Danilov Monastery. Two miraculous lists are also stored here.

Icon of Seraphim of Sarov. Meaning, what it helps with

Often many of us, when we come to church, do not even know where which icon is located and how it helps. We mistakenly approach the first one we like, and ask for ourselves and our relatives. This does not mean that our hopes will not be met and that our requests will go unnoticed. After all, if we come with faith in our souls and truly need help, the Lord will not leave us.

But it’s much better to understand which saint, angel, archangel is responsible for what, and purposefully ask for protection and blessings.

Seraphim of Sarov differs from all other saints in his great love for the Almighty, for which he was gifted with the ability to heal and the ability to predict the future.

He knew almost all the questions and answers that those suffering came to him with. Therefore, to this day, the icon of the elder brings grace and blessing to the house.

Of course, not everyone believed him and often questioned his words, but later they were convinced that they were wrong. The icon especially helps those who truly believe in its healing power.

Healing Methods

His methods are quite simple. He helped only with prayer and holy water. Nothing has changed today. It is better to ask a saint for help, turning to him in prayer.

Despite the rather simple methods, Seraphim could heal even seriously ill people, often already incurable. The world knows plenty of such cases even today.

Water from the holy spring is considered healing. It is located in the Diveyevo Monastery. Many people come there to bathe in the sacred spring and be cured of illnesses.

With the help of prayer, he asked the Lord to help everyone who asked for help during life, and after death he prays for all those in need.

The meaning of the icon of the saint “Tenderness”, or as it is called the “Seraphim-Diveevskaya Icon”

It was believed that the icon brought health. The monk called her “The Joy of all Joys.”

The Mother of God often appeared to the elder. Once she cured him of a fatal disease.

Today, the original is kept in the Church of the Vladimir Icon in Moscow.

In the image, the eyes of the Virgin Mary are humbly lowered, which indicates that she is waiting for the coming of the Son of the Lord. Both hands are crossed on the chest in a cross.

It is believed that this icon patronizes the female half of humanity:

• Girls ask for help in personal matters. So that the husband is good and faithful, the children are healthy.
• The Mother of God also helps with everyday problems.
• Instills in a person confidence and strength to cope with everyday troubles.

The Virgin Mary, by her example, demonstrates how one can overcome despair and still remain humble.

Seraphim's "Tenderness" is considered the purest and most sublime image of the Virgin Mary.

What do they pray for before the face of Seraphim of Sarov?

Since the priest was revered during his life, immediately after his death many prayers and akathists were written. And this despite the fact that Seraphim had not yet been canonized at that time.

Often they pray in front of the icon:

• About saving the family.
• About healing both your own and your loved ones.
• When difficult birth.
• If a girl wants to get married successfully.
• About getting rid of bad habits.
• In case of difficulties, get rid of temptation.
• About help at work.
• Women come to us when they cannot conceive a child.
• In moments of grief and despair.

When turning to a saint through prayer or on your own, it is very important to have an open heart and pure thoughts. Otherwise, the request will not be fulfilled. It is very important to sincerely believe in what you are asking for.

How to pray correctly?

It is not often that people who come to church understand how to pray correctly and why to do it.

Prayer is a conversation with the Almighty. She shows us our sins. But how to do it correctly?

Correct reading of a prayer is not an easy task that needs to be learned.

1. Reading it requires full concentration. Memorization and automatic reading will not bring any results. It is important to focus on what you are saying. A technical reading of a prayer can cause “prayerful” pride, which is also considered a sin.
2. Sincere repentance and true awareness of your sins.
3. Come to terms with it. One of the important factors that does not allow one to quietly move from a sincere reading to pharisaism.
4. While reading the prayer, you can light a church candle. And it doesn’t matter where you pray - in church or at home in front of the image.
5. Before reading any prayer, you must read the “Our Father”.
6. When turning to a particular saint, it is important to take into account real events from their lives. And if we talk about Seraphim, he spent his whole life working and believed that this was the only way to get closer to the Almighty.
7. He said that you need to be happy with what you have.
8. Turning to him helps to find peace and mental balance.

Saint's Memorial Day

The saint's day of remembrance is celebrated twice a year.

These days, solemn services are held in churches throughout the country in honor of the memory of the saint. And men who bear the name Seraphim celebrate their name days.

Miracles performed through prayers to Seraphim of Sarov

It is impossible to list all the miracles that were performed during the life of the saint and after his death. But we can recall the most famous and first:

1. The first and most famous miracle was when he fell from a bell tower as a child and remained unharmed. This case has already been written about above.
2. The next miracle happened to the saint in his youth, when he was in a monastery. His body was swollen with dropsy. In a dream, the image of the Virgin Mary appeared to him, who touched his leg with her staff. Since then, Seraphim has been on the mend.
3. Seraphim predicted the exact date his death brother 48 years before this happened.
4. He had the gift of foresight. He always knew in advance the contents of the letters that came to him, without even opening them.
5. Even the animals listened to him. One of the ministers who lived with Prokhor, after his death, said that he witnessed how the elder hand-fed a bear that was initially trying to attack him.

In the article we looked at short description the life of the saint, the miracles that happened to him, a description of the icon of Seraphim of Sarov, its meaning, what it helps with. And also how to read prayers correctly so that they have their power. We hope that our article will be useful to you.

He gained fame and glory as a holy righteous man during his lifetime. It is surprising that this man did not have clergy, however, from an early age he was awarded the honor of seeing the Mother of God with his own eyes.

The icons of St. Seraphim of Sarov are a living reminder of his spiritual feat and the gifts that he received from the Holy Spirit and used for the benefit of people.

IN Orthodox Christianity Icons of Seraphim of Sarov have not so much a decorative function as they enable a believer to concentrate all his thoughts on prayer and communication with God and the saints. After all, human nature is very weak, and he can easily be distracted by foreign objects.

Life of Saint Seraphim

Speaking about the iconographic image of St. Seraphim, it is important to know who this saint was and what his earthly life and spiritual feat were like.

The Monk Seraphim was born more than two centuries ago into a wealthy merchant family who lived in Kursk. At birth the boy received the name Prokhor. The family was left without a father when the boy was very young. He absorbed all the brightest and kindest things that was in his soul from his mother. Prokhor, as a child, was honored with the appearance of the Mother of God, and his entire life passed under her patronage and protection. At the age of 17, the young man received a blessing from the pious old woman and went to the Sarov hermitage to obey.

A few years later, the young man took monastic vows under the name Seraphim.

In 1807, the monk Seraphim received God's blessing for the feat of silence and for this purpose retired to hermitage in the forest. He spent three years in the forest, after which he returned to the monastery, but continued to avoid meeting people.

Then Seraphim began to receive both the monastic brethren and lay pilgrims throughout the day. He hugged and kissed everyone who came to him with the words “Christ is Risen” and anointed them with oil from the lamp.

Throughout his entire life, Seraphim carried with him a reverent attitude towards the Mother of God. It was always in his cell. It was near this image during prayer that the monk Seraphim went to the Lord.

Towards the end of his life, the old man’s legs hurt greatly, but at the same time, his heart’s joy and peace did not leave him for a minute. Before his death, he again received the honor of beholding the Queen of Heaven. She told the elder that he would soon be taken to heaven with her. After this, the venerable elder prepared a grave for himself and gave his final orders. The elder did not experience fear in the face of death, but perceived it as an opportunity to be in the heavenly abode next to the Lord.

Since the elder knew about the day of his death in advance, he managed to say goodbye to all his acquaintances and give them his last instructions. He bequeathed his favorite icon “Tenderness” to the sisters of the Diveyevo Monastery. The elder even gave money to the abbess of the monastery so that a “cell for the Lady” could be prepared there.

Miracles created through the prayer of Seraphim

It is not possible to list all the miracles that the Heavenly Father performed through the prayer of Elder Seraphim. News of miracles performed appear again and again.

1. The first time such a miracle happened was when young Prokhor fell from a high church bell tower. After that, he rose to his feet and there were no injuries on him. And at the age of 10, Prokhor was healed by the Mother of God, who appeared to him in a dream, from a serious incurable illness.
2. While he was married in the monastery, Prokhor suddenly fell ill with dropsy. His body was swollen. After Communion of the Holy Gifts, the Mother of God appeared to the young man, touched his leg with her staff and healed him.
3. The Monk Seraphim indicated to his brother the exact day of his death 48 years before this event.
4. One day a deacon arrived at the Sarov monastery, and the day before he had falsely accused another clergyman of unseemly acts. When the deacon came to the holy elder, he drove him away, seeing the deception and slander against the innocent. After this, for three years the sinner could not serve in church - his tongue began to go numb. This continued until he admitted to the slander and repented.
5. Even animals listened to the Venerable Seraphim. One of the monks, who lived in the monastery at the same time as Seraphim, told how Seraphim sat on a log and fed breadcrumbs to a huge bear standing in front of him. Out of fear, the monk hid behind a tree and watched as the wild beast left the Monk Seraphim into the forest. When the animal left, Seraphim asked the monk Peter not to reveal what he had seen to anyone until Seraphim’s death.
6. In 1825, the venerable elder, while on the banks of the Sarovka River, saw the Mother of God and the holy apostles John and Peter. The Most Pure Virgin struck the ground with her staff and a fountain of water began to flow from there. Then she ordered the construction of the Diveyevo monastery in this place. Father Seraphim brought the necessary tools from the monastery and dug a well with his own hands for 2 weeks. Subsequently, the water from this well began to bring people miraculous healings from various ailments.
7. The Venerable Elder Seraphim possessed the great gift of clairvoyance. Very often he received letters and knew about their contents without even opening the envelope. Many such unopened letters were subsequently found from him.
8. There are witnesses to how the elder ascended above the ground during prayer. However, he demanded that this be kept secret until his death.

Through Seraphim’s prayers, health was repeatedly restored even to terminally ill patients. These miracles are far from the only ones performed by the elder due to his great faith and spiritual purity. Even after the death of the saint, his icon helps people find health and courage in difficult times, strengthens the spirit and flesh those who offer sincere prayer.

The canonization and discovery of the relics of the Venerable Elder Seraphim of Sarov took place on August 1, 1903. He was solemnly transferred to the shrine on his birthday.

On this day, more than 300 thousand people gathered in the city of Sarov for the celebration. All-night funeral services were held at the Sarov monastery. Before the canonization, a religious procession was made to the Sarov monastery from the Diveyevo monastery. Throughout this procession, sacred chants were performed. Along the way, the procession stopped at chapels where litias were celebrated.

The second religious procession came out to meet the relics. After the meeting, the united religious procession moved towards Sarov. In the evening of the same day, St. Seraphim of Sarov glorified as a saint.

After that there was the coffin with the relics of the holy elder was opened. At this time, everyone knelt down, including the emperor himself. According to historians, this holiday was one of the most solemn in Rus'. The instructions of the reverend elder were voiced. Some of them were written down with his own hand, while others were heard and written down from the saint by other people. The relics of the saint rest in the Sarov desert.

Soon after the canonization it was printed and released "Conversation on the goals of Christian life". This conversation took place shortly before the saint’s dormition.

History of the icon of St. Seraphim of Sarov

Already some time after the Dormition of the Venerable Father Seraphim, it was written the first icon dedicated to him. Since the holy elder was distinguished throughout his life by mercy and a righteous lifestyle, he became a shining example to all generations of Orthodox Christians.

The very first icons began to appear after 1833, when the reverend elder reposed. In 1903, after the canonization of the reverend father, on the initiative of Emperor Nicholas, a series of new icons were painted. These included largest in size.

In these images the venerable elder is depicted from the waist up or to his full height. The right hand of Saint Seraphim is raised up, and his fingers are crossed. With such a gesture, the saint seems to make the sign of the cross over everyone looking at the icon. In his left hand Seraphim holds a cross.

What can you pray for in front of the Seraphim icon?

The Monk Seraphim acquired the gift of working miracles during his lifetime. The people revered him as a saint and very often turned to him for advice and support on a wide variety of everyday and spiritual issues. That is why it is very useful to offer prayers in front of an icon or the relics of a holy elder at a moment when some misfortune has overtaken you, you are experiencing despair and loss of strength.

Saint Seraphim called ours and sorrow the most serious sins. Therefore, in order to get rid of these misfortunes, you can make a prayer request to the icon. This will help you gain strength and joy in life.

The miraculous capabilities of the holy icon are directly related to the lifetime abilities of St. Seraphim. Anyone can contact the icon, as it has many different sides applications.

In what cases should one pray to Seraphim of Sarov?

1. During his earthly life, the venerable elder told those who came to him that very it is important to be tolerant of others and at the same time remain demanding of one’s own personality. He called people believe in yourself and never give up. Thus, you can offer a prayer to this saint when you need strength and self-confidence to solve all your pressing problems.
2. The icon of Seraphim of Sarov “Tenderness” will help everyone who turns to it to find themselves and their purpose, pacify our emotional experiences and find peace and strength of spirit. The icon helps to find inner harmony and balance between the external material world and the internal state of man. In these cases, the holy elder will become your spiritual mentor and comforter.
3. It is very useful to offer prayers in front of the icon of Seraphim of Sarov to people who have serious problems with health. The Monk Seraphim possessed the gift of healing the sick during his lifetime. Turning to the icon will help you get rid of not only physical, but also mental ailments.
4. There are many cases when a prayer appeal to the icon of St. Seraphim helped single girls find their betrothed and get married successfully. For family people, this icon will help establish a warm atmosphere in the home and preserve the love and warmth of a married relationship for a long time.
5. Another important area of ​​our earthly life in which we can ask Seraphim for help is business. First of all, we are talking about trade. However, in this case, it is very important to remember that you need to ask not for material well-being for yourself, but blessings for good endeavors that can benefit people.

How to pray to the venerable elder

The Holy Scriptures teach that in order to receive help from our heavenly Father and the saints, one should offer prayers with a pure heart and soul. If you have any secret or obvious selfish motives, your prayer may not achieve its goal.

1. It would be best to come to the temple with a pure soul, light a candle and read a prayer in front of the holy image. In addition, you can purchase an icon and several candles in the temple, and then pray at home.
2. When offering prayers, one should remember that it would be more correct to pray not based on the “specialization” of one or another heavenly patron, but believing in the unshakable power of God, which is endowed with every icon or.
3. However, there are still traditions of praying to saints based on real events their lives. If we are talking about the Venerable Elder Seraphim, all his life he was constantly busy with some kind of useful work for the benefit of others. In his opinion, in this way one can get closer to the Heavenly Father.
4. The saint bequeathed to people to rejoice in what they have and to be grateful to God. In addition, he taught never to give up and never give up, to do more and talk less. It is on the basis of these instructions that we need to offer our prayers before the icon of Seraphim, ask him for spiritual support, so as not to succumb to temptation and receive strength and wisdom in difficult situation.
5. St. Seraphim helps to find peace during mental tossing. These prayers help to find harmony and peace of mind.

It should be noted, however, that Orthodox teaching does not recommend giving saints and icons the ability to help with strictly specific requests. After all, the most important thing that is required when offering prayer is sincere faith and openness of the soul.

You can offer prayers to the holy elder Seraphim of Sarov not only for yourself, but also for our family and friends. You can even pray for your enemies.

4. MIRACLES OF FRATE SERAPHIM

In our church there is a particle of the relics of the venerable Seraphim of Sarov. Everyone who comes can ask for prayerhelp to the saint, order a prayer service.

Every Russian person knows the name of St. Seraphim of Sarov. Dozens of books have been written about him and many films have been made. During his life thousands flocked to him, after his death - millions. His prayerful presence preserves our Fatherland, saves and heals many people. Every person should know the life of the holy elder Seraphim, learning Faith and Love from him, imitating him in wisdom and kindness.

They pray to St. Seraphim of Sarov for physical and spiritual healing.

1. PRAYERS TO REVEREND SERAPHIM OF SAROV

PRAYER FIRST

O wonderful servant of God, most radiant glory of Orthodoxy, adornment of the Russian Land, great luminary of the whole world, Spirit-Bearing Father Seraphim! With warm faith we tenderly glorify you, for you have been blessed beyond measure by the Holy Spirit. For the sake of your purity and your many deeds and unceasing prayers, God has enriched you with wondrous gifts: to heal the sick, to cast out demons, to comfort the weak, to see the future as if it were the present. More than the glorious appearances of the Most Pure One, you were honored with many, even calling you Your favorite. The Lord is One

You were honored to see the Savior in the temple. And you yourself marvelously shone with the grateful, uncreated light of the Kingdom of God, and you taught the whole world to acquire the grace of the Holy Spirit in word and deed. But even now, enjoying the blessed light of the Most Holy Trinity, do not forget to visit people all over the world who call on your name.

In the same way, we, even if we are sinners, in our sorrows ask for your mercy: guide us on the path of repentance, ask for grace for us, unworthy, and please our hearts with good hopes for the mercy of God: for many times have you said to the sad: we must not be discouraged; Christ is risen, death is dead, abolish the devil. He also commanded people to come to your grave. May we also hear your cheerful voice: do not lose heart, my joys! stay awake, save yourself! For such crowns are prepared in the Kingdom of Heaven. Amen.

PRAYER TWO(o p help and intercession, read in despondency and sinful circumstances)

A particle of the relics of St. Seraphim, the Wonderworker of Sarov, in the Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul in Shelekhov

O great servant of God, venerable and God-bearing Father Seraphim!

Look down from the glory on high upon us, the humble and weak, burdened with many sins, your help and consolation to those who ask. Approach us with your mercy and help us to immaculately preserve the commandments of the Lord, to firmly maintain the Orthodox faith, to diligently bring repentance for our sins to God, to gracefully prosper in piety as Christians and to be worthy of your prayerful intercession for us.

To her, Holy One of God, hear us who pray to you with faith and love, and do not despise us who demand your intercession; now and at the hour of our death, help us and protect us with your prayers from the evil slander of the devil, so that those powers do not possess us, but may we be honored with your help to inherit the bliss of the abode of paradise. We now place our hope in you, merciful Father, be truly a guide to salvation for us and lead us to the unevening light of eternal life through your God-pleasing intercession at the Throne of the Most Holy Trinity, so that we glorify and sing with all the saints the venerable Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen.

PRAYER THREE (about the giving of love, read for oneself, for loved ones and for enemies)

Reverend Father Seraphim, filled with Divine love, unceasing servant of Divine love, beloved of the Mother of Divine Love, hear me, who loves you little and grieves you a lot.

Grant that I too may now be a zealous servant of God-pleasing Love. That kind of love that is long-suffering, does not envy, does not boast, is merciful, is not proud, does not act outrageously, does not seek its own, does not rejoice over unrighteousness, but rejoices about others. Pray to Primordial Love, and having served Her love on earth, through your intercession and prayers I will reach the Mother of God and all the saints in the Kingdom of love and glory and light, and I will fall at the feet of my Master, who gave us the commandment about true love.

Loving Father, do not reject the prayers of the heart that loves you, and beg a loving God for the forgiveness of my sins. Help us to bear each other’s burdens, not to do to others what we don’t want for ourselves, everyone loves, in truth; He loves everything, he has faith in everything, he endures everything, even though he falls away!

This love should be a servant to me and all my relatives, and known ones, and to cover with love, and with a heartfelt song of love, having ended earthly life, begin with it joyfully eternal life in the land of true love. Pray for us, Father, our beloved Father, who loves us! Amen.

PRAYER FOUR (To a short prayer for help and intercession indicating the name of the person praying)

O Reverend Father Seraphim! Lift up for us, servants of God ( names), your powerful prayer to the Lord of hosts, may He grant us all that is useful in this life and all that is useful for spiritual salvation, may He protect us from the falls of sins and may He teach us true repentance, so that we can enter without stumbling into the eternal Kingdom of Heaven, where you are now in everlasting glory you shine, and there sing with all the saints the Life-Giving Trinity forever and ever.

2. THE LIFE OF THE REVEREND SERAPHIM OF SAROV

Days of remembrance: January 15 (January 2, O.S.), August 1 (July 19, O.S.).

Venerable Seraphim of Sarov, a great ascetic of the Russian Church, was born on July 19, 1754. The saint's parents, Isidore and Agafia Moshnin, were residents of Kursk. Isidore was a merchant and took out contracts for the construction of buildings, and at the end of his life he began the construction of a cathedral in Kursk, but died before the completion of the work. Younger son Prokhor remained in the care of his mother, who raised a deep faith in her son.
After the death of her husband, Agafia Moshnina, who continued the construction of the cathedral, once took Prokhor with her there, who, having stumbled, fell from the bell tower. The Lord saved the life of the future lamp of the Church: the frightened mother, going downstairs, found her son unharmed.
Young Prokhor, having an excellent memory, soon learned to read and write. Since childhood, he loved to attend church services and read the Holy Scriptures and the lives of saints to his peers, but most of all he loved to pray or read the Holy Gospel in solitude.
One day Prokhor became seriously ill and his life was in danger. In a dream, the boy saw the Mother of God, who promised to visit and heal him. Soon a religious procession with the icon of the Sign of the Most Holy Theotokos passed through the courtyard of the Moshnin estate; his mother carried Prokhor out in her arms, and he venerated the holy icon, after which he began to quickly recover.
Even in his youth, Prokhor made the decision to completely devote his life to God and enter a monastery. The pious mother did not interfere with this and blessed him on the monastic path with a crucifix, which the monk wore on his chest all his life. Prokhor and the pilgrims set off on foot from Kursk to Kyiv to worship the saints of Pechersk.
The schemamonk elder Dosifei, whom Prokhor visited, blessed him to go to the Sarov hermitage and save himself there. Returning briefly to his parents' house, Prokhor said goodbye to his mother and relatives forever. On November 20, 1778, he came to Sarov, where the wise elder Father Pachomius was then rector. He kindly received the young man and appointed Elder Joseph as his confessor. Under his leadership, Prokhor underwent many obediences in the monastery: he was the elder’s cell attendant, worked in the bakery, prosphora and carpentry shop, carried out the duties of a sexton, and performed everything with zeal and zeal, serving as if the Lord Himself. By constant work he protected himself from boredom - this, as he later said, “the most dangerous temptation for new monks, which is cured by prayer, abstinence from idle talk, feasible handicraft, reading the Word of God and patience, because it is born from cowardice, carelessness and idle talk.” .
Already in these years, Prokhor, following the example of other monks who retired into the forest to pray, asked for the blessing of the elder in free time also go into the forest, where he prayed the Jesus Prayer in complete solitude. Two years later, novice Prokhor fell ill with dropsy, his body became swollen, and he experienced severe suffering. The mentor, Father Joseph, and other elders who loved Prokhor looked after him. The illness lasted about three years, and not once did anyone hear a word of grumbling from him. The elders, fearing for the life of the patient, wanted to call a doctor to him, but Prokhor asked not to do this, telling Father Pachomius: “I have given myself, Holy Father, to the True Doctor of souls and bodies - our Lord Jesus Christ and His Most Pure Mother...”, and wanted to be given Holy Communion. Then Prokhor had a vision: the Mother of God appeared in an indescribable light, accompanied by the holy apostles Peter and John the Theologian. Pointing her hand at the sick man, the Most Holy Virgin said to John: “This one is from our generation.” Then she touched the patient’s side with the staff, and immediately the liquid that filled the body began to flow out through the hole formed, and he quickly recovered. Soon, on the site of the appearance of the Mother of God, a hospital church was built, one of the chapels of which was consecrated in the name of the Monks Zosima and Savvaty of Solovetsky. The altar for the chapel was built by the Monk Seraphim with his own hands from cypress wood and he always received the Holy Mysteries in this church.
After spending eight years as a novice in the Sarov monastery, Prokhor took monastic vows with the name Seraphim, which so well expressed his fiery love for the Lord and desire to serve Him zealously. A year later, Seraphim was ordained to the rank of hierodeacon. Burning in spirit, he served in the temple every day, constantly praying even after the service. The Lord vouchsafed the monk visions of grace during church services: he repeatedly saw holy Angels serving with the brethren. The monk was granted a special vision of grace during the Divine Liturgy on Maundy Thursday, which was performed by the rector, Father Pachomius, and Elder Joseph. When, after the troparions, the monk said, “Lord, save the pious,” and, standing at the royal doors, aimed his orarion at those praying with the exclamation “... and forever and ever,” suddenly a bright ray overshadowed him. Raising his eyes, the Monk Seraphim saw the Lord Jesus Christ walking through the air from the western doors of the temple, surrounded by the Heavenly Ethereal Forces. Having reached the pulpit, the Lord blessed all those praying and entered the local image to the right of the royal doors. The Monk Seraphim, looking in spiritual delight at the wondrous phenomenon, could not utter a word or leave his place. He was led arm in arm into the altar, where he stood for another three hours, his face changing from the great grace that illuminated him. After the vision, the monk intensified his exploits: during the day he worked in the monastery, and spent his nights in prayer in a deserted forest cell. In 1793, at the age of 39, St. Seraphim was ordained to the rank of hieromonk and continued serving in the church. After the death of the abbot, Father Pachomius, the Monk Seraphim, having his dying blessing for a new feat - living in the desert, also took the blessing from the new abbot, Father Isaiah, and went to a desert cell several kilometers from the monastery, in a dense forest. Here he began to indulge in solitary prayers, coming to the monastery only on Saturday before the all-night vigil and returning to his cell after the liturgy, during which he received communion of the Holy Mysteries. The monk spent his life in severe exploits. Your own cell prayer rule he performed according to the rules of the ancient desert monasteries; never parted with the Holy Gospel, reading the entire New Testament, also read patristic and liturgical books. The monk learned many church hymns by heart and sang them during his work hours in the forest. Near the cell he planted a vegetable garden and built a beekeeper. Earning food for himself, the monk kept a very strict fast, eating once a day, and on Wednesday and Friday he completely abstained from food. In the first week of Holy Pentecost, he did not take food until Saturday, when he received Holy Communion.

Icon of St. Seraphim of Sarov in prayer on a stone

The holy elder, in solitude, was sometimes so immersed in inner heartfelt prayer that he remained motionless for a long time, neither hearing nor seeing anything around him. The hermits who visited him from time to time - schemamonk Mark the Silent and hierodeacon Alexander - when they caught the saint in such prayer, they quietly retired with reverence, so as not to disturb his contemplation.

In the summer heat, the monk collected moss from the swamp to fertilize the garden; mosquitoes mercilessly stung him, but he complacently endured this suffering, saying: “Pasions are destroyed by suffering and sorrow, either voluntary or sent by Providence.” For about three years, the monk ate only one herb, which grew around his cell. In addition to the brethren, lay people began to come to him more and more often for advice and blessings. This violated his privacy. Having asked for the abbot’s blessing, the monk blocked women’s access to him, and then everyone else, having received a sign that the Lord approved of his idea of ​​complete silence. Through the saint’s prayer, the road to his deserted cell was blocked by huge branches of centuries-old pine trees. Now only the birds, which flocked in large numbers to the saint, and wild animals visited him. The monk fed the bear bread from his hands when bread was brought to him from the monastery.

Seeing the exploits of the Monk Seraphim, the enemy of the human race armed himself against him and, wanting to force the saint to leave silence, decided to frighten him, but the saint protected himself with prayer and the power of the Life-giving Cross. The devil brought “mental warfare” upon the saint—a persistent, prolonged temptation. To repel the onslaught of the enemy, the Monk Seraphim intensified his labors by taking upon himself the feat of stylite mongering. Every night he climbed a huge stone in the forest and prayed with raised hands, crying: “God, be merciful to me a sinner.” During the day, he prayed in his cell, also on a stone that he brought from the forest, leaving it only for a short rest and refreshing his body with meager food. The saint prayed like this for 1000 days and nights. The devil, disgraced by the monk, planned to kill him and sent robbers. Approaching the saint, who was working in the garden, the robbers began to demand money from him. The monk at that time had an ax in his hands, he was physically strong and could have defended himself, but he did not want to do this, remembering the words of the Lord: “Those who take the sword will perish by the sword” (Matthew 26:52). The saint, lowering the ax to the ground, said: “Do what you need.” The robbers began to beat the monk, broke his head with a butt, broke several ribs, then, having tied him up, they wanted to throw him into the river, but first they searched his cell in search of money. Having destroyed everything in the cell and finding nothing in it except an icon and a few potatoes, they were ashamed of their crime and left. The monk, having regained consciousness, crawled to his cell and, suffering severely, lay there all night. The next morning, with great difficulty, he reached the monastery. The brethren were horrified when they saw the wounded ascetic. The monk lay there for eight days, suffering from his wounds; Doctors were called to him, surprised that Seraphim remained alive after such beatings. But the saint did not receive healing from doctors: the Queen of Heaven appeared to him in a subtle dream with the apostles Peter and John. Touching the head of the monk, the Most Holy Virgin granted him healing.
After that case St. Seraphim he had to spend about five months in the monastery, and then he again went to a desert cell. Remaining bent forever, the monk walked, leaning on a staff or an axe, but he forgave his offenders and asked them not to punish them. After the death of the rector, Father Isaiah, who had been his friend since the saint’s youth, he took upon himself the feat of silence, completely renouncing all worldly thoughts for the purest stand before God in unceasing prayer. If the saint met a person in the forest, he fell on his face and did not get up until the passerby moved away. The elder spent about three years in such silence, stopping even from visiting the monastery on Sundays. The fruit of silence was for St. Seraphim the acquisition of peace of soul and joy in the Holy Spirit. The great ascetic subsequently spoke to one of the monks of the monastery: “...my joy, I pray you, acquire a peaceful spirit, and then thousands of souls will be saved around you.” The new abbot, Father Nifont, and the elder brethren of the monastery suggested that Father Seraphim either continue to come to the monastery on Sundays to participate in divine services and receive communion at the monastery of the Holy Mysteries, or return to the monastery. The monk chose the latter, since it became difficult for him to walk from the desert to the monastery. In the spring of 1810, he returned to the monastery after 15 years in the desert. Without breaking his silence, he added seclusion to this feat and, without going anywhere or receiving anyone, he was constantly in prayer and contemplation of God. While in retreat, the Monk Seraphim acquired high spiritual purity and was granted special grace-filled gifts from God - clairvoyance and miracle-working. Then the Lord appointed His chosen one to serve people in the highest monastic feat - eldership. On November 25, 1825, the Mother of God, together with the two saints celebrated on this day, appeared in a dream vision to the elder and commanded him to come out of seclusion and receive weak human souls that required instruction, consolation, guidance and healing. Having been blessed by the abbot for a change in his lifestyle, the monk opened the doors of his cell to everyone. The elder saw the hearts of people, and he, as a spiritual doctor, healed mental and physical illnesses with prayer to God and a word of grace. Those who came to St. Seraphim felt him great love and listened with tenderness to the affectionate words with which he addressed people: “my joy,” “my treasure.” The elder began to visit his desert cell and the spring called Bogoslovsky, near which they built a small cell for him. When leaving his cell, the elder always carried a knapsack with stones over his shoulders. When asked why he was doing this, the saint humbly answered: “I torment him who torments me.”

Diveevo (Seraphim-Diveevo Convent in the village of Diveevo, Nizhny Novgorod region)

In the last period of his earthly life, the Monk Seraphim took special care of his beloved brainchild - the Diveyevo women's monastery. While still in the rank of hierodeacon, he accompanied the late rector Father Pachomius to the Diveyevo community to see the abbess nun Alexandra, a great ascetic, and then Father Pachomius blessed the reverend to always take care of the “Diveyevo orphans.” He was a true father for the sisters, who turned to him in all their spiritual and everyday difficulties. Students and spiritual friends helped the saint to care for the Diveyevo community: Mikhail Vasilyevich Manturov, who was healed by the monk from a serious illness and, on the advice of the elder, took upon himself the feat of voluntary poverty; Elena Vasilievna Manturova, one of the Diveyevo sisters, who voluntarily agreed to die out of obedience to the elder for her brother, who was still needed in this life; Nikolai Alexandrovich Motovilov, also healed by the monk. ON THE. Motovilov recorded the wonderful teaching of St. Seraphim about the purpose of Christian life.

In the last years of the life of St. Seraphim, one person healed by him saw him standing in the air during prayer. The saint strictly forbade talking about this before his death.

Seraphim of Sarov. Appearance of the Mother of God on the Holy Canal

Everyone knew and revered St. Seraphim as a great ascetic and wonderworker. A year and ten months before his death, on the Feast of the Annunciation, the Monk Seraphim was once again honored with the appearance of the Queen of Heaven, accompanied by the Baptist of the Lord John, the Apostle John the Theologian and twelve virgins, holy martyrs and saints. The Most Holy Virgin talked for a long time with the monk, entrusting the Diveyevo sisters to him. Having finished the conversation, She told him: “Soon, My beloved, you will be with us.” At this appearance, during the wondrous visit of the Mother of God, one Diveyevo old woman was present, through the prayer of the monk for her.

IN Last year During his life, the Monk Seraphim began to noticeably weaken and spoke to many about his imminent death. At this time, he was often seen at the coffin, which stood in the entryway of his cell and which he had prepared for himself. The monk himself indicated the place where he should be buried: near the altar of the Assumption Cathedral. January 1, 1833 St. Seraphim in last time came to the hospital Zosimo-Savvatievskaya Church for the liturgy and received Holy Communion, after which he blessed the brethren and said goodbye, saying: “Save yourself, do not lose heart, stay awake, today crowns are being prepared for us.” On January 2, the monk’s cell attendant, Father Pavel, left his cell at six o’clock in the morning, heading to the church, and smelled a burning smell coming from the monk’s cell; Candles were always burning in the saint’s cell, and he said: “As long as I am alive, there will be no fire, but when I die, my death will be revealed by fire.” When the doors were opened, it turned out that books and other things were smoldering, and the monk himself was kneeling before the icon of the Mother of God in a position of prayer, but already lifeless. During prayer, his pure soul was taken by the Angels and flew up to the Throne of God Almighty, whose faithful servant and servant the Monk Seraphim was all his life.

3. ACQUISITION OF THE RECENTS OF THE REVEREND SERAPHIM OF SAROV

Finding the relics of St. Seraphim of Sarov. Procession

On August 1, 1903, one of the events that never ceases to excite the hearts of people took place - the canonization of St. Seraphim of Sarov 70 years after his death. On the saint’s birthday, with great triumph, his relics were opened and placed in a prepared reliquary. This long-awaited event was accompanied by many miraculous healings of the sick, who arrived in Sarov in large numbers. Very widely revered during his lifetime, St. Seraphim becomes one of the most beloved saints of the Orthodox Russian people, just like St. Sergius of Radonezh.
After the blessed death of the elder in 1833, his memory was carefully preserved among the believing people. Stories and legends about his life and spiritual exploits were preserved for us by the sisters of the Diveyevo monastery, as well as by his ardent admirer N.A. Motovilov, who recorded a conversation with the great elder about acquiring the Holy Spirit as main goal Christian life.
The spiritual path of St. Seraphim is marked by great modesty, characteristic of Russian saints. Chosen by God from childhood, the Sarov ascetic, without hesitation or doubt, ascends from strength to strength in his quest for spiritual perfection. Eight years of novice labor and eight years of temple service in the ranks of hierodeacon and hieromonk, desert living and pillar-dwelling, seclusion and silence replace each other and are crowned by eldership. Feats far beyond the natural human capabilities(for example, prayer on a stone for a thousand days and nights), harmoniously and simply enter into the life of a saint.

The mystery of living prayerful communication determines the spiritual heritage of St. Seraphim, but he left the Church another wealth - brief but beautiful instructions, written down partly by himself, and partly by those who heard them. Shortly before the glorification of the saint, “The Conversation of St. Seraphim of Sarov on the Purpose of Christian Life” was found and published in 1903, which took place at the end of November 1831, a little over a year before his repose. This conversation was the ascetic’s most precious contribution to the treasury of Russian patristic teaching. In addition to teaching about the essence of Christian life, it contains a new explanation of many of the most important passages of Holy Scripture.
The glorification of the saint of God became one of the great and joyful events, because his prayer before the Throne of the Most High was strong. The Diveyevo sisters were especially looking forward to the glorification of St. Seraphim. In Diveevo, Blessed Paraskeva Ivanovna (Pasha Sarovskaya) persistently spoke to Archimandrite L.M. Chichagov (later Metropolitan and Hieromartyr Seraphim): “Submit a petition to the sovereign so that the relics are revealed to us.” Chichagov wrote the wonderful “Chronicle of the Seraphim-Diveevsky Monastery”, where great place devoted to life and posthumous miracles Father Seraphim. The “Chronicle” was read by the royal family, in which the memory of the saint had long been honored. And Tsar Nicholas II, sharing the people’s faith in the holiness of Elder Seraphim, raised the question of his canonization. But among his like-minded people were only Chief Prosecutor Sabler and Metropolitan of St. Petersburg Anthony (Vadkovsky), and the resistance was very great. But the power of people’s love and faith, the fervent prayers of the Diveyevo sisters and admirers of the saint overcame all stumbling blocks and disagreements.
In 1895, His Eminence Bishop Tambov presented in Holy Synod an investigation carried out by a special commission into miraculous signs and healings revealed through the prayers of Father Seraphim to those who faithfully asked for his help. This investigation, begun by the commission on February 3, 1892, was completed in August 1894 and was carried out in 28 dioceses European Russia and Siberia. On the eve of the feast of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary in 1903, under the supervision of the Right Reverend Dimitry of Tambov, the grave of the Sarov Wonderworker was opened and the brick vault of the crypt was dug, in which the oak coffin was completely intact. Upon receipt of the certificate of examination of the venerable relics, the Holy Synod prepared a decision on the canonization of Hieromonk Seraphim on July 19, 1903 - in the presence of the royal family, with a huge crowd of people.

Reliquary with the relics of St. Seraphim of Sarov in Diveevo

The solemn glorification of St. Seraphim of Sarov took place on July 19/August 1, 1903. At least three hundred thousand people gathered in Sarov that day. In difficult and difficult times, in times of impoverishment of faith and general wavering of minds, this bright triumph was so comforting and instructive - the glorification of St. Seraphim. And it has not frozen, not petrified, but that Church lives and flourishes, which is adorned with new righteous people and saints of God.

On July 16/29, 1903, funeral all-night vigils - parastases - were held in the churches of the Sarov Desert for the ever-memorable hieromonk Seraphim. On July 17/30, a grand religious procession was carried out from the Diveyevo Monastery to the Sarov Hermitage. At two o'clock in the morning a solemn bell rang out, and after a short prayer service the procession began its procession. Banner bearers came from a variety of places: Sergiev Posad, Murom, Klin, Ryazan, Tula, Rostov, Suzdal, Vladimir, Moscow, Nizhny Novgorod, Arzamas. Each group carried valuable, expensive banners with images of locally revered saints. The Diveyevo sisters carried the miraculous icon of the Mother of God “Tenderness”. They were followed by a large clergy. All the way, the participants in the procession performed the canon of the Mother of God and sacred chants. Short litias were celebrated in chapels along the way. The picture was extremely majestic.
To meet the religious procession from Diveevo, another religious procession set out - the Sarov procession - led by Bishop Innokenty of Tambov. When they met, His Grace Innocent overshadowed the people on four sides with the miraculous icon of the Mother of God “Tenderness” while singing “Most Holy Theotokos, save us.” The united religious procession, forming a majestic procession, headed to the Sarov Hermitage with the solemn ringing of bells.
On July 17/30, the Emperor arrived at the monastery with his august family and retinue. And in the evening of the next day, an all-night vigil began, which has a special meaning: this is the first church service at which the Monk Seraphim began to be glorified as a saint. While the lithium stichera were being sung, a procession of the cross headed from the Assumption Cathedral to the church of St. Zosima and Savvaty of Solovetsky, where the coffin of St. Seraphim was located. The coffin was placed on a stretcher, which was taken by the Emperor, Grand Dukes, Metropolitan and Bishops.
The procession headed to the Assumption Cathedral, near which lithium litanies were pronounced. Then the coffin was placed in the middle of the temple. The all-night vigil continued. It's time for polyeleos. They sang “Praise the Name of the Lord.” All those present lit candles. The Metropolitan, the bishops and all the clergy bowed to the ground three times. Then Metropolitan Anthony opened the coffin, and everyone in the church knelt down. The moment has come for the glorification of St. Seraphim. Solemnly and touchingly, shaking the soul, the magnification sounded: “We bless you, Reverend Father Seraphim.”
After reading the Gospel, the Metropolitan and bishops venerated the holy relics. Next, their imperial majesties, grand dukes and clergy applied themselves. Sovereign Nikolai Alexandrovich knelt before the new protector of the Russian land - St. Seraphim. The king of the earth prayed to the great representative for our Fatherland at the Throne of the Heavenly King.
The next day it was done Divine Liturgy. At the small entrance with the Gospel, the holy relics were carried around the throne and placed in the prepared shrine. At the end of the liturgy, a festive religious procession was held with holy relics around the monastery churches. The people stood like a living wall along the route, so that, leaving the temple, the participants of the celebration truly found themselves in another temple.
Russia does not remember celebrations like Serafimov’s. People cried with joy, seeing how the sovereign and the great princes carried the relics of the wondrous saint of God on their shoulders. Upon the return of the procession, the worshipers knelt and Metropolitan Anthony read a prayer to St. Seraphim. The service ended, but the prayer singing did not stop at night. One of his contemporaries described these events as follows: “Singing could be heard from different places - circles of pilgrims were singing church hymns. Without seeing the singers in the darkness, one might think that the sounds were coming from the sky itself. Midnight passed, and the singing did not stop..."
Sarov celebrations are unforgettable days for all participants, days that left an indelible mark on the people's soul. Many found faith, found consolation in sorrows, resolution of severe perplexities and doubts of the spirit, indication of the good, true path, for the Lord showed a warm prayer book, a great representative and a wondrous miracle worker to His people - St. Seraphim of Sarov.
From that time on, for a century now, St. Seraphim has been glorified and blessed by the Church in the ranks of the saints of God, and his holy relics have been open to public worship. The holy elder is revered by believers as one of the greatest ascetics of the Holy Russian Orthodox Church, who during his lifetime received from the Lord the gift of miracles and healings and after his death did not abandon everyone who asked him for help and intercession.

4. MIRACLES OF FRATE SERAPHIM

Anatoly Viktorovich
I had a stroke two years ago. Thank God, not strong, otherwise I would no longer exist. Enough blow. And my wife began to beg me. She is 17 years younger, we got married on Great love. And now she was 50, still a woman in her prime, and I was already 67—an old man. I thought that she no longer needed me as a burden. And she says: “Where would I be without you?” I began to pray to Saint Seraphim, went to the monastery, brought from there an icon, candles, oil, crackers, water - everything to nurse me through turning to the saint. Every morning and every evening she knelt at the icon and asked for me. And then she worked with me so that I wouldn’t be a vegetable, to improve my movements and speech. And within five months everything was restored. She is now like a second mother to me, even though she is my wife. I, a former communist, believed in God through his prayers. As soon as I recovered, we got married in church.

Victoria
My Dashenka was born with a congenital heart defect. The doctors said: if it doesn’t grow by six years, surgery will be needed. And our whole family, since her birth, constantly prayed to Father Seraphim. Mom went to Diveevo and brought water from a healing spring and crackers blessed on the relics. They gave it to our girl, did everything the doctors prescribed, and they themselves prayed. And Dasha has straightened out, her heart is working normally. We have already been deregistered; she is now 15 years old. All through the prayers of Father Seraphim.

Olga Ushakova
My two year old grandson. High temperature, doesn’t want to eat anything, refuses! He only drinks Epiphany water and asks for crackers from Father Seraphim, brought from Diveevo. The whole day has passed, the crackers have run out, and my granddaughters keep asking. In the morning I went to work and met a woman I knew there. We haven’t seen her for a long time, since she rarely comes from a neighboring city. As soon as I approached her, she took a bag out of my bag and said: “Here’s a gift for you from Diveevo!” I gasped: crackers from the priest! The holy father did not hesitate to fulfill the child’s request; he immediately sent a gift for healing!

Holy spring of St. Seraphim of Sarov a few kilometers from Diveevo

Arkady (Riga)
My wife was diagnosed multiple sclerosis and against its background - loss of vision. She was in despair, to the point of laying hands on her. She just repeated that this is a death sentence - there is no cure for this. My mother is devout, she asked me to pray for a wife and she prayed herself. Later, my mother went to Diveevo and brought water from the spring of Seraphim of Sarov. She told her to make lotions for her eyes from this water and at the same time pray: “Father Seraphim, help my eyes to see clearly, strengthen my carnal and spiritual vision.” My wife began to do this and after about a month the first improvements came. And then my health began to improve completely. And they removed the diagnosis for us, they said that against the background of menopause it turned out to be something like multiple sclerosis, but in reality there was nothing. And now she is already 49 years old, our grandson was born, we are babysitting, and my mother is alive, and everything is fine. Through prayers to our holy patron Seraphim the Wonderworker.

Pavel (Yaroslavl)
I was in Chechnya. I was shell-shocked and practically lost my hearing. They gave me a disability - a penny. I couldn’t really find a job for the hearing impaired, there was no money, and there was no future. I only have a mother who is sick. I decided to beg for alms. At first I was embarrassed, then I got used to it. I stood where I usually did, looking at the ground, it was a white day - autumn, rain. A woman in black, a nun, approached. He says: “Why are you begging so young?” I read this from his lips, because I almost couldn’t hear him anymore, and even the noise of cars on the street. I say: “I can’t hear.” She replies: “Come on, I’ll take you, you’ll hear.” And she took me to church. She brought him to the icon of Seraphim of Sarov and showed him: pray. But I can't. She shows: pray as best you can. I began to be baptized and silently say to myself that he would help me, that I would begin to hear, that work would appear, that life would somehow improve. And then my ears felt like they were filled with cotton wool, and my head felt like a jar of water. I went home and went to bed. And in the morning I woke up because the clock was ticking very loudly - it was disturbing me. At first I got angry with them, and then I realized: I had never heard them, but now I hear them. I went to my mother and said: “Tell me something.” She shouts: “Good morning!” I say: “Tell me more quietly.” She says in a normal voice: “What is it?” I ask: “Can you whisper?” She got angry and hissed at me: “What do you want?” And then I realized what I was hearing! And a week later I already had a job. That's how life got better.

Lena
My husband and I didn’t have children for eight years. When I was examined, the doctors said: this is sterility. Not very pleasant. But I found out that someone was in Diveevo, bathed there in the spring of Seraphim of Sarov, and then children were born. Well, I got ready to go on the road and decided to take my husband with me, so that, if anything, it would have an effect on him too. They came with one goal: to plunge into the world and conceive someone. And suddenly something like this began to happen to us... In short, both he and I realized that the main thing is not what we want, but another thing - to be with God. And the rest will follow. What you need will come. We spent several days there, took a dip in the spring, and returned from there as deeply religious people. I began to learn everything about Seraphim of Sarov - such abysses opened up! Wow, there are such people, and we live on some little things: getting money, going on vacation, having fun somewhere... In general, we stopped thinking about our problem. We decided: everything is in God’s hands, if we don’t have children of our own, we’ll take the baby from the orphanage... Our Seraphim will soon be four. We named her in honor of the priest who begged her.

Lyudmila (Kostroma)
The son served in the army, returned and could not find Good work. A healthy, strong guy was hired as a courier or salesperson - it was shameful and hopeless. Although he has no education, his hands are fine. And over time, he will graduate from college or technical school, at least in absentia. I began to pray to Seraphim of Sarov, I always turn to him when there are difficulties in life, and my soul hurts for my son. Vanya, my son, was also begged for by me: I didn’t have children for a long time, then, through my prayers to Father Seraphim, she gave birth. And then she also turned: “Father Seraphim, help my son, whom you begged from the Lord, to find a normal job.” And then about a week later, godfather Peter, my Vanya’s godfather, calls. He says that there is a place for Vanya in the auto repair shop. This is how Father Seraphim helped us!

There were many oral traditions and tales about the miracles of the Elder of Sarov among the people, and his biography was created publicly. Written evidence of the elder’s miracles and prayerful deeds was mainly provided by two monasteries - Sarov and Diveyevo. Many manuscripts were kept here, which were copied and distributed among the people.
Even during his lifetime, Saint Seraphim performed miracles. Thus, Archpriest Vasily Sadovsky recalled: “After the consecration of the church, Father Archimandrite, Mikhail Vasilyevich and I, at the invitation of the priest, all went to him in Sarov and, not finding him in the monastery, went to his distant desert. Father, seeing us, was extremely happy to see us and thanked Father Archimandrite a lot, then, turning to me, he said: “Well, father, what should we treat such a guest to celebrate? And you can’t help but treat, father, you have to treat, you have to!.. Well, I’ve prepared a treat for such a holiday, let’s go!” And, taking me by the hand, Father Seraphim led me to the corner of his desert. It is unknown where and when a raspberry bush suddenly grew from the floor, and the priest said, pointing to three large, ripe and beautiful berries: “Pick them, father, and treat our guests!” Confused by this miracle, I tremblingly picked the wonderful berries and gave them to the priest, and he began to regale them, saying: “Eat, eat, what poor Seraphim is happy to treat you with!” And, putting a berry for each of us, he added: “It is the Queen of Heaven Herself who treats you, priests!” Father Archimandrite, Mikhail Vasilyevich and I, we were all amazed by this miracle of Father Seraphim; and thus, wonderfully treated in the month of September, suddenly in the desert with half-born berries, they could not, and would not have been able to express their extraordinary sweetness, aroma, taste; and together they confessed that they had never eaten such berries.”
Elder Varvara Ilyinichna also testified to her healing by Father Seraphim. “He, my breadwinner, healed me twice,” she said. “The first time I felt like I was spoiled, and then my teeth hurt a lot, my whole mouth was covered in abscesses. I came to him, he put me away from him, and he ordered me to open my mouth, he blew hard on me, tied a handkerchief all over my face, and immediately ordered me to go home, and the sun was already setting. I was not afraid of anything because of his holy prayer, but I came home at night, and the pain disappeared as if by hand.”

As soon as Matryona Vertyanovskaya entered the monastery, she soon fell ill with a fever. She beat her for five months and finally completely exhausted her. Father Seraphim ordered her to be taken to her parents and bathed there in the river, which they did. After this, the fever struck her for three days without rest and immediately disappeared. However, after some time, the fever returned, and the priest then ordered that she be brought, weak as she was, in a cart to Sarov and bathed at the spring. Here she finally recovered.
Church celebrations organized in 1903 in honor of the newly-minted saint of God were also accompanied by miracles: grace-filled gifts of healing flowed in abundance. A lame girl was brought to the spring of Father Seraphim in the holy monastery. She arrived from afar in Sarov, finding nowhere help for a serious illness that for almost 18 years did not allow her to get out of bed. A long-term illness did not shake her strong faith. She is full of hope that the saint who mourns for the Russian people wants and can help her. Her eyes are already filled with tears of joy at the sight of the chapel above the spring. She is deeply convinced that the saint of God will give her healing. And faith as solid as a diamond is not put to shame. Three times, at her request, her family dips her in a healing spring, and after the third time her leg hurts.<стала>grow stronger, and no trace remains of the serious illness.
Cossack widow Anna Ivleeva arrived in Sarov from the Semirechensk region. It’s been 19 years since she lost her sight and is suffering a miserable fate. And this woman plunges into a miraculous spring - and blindness falls from her eyes like scales. And again God’s world was bright for her, and again all its beauties were revealed - the work of the Creator and Provider.
A mother came to Yurovskaya Pustyn with her little blind daughter. They came to pray to the monk, believing that he could save the child from blindness. In Serov, a mother and daughter come to the spring of St. Seraphim. The child was given water to drink from it, and he received his sight.

On the day of the opening of the holy relics of St. Seraphim, a woman with a little daughter came to Sarov. The girl was a pitiful creature, all relaxed; the legs hung like whips, the child made a depressing impression. The mother bathed her in the spring, and the child stretched out her legs, stood on them and began to walk. On July 16, a miraculous healing of a deaf-mute woman took place in front of the entire people.
When, as part of the celebrations, a religious procession took place around the monastery, in front of it they carried the miraculous icon of the Tenderness of the Mother of God, in prayer before which the Monk Seraphim died, and a large image of Father Seraphim. When, having walked around the monastery, both icons were brought into the church, the mother placed her deaf-mute girl next to the miraculous icon of the Mother of God. Upon leaving the church, the girl suddenly exclaimed: “Mom!” The overjoyed mother forced her daughter to repeat the word “mom” again. The crowd surrounding the girl became agitated and became extremely embarrassed. Money rained down from all sides, two-kopeck pieces, fifty-kopeck pieces and rubles were placed in the girl’s hands; There were so many of them that the money began to fall to the ground. The girl was forced to hold the hem while continuing to give.
On the occasion of a huge gathering of pilgrims in Sarov on the solemn days of the opening of the relics of the saint, there was not enough bread for many. And so several people, brave in faith, exhausted from hunger, went back and grumbled along the way. An old man with a knapsack came up to them, started talking and fed them heartily; The travelers moved on, and the old benefactor suddenly disappeared. This was an old man who never refused a guest either affection or bread - St. Seraphim.
Facts of healings were telegraphed from Sarov; they were numerous and were confirmed by officers on duty and witnesses from the people. Here are just some records of miracles from monastery documents.
June 25 At the spring of St. Seraphim, the 19-year-old daughter of Paraskeva Ershova Matryona, a soldier of the Vetluzhsky district of the Kostroma province, was healed of a serious illness. Her limbs were cramped, her hands were clenched. After bathing, the patient stood up, her limbs straightened, and she began to walk.
June 26 At the spring of Father Seraphim, a peasant woman from the Sarapul district of the Vyatka province, Evfimiya Ivanovna Smolnikova, who had been paralyzed for six years, received healing. After bathing, she felt completely healthy.
27th of June a public school teacher who fell ill with malaria on June 10 was healed at the spring Nizhny Novgorod Andreevsky.
June 28 Matryona Nikitichna Kryukova, a peasant woman from the Tula province, Bogoroditsky district, who came to worship in Sarov, was healed. She had no use of her left hand for eight years and, by venerating the image of St. Seraphim on his grave, she received healing.
June 28 in the chapel over the grave of St. Seraphim, Elena Nikitichna Kulomzina, 25 years old, who fell ill 5 years ago from the village of Korovenki, Bogoroditsky district, Tula province, was healed of blindness. The healing took place after Matins.
On the same day, Anastasia, 52 years old, a novice of the Kutuzov Monastery of the Nizhny Novgorod diocese, who had suffered from a severe fever for several months, received healing at the spring of St. Seraphim.
3 July During the transfer of the relics of St. Seraphim from the grave to the Zosimo-Savvatievskaya Church, the peasant woman Paraskeva Vasilievna Bochalova, Tver province, Kalyazinsky district, who had suffered from severe epilepsy for more than 25 years, received healing.
4th of July Anna Timofeevna Lovetskaya, a peasant woman in the Tambov province, Borisoglebsk district, and the village of Novospasskoye, who had suffered from severe rheumatism for more than three years, received healing at the spring of St. Seraphim.
On the same day, a Cossack woman from the Kuban region, Chamlyk village, Ekaterina Egorovna Khudisova, 22 years old, who became blind eight months ago, received healing.
At the same time, at the tomb of St. Seraphim, a peasant woman from the Voronezh province, Ostrogozh district, Anna Nikiforovna Anashustikova, who had suffered from severe rheumatism for many years, received healing from rheumatism in her legs.
On the same day, at the spring of St. Seraphim, Natalya Dorofeevna Varnakova, a peasant woman from the Penza province, was healed of an unbearable headache that she had suffered for more than ten years.
Through the prayers of the saint, a peasant woman from the Kazan province, Elizaveta Guzochkina, who had suffered from malignant lichen for several years, was healed. She received relief by promising to visit Sarov, and along the way she completely recovered.

At the spring of St. Seraphim, Natalia Ivanovna Luskova, a peasant woman from the Kharkov province, Bogodukhovsky district, was healed of a hernia. She suffered from this disease for about 30 years and was treated by many doctors, but did not get any relief.
July 11 and 12 In the spring of St. Seraphim the following miracles were performed on the sick. Agrafena Shibkova, a peasant woman from the Penza province, suffered from constant severe abdominal pain for ten years. She was treated by many doctors, but without success. Arriving at the spring of St. Seraphim, she tasted the water and at that very moment felt complete relief. Several years ago, a peasant in the Vyatka province, Nikolsky village, Mikhail Savelyevich Tyufkin, grew a huge tumor on his neck, which prevented him from turning his neck and caused severe pain. When he came to the spring of St. Seraphim, the swelling on his neck disappeared and his neck began to turn. A peasant from the Saratov province, Anna Timofeevna Sverchkova, could not use her legs for four years; Having bathed, she walked, although quietly, but without crutches.
July, 12 In the Sarov desert, at the spring of St. Seraphim, there was an outstanding case of healing of a mute peasant woman from the Samara province, Paraskeva Sergeevna Klemnova. According to the sick woman, on February 5 she lost the use of her tongue, and now, having bathed at the spring of St. Seraphim, she began to speak again.
the 14 th of July At the spring of St. Seraphim, a blind peasant woman from the Simbirsk province was healed. According to her, she became blind 13 years ago. Arriving in Sarov with her relatives, she was taken to the source and, as soon as she crossed herself, drank water and wet her eyes with it, she began to see, at first as if in a fog, but by the evening her vision improved even more, and she began to clearly distinguish objects.
Rassophore novice of the Seraphim-Diveevsky Monastery Natalia Mikhailovna Pushkina, 40 years old, a native of the village of Putyatin, Ryazan province, Sapozhkovsky district, suffered greatly from debilitating bleeding, which lasted for seven years. Finding no help from doctors, she traveled on foot to the Seraphim-Ponetaevsky Monastery, where she prayed earnestly and fervently before the icon of the Sign of the Mother of God and received healing from her serious illness. But soon after this, Pushkina fell ill again: a tumor appeared in her stomach, which grew larger over the course of five years. Natalia Mikhailovna suffered greatly, walked and bent over with great difficulty, and constantly experienced extraordinary internal heat and intense thirst. Medicines did not help, and the operation, which the doctors pointed to as the only way out of the difficult situation, could have ended sadly for Pushkina’s life. So, earthly doctors were powerless to cure her of her illness; all that remained was to hope for God’s help.
The patient spent another three years in great suffering. And now the time has approached for the glorification of God's saint Seraphim. It began to be heard about healings taking place at the saint’s grave and at his healing spring. Pushkina gathered for the Sarov hermitage with great hope for the help of the holy elder Seraphim. The old nun, Mother Fevronia, decided to accompany the sick woman, who with great difficulty walked the distance of twelve miles between Sarov and her monastery. Arriving at the monastery, both nuns confessed, and then went to the grave of God's saint, where Natalia Mikhailovna, with tears and great zeal, asked the saint to grant her healing. After praying, the travelers went to the hotel, where they went to bed. At one o'clock in the morning the patient hears that someone opens the door and enters the cell. She thought that Mother Fevronia unlocked the door at night and forgot to lock it, and that it was the novice who came in to wake them up for Matins, which is why she covered her head with a blanket. But at that moment she feels someone touching her right shoulder and saying: “You came to the poor Seraphim to be healed; bathe three times in my spring, and everything will pass with you.” After these words, the steps began to move away. Then the patient threw the blanket off her eyes and saw some kind of extraordinary light around her. Mother Fevronia, awakened by her tears, listened to the story of the wonderful visit, then they looked at the door - they found it locked. It was only then that Pushkina realized that Father Seraphim had come to her. Having dressed, both nuns went to matins. At the end of the service and requiem at the grave of the great elder, at which the sick woman prayed fervently and with tears, both travelers went to the holy spring. On the way there, Natalia Mikhailovna felt that the tumor had fallen off and she began to bleed. She forcibly reached the source, where she bathed; at four o'clock in the afternoon she went there again to swim.
The next night, Pushkina woke up again and felt that her tumor had completely disappeared, nothing hurt, and she seemed to be reborn. Waking up her companion, she, with tears and great excitement, told her about her great joy. At four o'clock in the morning Natalya Mikhailovna again went to the source, after which she felt completely healed, and her illness passed without a trace.
Praskovya Ivanovna Kiseleva, a peasant girl from the village of Vertyanova, Ardatovsky district, caught a cold and had pain in her legs for two years. They were brought together so that the patient could neither walk nor lie down, and her arms also did not rise up. The girl spent all her time on the stove, and only sometimes she was taken on a sled to her grandmother. Praskovya had long had a desire to go to the grave of God's saint Seraphim, but since her father did not have a horse, her intention had to be postponed. One winter, at the end of January of this year, they took a sick girl to her grandmother, with whom Praskovya stayed overnight. And then the sick woman sees a dream: some old man of handsome appearance enters the hut and, going up to the stove on which Praskovya was sleeping, says to her: “This is the third time you are going to go to Sarov to see the poor Seraphim to be healed, and you still don’t go.” Praskovya told him that she had no money for the trip. The elder told her: “Sell the canvas that you brought, and with the proceeds from the sale, go and bathe in the spring and you will be healthy. By the way, buy two five-kopeck prosphoras - eat one and hide the other until Clean Monday.” With these words, the Monk Seraphim disappeared, and the girl woke up and told her dream to her grandmother, who immediately harnessed the horse and took it to Sarov. On the way, the old woman kept thinking about how she would get her granddaughter out of the sleigh; but, to her greatest surprise, the girl got out herself, went to church, then went to the source of Father Seraphim, bathed in it and received complete healing. Now she walks freely and raises her arms. Returning home, Praskovya again saw in a dream the Monk Seraphim, who blessed her with the cross.

5. Akathist to Venerable Seraphim of Sarov

Troparion and magnification of St. Seraphim of Sarov

Greatness

We bless you, Reverend Father Seraphim, and honor your holy memory, mentor of monks and interlocutor of Angels.

Troparion, tone 4

From your youth you loved Christ, O blessed one, and, having ardently longed for the One who worked, you labored in the desert with unceasing prayer and labor, and having acquired the love of Christ with a tender heart, you appeared as the chosen one beloved of God’s Mother. For this reason, we cry out to you: save us with your prayers, Seraphim, our reverend father.

Kontakion, tone 2

Leaving the beauty of the world and the corruption in it, reverend, you moved into the Sarov monastery; and having lived there like an angel, you were the path to salvation for many. For this reason, Christ will glorify you, Father Seraphim, and enrich you with the gift of healings and miracles. In the same way we cry to you: Rejoice, Seraphim, our reverend father.

Kontakion 1

Chosen miracle worker and wonderful servant of Christ, our quick helper and prayer book, Rev. Father Seraphim! Having magnified the Lord who glorified you, we sing praises to you. You have great boldness towards the Lord, free those of us from all troubles who call: Rejoice, Reverend Seraphim, miracle worker of Sarov.

Ikos 1

The Creator of Angels chose you from the beginning, so that through your life you glorified the wonderful name of the Holy Trinity: for you truly appeared as an Angel on earth and in the flesh Seraphim: like a bright ray of the eternal Sun of truth, your life will be enlightened. We, seeing your praiseworthy works, with reverence and joy say to you:

Rejoice, rule of faith and piety; Rejoice, image of meekness and humility.
Rejoice, glorious magnification of the faithful; Rejoice, quiet consolation for the sorrowful.
Rejoice, beloved praise of monks; Rejoice, wonderful help for those living in the world.
Rejoice, glory and protection to the Russian state; Rejoice, sacred adornment of the Nizhny Novgorod and Tambov countries.

Kontakion 2

Seeing your mother, Reverend Father Seraphim, your warm love for monastic life, knowing the holy will of the Lord for you, and bringing God as a perfect gift, bless you on the narrow path of monasticism with your holy cross, which you wore on your chest until the end of your life, signifying your great love for Christ our God, who was crucified for us, we all call to Him with tenderness: Alleluia.

Ikos 2

Heavenly intelligence has been given to you, more holy than God: from your youth, without ceasing to think about Heavenly things, you left your father’s house, for the sake of the Kingdom of God and its righteousness. For this reason, accept this praise from us:
Rejoice, God's chosen child of the city of Kursk; Rejoice, most honorable branch of pious parents.
Rejoice, you who inherited your mother’s virtues; Rejoice, taught by her to piety and prayer.
Rejoice, blessed by your mother with the cross for exploits; Rejoice, you have kept this blessing as a shrine until death.

Rejoice, having left your father's house for the love of the Lord; Rejoice, all the red of this world, imputed to nothing.

Rejoice, Reverend Seraphim, miracle worker of Sarov.

Kontakion 3

The power of the Most High has truly preserved you from your youth, reverend: from the heights of the temple, having fallen, the Lord has preserved you unharmed, and the Lady of the world herself, who suffered from the rage, appeared, bringing healing from Heaven, and from a young age you faithfully served God, crying out to Him: Alleluia.

Ikos 3

Having diligence for the struggle of monastic life equal to the angels, you flocked to the holy city of Kiev for the sake of worship for the sake of the venerable Pechersk people, and from the mouth of the venerable Dositheos we received the command to rule our way into the Sarov desert, by faith from afar you kissed this holy place, and there you settled in your godly life and died. We, marveling at God’s providence for you, cry out to you with tenderness:

Rejoice, having renounced worldly vanities; Rejoice, fiery desire for the Heavenly Fatherland.
Rejoice, loving Christ with all your heart; Rejoice, you who have received the good yoke of Christ upon yourself.
Rejoice, full of perfect obedience; Rejoice, faithful guardian of the holy commandments of the Lord.
Rejoice, prayerfully affirming your mind and heart in God; Rejoice, unshakable pillar of piety.
Rejoice, Reverend Seraphim, miracle worker of Sarov.

Kontakion 4

Calming the storm of evil misfortunes, you walked the entire path of the cramped and sorrowful feat of the monastic life, carried by the yoke of desert life, seclusion and silence, many-night vigils, and thus by the grace of God ascending from strength to strength, from deeds to the vision of God, you settled in the monastery of the Mountain, where with Angels eat to God: Alleluia.

Ikos 4

Hearing and seeing your holy life, Reverend Father Seraphim, all your brethren were amazed at you, and coming to you, I learned about your words and struggles, glorifying the Lord, wondrous in His saints. And we all praise you with faith and love, Reverend Father, and cry out to you:

Rejoice, you who sacrificed everything to yourself to the Lord; Rejoice, you who ascended to the heights of dispassion.
Rejoice, victorious warrior of Christ; Rejoice, good and faithful servant of the Heavenly Master.
Rejoice, unashamed intercessor for us before the Lord; Rejoice, our vigilant prayer book to the Mother of God.
Rejoice, deserted valley of wonderful fragrance; Rejoice, immaculate vessel of God's grace.
Rejoice, Reverend Seraphim, miracle worker of Sarov.

Kodak 5

The divine light is your dwelling place, reverend one, when, when you are sick and lying on your deathbed, the Most Pure Virgin Herself came to you with the holy apostles Peter and John, saying: this is from Our generation, and I will touch your head. Having healed Abiye, you sang, grateful to the Lord: Alleluia.

Ikos 5

Seeing the enemy of the human race your pure and holy life, Rev. Seraphim, the desire to destroy you: for people brought evil upon you, who unlawfully tortured you and left you barely alive; But you, Holy Father, like a gentle lamb, have endured everything, praying to the Lord for those who offended you. Moreover, we all, marveling at your kindness, cry out to you:

Rejoice, thou who in thy meekness and humility imitated Christ God; Rejoice, conquering the spirit of malice through your kindness.
Rejoice, diligent guardian of spiritual and physical purity; Rejoice, hermit, filled with grace-filled gifts.
Rejoice, God-glorified and perspicacious ascetic; Rejoice, wonderful and godly teacher of monks.
Rejoice, praise and joy to the Holy Church; Rejoice, glory and fertilization of our monastery.
Rejoice, Reverend Seraphim, miracle worker of Sarov.

Kontakion 6

The Sarov desert preaches your deeds and labors, God-bearing saint of Christ: for you have fragrant the wilds and forests of it with prayer, imitating the prophet of God Elijah and the Baptist of the Lord John, and you have appeared in the desert, abundant vegetation with the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Thou hast accomplished many and glorious actions, urging the faithful to sing good things to the Giver God: Alleluia.

Ikos 6

A new visionary of God has arisen in you, like Moses, like the blessed Seraphim: having served immaculately at the altar of the Lord, you have been vouchsafed to see Christ in the temple with the incorporeal Powers of the future. Marveling at this favor of God for you, we sing to you:

Rejoice, Glorious One of God; Rejoice, illuminated by the tri-shining light.
Rejoice, faithful servant of the Most Holy Trinity; Rejoice, dwelling adorned with the Holy Spirit.
Rejoice, beholding Christ with the angels' bodily eyes; Rejoice, foretaste of the heavenly sweetness in this mortal body.
Rejoice, thou filled with the Bread of Life; Rejoice, filled with the drink of immortality.
Rejoice, Reverend Seraphim, miracle worker of Sarov.

Kontakion 7

Although the Lord, the Lover of Mankind, will show in you, O Reverend, His indescribable mercy for people, showing you as truly a God-bright light: by your deeds and words you led everyone to piety and the love of God. Moreover, with the radiance of your deeds of enlightenment and the bread of your teaching, we zealously magnify you and cry out to Christ who glorified you: Alleluia.

Ikos 7

Seeing you again as God’s chosen one, from afar faith flowed to you in sorrows and illnesses: and you did not reject those burdened by troubles, exuding healing, giving consolation, interceding in prayers. In the same way, the broadcast of your miracles went out throughout the entire Russian land, and your spiritual children glorified you:

Rejoice, our good shepherd; Rejoice, merciful and meek Father.
Rejoice, our speedy and gracious physician; Rejoice, merciful healer of our infirmities.
Rejoice, quick helper in troubles and situations; Rejoice, sweet pacifier of the troubled souls.
Rejoice, thou who art come as a real prophet; Rejoice, perspicacious accuser of hidden sins.
Rejoice, Reverend Seraphim, miracle worker of Sarov.

Kontakion 8

We see a strange miracle on you, reverend: like this old man, weak and very difficult, you remained on the stone in prayer for a thousand days and a thousand nights. Whoever is pleased has uttered your sicknesses and struggles, blessed Father, even as you have endured, lifting up your reverend hands to God, conquering Amalek in your thoughts and singing to the Lord: Alleluia.

Ikos 8

You are all desire, all sweetness, sweetest Jesus! This is how you cried out in your prayers, Father, in your desert silence. But we, who have spent our entire life in vanity and darkness, praising your love for the Lord, cry out to you:

Rejoice, those who love and honor you as the mediator of salvation; Rejoice, lead sinners to correction.
Rejoice, wonderful silent and reclusive one; Rejoice, diligent prayer book for us.
Rejoice, you who showed fiery love for the Lord; Rejoice, you who burned the arrows of the enemy with the fire of prayer.
Rejoice, unquenchable light, flaming with prayer in the desert; Rejoice, lamp, burn and shine on spiritual gifts.
Rejoice, Reverend Seraphim, miracle worker of Sarov.

Kontakion 9

All the angelic nature was surprised at the strange sight: for the Queen, who exists in the shutter of Heaven and earth, appeared to the old man, commanding that he open his shutter and not forbid Orthodox people to come to him, but let him teach everyone to sing to Christ God: Alleluia.

Ikos 9

The oracles of multi-proclamation will not be able to express the strength of your love, blessed one: for you have given yourself over to the service of all who come to you, fulfilling the command of the Mother of God, and you have been a good adviser to the perplexed, a comforter to the despondent, a gentle admonition to the erring, a doctor and healer to the sick. For this reason we cry out to you:

Rejoice, you who have moved from the world into the desert, so that you may acquire virtues; Rejoice, you who returned from the desert to the monastery, sowing the seeds of virtue.
Rejoice, illumined by the Holy Spirit; Rejoice, filled with meekness and humility.
Rejoice, loving father of those who flocked to you; Rejoice, you who gave them encouragement and consolation in words of love.
Rejoice, you who call those who come to you joy and treasure; Rejoice, for your holy love you have been granted the joys of the Heavenly Kingdom.
Rejoice, Reverend Seraphim, miracle worker of Sarov.

Kontakion 10

Your saving feat, reverend, reached the end, at prayer, on your knees you gave up your holy soul in the hand of God, even as the holy angels lifted up the mountain to the throne of the Almighty, so that you stood with all the saints in the eternal glory, singing the song of praise of the saints to the most holy Word: Alleluia.

Ikos 10

The wall is a joy to all saints and monks; the Most Holy Virgin appeared to you before your death, announcing your imminent departure to God. We, marveling at such a visit to the Mother of God, cry out to you:
Rejoice, thou who beholdest the Queen of Heaven and earth; Rejoice, overjoyed by the appearance of God to Matera.
Rejoice, you have received the message from Her to heavenly exile; Rejoice, having demonstrated the holiness of your life by your righteous death.

Rejoice, in prayer before the icon of the Mother of God you commended your tender spirit to God; Rejoice, having fulfilled your prophecy with a painless outcome.
Rejoice, thou crowned with the crown of immortality from the hand of the Almighty; Rejoice, you who have inherited heavenly bliss with all the saints.
Rejoice, Reverend Seraphim, miracle worker of Sarov.

Kontakion 11

Lifting up unceasing singing to the Most Holy Trinity, O Reverend One, through all your life you have appeared as a great ascetic of piety, to those who have gone astray for admonition, to those who are sick in soul and body for healing. We, being grateful to the Lord for His mercy to us, call upon Him: Alleluia.

Ikos 11

The light-giving lamp was in life, blessed father, and after your death, you shone like a luminous luminary of the Russian land: you exude from your honest relics currents of miracles to all who flow to you with faith and love. Moreover, like a warm prayer book for us and a miracle worker, we cry out to you:

Rejoice, glorified by many miracles from the Lord; Rejoice, thou who shone forth with thy love to the whole world.
Rejoice, faithful follower of the love of Christ; Rejoice, consolation to all those who require your help.
Rejoice, endless source of miracles; Rejoice, healer of the sick and sick.
Rejoice, inexhaustible storehouse of multi-healing waters; Rejoice, for you have embraced all the ends of our earth with your love.
Rejoice, Reverend Seraphim, miracle worker of Sarov.

Kontakion 12

Your grace and great boldness before God are known to you, Reverend Father, we pray: pray warmly to the Lord, that He may preserve His holy Church from unbelief and schism, from troubles and misfortunes, and that we may sing through you to the God who benefits us: Alleluia.

Ikos 12

Singing your glorification, we please you, reverend one, for you are a powerful prayer book for us before the Lord, a comforter and intercessor, and with love we cry out to you:

Rejoice, praise to the Orthodox Church; Rejoice, shield and fence for the Fatherland and our monastery.
Rejoice, guide, guide everyone to Heaven; Rejoice, our protector and patron.
Rejoice, you who have performed many miracles by the power of God; Rejoice, through your robe you healed many sick people.
Rejoice, victorious over all the wiles of the devil; Rejoice, you who subdued the marvelous beasts through your meekness.
Rejoice, Reverend Seraphim, miracle worker of Sarov.

Kontakion 13

O wonderful saint and great wonderworker, Rev. Father Seraphim, accept this little prayer of ours, offered in praise to you, and standing now before the throne of the King of kings, our Lord Jesus Christ, pray for us all, that we may find His mercy on the day of judgment, singing in joy To him: Alleluia. (This kontakion is read three times, then ikos 1 “The Creator of Angels...” and kontakion 1. “The chosen one, the miracle worker...”).

6. FILMS ABOUT REVEREND SERAPHIM OF SAROV

	MOVIE Wonderworker Seraphim of Sarov
	MOVIE Diveevo. Seraphim of Sarov
	Cartoon Venerable Seraphim of Sarov

Based on materials