Finding the relics of the Venerable Seraphim of Sarov. Finding the relics of the saint

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 patients, in large quantities arrived in Sarov. 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 that far exceed natural human capabilities (for example, praying 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 - short 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 the Christian life, it contains a new explanation of many most important places 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 of Sarov) persistently spoke to Archimandrite (later Metropolitan and Hieromartyr Seraphim) L.M. Chichagov: “Submit a petition to the Emperor so that the relics are revealed to us.” Chichagov wrote the wonderful “Chronicle of the Seraphim-Diveevsky Monastery”, where much space is devoted to the life and posthumous miracles of 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 of Tambov presented to the Holy Synod an investigation carried out by a special commission about 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 of European Russia and Siberia. On the eve of the Feast of the Assumption Holy Mother of God 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 Royal Family, with a huge crowd of people.

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 blooms, which is adorned with new righteous people and saints of God. On July 16/29, 1903, funeral all-night vigils - Parastases - for the ever-memorable hieromonk Seraphim were held in the churches of the Sarov Hermitage. On July 17/30, a grand religious procession took place from the Diveyevo Monastery to the Sarov Hermitage.

At 2 o'clock in the morning a solemn bell rang out, and after a short prayer service the procession began its procession. Banner bearers walked from the most different 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 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 procession from Diveevo, another religious procession came out - the Sarov procession - led by Bishop Innokenty of Tambov. When they met, His Eminence Innocent overshadowed the people in four directions miraculous icon 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 Sovereign Emperor arrived at the monastery with his August Family and retinue. And in the evening next day The All-Night Vigil began, which has special significance - this is the first church service at which the Monk Seraphim began to be glorified as a saint. During the singing of lithium stichera from the Assumption Cathedral, a religious procession headed towards the church Venerable 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, the Grand Dukes, the Metropolitan and the 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 came Their Imperial Majesties, Grand Dukes and clergy. Sovereign Nikolai Alexandrovich knelt before the new intercessor 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 the Divine Liturgy was celebrated. 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 Grand Dukes 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 bewilderments and doubts of the spirit, indication of the good, true path, for the Lord showed St. Seraphim of Sarov to His people as a warm prayer book, a great representative and a wondrous miracle worker.

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.

On January 15 (January 2, old style), the Orthodox Church celebrates the day of repose, the second discovery of the relics of St. Seraphim of Sarov.

The Venerable Seraphim of Sarov, whom everyone knew and revered as a great ascetic and wonderworker, reposed on January 2, 1833.

In the last year of his life, he began to noticeably weaken and told many about his imminent death. He himself prepared a coffin for himself and placed it in the entryway of his cell, where he was often seen shortly before his death. The monk himself indicated the place where he should be buried - near the altar of the Assumption Cathedral.

On January 1, 1833, the Monk Seraphim came to the hospital Zosimo-Savvatievskaya Church for the last time for the Liturgy and received Holy Communion, after which he blessed the brethren and said goodbye.

On January 2, the monk’s cell attendant smelled a burning smell coming from the cell of Seraphim of Sarov. 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.

On July 19 (August 1, new style), 1903, the canonization of St. Seraphim of Sarov, he was glorified by the Russian Orthodox Church as a saint.

It was known that St. Seraphim predicted that his relics would be found, and then, during the time of persecution for the Christian faith, they would be lost again, as subsequently happened.

On December 17, 1920, the relics kept in the Diveyevo Monastery near Arzamas were opened, and on August 16, 1921 they were closed and taken away. At the end of the 1920s, the relics of St. Seraphim was exhibited for viewing in the Moscow Passionate Monastery, where at that time an anti-religious museum was organized. The relics were probably there until 1934, when the Holy Monastery was blown up.

At the end of 1990, a decision was made to move the Leningrad Museum of History and Religion from the Kazan Cathedral. While checking the storerooms, museum employees discovered relics sewn into matting, and upon opening them they read the inscription: “Reverend Father Seraphim, pray to God for us!” The director of the museum informed Patriarch Alexy II about this, who approved the commission and blessed, first of all, to find in the archives all the documents related to the relics of St. Seraphim. Copies of documents for the canonization of the Rev. in 1903 and a very detailed act drawn up during the opening of the relics in Temnikov were obtained from the Russian Central Archives. When comparing the relics found in the museum with these documents, a complete match was established down to the smallest detail. There was no doubt that the relics of St. Seraphim of Sarov.

During the period of examination of the holy relics - from December 25, 1990 to January 10, 1991 - all Required documents, permission was received from the Ministry of Culture, a shrine was made and new vestments were sewn. In the presence of Archbishop Evgeniy of Tambov and Michurinsky and Archbishop Arseny of Istra, the venerable relics of St. Seraphim.

On January 11, 1991, a solemn ceremony of transferring the holy relics of St. Seraphim of Sarov to the Russian Orthodox Church took place in the Kazan Cathedral in St. Petersburg (then Leningrad). After completion of the act of transfer, the holy relics were transported to the Alexander Nevsky Lavra.

For several weeks the relics of St. Seraphim were venerated in the Trinity Cathedral of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra. On the evening of February 6, the relics of St. Seraphim were transferred in a religious procession from the Alexander Nevsky Lavra to the Moscow station. On February 7, 1991, the relics of St. Seraphim of Sarov were moved to Moscow and installed in Epiphany cathedral for worship.

From February to July 1991, the relics of the saint remained in the Epiphany Cathedral.

On July 23, 1991, the shrine with holy relics left Moscow for Diveevo. During the transfer of the relics of St. Seraphim of Sarov to Diveevo, a grand procession took place led by His Holiness the Patriarch, hierarchs and clergy of the Russian Orthodox Church.

August 1, 1991, on the day of memory of St. Seraphim of Sarov, his St. the relics were returned to the Diveyevo Monastery, founded by Ven. Seraphim of Sarov.

The material was prepared based on information from open sources

A new book

Published in the publishing house of our monastery A new book — “The Life of the Hieromartyr Veniamin (Kazan), Metropolitan of Petrograd and Gdov, and those like him who suffered the Venerable Martyr Sergius (Shein), the martyrs Yuri Novitsky and John Kovsharov » .

In the new book of the famous Russian hagiographer Archimandrite Damascene (Orlovsky), the reader is offered the life of the Metropolitan Petrogradsky Veniamin(Kazansky) - one of the first saint-martyrs who did not sin with their soul or conscience during the persecution that began and gave their lives for Christ and His Church.

IN zat-rud-not-ni-yah, not-to-me-ni-yah and all conditions-i-tel-stvah the closest remedy and sure-to-benefit-on- neck - one turn to the Lord and laying on Him with all the sadness and grief. Moreover, it is necessary to pray to God for those with whom the business lies ahead, and everything will be settled well. The Lord foresees all mankind coming into the world, and gives peace to our souls. Dejection and sadness are of no help in business, in the need of a husband.

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Finding the relics of St. Seraphim, Sarov wonderworker

In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit!

“In the middle of summer they will sing Easter.” This was said by one man in the Sarova Hermitage a long time ago. A lot of time has passed since those years, and in 1903 Rus' really resounded with these songs of praise, because the great saint of God, St. Seraphim of Sarov, was glorified. All Rus' rejoiced then, as on the day of Holy Easter. But then terrible days came, but the memory of St. Seraphim of Sarov did not die and did not weaken. Just as then, now people flock to the holy monastery and glorify it not only here in Russia, our homeland tormented by all enemies, but throughout the world.

While living on earth, the holy elder of God healed everyone, consoled those who came, instructed with love and meekness, strengthened and admonished all those who came to him for spiritual advice. He said this: “I will die, and I will lie in the grave, but you come to my grave. Here, as if alive, tell me all your troubles. And I, as if alive, will hear you from the grave.” This is what he told all his loved ones before his death. But not all people, especially the poor, working people or the sick, even with deep faith, find the elder’s prayerful help difficult and cannot come to him. But they can do this and read it in numerous books left behind by the holy elder.

That is why on this holy day I would like to recall some of the words that the holy elder left us for his edification and in memory of him. One day a man comes to him and asks: “Father, should we teach children languages ​​and other sciences?” He answers simply: “What bad do you see in this?” “I, a sinner, thought, reasoning in a worldly way, however, what if I myself were a scientist in order to answer this.” To which the elder replied: “Where can I, a baby, answer this against your reason, ask someone smarter.” Or they asked him: “What should I read, father?” And we receive the following answer: “Every day the Gospel is conceived four times a day, each evangelist conceived, and also the holy righteous Job, as an edification to all those in distress. Although Job’s wife told him that it was better to die, he did not listen to his wife in this case and endured it, and was saved, and saved his wife. So don’t forget to send gifts to those who have offended you.

How important it is for us not only to forgive people who have done us harm, but also to send them gifts, as the holy elder commanded. They asked him whether it was possible to be treated for illnesses, and how to generally spend one’s life. To which he replied: “Illness cleanses sins, however, it is your will. Follow the middle path, don’t try beyond your strength - you’ll fall, and the enemy will laugh, even if you youngsters hold on. One day the devil invited the righteous man to jump into a pit. He agreed, but Gregory the Theologian restrained him. That is, this is how you live: if they reproach you, don’t reproach yourself; if they persecute you, endure them; if they blaspheme you, praise them. Condemn yourself - God will not judge you that way. Submit your will to the will of the Lord, never flatter anyone and recognize good and evil in yourself. Blessed is the man who knows this and follows this path. Love your neighbor, for your neighbor is your flesh. But if you live according to the flesh, you will destroy both flesh and soul. And if according to God, then you will save both soul and flesh.”

They ask the elder: The Gospel says: “ When you pray, do not say too much, for your Father knows what you require before you ask." () . To which the priest replied: “Pray simply: “Our Father, who is in heaven, be hallowed.” your name, may your kingdom come. Thy will be done as in heaven and on earth. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” Here is the grace of the Lord. And what the Holy Church accepted and kissed, everything should be kind to the heart of a Christian. And don’t forget the holidays.”

Here's what simple tips the venerable elder gave to the people who came to him. Nothing complicated. And all based on the words of Holy Scripture. They ask him about marriage and fasting. The priest answers: “The Kingdom of God is not a wedding drink, but truth, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Just don’t want anything vain, but everything God has is good.” That is, everything we desire according to the Gospel, and not for our vanity, for consumption, for complicating our needs. Everything that is God's is truly saving. And virginity is glorious, and fasting is needed to defeat bodily enemies, and marriage is blessed by God. But only the enemy confuses everything. So you don’t have to listen to the enemy.

We really need to open it up to all of us. Holy Bible and learn to talk with God Himself. As they say, when a person prays to God, it is personal, it is a monologue. And when we open the Holy Scriptures and read these words, this is already a dialogue with God. We listen to Him and do it. It turns out that we are in the closest communication with God. How happy we are, Orthodox! No one in the world can boast that he can talk to God. Only us, because the Lord left His word to us.

We recently looked at what the word “lamp” is, and were surprised to discover such a thing that it turns out that “lamp” is a symbol that destroys everything evil. And what is most interesting is that the lamp is used only in the Orthodox world. Already Catholics had burning lights instead of lamps. You come, pay money, and the light is turned on for you. The world has already reached such madness. Only we have a lamp. We are the only ones in the world who keep this. That is, the lamp is a symbol of man, a torch of life and truth in Christ.

They ask the priest about the spirit of suspiciousness and blasphemous thoughts. He answers like this: “You can’t convince an infidel. This is from myself. Buy the Psalter, there are answers to all your questions.” They ask the priest, is it possible to eat fasting foods, if fasting foods are harmful to someone and the doctors order them to eat fasting foods? To which the priest replied simply: “Bread and water have never harmed anyone. How did people live for a hundred years with bread and water? And in the Holy Scripture it is written: “ Man will not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes out of the mouth of God» () .

And so the Holy Church at the Seven Councils ordained that there should be these very fasts - then fulfill them. The Lord calls: “ Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light" () . That is, what the Lord says is not difficult. The fact that He left us commandments in the Gospel, they are not difficult. The elder said: “We who live on earth have greatly lost our way from the path of salvation and anger the Lord, and we do not preserve Wednesday and Friday. But the Church has a rule: those who do not keep holy fasts this summer and holy Fridays sin a lot. But the Lord is not completely angry. He has mercy on everyone, for our Church is Orthodox, without any blemish.”

All the elder’s conversations ended with one thing. He always told everyone that they needed to take care of their salvation before it came favorable time. And about Russia he said this: “Russia will always be glorious for these virtues and terrible and insurmountable to its enemies, for it also has faith and piety. But the gates of hell will not prevail against this.” From the entire history of our country we see that there is a correspondence between the external fate of our homeland and internal state our people. The people sin - the country perishes. The people repent - the country rises from the ashes.

The events of the 20th and already the 21st centuries already show us that the world is facing destruction. And may the Lord give us all the courage to wake up at least someday. And the sooner the better, in order to understand that people are lost in the darkness of seduction. Then the whole world will need it, and not just us, but the entire universe will need Holy Rus', for without it it is impossible to get out of the quagmire. For many of its sins, Russia follows the path of a fiery and sorrowful cleansing feat. And all the people of our country, the entire Church, every person feel this.

Today, remembering the behests of the saint, I especially want to remember his truly amazing words. He addressed all people “my joy.” He met every person with these words. Nowadays, as soon as you go into the city, you look at the people. People in cars are angry, people in the subway are angry, people on the street are angry. It is very difficult to meet a kind, joyful face. And despite this, in every person, although the enemy calls us to see an enemy, a rival, a hindrance, we need to treat it completely differently, the way the Lord commanded us. Not a single person ever left the saint’s cell without being comforted. I hope that today he will bring our prayers to the Throne of Heaven. And let us all become partakers of Seraphim’s joy.

Bishop Anthony of Voronezh spoke about him like this: “He, like a pound candle, always burns before the Lord, both with his past life on earth and with his present boldness to the Most Holy Trinity. It was in those days when love became scarce in the hearts of people, when faith began to cool among the people, that our Reverend Father Seraphim of Sarov entered the 19th century in an aura of love and holiness. The monk always encouraged everyone by his example to follow the path indicated by Christ. He always called to fight sin and our shortcomings, for the path to the Kingdom of Heaven is difficult, because sin has taken possession of our human nature and spoiled it. We have personal sins, and we also have public sins, when the whole nation sins. There was a time, you all know, when all the people denied God’s anointed and abandoned their pious life. But the Monk Seraphim, knowing all this, already foresaw all this and said that all the same, this too would pass and there would be salvation for everyone. He is like a beacon and a lamp in our lives along this path.

Through the prayers of St. Seraphim of Sarov, our father, Lord, grant us repentance and victory over sin, our sinners, and lead us into the Kingdom of Heaven.

The Monk Seraphim of Sarov was born on July 19, 1754 in the city of Kursk into the pious merchant family of Isidore and Agafy Moshnin. In Holy Baptism he was named Prokhor, in honor of Saint Prokhor, an apostle from the age of 70 (January 4 and August 10). Isidor Moshnin took contracts for the construction of stone buildings; towards the end of his life he began building a church in the name of St. Sergius Radonezhsky in Kursk, but died before the completion of work. For three years, Saint Prokhor lost his father, who bequeathed to his wife to complete the construction of the temple.

From infancy, Saint Prokhor was under the special protection of God's Providence. One day Agafia Moshnina took her son with her to build a temple and he stumbled and fell from the bell tower; but the Lord preserved the life of the future lamp of the Church: the frightened mother, going downstairs, found her son unharmed. Saint Prokhor from childhood loved to visit church services and read the Holy Scriptures and the Menaions, but most of all he loved to pray in solitude.

In his tenth year, Saint Prokhor fell seriously ill; The Mother of God appeared to him in a dream, promising to heal him from his illness. Soon a religious procession with the icon of the Sign of the Most Holy Theotokos passed through the courtyard of the Moshnin estate; the mother brought Saint Prokhor out to venerate the holy icon, after which he quickly recovered.

Even in his adolescence, Saint Prokhor decided to devote his life to serving God and enter a monastery. His mother blessed him for his monastic path with a copper crucifix, which the monk wore on his chest all his life. Not long before, Saint Prokhor and pilgrims set off on foot from Kursk to Kyiv to worship the saints of the Pechersk saints.

The schemamonk elder Dosifei, who was visited by Saint Prokhor, blessed him to go to the Sarov hermitage and save himself there. Returning briefly to his parents' house, Saint Prokhor said goodbye to his mother and relatives forever. On November 20, 1778, he came to Sarov, where the wise elder Father Pachomius was the rector. Having designated the young man as a novice, he appointed Elder Joseph as his confessor. Under the guidance of the elder, Saint Prokhor underwent many monastic obediences: he was a cell attendant, worked in the bakery, prosphora and carpentry shop, carried out the duties of a sexton, and performed everything with zeal and zeal. 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.” .

Following the example of other monks who retired into the forest to pray, Saint Prokhor asked the elder’s blessing to also go into the forest in his free time, where all alone said the Jesus Prayer.

Two years later, the novice Saint Prokhor fell ill with dropsy, his body became swollen, and he experienced severe suffering. The mentor, Father Joseph, and other elders who loved Saint Prokhor looked after him. The illness lasted about three years, and not once did anyone hear a word of grumbling from him. The elders wanted to call a doctor to him, to which Saint Prochorus said to Father Pachomius: “I have given myself, holy father, to the True Physician of souls and bodies - our Lord Jesus Christ and His Most Pure Mother...” - and asked to be given Holy Communion. Tyne. Then Saint Prokhor had a vision: the Mother of God appeared in an indescribable light, accompanied by the holy apostles Peter and John the Theologian. Pointing his hand at the patient, Holy Virgin She 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 that had 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, Solovetsky wonderworkers. Saint Prokhor built the altar for the chapel from cypress wood and always received the Holy Mysteries in this church.

After spending eight years as a novice in the Sarov monastery, he took monastic vows with the name Seraphim (Hebrew - fiery), which so successfully expresses his truly fiery love for God and desire to serve Him zealously. A year later, the Monk Seraphim of Sarov was ordained to the rank of hierodeacon. Burning in spirit, he served in the temple every day. The Lord vouchsafed the monk visions of grace: 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 singing the troparions, the monk said: “Lord, save the pious,” and, standing at the royal doors, pointed the orarion at those praying with the exclamation “and forever and ever,” suddenly a bright ray overshadowed him. Raising his eyes, the Monk Seraphim of Sarov saw the Lord Jesus Christ walking through the air from the western doors of the temple, surrounded by 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 of Sarov, in spiritual delight, 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, the Monk Seraphim of Sarov was ordained to the rank of hieromonk. After the death of the abbot, Father Pachomius, the monk, 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. Your own cell prayer rule St. Seraphim of Sarov performed according to the rules of the ancient desert dwellers; never parted with the Holy Gospel, reading the entire New Testament, also read patristic and liturgical books. Near the cell he planted a vegetable garden and built a beekeeper. Procuring food for himself, the monk kept very strict fast, ate once a day, and on Wednesday and Friday abstained from food. In the first week of Holy Pentecost, he did not take food until Saturday, when he received Holy Communion.

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, having caught the saint in such prayer, withdrew with reverence. For about three years the monk ate only one herb, snitis, 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 blessing of the abbot, the monk stopped access to himself to the laity, and then to 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.

Seeing the saint’s exploits, the devil brought mental warfare upon the saint—a persistent, prolonged temptation. To repel the onslaught of the enemy, the Monk Seraphim of Sarov 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 his hands raised, crying out; "God, be merciful to me, a sinner." During the day, he prayed in his cell on another stone, which he brought from the forest. The saint prayed like this for 1000 days and nights. The devil, disgraced by the monk, planned to kill him and sent robbers. The monk, who was working in the garden, had an ax in his hands, but he did not defend himself, remembering the words of the Lord: “Those who take the sword will perish by the sword” (Matthew 26:52). The robbers beat the saint mercilessly, broke his head, and broke several ribs. 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 painfully, 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. 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 this, the Monk Seraphim of Sarov spent about five months in the monastery, and then again went to the desert cell. Remaining bent over, the monk walked, leaning on a staff or hatchet, but 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. 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, ceasing to visit the monastery on Sundays. The fruit of his great asceticism was the acquisition of peace of soul and joy in the Holy Spirit. The Monk Seraphim of Sarov subsequently said to one of the monks of the monastery: “...my joy, I pray to you, acquire a peaceful spirit, and then thousands of souls will be saved around you.” The new abbot, Father Nifont, suggested that Father Seraphim of Sarov either continue to come to the monastery on Sundays to participate in Divine services, 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 a fifteen-year stay 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 of Sarov was granted special grace-filled gifts from God - clairvoyance and miracle-working. On November 25, 1825, the Mother of God, together with the two saints celebrated on this day - Clement of Rome and Peter of Alexandria - appeared in a dream vision to the elder and commanded him to come out of seclusion.

The Monk Seraphim of Sarov opened the doors of his cell to everyone. The elder saw the hearts of people and, as a spiritual doctor, healed mental and physical illnesses with prayer to God and a word of grace. Those who came to St. Seraphim of Sarov for edification felt him great love and they listened with emotion to the kind 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 a small cell was built for him. When leaving his cell, the elder always carried a knapsack over his shoulders, which contained the Gospel and a load of stones and sand. When asked why he was doing this, the saint humbly answered: “I torment him who torments me.”

IN last period Throughout his life, the Monk Seraphim of Sarov 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 monk to take care of the “Diveyevo orphans.” Disciples and spiritual children 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; Nikolai Alexandrovich Motovilov, also healed by the monk. ON THE. Motovilov recorded the wonderful teaching of St. Seraphim of Sarov about the purpose of Christian life. IN last years In the life of the Monk Seraphim, one person healed by him saw him standing in the air during prayer. The saint strictly forbade talking about this before his death.

Everyone knew and revered St. Seraphim of Sarov as a great ascetic and wonderworker. Since 1831, the monk foreshadowed the upcoming famine to many, and, on his advice, the Sarov monastery made a supply of bread for six years, as a result of which they were saved from famine. A year and nine months before his death, on the Feast of the Annunciation, the Venerable Seraphim of Sarov was once again honored with the appearance of the Queen of Heaven, accompanied by John the Baptist of the Lord, 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”...

The Monk Seraphim began to noticeably weaken and spoke to many about his imminent death. At that 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. On January 1, 1833, the Venerable Seraphim of Sarov came for the last time to the hospital Zosimo-Savvatievskaya Church for the Liturgy and took communion of the Holy Mysteries, 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.

Wanting to give admirers the opportunity to say goodbye to the old man, who was already lying in the coffin, they left the deceased unburied for eight whole days; he lay in the Assumption Cathedral, and at that time thousands of residents from surrounding areas and neighboring provinces flocked to his tomb.

In 1891, a chapel was built over the tomb of St. Seraphim of Sarov. In 1903, the solemn glorification of the great saint of God, St. Seraphim of Sarov, took place. On July 19, the saint’s birthday, his relics were opened with great triumph and placed in a prepared shrine. The long-awaited event was accompanied by many miracles and healings. Very widely revered during his lifetime, St. Seraphim of Sarov becomes one of the most beloved saints of the Russian people.

Word of Hegumen Nikon (Vorobyov) on the day of memory of St. Seraphim of Sarov

In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit!

Today we celebrate the memory of St. Seraphim, the Wonderworker of Sarov. On the night of January 1–2, 1833, he reposed. The Monk Seraphim went to a monastery while still young, went through all the monastic obediences, works, tests, went through all types of monastic life and achieved the greatest spiritual success, worked great miracles, healed the incurable, predicted events that always came true. From afar he saw the state of the human soul. Thus, his contemporary, the great ascetic Georgy Zadonsky, was for a long time tormented by thoughts of leaving his monastery, because people came there and prevented him from concentrating. And then one day a wanderer appears to him and says: “Reverend Seraphim ordered me to tell you how you have been struggling for so long and cannot understand that your thoughts are from the evil one. Stay where you are.” Georgy Zadonsky was very surprised. Then he began to look for this wanderer who had just left. But it turns out that no one like him entered the monastery. Then Georgy Zadonsky realized that it was the Monk Seraphim, who, seeing his state of mind, ordered him to remain in place. There have been cases of its impact on external nature. One evening he ordered the Diveyevo sisters to plant onions, and in the morning he sent them to collect fresh onions and bring them to the Diveyevo monastery. “Father,” the nuns tried to object, “we only planted onions yesterday.” But the Monk Seraphim repeated: “Go, collect the onions and take them to Diveevo.” When they arrived at the garden, the bow was already more than a quarter of an arshin in height. Another time, guests came to his cell, it seems, the bishop, and others with him. The Monk Seraphim ordered the raspberry bush to bloom, bear fruit, and in front of the guests, having collected the raspberries, he treated them.

A bear came to him, which not only did not touch the saint of God and the others present, but one day, on the orders of St. Seraphim, he hastily went into the forest and brought fresh honeycomb honey. So the power of God, the grace of God visibly rested on St. Seraphim and through him worked many miracles.

Visited Rev. Seraphim close person, someone healed, named Motovilov, who from childhood thought about what true Christianity consists of. And then one day the Monk Seraphim, having told him about this thought of his, explained that the goal of a Christian should be to acquire the Holy Spirit, and then showed him how the Holy Spirit, resting in a person, works. They were together in a clearing in the forest. The Monk Seraphim prayed, and his face - as the Gospel says about the glory of the righteous in the Kingdom of God - shone like the sun, so that Motovilov could not look at him. So the Monk Seraphim visibly, clearly, explained to him the action of the Holy Spirit on the human soul and body.

How does spiritual growth occur among these great ascetics? St. Seraphim, like many others, entered a monastery in his youth. Here he underwent all the monastic obediences, which are very necessary for all new entrants. For in the midst of these obediences a person is subjected to all kinds of trials and temptations. Here he must conquer his vanity, his anger, gluttony, he must learn to conquer all sorts of thoughts: unclean thoughts, thoughts of leaving the monastery, and many others - because the devil inflames a person in every possible way, makes monastic life seem unbearably difficult, boring, useless , drives every true Christian out of the monastery. All this needs to be overcome. It is necessary in this environment, among people, to acquire inner prayer, prayer of the heart, i.e. so that she herself constantly acts in the heart. This Jesus Prayer: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner.”

St. Seraphim said: “monks who do not have the unceasing Jesus Prayer are like black brands, they are fruitless and useless.” So it is necessary, while living in a hostel, among monks, in a monastery, to acquire unceasing prayer, which will give the strength to overcome all temptations: both internal and external.

When a person acquires this prayer, he tries to avoid all people if possible. He wants to concentrate within himself, he wants no one to disturb him, therefore in all monasteries, after the abbot, if he is experienced, sees such a state of the monk, sees that he has already developed this prayer, he is allowed to go into solitude. So it was with the Monk Seraphim. Despite the fact that it was very difficult at that time to go into solitude in monasteries, the Lord arranged it in such a way that he was allowed to leave, and for many years he lived alone in a cell at a distance of 5 km from the monastery. Here he achieved high spiritual states.

Here he was subjected to the strongest demonic temptations, like all true ascetics. Demons, sometimes in the form of robbers, sometimes in the form of animals, sometimes in the form of terrible monsters, tried to harm him, frighten him, and drive him out of this desert cell. One day they threw to the monk a ridge of such size that 7 people with great difficulty pulled it out of the cell.

Here, in a deserted forest, he underwent a special test, which was allowed by the Lord to the venerable one (as many other ascetics were allowed) according to next reason. When the ascetics reached high degree perfection, then they had such a fiery love for the Lord, incomprehensible to us, gratitude to Him for the fact that He came to earth to save people with His blood, gratitude for His sacrifice on the cross, which began to give us great spiritual gifts, then this their fiery love could not be quenched by anything other than some special sufferings and deeds, which they asked from the Lord and which they joyfully endured. The Monk Seraphim also carried out heroic deeds, everything that could be accomplished, but, apparently, they could not satisfy the soul of the saint. And according to his, undoubtedly, desire, the Lord allowed him to bear a special heavy cross, like His cross. In the forest, robbers, three peasants, attacked him and demanded money from him. The Monk Seraphim had great physical strength and, having an ax in his hands, could completely freely a large number, not just three, to cope with. But he put the ax on the ground, knelt down and told them that he had no money. Then the robbers grabbed an ax and broke the saint’s skull in many places, then they dragged him to his cell, beat him, trampled his chest, and broke several ribs. The Monk Seraphim was abandoned by them in such a state that in the natural order he should have died.

Only the power of God preserved him. The robbers found nothing in the cell except 2-3 potatoes, after which they ran away in fear. However, they were later found and wanted to be severely punished. But the Monk Seraphim said that if they were punished, he would leave here. At his request, the peasants were left alone. They then sincerely repented and spent the rest of their lives as true Christians.

The Monk Seraphim died 130 years ago, we can say that he is almost our contemporary. And in his time, and before him, and after, many said and say that now it is no longer possible to achieve the states that the ancient ascetics had. The Monk Seraphim showed with his life that this is not true, and he himself said that at any time, until the end of the world, there can be true ascetics, for “Christ is yesterday and today, the same forever.” All that is required of a Christian is the determination to follow the commandments of Christ and the example of His life.

The appearance of the elder’s relics after decades of Soviet atheism became a real miracle

On August 1, the Orthodox Church celebrates the day of the discovery of the relics of the great elder - St. Seraphim of Sarov. His remains were miraculously recovered after decades of Soviet atheism - when they were thought to have been lost forever.

Prophecy

Seraphim of Sarov, in the world Prokhor Moshnin, born in 1753 into a merchant family in the Belgorod province and died at the age of 78, gained popular love during his lifetime, he was honored as an ascetic and miracle worker. According to legend, the Mother of God appeared to the venerable elder 12 times. Most Seraphim lived his life in the Sarov desert, founding the Diveyevo women's monastery nearby. The elder’s ascetic lifestyle endowed him with the gift of foresight. Saint Seraphim knew what troubles awaited Russia in the future, but in addition, he also said that during the years of persecution of the Christian faith, his relics would disappear and would be found only when the faith returned to Russia.

The atheist campaign to destroy the relics of Orthodox saints began in 1918. It was preceded by the Decree on the separation of church and state and the Decree on Land, which deprived the Church of almost all rights. But the Bolsheviks did not stop there: it was very important for them to desacralize objects of religious worship. At the same time, it was prescribed to comply special measures precautions not to provoke believers. Throughout Russia, crayfish and coffins with the remains of saints were opened everywhere. The campaign was openly propaganda in nature. The Bolsheviks proudly reported that the broad working masses, seeing dust, dried garbage or dummies instead of fragrant incorruptible relics, “were freed from religious prejudices.” Despite instructions from above “not to commit sacrilege,” those who interfered with the removal of relics could be shot to kill. Many relics were destroyed during that campaign, some were transferred to atheism museums or repositories. And some have sunk into oblivion. Among them were the relics of St. Seraphim.

Opening

The shrine containing the relics of Seraphim of Sarov was opened on December 17, 1920. The opening of the coffin of the popularly beloved saint caused so much noise that there was even talk of introducing martial law in Sarov. The authorities planned to remove the remains of the saint, but, fearing unrest, they left them in the monastery. The relics of Seraphim of Sarov were displayed without covers, under glass, for everyone to see, to the discontent of believers and local residents: according to Orthodox canons, the relics should be covered.

Relics of St. Seraphim of Sarov in Holy Trinity Seraphim-Diveevo convent

The relics of St. Seraphim of Sarov in the Holy Trinity Seraphim-Diveevo Convent. Photo: Sergey Bobylev/TASS

For several years, the Bolsheviks hatched plans to liquidate the Sarov monastery, and the remains of St. Seraphim greatly interfered with this: the influx of pilgrims into the desert to worship the main Sarov shrine did not stop. Having chosen a good time - early spring, when there was mud on the roads and the peasants were busy preparing for the sowing season, in 1927 the commission employees nevertheless removed the relic from the monastery, and after this they closed the monastery itself. The relics were supposed to be transported to one of the Moscow anti-religious museums. Later, the relics appeared in 1937 in the exhibition of the Central Anti-Religious Museum, and then, apparently, were lost in museum storage.

Phenomenon

In the 40s, during the next inventory of museum property, the relics of the saint were apparently recognized as “not representing cultural value" Someone's caring hand covered the remains of St. Seraphim. So they were accidentally discovered, wrapped in matting, in the archives of the Museum of Atheism in the Kazan Cathedral in St. Petersburg. The act of opening the shrine dated December 17, 1920, drawn up by the Bolshevik commissars, as well as the 1903 documents on the canonization of Seraphim of Sarov, helped to establish the authenticity of the relics.

After the fall of the communist regime, the relics of the venerable elder were transferred to the Church among the first relics returned. Then, at the very beginning of the 90s, this was perceived as nothing less than a miracle. The relic was sent by minibus from Moscow across Russia - through cities large and small. Everywhere along the route this unique procession of the cross was accompanied by a huge number of people. Finally, on August 1, 1991, on the day of remembrance of St. Seraphim of Sarov, his relics were returned to Diveevo - to his native monastery, which he had nurtured. This is how the old man returned home.

I bring to your attention a story His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Rus' on the discovery of the relics of St. Seraphim

The second discovery of the holy relics of St. Seraphim of Sarov took place. He returned to us in days when there was so much contradiction and confrontation in society, and intolerance and enmity among people, the Lord showed us great mercy - the relics of His saint. St. Seraphim taught: “Acquire a peaceful spirit within yourself - and thousands will be saved around you,” greeting everyone at any time of the year: “My joy, Christ is risen!” His joy about the Risen Savior and special evangelical love warmed everyone who came to him.

The appearance of the relics of the monk in our time, when it is so necessary to melt the cold in the hearts of people, is providential. This is another reminder addressed to people about eternity and that the peace born of the Holy Spirit in the heart of a person will extend to those around him.

St. Seraphim of Sarov is especially close to the heart of a believer. Orthodox people it was difficult, impossible to get used to the thought of the loss of his holy relics. This is probably why there were various assumptions that the relics were hidden and buried somewhere.

In 1920, in the city of Temnikov, Tambov province, atheists performed an autopsy of the holy relics of St. Seraphim. The report drawn up during the autopsy described in great detail both the relics themselves and what they were dressed in and on what they rested.

As it has now become clear, the relics were transported from the Donskoy Monastery to the Kazan Cathedral in Leningrad, to the Museum of the History of Religion and Atheism. But, apparently, immediately after arriving at the museum they were covered by someone’s pious hands, because the holy remains were not listed in any inventories or lists.

During the inventory carried out in connection with the decision to return the Kazan Cathedral to the Russian Orthodox Church and the departure of the museum from it, holy relics were found. Sewn into matting, they lay in the museum's storerooms, in one of the rooms of the former sacristy, where the tapestries were kept. When they unrolled the mat, they saw the relics, mittens put on their hands, on one of which was embroidered “Reverend Father Seraphim,” and on the other, “Pray to God for us.” It was impossible to claim that these were the relics of the Sarov wonderworker, based only on this inscription. Therefore, we found the act and documents of the opening of the relics in 1920.

One of these documents states that the relics were removed from the monastery for their destruction or exhibition in a museum. That is, the threat of destruction of the holy relics of St. Seraphim was quite real. But by the Providence of God, evil was turned into good, and everything worked out in such a way that a document was drawn up by the hands of atheists, describing in great detail the relics of the saint after their opening in the twentieth year.

A special commission found that the relics found in the Kazan Cathedral fully corresponded to the description of the relics of St. Seraphim of Sarov.

When there was no longer any doubt about the authenticity of the holy relics, they were solemnly installed in the Trinity Cathedral of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra and opened for veneration. A month later, in February, the relics were transported to Moscow, to the Epiphany Cathedral. As soon as the relics of St. Seraphim were found, it became clear that they needed to be transferred to Diveevo. The monk himself, shortly before his death, in conversations with N.A. Motovilov said that with his flesh he would lie not in Sarov, but in Diveevo. After his death and subsequent glorification in 1903, the relics of the saint, of course, remained in the Sarov Hermitage. And only now is this prophecy of the wondrous old man coming true.

When deciding on the transfer of the holy relics of St. Seraphim, the idea of ​​a religious procession from Moscow to Diveevo arose. But it would take two months to implement it. The religious procession can cover no more than 15 kilometers per day. This means that it is necessary to set up tent camps and food points every 15 kilometers. Moreover, we could not whole month close traffic on the highway that leads to Nizhny Novgorod and Kazan. Therefore, the Holy Synod decided the issue of transferring the relics differently. On July 22, 1991, a solemn all-night vigil was held in the Epiphany Patriarchal Cathedral, and the next day, July 23, a Divine Liturgy and prayer service. On this day, Moscow said goodbye to the relics of St. Seraphim. After the prayer service, the procession proceeded to the Church of Nikita the Martyr. From there, in a cancer car with the relics of the saint, she headed to the city of Voznesensk (now Noginsk) in the Moscow region, and then through Orekhovo-Zuevo, Vladimir, Nizhny Novgorod and Arzamas - to Diveevo. In all these cities, two or three kilometers from the cathedral, the relics were met by a procession of the cross. Then they were carried into the temple and remained there until the next day.

Our Church has gone through severe trials, hundreds of thousands of martyrs and confessors testified their loyalty to holy Orthodoxy with their blood. But even now we are going through difficult times. Although churches are opening, spiritual life is gradually resuming - this renewal is forced to fight the lack of spirituality and coldness in which we have lived for decades.

In it Time of Troubles The Lord strengthens us. Shrines are being returned, including the relics of the blessed Prince Alexander Nevsky, Saints Pitirim of Tambov, Innocent of Irkutsk, Joasaph of Belgorod, Saints Zosima, Savvaty and Herman of Solovetsky. Special place is occupied by the acquisition of the relics of St. Seraphim of Sarov.

St. Seraphim was the bearer of a special, inherent Seraphim joy, and his joy was transmitted to the people who came into contact with him. Finding the holy relics of St. Seraphim was received in a special way by all believing people. Both in the Trinity Cathedral of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra and in the Epiphany Patriarchal Cathedral in Moscow, the flow of pilgrims did not stop. People came from different cities and villages, in groups and alone, to venerate the holy relics and light a candle. I think that the discovery of the relics of the saint and their transfer to Diveevo should unite the Russian people today and encourage them to achieve peace in their souls and reconciliation in society, and help the revival of faith and Orthodoxy.

"Moscow Church Bulletin". 1991, No. 14 (59)

PS: glare in the photo?

ZZY: Today in Sarov the Patriarch will lay the first stone in the foundation of the temple that will be restored, the Dormition of the Mother of God. It was blown up during times of godlessness.