Uncovering of the Relics (1903) of Venerable Seraphim of Sarov*

“Who am I to have my image painted?  The image of God and the saints are depicted, we are but sinful people” – St Seraphim of Sarov.

It was only in deference to his followers that Saint Seraphim of Sarov allowed his portrait to be painted. Some forty miles from the busy commercial center of New York City, next to the town of Nanuet, is the convent of Novo-Diveevo. There one can find an original portrait of Saint Seraphim of Sarov, painted during his lifetime. He is depicted as an elderly man, leaning on a staff, prayer beads in the other hand, his face bright, with unforgettable eyes.

People who have seen this portrait say that his gaze seems to pass right through their soul, illuminating its dark corners. Having prayed before this portrait, I can attest to the validity of this experience. One cannot be indifferent to the warmth and kindness the portrait exudes. Hunched slightly from the burden of many years and the numerous cares and prayers, the elder continues to compassionately intercede for all those who approach him with faith and humility.

When Saint Seraphim of Sarov was canonized in Diveevo Convent, the last Russian Emperor and his family prayed before his image. During the Soviet years of the destruction of Diveevo, this portrait was taken to Kiev, then to Pokrov Church in Podolsk. In 1943, the portrait was miraculously saved and brought to the city of Lodz, then given to Protopriest Adrian (Rimarenko), the Rector of Berlin’s Resurrection Cathedral. During the terrible bombardment of that city, the image was again miraculously left unharmed. Parishioners returning after the night-time bombings saw that an incendiary bomb had crashed through the dome and fallen into the area which contained the portrait.

A plashchanitsa [burial shroud] and this painting, which lay atop it, were burning, together with a series of icons of Saints Gury, Samon and Aviv. The fire was quickly extinguished, and the faithful saw that neither the plashchanitsa nor the portrait of Saint Seraphim were damaged, though everything else in the area burned. There was no end to their joy!

The founder of Novo-Diveevo Conent in America, Fr Adrian, was a student of the last two elders of Optina—Anatoly the Younger and Nektary. In 1930, Fr Adrian was imprisoned. His flock prayed for him day and night. When Batiushka (Father) was summoned by the prosecutor for questioning, from which no one ever emerged alive, the prosecutor himself was suddenly arrested. A miracle!

By the end of the war, Fr Adrian and his flock had made their way to America, and this miraculous image joined them. Life in the New World was very difficult. There was no money, there was no place to conduct divine services, there was no place to live, and it was nothing but the fervent prayers before this image that gave them hope that everything would be alright. And then a miracle happened.

An abandoned property belonging to a Roman Catholic monastery was being offered for sale in the town of Spring Valley, New York. The offer included a stipulation that the property preserve its sacred purpose by a new owner. An Orthodox convent fulfilled this requirement, but the Russian Orthodox faithful did not yet have even the small sum needed for the purchase. Once again the prayers of the faithful did not go unheard. Mr. K. N. Maleev, an elderly bachelor who was in need of care, who lived in America for many years, donated half the money. He found the attention he needed at the convent. A bank provided the rest in the form of a loan. And so with God’s help and with the tireless prayers of Fr Adrian and the believers, the convent acquired its own land, and construction began on Novo-Diveevo Convent.

A church on the property was refurbished to Orthodox style and was dedicated to the Dormition of the Most-Holy Mother of God. In a few years, the church was no longer able to accommodate all the worshipers, so it was decided to build another church dedicated to Saint Seraphim of Sarov. 

Despite the fact that the number of nuns has significantly diminished, the convent continues to serve as an important Orthodox spiritual center. As always, divine services are consistently conducted, there is a senior citizen home, and many people continue to make pilgrimages. On a visit to the convent today, one can pray before the same miracle-working image of Saint Seraphim in the church of the Dormition. The church of Saint Seraphim contains an Icon of the Vladimir Mother of God from Optina Hermitage (a gift from Saints Anatoly and Nektary of Optina to the city of Kiev) and also a Cross from Ipatiev House in Ekaterinburg where the Royal Family was martyred.

Time moves inexorably forward, people change, epochs shift. One thing remains constant, the image of Saint Seraphim of Sarov protects and supports all those who turn to him.**

*Commemoration on August 1st (Julian Calendar)
**Excerpts taken from Pravoslavniy Palomnik

from WordPress http://ift.tt/2aBxxga
via IFTTT