On 1 August, the day of the uncovering of the holy relics of Venerable Seraphim of Sarov, a festal service — the Divine Liturgy — was held at Saint Alexius Cathedral. The All-Night Vigil was served on the eve.
The services were celebrated by the rector of the cathedral, Priest Igor Babakov.
At the end of the Divine Liturgy the rector greeted everyone on the feast.
The Uncovering of the Relics of Venerable Seraphim of Sarov:
On 1 August 1903 there took place one of those events that never cease to stir people’s hearts — the canonization of Venerable Seraphim of Sarov, seventy years after his repose. On the saint’s birthday his relics were uncovered with great solemnity and placed in a reliquary prepared for them. This long-awaited event was accompanied by many miraculous healings of the sick, who had come to Sarov in great numbers. Widely venerated even during his lifetime, Venerable Seraphim became one of the most beloved saints of the Orthodox Russian people, just like Venerable Sergius of Radonezh.
After the blessed repose of the elder in 1833, his memory was carefully preserved among the faithful. Accounts and traditions of his life and spiritual struggles were preserved for us by the sisters of the Diveyevo convent, as well as by his ardent admirer N. A. Motovilov, who recorded the great elder’s conversation on the acquisition of the Holy Spirit as the chief aim of the Christian life.
The spiritual path of Venerable Seraphim is marked by the great modesty characteristic of Russian saints. Chosen by God from childhood, the ascetic of Sarov ascended without hesitation or doubt from strength to strength in his striving for spiritual perfection. Eight years of labours as a novice and eight years of serving in church as a hierodeacon and hieromonk, life in the wilderness and pillar-standing, seclusion and silence follow one another and are crowned by eldership. Feats far exceeding natural human capacities (for example, prayer on a stone for a thousand days and nights) entered the saint’s life harmoniously and simply.
The mystery of living prayerful communion defines the spiritual legacy of Venerable Seraphim, but he left the Church yet another treasure — brief but beautiful instructions, written down partly by himself and partly by those who heard them. Shortly before the saint’s glorification, “The Conversation of Venerable Seraphim of Sarov on the Aim of the Christian Life” was found and printed in 1903; the conversation had taken place at the end of November 1831, a little over a year before his repose. This conversation became the ascetic’s most precious contribution to the treasury of Russian patristic teaching. Besides the teaching on the essence of the Christian life, it contains a new explanation of many of the most important passages of Holy Scripture.
The glorification of this saint of God became one of the great and joyful events, for strong is his prayer before the Throne of the Most High.
For a century now Venerable Seraphim has been glorified and extolled by the Church among the saints of God, and his holy relics are open for veneration by all the people. The holy elder is venerated by the faithful as one of the greatest ascetics of the holy Russian Orthodox Church, who already in his lifetime acquired from the Lord the gift of working miracles and healings, and who after his repose does not abandon all who ask for his help and intercession.
