St. Alexandra of Diveyevo

Joyous feast!

Today we commemorate St. Alexandra (Melgunova), founder and first abbess of the Diveyevo Monastery of the Holy Trinity. Born a noblewoman in Ryazan, early in her marriage St. Alexandra (then named Agafia) was widowed and decided to dedicate her life to God, becoming a nun at St. Florus' Monastery in Kiev.

After receiving visions from the Mother of God and the death of her only child St. Alexandra moved from Kiev to Diveyevo, where she began the building of the monastery with funds from the sale of her lands. The first cells for the future sisterhood were built around the Monastery's Church of the Kazan Icon with the blessing of the Sarov elders, among them St. Seraphim of Sarov.

After Mother Alexandra's repose St. Seraphim told pilgrims to visit her grave and ask for her prayers, prophesying the later uncovering of her relics and her glorification by the Russian Orthodox Church. Of the Saint he said, "She was a great woman, a saint; her eyes were fountains of tears, her humility was inscrutable, her prayers to God were pure, and her love for everyone was unfeigned!"

More on St. Alexandra's life can be found here. May her blessing and prayers be with us all!

St. Seraphim of Sarov

Joyous feast! С праздником!

Today we celebrate the memory of our Holy Father Seraphim of Sarov, a light to many both during his life and after his death. Books could (and have) been written about his life and the many wonders St. Seraphim has worked, so I won't attempt a summary here.

For those interested an account of St. Seraphim's life can be found here. May his blessing and prayers be with us all!

Icon of the Mother of God 'the Tender-Feeling'

Joyous feast! The Icon of the Mother of God 'the Tender-feeling' (Умиление in Russian) was treasured by St. Seraphim of Sarov, who prayed before it daily in his cell and anointed the sick and suffering who came to him with oil from the lampada that burned before it. St. Seraphim called this depiction of the Mother of God both the 'Tender-feeling' and the 'Joy of All Joys.'

After St. Seraphim reposed while praying before the Tender-feeling Icon it was given by Abbot Niphont of the Sarov Monastery to St. Seraphim's spiritual daughters at the Diveyevo Monastery of the Trinity, where it is treasured to this day by the sisterhood and enshrined on the south side of the nave. (St. Seraphim now rests on the north side of the nave.)

May the Mother of God's protection and intercessions be with us all!

Site for Future Cathedral Blessed in Diveyevo

Archbishop George (Danilov) of Nizhniy Novgorod has blessed the ground for the construction of a new cathedral at the Diveyevo Monastery that will be dedicated to the Annunciation of the Mother of God. The site of the future cathedral was originally occupied by a church built by the Monastery's sisterhood in disobedience to St. Seraphim that was subsequently destroyed during the Soviet era. More here.

Metropolitan Jonah Leads Festal Services in Diveyevo

This morning Metropolitan Jonah (Paffhausen) of Washington of the American Orthodox Church concelebrated the festal Divine Liturgy for St. Seraphim's day with Archbishop George of Nizhniy Novgorod and a number of other hierarchs and clergy of the Russian and American Orthodox Churches. More here.

St. Seraphim of Sarov

Joyous feast! С праздником! I remember planning a pilgrimage to the Diveyevo Monastery while I was studying in Nizhniy Novgorod out of a sense of duty. I had prayed to St. Seraphim for years and suddenly I was living a bus trip away from his relics, so of course I had to go venerate them. The Monastery was beautiful, the abundance of relics of the various righteous from the Monastery impressive, and the fervor of the other pilgrims impressive.

But what really struck me was St. Seraphim himself. I walked into Holy Trinity Cathedral (where his relics rest) with a divided and troubled heart, having not really prayed for days (possibly weeks) and not expecting anything particularly noteworthy, and was suddenly hit by a wave of peace and...presence. St. Seraphim was there. I wasn't even sure where his relics were for a moment, but I knew he was there.

I struggle and I doubt, but I cannot doubt the realness of Orthodoxy. It has its problems and its failings, but I've experienced the joy of Pascha and felt it in the living presence of a monk who died 178 years ago. How can I not believe? I hope and pray that St. Seraphim's blessings, and most especially his joy and his peace, are with you today.

More on St. Seraphim's life can be found here.

Metropolitan Jonah Visits Diveyevo

Metropolitan Jonah (Paffhausen) of Washington of the American Orthodox Church is on a visit the Diveyevo Monastery in Russia, founded by spiritual daughters of St. Seraphim of Sarov and home to his relics. More here.

Pictured is the Diveyevo Monastery.

Quote of the Day: St. Seraphim of Sarov

My joy, I beg of you, acquire the Spirit of peace! That means to bring oneself to such a state that our spirit will not be disturbed by anything. For one must go through many sorrows to enter the Kingdom of Heaven...

Quote of the Day: St. Seraphim of Sarov

"In spite of our sinfulness, in spite of the darkness surrounding our souls, the grace of the Holy Spirit, conferred by baptism in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, still shines in our hearts with the inextinguishable light of Christ...and when the sinner turns to the way of repentance the light smooths away every trace of the sins committed, clothing the former sinner in the garments of incorruption, spun of the grace of the Holy Spirit."