Seraphim and Cherubim. In St. Petersburg - rejuvenation of episcopal cadres

Seraphim (Amelchenkov)
(born 1985), Bishop of Istrinsky, Vicar of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, Chairman of the Synodal Department for Youth Affairs, member of the Supreme Church Council and the Inter-Council Presence of the Russian Orthodox Church in the World Amelchenkov Vladimir Leonidovich, born April 25, 1985 in the city Smolensk.

In 2002 he entered the Smolensk Theological Seminary, the full course of which he completed in 2004.

In 2003 he entered Smolensk State University, Faculty of History, from which he graduated in 2009.

In 2004 he entered the Moscow Theological Academy, from which he graduated in 2006 with a candidate of theology degree, having defended his dissertation on the topic “ The Smolensk Diocese during the Great Patriotic War

«.

In 2006 he became a teacher at the Smolensk Theological Seminary.

In 2007, he was appointed secretary of the Smolensk diocesan administration and diocesan council.

On April 22, 2008, he was tonsured a monk with the name in honor of the Hieromartyr Seraphim (Ostroumov), Archbishop of Smolensk in the Assumption Cathedral of the city of Smolensk by Metropolitan Kirill (Gundyaev) of Smolensk.
On April 27 of the same year he was ordained to the rank of hierodeacon in the same cathedral by the same bishop, and on June 15 - to the rank of hieromonk.

On July 12, 2008, he was appointed rector of the Church of St. John the Baptist in the city of Smolensk.

In 2010, at the Bryansk State University named after academician I. G. Petrovsky, he defended his dissertation for the degree of candidate of historical sciences on the topic “ The impact of the Russian Orthodox Church on the social sphere of society during the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945.” (Based on materials from the Smolensk region)

«.

On April 30, 2012, he was appointed rector of the memorial church in honor of the Resurrection of Christ next to the Katyn memorial near the village of Kozyi Gory, Smolensk district, Smolensk region [1].

Since July 2014 - employee of the Moscow Patriarchate Administration. On July 22 of that year, he was relieved of the positions of secretary of the Smolensk diocesan administration (with an expression of gratitude for many years of conscientious work on this obedience) and rector of the Smolensk Church of St. John the Baptist [2].

On March 9, 2015, he was appointed to the position of executive secretary of the Moscow Patriarchate Administration.

In 2014-2017, he studied for a doctorate at the Christian Theological Academy in Warsaw, Poland, after which he defended his dissertation for the degree of Doctor of Theology on the topic “ Swiety meczennik Serafin (Ostroumow), arcybiskup smolenski oraz jego duszpasterstwo w Polsce i Rosji

» («
Hieromartyr Seraphim (Ostroumov), Archbishop of Smolensk and his pastoral ministry in Poland and Russia
«).

On May 4, 2021, he was elected Bishop of Lyubertsy, Vicar of His Holiness the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus', and appointed Chairman of the Synodal Department for Youth Affairs of the Russian Orthodox Church [3] and at the same time became a member of the Supreme Church Council of the Russian Orthodox Church ex officio.

On May 10 of the same year, he was elevated to the rank of archimandrite by Metropolitan Barsanuphius (Sudakov) of St. Petersburg and Ladoga in the Church of All Saints who shone forth in the Russian Land, Danilov Stavropegic Monastery in Moscow [4].

On May 22, 2021, he was appointed rector of the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary - the patriarchal metochion on Krutitsy in Moscow in connection with his appointment as chairman of the department of youth affairs [5].

On June 3 of the same year he was named, and on June 4 he was consecrated Bishop of Lyubertsy, Vicar of His Holiness the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'. The consecration in the Assumption Cathedral of the Holy Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius was led by Patriarch Kirill, co-served by Metropolitans: Isidore (Tupikin) of Smolensk, George of Kitra (Chrysostomou) (Greek Orthodox Church), Archbishops: Evgeniy (Reshetnikov) of Vereisky, Seraphim (Melkonyan) of Kaliningrad, Sergiev Posadsky Theognost (Guzikov) and Solnechnogorsk Sergius (Chashin) [6].

On July 14, 2021, he was appointed Bishop of Peterhof, vicar of the St. Petersburg diocese and rector of St. Petersburg theological schools with the dismissal of the chairman of the Synodal Department for Youth Affairs.

On October 15, 2021, he was included in the commission on theology and theological education of the Interconciliar Presence of the Russian Orthodox Church [7].

On July 9, 2021, he was transferred to the department of Bishop of Istrinsky, vicar of the Moscow diocese and appointed chairman of the Synodal Department for Youth Affairs with release from the rectorship of St. Petersburg theological schools [8].

Bishop of Istra Seraphim

Chairman of the Synodal Department for Youth Affairs

Date of birth: April 25, 1985

Name day – December 8

• Episcopal consecration – June 4, 2021
• Priestly consecration – June 15, 2008
• Diaconal ordination – April 27, 2008
• Monastic tonsure - April 22, 2008

Education

• Smolensk Theological Seminary (2004)
• Moscow Theological Academy (PhD in Theology) (2006)
• Smolensk State University (PhD in History) (2009)
• Christian Theological Academy in Warsaw (Doctor of Theology) (2017)

Academic degree

• candidate of theology
• Candidate of Historical Sciences
• doctor of theology

Academic title

• assistant professor

Biography

Bishop Seraphim of Istra (Amelchenkov Vladimir Leonidovich) was born on April 25, 1985 in Smolensk. After graduating from school in 2002, he entered the Smolensk Theological Seminary, from which he graduated in 2004. In 2003 he entered Smolensk State University, Faculty of History, from which he graduated in 2009. In 2004 he entered the Moscow Theological Academy, from which he graduated in 2006 with a candidate of theology degree, having defended his dissertation on the topic “The Smolensk Diocese during the Great Patriotic War.”

In 2006 he was appointed teacher at the Smolensk Theological Seminary. He also taught at the Smolensk Interdiocesan Theological School. Over the years, he taught the following disciplines: dogmatic theology, history of the Russian Orthodox Church, history of Local Orthodox Churches, history of Western confessions. In 2007, he was appointed secretary of the Smolensk diocesan administration. He was the secretary of the Diocesan Council of the Smolensk diocese.

On April 22, 2008, in the Holy Dormition Cathedral of Smolensk, Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad, now His Holiness the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus', was tonsured a monk with the name Seraphim in honor of the holy martyr Seraphim, Archbishop of Smolensk. On April 27, 2008, on the feast of Holy Easter, in the Holy Dormition Cathedral of Smolensk, Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk ordained him to the rank of hierodeacon. On June 15, 2008, on the feast of Pentecost, in the Holy Dormition Cathedral of Smolensk, Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk ordained him to the rank of hieromonk.

On July 12, 2008, he was appointed rector of the Church of St. John the Baptist in Smolensk.

On May 5, 2010, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus' was awarded the pectoral cross.

In 2010, at Bryansk State University. Academician I.G. Petrovsky defended his dissertation for the degree of candidate of historical sciences on the topic “The impact of the Russian Orthodox Church on the social sphere of society during the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945. (Based on materials from the Smolensk region).”

On April 30, 2012, he was appointed rector of the memorial church in honor of the Resurrection of Christ in Katyn, where he organized parish life. In the same year, for the holiday of Holy Easter, he was awarded the right to carry a club.

Since July 2014 - employee of the Moscow Patriarchate Administration. On March 9, 2015, he was appointed to the position of executive secretary of the Moscow Patriarchate Administration.

On July 25-31, 2021, as part of the official delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church, he took part in World Youth Days in Krakow.

In 2014-2017, he studied for a doctorate at the Christian Theological Academy in Warsaw, after which he defended his dissertation for the degree of Doctor of Theology on the topic “Święty męczennik Serafin (Ostroumow), arcybiskup smoleński oraz jego duszpasterstwo w Polsce i Rosji” (“The Hieromartyr Seraphim ( Ostroumov), Archbishop of Smolensk and his pastoral ministry in Poland and Russia”).

By the decision of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church of May 4, 2017 (magazine No. 30), he was elected Bishop of Lyubertsy, Vicar of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus', and appointed to the position of Chairman of the Synodal Department for Youth Affairs.

On May 10, 2021, in the church in honor of All Saints, in the Russian land who shone forth, the Patriarchal residence in the Danilov Monastery in Moscow, the manager of the affairs of the Moscow Patriarchate, Metropolitan Barsanuphius of St. Petersburg and Ladoga, was elevated to the rank of archimandrite.

On June 3, 2021, after the all-night vigil, in the Throne Hall of the Patriarchal Chambers of the Holy Trinity Sergius Lavra he was named bishop. On June 4, 2021, on the Feast of Pentecost, he was ordained bishop during the Divine Liturgy in the Assumption Cathedral of the Holy Trinity Lavra of Sergius. The naming and consecration was led by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus'.

From May 2021 to July 2021, then from July 9, 2021 - member of the Supreme Church Council of the Russian Orthodox Church.

From May 22, 2021 to July 28, 2021, then from July 16, 2021 - rector of the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary - Patriarchal Metochion on Krutitsy, Moscow.

On July 17, 2021, he was included in the Inter-Council Presence of the Russian Orthodox Church, in the commission for church education and diakonia, and from October 15, 2021, transferred to the commission for theology and theological education (Synod Journal No. 80).

From March 1, 2021 to April 28, 2021 – Head of the Department of Theology (from 02/20/2020 of History of Religion, World Cultures and Theology) of the Faculty of Humanities of the Russian State Social University, where he teaches a course in dogmatic theology as an associate professor.

During his work as Chairman of the Synodal Department for Youth Affairs, the following was accomplished:

• the Coordination Center for Youth Work in the Northwestern Federal District (moved to St. Petersburg, July 6, 2017) and the Coordination Center for Youth Work in the North Caucasus Federal District (moved to Stavropol, October 17, 2017) were reorganized;
• II Orthodox youth workshop “How to talk about your faith or the mission of youth among young people” (Smolensk, August 4-6, 2017), III Orthodox youth workshop “Knowing about God and knowing God: learning to pray and talk about prayer” (agrotourism complex “ Bogdarnya" Vladimir region, 19-22.10.2017), International youth communication forum MediaPost, headed by Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Kirill (Moscow, RGSU, 10-11.10.2017); All-Russian Festival of Youth Achievements “Grave the Fatherland - 2017” (Moscow, Cathedral of Christ the Savior, November 15, 2017), Congress (the first in five years) of the All-Church Orthodox Youth Movement “Rethinking and Development of Youth Work” (Moscow, RGSU, January 25, 2018);
• a presentation and methodological album “Glorifying the Fatherland” was published, which presents modern and relevant youth projects, describes the best implemented works and gives methodological recommendations for their implementation and dissemination in the dioceses of the Russian Orthodox Church;
• together with the RGSU, a methodological and practical collection “Theory and practice of working with representatives of youth subcultures” was prepared and published (11/27/2017), the development of the document “Pastoral recommendations for parish work with youth involved in subcultures” began;
• documents have been developed: “Recommended annual plan for diocesan youth events, implemented by youth councils together with diocesan departments for youth affairs” (approved and adopted by the Supreme Church Council on February 28, 2018), “Approximate annual plan for youth events, recommended for implementation by the diocese in higher educational institutions” (approved and adopted by the Supreme Church Council on 03/16/2018), “Recommendations for the interaction of dioceses of the Russian Orthodox Church with higher educational institutions” (approved by the Supreme Church Council on 03/16/2018, approved by the Holy Synod on 05/14/2018, magazine No. 30);
• prepared by the III International Orthodox Youth Forum “The Past. The present. The Future”, which took place on August 23, 2018 in Moscow at the VDNKh site.

At the Congress of the All-Church Orthodox Youth Movement on January 25, 2018, he was unanimously elected chairman of this organization.

He took part in the XIX World Festival of Youth and Students in Sochi on October 14-22, 2017, during which he made a report “Globalism and Religion” at the panel discussion “World Culture: Global Challenges”.

05.11-16.2018 led the youth delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church at the 39th youth pilgrimage to the holy Mount Grabarka in Poland.

By the decision of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church of July 14, 2021 (journal No. 48), he was appointed rector of the St. Petersburg Theological Academy, vicar of the St. Petersburg diocese with the title “Peterhof” and relieved of the post of chairman of the Synodal Department for Youth Affairs.

From July 31, 2021 to July 9, 2021 - member of the Council of Rectors of Higher Education Institutions of St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Region.

On September 24, 2021, he was elected as a member of the Academic Council of the Military Medical Academy (St. Petersburg), where he served until July 9, 2021.

October 15, 2021 (Synod Journal No. 94) included in the Interdepartmental Coordination Group for the Teaching of Theology in Universities. On March 11, 2021, he joined the updated composition of this group (Synod Journal No. 23).

On December 8, 2021, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus' approved the rank of associate professor.

Since January 23, 2021 - member of the Joint Doctoral Dissertation Council of the Moscow Theological Academy, St. Petersburg Theological Academy and Minsk Theological Academy.

From April 4 to August 30, 2021, by decision of the Holy Synod (journals No. 33, 108), he was co-chairman of the Working Group on cooperation of the Russian Orthodox Church with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland.

During his work as rector of the St. Petersburg Theological Academy, the following was accomplished:

• received state accreditation of the master's program in the field of study on April 48, 2001. – Theology (Rosobrnadzor order No. 1487 of October 31, 2018);
• a package of documents has been prepared for obtaining accreditation of graduate school in the direction 48.06.01 – Theology;
• On November 8, 2018, the Student Council was created as an advisory body under the rector;
• On December 12-14, 2018, a scheduled inspection was completed by the commission of the Educational Committee of the Russian Orthodox Church, as a result of which the St. Petersburg Theological Academy confirmed first place in the ranking of theological educational institutions;
• On January 22, 2019, a new scientific and educational project “Society for the Study of Church Law” began to function on the basis of the Academy;
• On January 24, 2019, the Student Liturgical Society was created at the Academy with the goal of in-depth study of the liturgical life of the Church in theological, historical and practical aspects;
• On 01/25/2019, the “Interuniversity Coordination Center” was created at the Academy, designed to become a platform for organizing joint scientific, educational, educational, cultural and sports activities with universities and academic institutes of St. Petersburg and Russia;
• representatives of the Academy became members of the Scientific and Methodological Council of the Association for the Promotion of Spiritual and Moral Education “Pokrov” - a platform that unites 29 universities in St. Petersburg;
• cooperation agreements were signed with Novgorod State University named after Yaroslav the Wise (11/22/2018), with the North-Western Institute of Management of the Russian Academy of National Economy and Public Administration under the President of the Russian Federation (11/23/2018), a memorandum of mutual cooperation was also concluded with the National Center for Manuscripts Georgia (06/13/2019), an agreement was signed with the Presidential Library. B.N. Yeltsin on the organization of access to the electronic library collection at the Academy;
• The book collections of the late professor Gelian Mikhailovich Prokhorov and associate professor Natalya Yuryevna Sakharova were transferred to the Academy library.

On March 25, 2019, at Moscow State University, he took part in the International Scientific Forum “Universities, Society and the Future of Humanity”, and within its framework, in the meeting of the Congress of the Russian Union of Rectors.

Organized a trip to Poland for the male choir of the St. Petersburg Theological Academy to participate in the XXXVIII International Festival “Gainovka Days of Church Music 2019” in Gainovka on May 6-11, 2019, where they took second place in the category of academic choirs.

He taught pastoral theology at the Academy at the bachelor's level and a special course on the history of Russian rhetoric at the second year of the master's program. Was a mentor for 1st year undergraduate students. He was the editor-in-chief and member of the editorial board of the scientific journal of St. Petersburg National Academy of Sciences "Christian Reading" (included in the list of journals reviewed by the Higher Attestation Commission), editor-in-chief of the scientific journal of St. Petersburg National Academy of Sciences "Theologia Christiana Academica", as well as a member of the editorial boards of the scientific journals of St. Petersburg National Academy of Sciences "Bulletin of the Historical Society", " Proceedings of the Department of Theology”, “Proceedings and Translations”, “Russian-Byzantine Bulletin”, “Current Issues of Church Science”.

By the decision of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church of July 9, 2019 (magazine No. 73), he was appointed chairman of the Synodal Department for Youth Affairs, vicar of His Holiness the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' with the title “Istra” and relieved of his post as rector of the St. Petersburg Theological Academy with an expression of gratitude for the labor incurred.

On August 21, 2021, he was included in the editorial board of the scientific journals of St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences “Christian Reading”, “Bulletin of the Historical Society of St. Petersburg Theological Academy”, “Russian-Byzantine Bulletin”, “Works and Translations”.

Since September 9, 2021 - full member of the Imperial Orthodox Palestine Society.

On September 23, 2021, he was awarded the Makariev Prize for his work “Pastoration of the Hieromartyr Seraphim (Ostroumov), Archbishop of Smolensk in Poland and Russia.”

Since November 12, 2021 - member of the Public Council under the Federal Agency for Youth Affairs. On December 8, 2021, the Holy Synod approved for general church liturgical use the troparion, kontakion and prayer to the holy martyr Seraphim, Archbishop of Smolensk (magazine No. 99), compiled by Bishop Seraphim (Amelchenkov) of Istra.

Main scientific works and publications

Monographs:

1. Smolensk diocese during the Great Patriotic War. - Smolensk, 2006. - 192 p.: ill.
2. Theological education in Russia: Smolensk Theological Seminary. Historical sketch. 1728-2008. - Smolensk, 2010. - 352 p.: ill.
3. Russian Orthodox Church and society during the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945 (based on materials from the Smolensk region). - Smolensk: Scroll, 2012. - 256 p.: ill.
4. Dear faith, love and truth. Historical sketch of the life and ministry of Hieromartyr Seraphim (Ostroumov), Archbishop of Smolensk and Dorogobuzh, 1880-1937. - Smolensk: Scroll, 2012. - 304 p.: ill.
5. Pastoration of the Hieromartyr Seraphim (Ostroumov), Archbishop of Smolensk in Poland and Russia. ― Smolensk: Scroll, 2021. ― 416 p.: ill.
6. Polski i rosyjski wymiar duszpasterstwa świętego męczennika Serafina (Ostroumowa), arcybiskupa smoleńskiego, Warszawska Metropolia Prawosławna, Warszawa 2021, s. 334.
7. Communicative culture of the Russian Orthodox Church in the information space of modern Russia: monograph. – M.: RGSU Publishing House, 2021. – 125 p.

Main articles (over the last five years):

1. Smolensk Theological Seminary in the first half of the 19th century // Religious education in Russia and Europe in the 19th century. - St. Petersburg: Publishing House of the Russian Christian Humanitarian Academy, 2014.
2. Religious factor in the development of Polish-Russian cultural relations // Russia and the West: Dialogue of Cultures: collection of articles / Moscow State University. — M.: Center for the Study of Interaction of Cultures, 2015.
3. Pastor counseling experience of saint martyr Seraphin (Ostroumov), archbishop of Smolensk, [w:] “Rocznik Teologiczny”, Warszawa 2021, LVIII (1).
4. Theological education in the Russian seminary in the second half of the 19th century: Smolensk Theological Seminary // Religious education in Russia and in Europe at the end of the 19th - beginning of the 20th century. ― St. Petersburg: Publishing House of the Russian Christian Humanitarian Academy, 2021.
5. Hieromartyr Archbishop Seraphim (Ostroumov) as the patron of the reconciliation of the peoples of Poland and Russia // Russia and the West: Dialogue of Cultures: collection of articles of the XIX International Conference on March 22-23, 2017, issue 19, part I / Moscow State University. ― M.: Center for the Study of Interaction of Cultures, 2021.
6. Solidarity between pastor and people in an era of change. “Open letter to the Moscow clergy” sschmch. Seraphim (Ostroumov), Bishop of Belsky April 18/May 1, 1917 // Theology: a meeting of East and West. Proceedings of the Department of Theology of the Russian State University of Social Sciences. – St. Petersburg: Aletheia, 2021.
7. Orthodoxy: trajectories of movement of spiritual and moral boundaries // Religious freedoms in the world. The path to dialogue: materials of the international conference. – M.: Lawyer, 2021.
8. Burgomaster B. G. Menshagin and the revival of the Orthodox Church in the Smolensk region during the German occupation of 1941–1943. // Christian reading. 2021. No. 5.
9. Orthodox culture in the information space of modern Russia // Bulletin of Culture and Arts. 2021. No. 3 (59). pp. 39-46.
10. The modern world and the contradictions of religious communication // Knowledge. Understanding. Skill. 2021. No. 1.
11. Decree Unitatis redintegratio: a view from the Russian Orthodox Church 55 years after its announcement, [w:] „Rocznik Teologiczny”, Warszawa 2021, LXII – z. 3/2020, s. 841-862.
12. Theological education in the Smolensk region in the 20th century // Religious education in Russia and Europe in the 20th century: historical experience and transfer of values. – M.: “Indrik”, 2021. – 260 p., ill. pp. 35-49.

Areas of scientific interest:

history of Russia, history of the Russian Orthodox Church, pastoral theology, dogmatic theology.

pathological speech

stamps

Activity

• Young people have always been considered the most active
  part of society, capable of exerting a decisive influence on it.
  This social activity
  should not fade away in a young man when he comes to the Church[5].

Component

Vladyka, tell me, what is the spiritual and moral education of youth? This expression has set my teeth on edge; I want to understand what it really is.

— To understand the meaning, it is necessary to consider both words.
The spiritual component
is faith in God, trust in Him, recognition of the Christian commandments as the basic principles of life.
The moral component
is moral laws and norms of behavior that may not be prescribed in state legislation, but are accepted in society. To simplify, this is a model of education that implies a religious worldview, respect for parents and elders, participation in church life, knowledge of native history, love and defense of the Fatherland, success in one’s business both for oneself personally and for society as a whole[6].

Existential

• The search for happiness, self-actualization, the search for oneself in this life... The emergence of this or that subculture is to a certain extent due, among other things, to the desire of a young man to find answers to these existential questions
  , the young man faces a choice of whom to focus on, in which direction to go, who listen[7].

Positive

• Our kind attitude towards others, the positivity
  that we strive to bring into the life around us, should be expressed in specific good deeds and good deeds[8].

pathological speech techniques

admirative

— How did St. Petersburg greet you?

- Great![9]

pathological vocabulary

Activity, Active, Aspect, Change the world, Place in life, Model, Youth, Positive, Self-actualization, Component, Social, Existential

Prayer

Oh, wondrous miracle-worker, Holy Hierarch Father Seraphim! You, while still alive, declared to the faithful: if I obtain boldness from the Lord, I will not leave you orphans. For this reason, remembering your words and deeds of mercy in your temporal life, we fall down with love and earnestly ask: pray unceasingly at the Throne of the King of Glory for all of us, near and far, familiar and strange, weak and sinful, who honor you with love. From infancy you were enlightened by the grace of God, but in your youth you acquired a perfect mind, you made young men and maidens wise. Having reached manhood, a zealous doer of Divine virtues appeared. For this reason, strengthen us in pleasing God and, as the good shepherd has shepherded Christ’s sheep, guide us on the path of repentance. Like a lamp of the True Light, enlighten us and save us from the errors and temptations of this world, and like a wondrous miracle worker, do not cease to show your mercy to everyone who flows to you with love. Good shepherd, do not abandon the flock in the lands of Bulgarian and Russian and elsewhere. Be a quick helper to those who call you from all ends of the earth, so that the ineffable mercy of our Chief Shepherd and Lord Jesus Christ, ever glorified and worshiped with His Beginning Father, and the All-Holy, and Good, and His Life-giving Spirit, will be glorified, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Blessed Mary prayed for him

I also want to pay tribute to Bishop Seraphim. I’ll tell you about one significant episode from his life. We have known each other for a very long time, but most of all we communicated precisely at the time when the famous blessed Maria Ivanovna Matukasova, who later became a schema-nun, lived at the Resurrection parish that was just beginning to take shape. At first she lived in the abbot’s chambers. Just imagine, she literally slept on the threshold of his cell. On the floor! She laid her head, as if on a pillow, on his high abbot’s threshold. And everyone who entered or left there was sure to step over it. Moreover, her cell attendant Tamara Stepanovna was also sleeping on the threshold next to her. They read akathists, the Psalter of the Mother of God... It was such powerful foolishness in Christ that everyone who saw it was amazed. Father Theodore (then he was still Father Feodor Glushakov) was also quite embarrassed by this. He told me that many times he suggested that the old lady move to where it would be more comfortable, on the leather sofa in his already very representative office. But the blessed one did not agree to move. She said: “I’ll lie here, it’s more necessary here, it’s coming, it’s coming.” I think she protected him like that with prayer. And she begged for the place where the monastery was destined to rise. She predicted a glorious future for this monastery itself. She said that in difficult years this monastery (of which there was no trace yet!) would feed the entire neighborhood... I don’t know what she meant, spiritual or material food. And also, with her fiery prayer, she seemed to keep demons out of the abbot’s chambers. It’s a pity I didn’t live with him there for very long. Then the abbot gave her a small house on the territory of the Church of the Resurrection and persuaded her to move there. This was in the fall of 1995. And she lived in this house near the temple for about a year before she left for Optina Pustyn. There, in this house of hers, we made a film about the blessed old woman Maria Ivanovna, about this film she only said then: “A lot of light!..”. The film also captured well the construction realities of that time for the future large monastery.

And at a time when Mother Maria was still living on the threshold of his chambers, one day the old lady blessed me to spend the night here with him. It’s clear that I didn’t agree to spend the night on the threshold, what do I care about the blessed old lady. And Father Seraphim fulfilled her wish. He left me to spend the night at the parish, but, of course, in quite comfortable conditions. He even rode horses around the city with me at night (he offered me a “governor’s” stallion as a sign of cordiality; he was a big man!). He even had a stable at the temple back then.

A bright, talented, active man went to the Lord. The Resurrection Monastery preserves the memory of its builder and first governor. The monastery became one of the spiritual strongholds on Samara soil. This is precisely the great deed that he managed to accomplish brilliantly. It is no coincidence that blessed schema-nun Maria prayed so much for him, as for the future monastery!

Anton Zhogolev.

Priestly path

Soon Seraphim was awarded ordination as a hierodeacon, and in the spring he was ordained a hieromonk.

Based on the results of Father Seraphim’s final scientific work on the Christian teaching of humility, the academy council considered it appropriate to award him the degree of candidate of theology. At the same time, he received the right to receive, in the future, a master's degree without additional oral tests.

In 1908, Father Seraphim entered the teaching path. At first he worked in Zhitomir, at the Pastoral Theological School. Although he did not have sufficient teaching experience, nevertheless, thanks to his high level of education and responsibility, his activities were carried out successfully.

In 1911, the leadership entrusted him with the post of inspector of the Kostroma Seminary.

In 1912, Hieromonk Seraphim was awarded the title of archimandrite and the rector's position at the Voronezh Theological Seminary.

At that time, the state of the Voronezh Seminary was more than depressing. Among the clergy and professors, she was considered perhaps the worst in the country. The year 1912 was noted in its history as the year of the seminarians' revolt (this was largely due to the general situation in the state, with the fermentation of revolutionary ideas among the masses).

Archimandrite Seraphim made a lot of efforts to somehow stabilize the situation, and then improve the state of affairs, strengthen discipline, and put the educational process on track.

sources

• Seraphim, Bishop of Lyubertsy, Vicar of His Holiness the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' (Amelchenkov Vladimir Leonidovich). // Patriarchia.ru

Footnotes

1. ↑ 1,01,11,2 Journals of the meeting of the Holy Synod of July 14, 2018 // Patriarchy.ru. – 2021. – July 14. – Date of access: 15.7.2018.
2. ↑ 2,02,12,2 Journals of the meeting of the Holy Synod of July 9, 2019 // Patriarchy.ru. – 2021. – July 9. – Date of access: 11.7.2019.
3. ↑ 3.03.1 Journals of the meeting of the Holy Synod of May 4, 2017. Magazine No. 30 // Patriarchy.ru.
4. A delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church attended World Youth Days in Krakow.
5. Orthodox youth from Belarus, Russia and Ukraine were united by the forum “Quo vadis?” // Official portal of the Belarusian Orthodox Church. – 2021. – November 15. – Date of access: 11/21/2017
6. Interview with Bishop Seraphim of Lyubertsy to Nezavisimaya Gazeta // Patriarchia.ru. – 2021. – March 22. – Date of access: 6.5.2018.
7. The next meeting of the working group on the study of subcultures at the Synodal Department for Youth Affairs took place // Patriarchia.ru. – 2021. – May 31. – Date of access: 6.5.2018.
8. The Chairman of the Synodal Department for Youth Affairs took part in awarding the winners of the First Festival of Student Projects “Faith and Cause” // Patriarchia.ru. – 2021. – November 21. – Date of access: 6.5.2018.
9. Interview with the rector of the St. Petersburg Theological Academy, Bishop Seraphim of Peterhof // Patriarchy.ru. – 2021. – September 4. – Access date: 11/27/2018.