Saturday, December 13, 2025

ROCOR establishes commission 'to study the life, legacy, and veneration of Hieromonk Seraphim (Rose)'

This marks the first definitive action taken by the ROCOR Synod of Bishops towards considering the possible glorification of Fr Seraphim Rose.


This is most welcomed news. Not only that the ROCOR Synod has established such a formal commission to consider the life, legacy, and veneration of Fr Seraphim Rose, but that it affirmed Bishop James of Sonora to head the task. 

His Grace, Bishop James (Corazza) converted to Orthodoxy during the same period in the late 1970s and early 80s at UC Santa Cruz which also saw the conversions of several other key figures of Orthodoxy in North America, including Metropolitan Jonah (Paffhausen), Bishop Gerasim (Eliel), Abbot Damascene (Christensen) of Platina, and others who were all positively influenced by the life and work of Father Seraphim. Bishop Gerasim and Abbot Damascene of course began their monastic lives under Fr Seraphim.

During this period, James Paffhausen, the future Abbot and Metropolitan Jonah, formed an Orthodox fellowship, drawing many to the Orthodox Church:

“In the St. Seraphim of Sarov Fellowship, the conversions had a domino effect, with converts bringing other young seekers to their new-found faith.

"The students in the fellowship loved the books published by the St. Herman Brotherhood, including those by Fr. Seraphim. One student, James N. Corazza [now Bishop James of Sonora] recalls: 'I shall never forget the evening — after a year and a half of difficult searching — when I finished Orthodoxy and the Religion of the Future and everything fell joyously into place, and I knew beyond all doubt and vacillation that my future was to be in Christ’s Church'.” [1]

In short, Bishop James is warm to the task, and is the ideal figure to lead this process. May it be blessed!

Much more to say about this soon, God willing, but for now, let us say ‘Amen!’, and rejoice today on the feast (New Calendar) of St Herman of Alaska, and pray for the imminent glorification of Blessed Hieromonk Seraphim of Platina. 

For more reports on this news, and the official statement from the ROCOR Synod, see these links:


[1] Excerpt From Chapter 95 - Santa Cruz,  Father Seraphim Rose: His Life and Works, Hieromonk Damascene, Ebook Edition, St. Herman Brotherhood, Platina CA, 2010.