Years of anticipation lead to the announcement from the ROCOR Synod. What's next?
Christ is Risen!
So much speculation since we learned in April that the ROCOR Synod of Bishops would be considering the work of the Commission on the Glorification of Father Seraphim Rose, shared by Bishop James of Sonora, at their recent Spring meeting.
Then, on Monday this week the Union of Orthodox Journalists ran a story announcing the canonization of Father Seraphim. This set off volleys of social media celebrations and criticism, as well as private emails and text messaging, as an official statement from the Synod had not yet been released. The Synod did indeed confirm the pre-announcement by the UOJ on Tuesday, March 5, and another wave of celebrations (and more subdued criticisms) ensued.
I know within our parish circles there were still questions as to what the wording of the Synod’s letter meant, and what would happen next. Before sharing my own thoughts, I would strongly recommend reading the Synod’s Epistle, which is signed by all the bishops present.
Secondly, I would just as strongly recommend reading this excellent interview with His Grace, Bishop Irenei of London and Western Europe, who was present at the Synod’s gathering, and who sets forth the process going forward. This excerpt gives a sense of how His Grace approaches the glorification:
I can say that I rejoice in my heart that we have been able so to state — that the Council of Bishops recognises even now, at this point in the process, the righteous way of life of Fr Seraphim. That is to say, the task of preparing for his glorification is not being undertaken as if we do not already concretely feel his holiness and recognise it, not only amongst ourselves, but in a way we feel a desire to share with others. We look forward to ecclesially proclaiming it more fully, should God so bless us — and we have blessed the continuation of the work towards this.
This is no small thing! The holiness is tangible! We do not hide this, or pretend otherwise. We now seek to do all that is right and proper so that what we already taste might become the source of spiritual nourishment for so many…
For many of us Orthodox lay members, converts or cradle, regardless of our number of years in the Orthodox Church, the process of the glorification of Father Seraphim Rose provides a tremendous opportunity for deeper catechism and growth in our Most Holy Faith. He was a writer, a teacher, and a missionary monastic, baptizing dozens of people into the Orthodox Church, and drawing hundreds, thousands more into Her saving embrace. Now as a saint, his mission and his work of catechizing and building up the faithful continues, not to mention his intercessions for us before the throne of God.
By actually living through this epochal chapter in the life of the Orthodox Church in the 21st century, we will all experience and explore together questions of sanctity and holiness, of how the Church discerns the life and legacy of Her saints, as well as of profound eschatological questions concerning the ultimate destiny of mankind created in the image and according to the likeness of God, of what it means to be adopted as children of God, of the Life in Christ, what repentance looks like in a person who gives himself to Christ, of the place and importance of miracles in the glorification of a saint, and many more facets of this mystery we see now being worked through by the ROCOR bishops.
The Orthodox Church in America (OCA) recently glorified Matushka Olga of Alaska, so we have had a visible, almost communal experience of this process. The steps taken towards her glorification were announced in news releases and reports, videos and social media, from the amvon in hundreds of churches across America, and honored in major Orthodox documentary films as well. Many faithful traveled great distances to be present at the services for her glorification in Kwethluk, Alaska, and those who could not be there followed along through online streaming or watched the videos later. Bishop Alexeii and the native clergy in Alaska shepherded all this with quiet, humble joy and pastoral love and sensitivity.
In Father Seraphim’s case the glorification process from this point may continue to be somewhat more dramatic and intense, as his life and works are so extremely public and accessible. His official biography and other aspects of his relatively brief life (he died at age 48), his writings since the mid 1960s, his repose and burial, and the veneration of him as a saint (which began immediately after his death, as pronounced by Bishop Nektary Kontzevich), plus the many documented miracles, appearances, answered intercessions, and providential signs connected with him, all point to that “tangible holiness” of which Bishop Irenei spoke. Yet he still has his detractors and critics. Thus we who have been venerating him and seeking his intercessions for years may console ourselves by remembering the Lord’s words, “Woe to you when all men speak well of you,” even while guarding ourselves against a partisan spirit as the Apostle Paul warns in 1 COR 1:10-14. Father Seraphim himself would warn us against this spirit of schism, and would take a lower seat in the assembly of the righteous.
For what it’s worth, here are my thoughts on “what comes next,” as I expressed them in an email to a small group of friends yesterday, May 5. There is some speculation, but I hope this is not too far off the mark:
Having recently witnessed the glorification process of Matushka Olga of Alaska play out in the OCA, I would assume we will see the following steps, in some variation of order no doubt:
Announcement of the date and location(s) for the Glorification of Fr Seraphim, (the main glorification will almost certainly be celebrated at Holy Virgin Cathedral in San Francisco, but there will likely be services performed at Platina also).
His official, honorific title for the proclamation at the services,
The revealing of an official icon commissioned or approved by the ROCOR Synod,
The publication of an approved service (Verses for Vespers, Canon, Akathist, Troparion & Kontakion, etc.) for Fr Seraphim,
The announcement of a new, expanded edition of his biography by Abbot Damascene of Platina, perhaps in time for the glorification services,
Unlikely, but possible, would be the translation of the relics of Fr Seraphim from Platina to Holy Virgin Cathedral in San Francisco. I hope there would be no effort to do this.
More likely there may be a formal service of “re-vesting” of Fr Seraphim’s relics at the monastery, during which any degree of incorruptibility would be noted, and by which a portion of his relics may be taken for distribution, first to the Cathedral, then to other destinations, likely St Seraphim Cathedral in Dallas as a blessing to Bishop Gerasim, and perhaps to New Gracanica for the Serbian Archdiocese, as well as for overseas cathedrals and monasteries.
In any case, the Glorification of Hieromonk Seraphim of Platina is absolutely tectonic in its importance and impact, and global in its reach.
I hope to write more, as much more needs to be written, in the days and weeks ahead.
God is glorified in His Saints!
Holy Father Seraphim, pray to God for us!
Glory be to God!