Saints... But Not Yet? (VIDEO)

Fr Peter Heers: On the Veneration of Saintly People Not Officially Glorified

Orthodox Ethos, Nov 4, 2024 — Excerpted from Lesson 25: The Revelation of Jesus Christ to the Apostle & Evangelist John the Theologian, Rev. 20:11 (Series 4), by Fr. Peter Heers

Fr Peter answers a viewer's question about "praying to" righteous departed Orthodox who have not been formally glorified by the Church. Of course, he discusses Blessed Hieromonk Seraphim:

Link to full episode: https://youtube.com/live/hc5dqG7mzk4

'Saints often come in pairs...'

Remembering Hieromonk Seraphim Rose on the feast (July 2) of his mentor and spiritual father, St John (Maximovitch), Archbishop of Shanghai and San Francisco

Fresco of St John Maximovitch, Brother José Munoz & Fr Seraphim Rose, Holy Dormition Church in northern Moscow, Russia.

In a new article advocating for the glorification of Blessed Father Seraphim (which I intend to cover more in a future post), I came across this important affirmation:

Another theme we see with saints, often times they come in pairs. St. Gregory of Nyssa was a disciple under his brother St. Basil the Great. St. Augustine was the disciple of St. Ambrose of Milan. St. Justin Popovich was the disciple of St. Nikolai Velimirovich. St. Sophrony was the disciple of St. Silouan the Athonite. St. Ephraim was the disciple of St. Joseph the Hesychast. There’s countless more examples. 

Who was Fr. Seraphim Rose a disciple of?  St. John Maximovitch.

The connections between St John and Fr Seraphim began early in then Eugene's life in the Orthodox Church:

“Gleb, as we have seen, had been much more privileged than Eugene in having known a whole host of great “living links” with Orthodox tradition. In December of 1962, however, Eugene met the greatest of them all: the future Saint, Archbishop John Maximovitch. Interestingly, Archbishop John arrived in San Francisco one year to the day after Eugene had first met Gleb: the Feast of the Entrance of the Mother of God into the Temple.” [1]

After Archbishop John's arrival in San Francisco, “Eugene was immediately aware of the change." As Hieromonk Damascene describes it in his epic biography of Father Seraphim:

When he attended services in the Cathedral, he saw the new bishop wholeheartedly taking part, sometimes pulling out services to relatively unknown saints, especially those of Western European lands. There was something unearthly in this tiny, bent-over old man, who by worldly standards seemed hardly “respectable.” Archbishop John’s hair was unkempt, his lower lip protruded, and he had a speech impediment that made him barely intelligible. He sometimes went about barefoot, for which he was severely criticized. Instead of the glittering, jeweled mitre worn by other bishops, he wore a collapsible hat pasted with icons embroidered by his orphans. His manner was at times stern, but a playful gleam could often be seen in his eyes, especially when he was with children. Despite his speech problem, he had a tremendous rapport with children, who were absolutely devoted to him...  [2]

The Glorification of St Olga of Alaska - A model for the eventual glorification of Blessed Father Seraphim Rose (and others)

The ranks of the Saints of North America could grow even more over the coming years, if their popular veneration and the sharing of their lives and intercessions continues to take root and spread.

From an Anchorage Daily News article, the following observations about St Olga provide a classic example of local veneration by the faithful leading to glorification by the universal Church, and apply equally well to the cause for the glorification of Blessed Hieromonk Seraphim of Platina, and other righteous ones of North America:

“People were painting icons of her, as if she were already a saint,” said The Most Reverend Daniel, Archbishop of Chicago and the Midwest, who was the chair of the canonization committee.

In 2023, the Orthodox Church in America’s national leadership voted to make Matushka Olga a saint. To Alaskans, especially, the decision to formally recognize Olga as a saint was a foregone conclusion, Archbishop Daniel said.

“The question I got was, well, what took you so long? ...  It was a grassroots veneration that began in the Yukon-Kuskokwim region and spread," he said.

ROCOR could Canonize Fr Seraphim Rose 'in the next few years', says Archbishop of Canada

"Archbishop Gabriel [of Montreal and Canada] said that he personally sees no obstacle to glorifying Fr. Seraphim (Rose) in particular.

“ 'I met him when I was studying in seminary, a year before his death. There’s no doubt that he was a man of holy life,' he emphasized."

Br. José holding the Montreal Icon, in between St. John of San Francisco and Fr. Seraphim (Rose). Fresco, Holy Dormition Church in northern Moscow

ROCOR COULD CANONIZE METROPOLITAN PHILARET, FR. SERAPHIM (ROSE), AND BR. JOSE IN COMING YEARS, SAYS ARCHBISHOP OF CANADA

OrthoChristian.com  |  New York, October 4, 2024

The Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia could consider the canonization of three of its most venerated representatives in coming years, according to one hierarch. 

“During the meetings of our Synod of Bishops, we have been discussing the possibility of new canonizations,” His Eminence Archbishop Gabriel of Montreal and Canada said in a statement to Russian news. 

“In particular, we’re talking about glorifying the First Hierarch of ROCOR Metropolitan Philaret (Voznesensky) of blessed memory, the guardian of the myrrh-streaming Montreal Iveron Icon of the Mother of God Br. José Muñoz-Cortes, as well as Hieromonk Seraphim (Rose),” the Archbishop specified. 

All three men are venerated throughout the Orthodox world, and Fr. Seraphim was locally canonized in the Akhalkalaki Diocese of the Georgian Orthodox Church last year. The incorrupt relics of Met. Philaret lie in the Holy Trinity Cathedral crypt at Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, while Br. José, whom many consider a martyr, lies in the monastery cemetery just up the road. Every year, there is a pilgrimage to his grave on the anniversary of his slaying (October 31, 1997). 

At the same time, it’s already been seven years since His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion, the now reposed First Hierarch of ROCOR, reported that a commission had been created to draft and gather documents towards the glorification of Br. José. 

And according to Abp. Gabriel, the matter of all three possible canonizations is “still in the initial stage of consideration.” 

The hierarch said it would be premature to give any exact dating, only that something could happen “in the next few years.” 

Abp. Gabriel said that he personally sees no obstacle to glorifying Fr. Seraphim (Rose) in particular. 

“I met him when I was studying in seminary, a year before his death. There’s no doubt that he was a man of holy life,” he emphasized.

Should Fr Seraphim Rose be glorified as a Saint? (VIDEO)

Archpriest Paul Baba, a spiritual son of Fr. Seraphim Rose, shares his thoughts on the anticipated glorification (canonization) of Fr. Seraphim Rose and his significance for us today. 

"What's the hesitation?...I believe it’s time to glorify this holy, righteous man!... There are many saints, but here is one right here for us. It’s time, and the people are longing for it.”  - Fr. Paul Baba

Excerpt from the FULL INTERVIEW here:

Experiences with Fr. Seraphim Rose - from Archpriest Paul Baba

Originally posted on the Orthodox Wisdom YouTube Channel

Fr. Seraphim Rose locally canonized in Georgian diocese (video)

Orthodox news platforms OrthoChristian.com and Byzantine, Texas, are reporting on a video posted by the Punks and Monks YouTube channel, featuring Bishop Gerasim of Fort Worth TX (spiritual son of Blessed Hieromonk Seraphim) and Metropolitan Nikoloz of Akhalkalaki, Georgia, concelebrating. 

In the video, Bishop Gerasim delivers a brief homily and, during his remarks, Met. Nikoloz announced that Fr. Seraphim was canonized in his diocese the week prior, and that an icon of him has been installed in their church. You can see the icon on the left side of the below frame from the video. 

Full report, partial transcript and embedded video below:

Fr. Seraphim Rose locally canonized in one Georgian diocese

Akhalkalaki, Georgia, Feb. 28, 2023  |  OrthoChristian.com

Hieromonk Seraphim (Rose), the righteous American struggler, is greatly beloved and venerated throughout the Orthodox world and many eagerly await his canonization.

Among those who venerate Fr. Seraphim is His Eminence Metropolitan Nikoloz of Akhalkalaki, Kumurdo, and Kari of the Georgian Orthodox Church.

On Sunday, the Georgian hierarch concelebrated the Divine Liturgy in the tiny Church of the Archangel Michael in his diocese with His Grace Bishop Gerasim of Forth Worth (Orthodox Church in America), who was a spiritual child of Fr. Seraphim at St. Herman’s Monastery in Platina, California.

And as Met. Nikoloz told Bp. Gerasim, Fr. Seraphim was, in fact, locally canonized in his diocese just a week prior, and an icon of Fr. Seraphim was hung in the church at that time. The icon can be seen to the left of the archimandrite at the beginning of the video from the Punks and Monks channel: