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:

Reminiscences of Fr Seraphim Rose, by Bishop Gerasim (VIDEO)

Bishop Gerasim, of the OCA Diocese of the South, shares his reminiscences of Blessed Hieromonk Seraphim, and discusses the importance of understanding Fr. Seraphim Rose's work correctly, dispelling common misunderstandings about his talks and writings.

Recorded at St. Herman of Alaska Monastery in Platina, California, on Friday, September 2, 2022, the 40th anniversary of the repose of Fr. Seraphim Rose. Bishop Gerasim was abbot of the monastery from 2000 to 2009, and a spiritual son of Fr. Seraphim Rose from mid-1981 until the time of the latter's repose on September 2, 1982.

Special thanks to Punks and Monks YouTube Channel for posting this and other videos connected with the 40th Anniversary Pilgrimage of Blessed Hieromonk Seraphim.

Revisiting Kevin Allen's 2007 interviews of Abbot Gerasim and Hieromonk Damascene

In 2007, for the 25th anniversary of the repose of Blessed Father Seraphim, Kevin Allen — much beloved and respected podcaster at Ancient Faith Radio, who reposed in the Lord on August 7, 2018 — conducted a series of interviews with two of Fr Seraphim's most important spiritual children: Hieromonk Damascene, author of the massive biography of Father Seraphim and the current abbot of St Herman of Alaska in Platina CA (the monastery Fr. Seraphim co-founded), and then-Abbot Gerasim (now auxiliary bishop and administrator of the OCA Diocese of the South).

These three interviews provide a priceless and revealing look into the "Platina spirit" and offer many insights into Blessed Father Seraphim's life and character, how he shepherded souls, and how his influence resonates to this day, inspiring new generations of Orthodox converts and monastics. One can easily see why the veneration of Father Seraphim continues to grow, and why more and more of the faithful, including clergy, monastic and laity worldwide, believe he will soon be added to the calendar of saints of the Orthodox Church.

Georgian bishop at Platina Pilgrimage calls for formal canonization process for Blessed Father Seraphim to begin

This year's pilgrimage at St Herman of Alaska Monastery in Platina, California, which marked the 40th anniversary of the repose of Hieromonk Seraphim (Rose) of blessed memory, saw a decisive movement towards the beginning of his formal glorification.

Photos of Platina Pilgrimage 2022 from Punks and Monks Bookstore

Bishop Gerasim serves at Blessed Father Seraphim's grave. Photo: Punks & Monks Bookstore

To commemorate the 40th anniversary of the repose of Blessed Father Seraphim, "pilgrims from across America and beyond made their way to St. Herman’s, the monastery founded by Fr. Seraphim in Platina, California."

"Among the distinguished guests were His Grace Bishop Gerasim of Fort Worth (OCA), former abbot of St. Herman’s and a spiritual child of Fr. Seraphim, and His Grace Bishop James of Sonora (ROCOR), who also knew Fr. Seraphim." (Source)

Explore the photo gallery of the weekend posted by Punks & Monks Bookstore.