Fr. Seraphim (Rose) locally canonized in one Georgian diocese (+VIDEO)

Akhalkalaki, Georgia, February 28, 2023

A Georgian-style icon of Fr. Seraphim has hung in the trapeza at St. Herman’s Monastery in Platina, California, for years.

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.

Bp. Gerasim (left) serves with Met. Nikoloz (right) in Akhalkalaki, Georgia. Photo: Punks and Monks YouTube screen shot

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:

Met. Nikoloz’s remarks to Bp. Gerasim begin at 11:40. Speaking of Fr. Seraphim, he said:

Thank you to Bp. Gerasim for coming. I think it’s not a coincidence that a week ago we hung the icon of his spiritual father, Fr. Seraphim Rose. And I think it’s also not a coincidence that Fr. Seraphim Rose is not canonized in the world, but he is canonized in our diocese and it will start from here.

Bp. Gerasim first came to Georgia in 1991, not even 10 years after the death of Fr. Seraphim Rose. And during that hard period, we managed to print two of his books, and maybe that’s one of the reasons you have come so often.

Both Met. Nikoloz and Bp. Gerasim were at St. Herman’s Monastery in September for the pilgrimage in honor of the 40th anniversary of Fr. Seraphim’s repose.

The Georgian hierarch testified that he came to America at that time with a special mission—to inspire the formal glorification among the saints of Fr. Seraphim. He made sure to visit His Grace Bishop Maxim, the Serbian bishop of Los Angeles, to share his proposal with him (though Fr. Seraphim himself was a hieromonk of ROCOR, St. Herman’s Monastery, where his relics repose, is now part of the Serbian Church).

Met. Nikoloz also visited Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, New York, in late October for the 25th anniversary of the repose of the keeper of the miraculous Montreal Iveron Icon of the Mother of God Icon Br. José Muñoz-Cortes, with a similar message: It’s time to canonize Br. José.

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2/28/2023

Comments

Karen2/25/2024 1:56 am

Pfmd: I am coming late to this conversation, but it appears you may have needed to slow down and read commenters here a bit more carefully, since you misquote David where you accuse him of writing “sectarianism is Orthodox” when in fact he wrote the opposite. There seems to me to have been rather more heat than light in some of your statements. Editor: Thank you for your gracious even-handed and fair replies to commenters here. SimpleGuy: Fr. Seraphim seems to be a bit of a lightening rod for those of us still being formed in Orthodoxy. Like him, I was baptized as an infant in a Methodist Church and received in the Church by Chrismation. I, frankly, would have preferred to be received by Holy Baptism, but was told by my Priest Christians already water baptized in Name of Father, Son and Holy Spirit were to be received by Chrismation by order of the Bishops. I chose to submit to the Church in the person of my Bishop, which was a leap of faith from my Protestant mindset of picking and choosing for myself what seemed biblical (or canonical) and right. I do not regret that 17 years later. I haven’t yet read his biography, but your characterization of Venerable Seraphim as “trusting his feelings” inferring he insisted on his Methodist baptism being accepted by the Church seems off. Last I checked, Orthodox Bishops don’t take their orders in these matters from laypeople, much less converts coming into the Church! Further, I have read after he was ordained a Priestmonk, Fr. Seraphim himself received all converts from other Christian traditions, even Catholics, by Holy Baptism. My understanding is at the time Fr. Seraphim was received, ROCOR was receiving all such converts by Chrismation, and only later switched to receiving all by Holy Baptism. To all: I’m grateful for the efforts of the Georgian Church. Fr. Seraphim, pray for us!

Pfmd3/22/2023 9:32 pm

Editor: The “Simpleguy” who is torturing you with his idiocies and with the use of the “devil argument” is neither Orthodox or even a christian. He is not looking for enlightenment or to learn Orthodox values. He will torture today for answers that will never be acceptable to him regardless of their correctness, grace and sensibility. Tomorrow he will “attack” you again with another “devil argument” question and your answers and even the Saint’s answers will not be acceptable to him as proved in this issue. The following day this devil will engage you in a similar argument that you cannot win. These corrupt and satanic Pharisees that come here under various names are trying to sow doubts in our Orthodox religion and to show to the readers that our Orthodoxy is based on false principles. As you have said in the past, “you cannot win an argument with the devil”. You have met the devil today in the name of “SimpleGuy”. Tomorrow he will be named “David”, “Lipper”, and “Redington”. God bless.

SimpleGuy3/10/2023 11:40 am

Editor, I'm afraid that I will need more than "of course St. John knew." That's a fallacy and assertion for which I need proof with a cited source. This is an important matter. Yes, we need to be humble, but I reject your assumption that I am being prideful by requesting proof for your claim, and/or that it is prideful to follow the canons. Further, the sword cuts both ways. We need to be humble before the Church and accept her rules and canons. Single immersion baptism is uncanonical. Fr. Seraphim's controversial baptism is discussed in the book, "Father Seraphim Rose: His Life and Works." As for unbaptized canonized saints, I would say that's a category error, since Fr. Seraphim is not a martyr. Look, the Church has rules, none of which I wrote. Obedience is one of the virtues.

David3/9/2023 1:38 am

Pfmd: I haven't taken "a side." I pray for the OCU and UOC in equal measure (and everybody else in this war, Russian and Ukrainian). I deplore NATO interference and Russian belligerence. I suppose that doesn't make me a "neo-nazi" but a "naive fool" who is irritating to both sides. As an Iraq War Veteran, I know that "bombing people to save them" never works out the way that is intended. "If you're not with us you're with the terrorists" also has a very familiar ring to it. The Gospel is foolishness to the world, so I find that to be a good place to stand. I read Russian sermons, and Greek ones, Romanian ones, Arabic ones, etc. I know where this website is based, and have been a long time reader. I happen to have a great respect for the Russian Church and am not on the anti-Russian bandwagon. Criticism does not equate hate. That is what I mean by sectarianism, a factionalism devoid of love or understanding. I pray that the Lord blesses you also. Are you a priest? If so, my respect to you and I hope your flock are well.

Pfmd3/8/2023 6:56 am

David: Your claim that “a sectarian mindset is also Orthodox” is beyond the pale and beyond the time I wish to spend with you as layperson to show your statement as a theological pathology and as an Orthodox Church anathema. Alexander Schmemann of the OCA also dreamed of a “sectarian Orthodoxy”, which of course only existed in his mind. Most of his followers left his Church in the search for grace, spirit, inner peace and the truth in Christ. Please read more Russian sermons on orthchristian.com instead of spending your time on the comment sections bashing Orthodox Russia and the Orthodox Russian MP, perhaps you will learn more Orthodoxy. You will become a better person. God Bless

Pfmd3/8/2023 6:28 am

David: I said once before that you were a fool for taking sides with the Neonazis that are presently destroying the Ukranian Orthodox Church in Ukraine. You were/are at that time under the naive impression that if the Neonazis won the war against Russia, the Ukranian Orthodox Church would gain autocephaly without any further interference from Russia, and you were actually taking sides with the Nazis against the Russian Orthodox church. Secondly, you lack respect. You are on an Russian Orthodox website located in Moscow and controlled by the Russian Orthodox Church and specifically by the Metropolitan of Pskov. During WW2, the Nazis murdered over 20 million Russian Orthodox people including children for their Orthodox beliefs however, you find nothing unchristian or unorthodox in your beliefs and statements in support of the Nazis in Ukraine. Thirdly, your “principled disagreements” are nothing more than the constant bashing of Orthodox Russia and its Orthodox MP. Claiming a “different viewpoint” and a “pan-Orthodoxy” is beyond anything your statements can support. You have no “principled disagreements” and no “Orthodoxy” that I recognize during your constant anti-Russia and anti-Russia MP rants. You will simply say anything, regardless of its insensitivity and unchristian manner to assure your views are anti-Russian or/and support the CP in Istanbul. Lastly, ALL and the last of the dogmatic issues in the Orthodox faith, whether Russian or Greek have been decided by the Seventh Ecumenical council in 787 BC.

Editor3/7/2023 10:08 am

Simple Guy: The hallmark of an Orthodox Christian is humility--we have to be humble with our judgments and opinions, or we fall into Pharisaism. Of course St. John knew. You're now here to correct him? And how do you know that Fr. Seraphim was not baptized by triple immersion? Are you going to fault the Christian martyrs for not having been baptized at all, only in their own blood?

SimpleGuy3/7/2023 9:43 am

Editor, Thanks for your response. But I would ask if St. John Maximovitch blessed Fr. Seraphim before he converted to Orthodoxy or after? And assuming he did bless him, can show with a cited source that St. John was even aware of the way Fr. Seraphim was received into the Orthodox Church? Perhaps St. John was unaware of the way Eugene/Fr. Seraphim was received. But even if I grant your claim and assumption, saints are fallible and make mistakes. The canons and Tradition of the Church (not private opinions) determine how a person becomes Orthodox. I agree that many heterodox have been received into Orthodoxy through chrismation, but how many have been received out of single immersion baptism? The Western Latin Church always accepted single immersion baptism, but this is not a part of Orthodox Tradition. And even if I granted that many people have been received into Orthodoxy from single immersion baptisms, can it be shown that this is permissible according to the rules of the Orthodox Church? Two wrong's don't make a right. Clergy make mistakes all the time. And in our age of ecumenism, where the sacraments of other churches are recognized, I would expect something like this.

David3/6/2023 6:44 am

Pfmd: The Russian Orthodox Church is just one part of a larger whole, and that there are disagreement on how to go about things outside of dogmatic and faith issues. The "Anglo" version of this website has a pan-Orthodox readership, and other Orthodox Christians have a different opinion than you. They may have principled disagreements with the current Russian government or Russian Patriarch. That doesn't mean they hate Russia, or that they are not Orthodox. A sectarian mindset is also "not Orthodox."

Editor3/5/2023 6:04 pm

Pfmd: Don't worry, we trust in God. We post articles that are Orthodox, but we can't force it down people's throats or make people agree with us. Remember what spirit we are of (Jn. 18:11). Many converts are still in a learning process. One has to have patience. Congratulations with the Sunday of the Triumph of Orthodoxy!

Editor3/5/2023 5:37 pm

Simple Guy: 1) Fr. Seraphim was blessed by St. John of Shanghai, who had no problem with his being received through chrismation. Is that enough of an authority for you? 2) Diocesan bishops have the authority to canonize locally. This is not a Church-wide canonization. This is stated in the article. 3) See answer 1). Many heterodox have been received into Orthodoxy through chrismation, even in pre-revolutionary Russia. This is not a recommendation, but economia. Finally, I suggest you read Fr. Seraphim's books and then judge whether or not he was modernist, ecumenist, or not Orthodox. Greetings with the feast of the the Triumph of Orthodoxy!

SimpleGuy3/5/2023 5:40 am

I am not an expert, but doesn't an Orthodox saint have to actually be Orthodox before he is canonized? Fr. Seraphim never received the canonical triple immersion baptism when he joined ROCOR. Instead, he trusted his feelings when he was merely chrismated into ROCOR, and believed his previous heterodox single immersion baptism was adequate. This is prelest. Orthodoxy teaches us not to trust our thoughts when they contradict Church teaching; and the ROCOR made a huge mistake by not insisting that Fr. Seraphim be properly received into the ROCOR according to the rules. So technically, Fr. Seraphim was never an Orthodox Christian. Also, do local churches have the authority to canonize someone? I thought canonizations required patriarchal approval. Lastly, it is ecumenism and modernism which recognizes the sacraments of the heterodox, so there may be an ecumenist/modernist agenda behind his canonization. The ecumenists and modernists have no regard for the canons and no regard for Church tradition and teaching.

Pfmd3/4/2023 9:50 pm

To the Editor: Use of this Orthodox site by the haters of Russia and Orthodoxy has long been evident in the comments section. True Orthodox believers are being bombarded daily by either subtle or in-your-face comments against their belief system. These commentators claim to be either recent orthodox converts but most appear to be only agitators preaching Russian and Orthodoxy hatred. Their comments may be “civil” but are neither “respectful” nor “non-hatred” and they all spread “false information”. These comments are intended to cause confusion or sow the seeds of doubt among true Orthodox believers. I will not site any specific comments as the comment section in each article and news article is infiltrated and contaminated by them. Choose any article, read the comments, and you will prove my concern. Metropolitan Tikhon of Pskov and Porkhov, the person who is responsible for this site and who is also the confessor of President Putin would be ashamed to see this site as the anti-Russian and anti-Orthodox site it has become at least in the comment section. The Russian government has recently agreed to spend billions of rubles to refurbish the Pskov monastery, but the Anglo OrthoChristian.com site that is controlled by this monastery has answered that gift of love by mutating into a purveyor of comments by satanic haters of both Russia and Orthodoxy.

Editor3/4/2023 2:05 pm

Pfmd: We open comments that may not fit with our own views, as long as they are civil, and not clearly spreading false information or hate. The hope is that others will respond to them for their correction and edification if they are wrong. If the discussion goes nowhere, we stop it. But comments should show respect for other people, and not ostracize them. We would also hope that people would visit our site for the articles, and not necessarily the comments. If the latter becomes the preference and sole purpose, or if the comments become plainly unchristian, we will be forced to turn the comments off.

Pfmd3/4/2023 2:11 am

To the editors: Clowns and Satanic vermin of the type named “Basil” and “Alexander” and others who present themselves as Orthodox and permitted to post their hatred of Orthodoxy on this site is both shameful and an anathema to the Orthodox Church. What will eventually happen is more people of true faith will stop visiting this site. These hateful and moronic cretins will destroy this site for the true Orthodox believers. Subdeacon Hanisch made a comment that was appropriate and taught most of us a very good lesson in Orthodoxy. I am ashamed as an Orthodox believer that you allowed these impostors and Orthodox haters to make a mockery of Subdeacon Hanisch. Are visitor numbers so important that you have allowed this site to become a commentary on an anti-Orthodoxy?

Basil3/2/2023 9:58 pm

Well said, Alexander. Orthodox anti-Latin purity spiraling gives me a headache. No normal Orthodox person will be confused or scandalized by terms like "canonized."

Alexander 3/2/2023 4:41 pm

@Subdn Seraphim Hanisch: being very anti-latin and "purifying" Orthodoxy can be very dangerous! I have seen many too "anti-latin" falling quickly into error or even heresy. We orthodox are not protestants. Our teaching is not being anti-latin.

Rob W.3/2/2023 8:09 am

A wonderful man of God to glorify. He overcame the sin of Sodom and devoted his renewed life to God's service. An inspiring figure for these dark, morally shiftless Times

Subdn Seraphim Hanisch3/1/2023 9:17 am

Just a little more on the canonization / glorification word use: It is understood that the Russian Church uses the word канонизация in an equivalent manner to прославление. However, it must also be remembered that the Russian Church itself was heavily under Latin influence during the reign of Peter I (The Not-So-Great - sorry! I had to say it!) - and indeed, there was a Jesuit led effort to "bring the Russian church around to reunification with Rome" in a very subtle manner- but infiltrating Russian seminaries. https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2020/03/20/how-jesuits-helped-bring-latin-russia I suggest that the incorporation of the Latin term in Russian use exists because of this period, and, like many other things in modern Russia, bears the mark of some damage that has not been repaired. While it is not devastating, perhaps, it still seems to me that it would be best to keep to Orthodox Christian understanding of terminology rather than be adapting things from outside, especially when those things come complete with radically different meanings. Canonization in the Roman Church is described as something like a "holy trial" - rather juridical in its nature, where glorification is more of an organic process of veneration started at local levels and then - yes - given some structural inquiry by Orthodox hierarchs, but not a trial. It isn't the same. So, it seems we ought not use their term because they don't do what we do. They are welcome to! They are welcome to join the Orthodox Church, but, no Rome for me... Thanks again! Forgive me - I know it is Lent and therefore spiritual arrows are a flying - maybe this is one - I hope it isn't. +++

Subdn Seraphim Hanisch3/1/2023 8:57 am

Good piece. I really, really wish we would stick to Orthodox terminology though, and use "Glorification" and not "Canonization." Father Alexey Young has a writeup about this here: https://www.roca.org/oa/volume-ii/issue-14/what-does-glorification-mean and as commented by Michael Pomazansky: 'While using the term canonization of the saints, Prof. Golubinsky admits in the first lines of his book that, although this term is etymologically derived from the Greek word canon, it forms a part of the terminology of the Latin Church and is not employed by the Orthodox Greeks. This is an indication that we need not use it; and indeed, in his own time Prof. Golubinsky was reproached for using it too assiduously, especially since the spirit and character of Orthodox glorification is somewhat different from the canonization of the Roman confession. The Roman Church's canonization, in its contemporary form, consists of a solemn proclamation by the pope: "We resolve and determine that Blessed N. is a saint, and we enter him in the catalogue of the saints, commanding the whole Church to honor his memory with reverence..." The Orthodox "numbering among the choir of the saints" has no special, fixed formula, but its sense might be expressed thus: "We confess that N. is in (numbered with) the choir of the saints of God."' I hate to be like "Orthodox word police" but I feel uncomfortable with use of Latin terminology (which carries with it a radically different context), in the Orthodox world. Let's use our own Church's experience... Thanks for reading and God be with you! Thank you for all you do at Orthochristian.com

Molly Rosenberg 3/1/2023 2:05 am

I'm SO glad Metropolitan Nikoloz has canonized Fr. Seraphim in Georgia!

Ilya Zhitomirskiy3/1/2023 12:08 am

I agree. It is also overdue to canonize Metropolitan Philaret (Voznesensky) of ROCOR. Hopefully more churches will glorify the Venerable Seraphim of Platina.

Yury2/28/2023 9:44 pm

Wonderful news!

Michelle Brown2/28/2023 9:44 pm

Thank you for sharing this glorious news! One small correction. Metropolitan Nikolozi attempted to meet with Archbishop Kyrill but he was unavailable.

Michael K2/28/2023 8:17 pm

Glory To Thee, Oh Christ our God, Glory to Thee! Holy Father Seraphim pray to God for us!

Fr. Seraphim (Rose) locally canonized in one Georgian diocese (+VIDEO)

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