Sâmbăta de Sus, Brașov County, Romania, April 28, 2025
Photo: basilica.ro
The relics of another recently canonized Romanian saint were solemnly uncovered on Saturday, April 26.
In July 2024, the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church canonized 16 martyrs, confessors, and ascetics of the 20th century. Since then, the relics of several of them have been uncovered, and the latest is the relics of St. Serafim (Popescu) the Long-Suffering of Sâmbăta de Sus.
The service was officiated by Metropolitan Laurențiu of Ardeal with Bishop Andrei of Covasna and Harghita, Vicar Bishop Ilarion Făgărășanul of the Sibiu Archdiocese, and Vicar Bishop Sofian Brașoveanul of the Archdiocese of Germany, Austria and Luxembourg, reports the Basilica News Agency.
The relics of St. Serafim were carried in procession around the church where he served for 50 years and then placed in the Great Chapel, where the service was completed.
Met. Laurențiu spoke of St. Serafim’s importance for the revival of monastic life in the Făgăraș area and of his gentle spirit:
We remember from St. Serafim’s life, first of all, his characteristic gentleness, considered by some to be naivety. He fulfilled the Savior’s word: Unless you become like children, you will not enter the Kingdom of God. In that gentleness, he also expressed a seraphic joy. He was a lover of his fellow men, he felt the pain and trouble of each one, took it upon himself and prayed. Those whom he had as spiritual sons, he carried in his arms. I know many testimonies and can give my own testimony, when, in troubles and trials of life, he carried us in his arms and helped us where it was needed most.
St. Serafim’s relics will be placed in a special reliquary once it is prepared. The local proclamation of his canonization will take place on August 16, on the feast of the Holy Brâncoveanu Martyrs.
In December, the relics of St. Constantin Sârbu were uncovered, followed by the relics of St. Calistrat of Timișeni and Vasiova and St. Dometie of Râmeț in March.
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St. Serafim the Long-Suffering of Sâmbăta de Sus was born on October 27, 1912, in the village of Totoi, Alba County, receiving the name Dimitrie at Baptism.
In November 1938, he was ordained a deacon and, shortly after, was sent to Mt. Athos. Accompanied by the Venerable Fr. Arsenie Boca, he settled at the Cell of St. Hypatius, where the two were under the obedience of Hieroschemamonk Teodosie Domnariu, the elder of the Cell, for six months, also taking spiritual counsel from the great Romanian hesychast, Venerable Antipa Dinescu.
Returning to the country, he settled at Sâmbăta de Sus Monastery, the foundation of St. Constantin Brâncoveanu, working on its reconstruction, together with St. Arsenie, during the troubled times of the Second World War.
On January 15, 1941, he was ordained a priest and, shortly after, on the feast of the Life-Giving Spring, he was tonsured as a monk. He passed to eternal life on December 20, 1990.
Read more about St. Serafim of Sâmbăta de Sus Monastery here.
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