Seraphim of Sarov

The veneration of St. Seraphim of Sarov is wider than national. Icons of the Russian saint can be found all over the world, even in Catholic churches(by the way, Catholics often compare him with their saint - Francis of Assisi). Many legends have developed around the name of the elder, and countless miracles have been described. And many strive to visit the Holy Trinity Seraphim-Diveevo Convent in the Nizhny Novgorod diocese on the day of remembrance of the saint, lovingly called by the people “The Fourth Destiny of the Mother of God,” where the relics and personal belongings of St. Seraphim, who was the confessor of the monastery, rest.

Many come to Diveevo in advance - on the night of January 13-14 after procession along the groove of the Queen of Heaven (an embankment along a groove dug with the blessing of the elder, along which sisters and pilgrims walk, reading the Theotokos rule - 150 prayers “Rejoice to the Virgin Mary!”) the festive New Year’s liturgy is performed. According to the stories of experienced pilgrims, this service alone creates an extraordinary festive mood that remains in the soul for a long time: “Another year has passed, thank God! And tomorrow Father Seraphim and New Year bless!

Not everyone is able to make the holiday pilgrimage. Firstly, it can be difficult to take a few more days off work after a long national holiday. Secondly, the road to Diveevo itself is difficult - either a long journey by bus, or a night on a train to Arzamas and another more than an hour by bus or taxi. Thirdly, not everyone is able to concentrate on prayer in front of a large crowd of people.

The Diveyevo Monastery receives pilgrims constantly. And at any time you can venerate a particle of the relics of St. Seraphim of Sarov in several churches in the capital.

On Mira Avenue, 22-24 there is courtyard of the Seraphim-Diveevsky Monastery. There is a particle of the elder’s relics here.

Two icons with particles of the saint’s relics are also in . One is an exact copy of the cell icon, the organizer of the Seraphim-Znamensky skete, kept in the monastery from 1988 to 2000, and also contains a rosary and part of the saint’s mantle, and in addition, part of the stone on which he prayed for a thousand days. This image is in Seraphim Church, built in the wall of the monastery. Another icon with a particle of relics is in Trinity Cathedral monastery, on the central southwestern pillar.

Particles of the elder’s relics are also found in other monasteries of the capital: and Sretensky, as well as on courtyard of the Solovetsky Monastery in the Church of St. Vmch. St. George the Victorious (Nativity of the Virgin Mary) in Endov.

IN Church of St. Seraphim of Sarov on Krasnopresnenskaya embankment On the territory of the Expocentre exhibition center there is an icon with a particle of the relics of the saint, given to the parishioners and clergy of the temple with the blessing of Archbishop George of Nizhny Novgorod a year ago.

IN Church of the Resurrection of the Word in Filippovsky Lane (Jerusalem Compound) in the central chapel there is an icon of St. Seraphim with a particle of relics.

Also, the image of St. Seraphim with a particle of his relics is located nearby - in Church of the Prophet Elijah in Obydensky Lane.

Church of the Icon of the Mother of God “Joy of All Who Sorrow” at the MONIKA Hospital

The Monk Seraphim of Sarov is often approached with prayers for the healing of illnesses. IN Church in honor of the icon of the Mother of God “Joy of All Who Sorrow” at the MONIKA hospital(Shchepkina St., 61/2), in addition to other shrines, there is also an icon with a particle of the relics of St. Seraphim of Sarov.

Temple of the Iveron Icon of the Mother of God on Vspolye (Bolshaya Ordynka, no. 39) - the icon permanently resides here St. Sergius Radonezh and Seraphim of Sarov with a particle of the latter’s relics.

IN Elokhovsky Epiphany Cathedral an image of St. Seraphim is kept with particles of the stone on which he prayed and a piece of clothing.

IN baptismal temple sschmch. Alexander Khotovitsky at Church in honor of the Icon of the Mother of God “The Sign” in Pereyaslavskaya Sloboda there is an icon of the saint with a piece of his coffin.

We will be grateful to readers who are ready to help us expand the list of Moscow churches and monasteries where shrines associated with St. Seraphim, the Wonderworker of Sarov and all Russia are located!

The “Orthodoxy and World” portal thanks everyone who responds to our request to add to the list of churches where you can venerate the relics of St. Seraphim:

In the village Gorki-10 Odintsovo district M.O.(approximately 25 km along Rublevo-Uspenskoe highway) a temple is being built(founded in 2010 as the first church temple complex), consecrated in honor of Father Seraphim. It contains a temple icon with a reliquary. Services are held on Sundays and holidays.

You can also pray to Saint Seraphim of Sarov in the temple in his honor in Kuntsevo(Bagritskogo street, 10, building 3). In 2006, the temple was given the status of a Patriarchal metochion.

IN Novospassky Monastery in one of the reliquary arks there are particles of the Robe of the Lord and the Robe of the Mother of God, particles of the relics of many saints, including St. Seraphim of Sarov.

In 1903, at the request of the clergy of the Annunciation Church in Staraya Derevnya, the diocese acquired land north of the railway line to organize a new city cemetery on it. On July 25, 1906, the foundation stone of the temple in the name of St. Seraphim of Sarov was laid. Based on the name of the church and cemetery, it was named Serafimovsky. By the end of October the building was already built; the project was performed by A.F. Baranovsky with the participation of diocesan architect N.N. Nikonova. Appearance The buildings are defined by the hipped roofs of the church and bell tower, carved roof valances, and turned pillars of the porches. Simultaneously with the main altar of the temple on March 1, 1907, Archpriest N.A. Travinsky also consecrated two chapels: the southern one - in the name of the Holy Martyr Queen Alexandra and the northern one - the Intercession Holy Mother of God. The beautifully crafted oak iconostasis was donated to the church by merchant A.A. Nikolaev, and 11 images for the iconostasis - M.N. Kolchin. Near the right choir of the main chapel was placed main shrine temple - the image of St. Seraphim of Sarov with a particle of his relics, mantle and coffin, as well as the stone on which he prayed for a thousand days and nights.

During the First World War, soldiers and officers who died at the fronts and in hospitals in Petrograd were buried at the Serafimovskoye cemetery. To the left of the Royal Doors of the main altar, a memorial brass plaque with the image of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker still hangs on a special pillar in memory of 136 soldiers and officers of the 36th Oryol Infantry Regiment who died in October 1914 in battles on the San River, with the inscription: “There is no higher love, when someone lays down his life for his friends.

In the post-revolutionary years it remained active; until December 15, 1923 it was assigned to the Annunciation Church, and then became independent. It was one of the few churches in Leningrad that were open during the siege. The temple was closed only from January 22 to April 1942, when the corpses of Leningraders who died of starvation were stored there. During the blockade, about 100 thousand dead citizens were buried at the Serafimovsky cemetery. In 1957-1965, according to the design of the architect Ya.N. Lukin and a group of sculptors led by R.K. Taurita, to the right of the entrance to the cemetery, above the burial place of those killed during the siege, a memorial ensemble was created.

From December 15, 1923 to October 2, 1937, the Seraphim Church belonged to the Living Church group, then until its closure in January 1942 it was a renovationist church, and on April 28, 1942 it opened already belonging to the Moscow Patriarchate. In the post-war years, images from the closed Annunciation Church were transferred to the temple, including the image of the Smolensk Mother of God, very revered by parishioners, brought to St. Petersburg under Emperor Peter I by Smolensk working people who were building the new capital. Interior decoration The church has been preserved for almost a century without any changes.

In 1987, three mosaic images of St. Seraphim of Sarov were placed above the entrance to the Seraphim Church. In 2000, the onions of the temple domes were gilded, and in 2002, the facades were repaired.

After the decision to organize the cemetery was made, construction of the cemetery church began. The work was carried out under the leadership of diocesan architect N.N. Nikonova. The foundation stone for the temple was made on July 25, 1906, and by the end of October the building was already built. On March 1, 1907, it was consecrated in the name of St. Seraphim of Sarov. The cemetery was named after the church. For the convenience of the funeral service, the side chapels (Pokrova and Alexandra monastery) were separated from the main chapel by partitions. Most of the icons and church utensils were gifts or donations. Laying the foundation stone for the temple according to the design of the architect A.F. Baranovsky was consecrated on July 25, 1906 by the dean, rector of the Spaso-Sennovsky Church, Archpriest N.A. Travinsky. After 87 days, construction was completed. The idea of ​​consecrating the temple in the name of St. Seraphim of Sarov did not arise by chance. In 1903 the canonization of the saint took place. The Sarov celebrations took place with a huge crowd of people: “Holy Rus' came to the celebration of its saint, dear, “our” priest.” Seraphim Church became one of the first churches dedicated to the people’s beloved saint.

The one-story wooden building of the temple was built according to the traditional three-part scheme for Russian church architecture: in plan it consists of three rectangles adjacent to each other. The widest western part includes a vestibule, above which there is a bell tower, a refectory and side chapels; the middle part is a central quadrangle with side porches. The narrower eastern part consists of the apse and surrounding service spaces, including the sacristy. The volume of the building is dominated by a high quadrangle and a bell tower, completed with tetrahedral tents with onion-shaped domes on drums. The carved decoration of the facades is in the Russian style. The Church of St. Seraphim of Sarov is an interesting and rare example of wooden church architecture for St. Petersburg from the early twentieth century, reflecting the traditions of stone architecture in the Russian style. The chapels of the three-altar church (the right one - in the name of the Holy Martyr Queen Alexandra, the heavenly patroness of the Empress St. Alexandra Feodorovna; and the left one - in the name of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos) are separated from the main volume of the temple so that it is possible to simultaneously serve the Liturgy and perform funerals or perform other requirements At the church there was a chapel-mortuary and a gatehouse-office. Opposite the temple is a wooden chapel-tomb for the Sinitsyns, built in the 1910s.

Until December 15, 1923, the temple continued to be affiliated with the Annunciation Church. The first abbots were priests Jacob Zhuravsky and Pavel Pashsky, the author of the most complete historical description Serafimovsky cemetery. Then, until October 2, 1937, he moved to the radical renovationist group “Living Church”; its rector was the notorious leader of the group “protopresbyter” Vladimir Krasnitsky. Before leaving, Father Pavel Pashsky told his parishioners that they had nothing to do in the “red” church. On the night of August 9-10, 1925, the icons of the main iconostasis and the altarpiece were stolen. By February 1927, new icons were painted on canvas, which have survived to this day.

In the temple there is an image of “Tenderness”, a copy from the cell icon in front of which the elder died. In the main chapel hangs his portrait, painted by Abbot Joseph, disciple and biographer of St. Seraphim. In the icon case, to the right of the pulpit, there are several relics: a locally revered icon with pieces of clothing, robes from the coffin and the stone on which the monk prayed. To the left of the entrance, also in an icon case, there is an icon of the Smolensk Mother of God, painted in the 18th century, previously located in the Annunciation Church. According to legend, it was brought by workers who came to build St. Petersburg by order of Peter I.

In memory of the soldiers of the Oryol regiment who fell in October 1914 on the San River, a small icon of St. was erected near the left choir. Nicholas, mounted on a brass board.

In 1923 the church became a parish. The temple, which belonged to the Living Church until 1942, was closed only for a few months during the blockade winter of 1942, when it was used as a morgue.

http://family-history.ru/temples/temples_14.html

Thus, when the lamp of faith shines in the heart, a person clearly sees everything spiritual: the invisible God as visible and other invisible things as visible - he sees and does deeds befitting the Christian calling. When there is no lamp in the house, the house is dark. So, when there is no lamp of faith in the human heart, there is nothing else there but darkness and all kinds of error.

Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk

A storm warning was issued in the morning. The sky burst into rain. Rare passers-by bowed to the ground under gusts of squally wind.

Having reached the St. Petersburg Seraphimovsky cemetery, my friend and I wandered to the temple. Eternal peace reigned in the graveyard; the raging elements remained behind the fence.

Behind the trees the bulbous domes of the Church of St. Seraphim of Sarov appeared. Relatives of the deceased gathered at the entrance to the temple, for whom they were preparing to perform a funeral service. In order not to interfere with the relatives of the deceased from performing the mournful ceremony, we decided to go to the church later and went to the graves of priests Vasily Ermakov and Anatoly Gainyuk.

There were several visitors at the grave of Father Vasily, covered with a carpet of flowers. The young man laid a bouquet of white roses at the foot of the monument and, falling to his knees, sobbed inconsolably like a child. The death of the rector was a heavy loss for the flock and spiritual children...

The burial place of Priest Anatoly Gainyuk was located in the depths of the old cemetery. Familiar kind eyes looked out from the photograph on the grave cross, as if alive. Having crossed ourselves, we kissed the tombstone, and the next moment a bright ray of sunlight, cutting through the clouds, illuminated the granite surface of the obelisk, as if Father Anatoly was smiling at us from heaven...

I was baptized at the age of 22 and, not realizing the responsibility imposed by the Sacrament of Holy Baptism, I hid pectoral cross In the box desk. But the Savior found a way to reason with me, showing His great mercy.

In the “cholera” 1990s, unemployment and lack of money, along with family troubles, gave rise to despondency and fear in the soul. I had to raise my daughter, who was only 7 years old at that time, and I didn’t have to count on my husband’s help: being in captivity of the “green serpent,” he was no longer responsible for himself.

One day I accidentally heard about Father Vasily Ermakov, who served as rector of the church at the Serafimovskoye cemetery. Possessing the gift of foresight, Father Vasily helped people with good instructions and advice. I really needed such advice, and, having put a pectoral cross on my neck for the first time, I went to the Church of St. Seraphim of Sarov.

Matins was going on in the church, the believers made the sign of the blessing sign of the cross, chanted the Creed. Until this day church services I didn’t attend, I didn’t know how to pray and, feeling uncomfortable, I hid in a dark corner, dreaming of only one thing - to see the perspicacious old man as soon as possible. But at the end of the Liturgy, the parishioners were informed that the rector would not be there today. People began to disperse, but I couldn’t even move.

It seemed that the last hope had collapsed, but God had His own plan. That day He prepared for me a priceless gift - a saving meeting.

Sitting down on a bench, I burst into tears and, plunging into despair, lost all sense of time. A voice brought me back to reality:

- What happened, mother? Why are you crying?

Standing nearby was a young priest with radiant brown eyes on a thin, haggard face. We started talking, spending several hours in soulful conversation. Father's name was Anatoly.

Three days later, Priest Anatoly accepted my first confession and became my support and consolation, spiritual mentor and father.

He was a gentle, kind teacher and fought for every “newbie.” It was a real battle for human souls, in which the warrior of Christ showed great courage.

Short and thin, like a boy, Father Anatoly did not walk on the ground, but flew at the speed of a rocket, always smiled and often joked, and it did not even occur to him that this cost him incredible efforts.

Waiting for him at home was his wife and four children, who needed care and affection. Torn between his priestly service and his family, he did not rest at all, he was in a hurry to do good deeds, as if he knew in advance that his earthly journey would be short - his body was sharpened by a serious illness.

Shortly before his death, Father Anatoly underwent surgery to remove the pancreas and, having barely recovered from his illness, rushed to the temple, continuing to serve God and people.

“A priest has one privilege - to be a servant to everyone he meets 24 hours a day”

“Many people think that a priest has some kind of privilege or special grace over the laity... I’ll tell you: a priest has one privilege - to be a servant to everyone he meets 24 hours a day for the rest of his life. God does not give us days off or vacations. If you are not in the mood, go and serve anyway. If your legs or back hurt, go and serve. You have problems in your family, but you still go and serve! This is required by the Lord and the Gospel. If you don’t have such an attitude - to dedicate your whole life to serving people - then do something else, don’t dare to take on the yoke of Christ,” said Father Vasily Ermakov.

Heeding the instructions of Priest Anatoly, I tried to correct myself God's help, but not everything worked out as needed right away, and the priest said:

- Foolish child, don’t be sad! The Lord will arrange everything. And if anything happens, run to me immediately!

And so it happened: when things were bad, I came to the temple. Father Anatoly talked with me, confessed, but did not allow me to receive Holy Communion. Apparently, he understood that at that time I was not yet ready to begin the Holy Mysteries of Christ.

“He and I are one,” said his spiritual mentor, Archpriest Vasily, about Father Anatoly. But I, a damned sinner, could not then appreciate the generosity of the Savior, who gave me a spiritual mentor in the person of Father Anatoly, and continued to seek meetings with Father Vasily Ermakov.

From early morning the church was crowded with sufferers, and as soon as the abbot appeared, parishioners surrounded him from all sides. One day he himself came up to me and said:

- Stop crying! Bring your husband to me: I need to talk to him.

My husband agreed to go to the church with amazing ease, and as soon as he and I entered the church, we immediately found ourselves in front of Father Vasily. Slyly narrowing his eyes, the priest listed the circumstances of one nasty incident in which my unlucky husband was a participant, reproaching him in the end:

- You, guy, are to blame! And you are far from God.

With these words the elder turned and walked away.

Another time I came to the Seraphim Church with a friend of mine, whose husband became infatuated with a young woman and left his family. Weeping inconsolably in front of the holy icons, we heard a voice:

- Stop crying!

Father Vasily stood nearby. Sobbing, his friend rushed to him:

Sobbing, the friend rushed to the elder: “How can I live?!” There’s dirt all around!” “Don’t go into the mud!” - was the answer

- How to live, father?! There's dirt all around!

– Don’t go into the mud! – the elder answered and headed towards the altar.

After the Liturgy, he went out onto the solea to deliver a sermon, with his gaze singling out the two of us from the huge crowd. The people, as if on command, parted, and we appeared for everyone to see. Father spoke about the destructiveness of the sin of despondency, and people, looking back at us, whispered: “They are telling you this!” Indeed, the abbot’s speech was intended for us, those of little faith, those who are lost. My soul felt unusually light... The Lord Himself spoke through Father Vasily...

Every time he saw me in church, Father Anatoly sincerely rejoiced, as a loved one can rejoice at meeting him, dear person. He found time for a soulful conversation, advised how to restore good relationships in the family, instructing that you need to humble yourself and endure. But one day, instead of the usual conversations about humility, the priest uttered words that remained in my memory forever. Unfortunately, this was our last meeting...

Father Anatoly sat me down on a bench and looked me closely in the eyes. It was an extraordinary feeling, as if an experienced doctor had X-rayed the patient and made a diagnosis. Father began to list the sins that he couldn’t even talk about. All that remained was to nod his head affirmatively, blushing with shame... Having finished this, he summed up:

– You need to divorce your spouse!

- It's scary, father! How will everything turn out?

– Don’t be afraid, you won’t be left alone. You will get married again and have a different life. I promise you!

The confessor's words turned out to be prophetic. Soon I got divorced and met my future husband. As Father Anatoly promised, I began a different life.

It so happened that, due to my own negligence, I did not come to the temple for a long time. I remembered my father, but, being in the bustle, I still couldn’t get to the temple. The news of the tragic death of Priest Anatoly came unexpectedly. I'm orphaned...

Earthly path Priest Anatoly Gainyuk was short and bright, like the light of a falling star. Father died on the day of remembrance of St. Seraphim of Sarov on January 15, 1999 at the age of 35, and now his soul resides in the holy monastery with God. He was a valiant warrior of Christ and a talented Gardener: the seeds of faith that he sown in the souls of people still bear fruitful fruit to this day.

Three years after the death of Father Anatoly, the merciful Lord led me to the Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul in Pargolovo, where I found a spiritual mentor - Archpriest Konstantin Stupnikov. Thank God for everything!

The Temple of Seraphim of Sarov at the Seraphim Cemetery is one of the most revered churches in St. Petersburg. Dating back over 100 years, the shrine has interesting story creation and development.

History of the temple

The idea of ​​establishing the Temple of Seraphim of Sarov appeared in the spring of 1905. At the same time, the blessing of Metropolitan Anthony for construction was received. It was assumed that the church would be three-altar, named after St. Seraphim. There was to be a cemetery nearby for public burials.

The foundation stone of the church took place in July 1906 by Archpriest Nikolai Travinsky. The construction of the temple was carried out by the peasant Vasiliev, who belonged to the Pskov province. Construction lasted 87 days. The consecration of the Seraphim Church took place in the early spring of 1907 by Archpriest Nikolai.

In 1923 the temple received independence (before that it was considered part of the Church of the Annunciation). The first rector of the church is Pavel Pashsky. He is also the author of the largest description of the Seraphim Cemetery from a historical point of view.

The shrine ceased its work only in the winter of 1942, when the temple premises were equipped as a distribution center for receiving the wounded. The revival and return of the church to the Orthodox community took place in April of the same year. The church bells rang non-stop for more than 2 days after receiving the news that the blockade of the city was ending.

In 1980, a one-story brick building was built near the temple. Now it serves as a room for a refectory and classes Sunday school. In 2000, using donations from parishioners, a complete renovation of the building was carried out: replacing the floor, heating system, and domes with crosses.

In 2002, repair work was carried out on the external facade, old images were replaced with new mosaics of Seraphim of Sarov. At the same time, the chapel (now a church shop) was renovated. Since 2007, most of the icons have been restored. Some of them were re-gilded. Holy images of Kazan Mother of God and St. Nicholas are placed in new oak icon cases.

Today, St. Seraphim Church is one of the favorite places of parishioners. Despite the difficult times, the church almost never stopped working throughout its history, which dates back more than a century. From 2007 to this day, the rector of the temple is Archpriest Nikolai, who has served within its walls since 1984.

In July 2009, the Patriarch visited the walls of the temple His Holiness Kirill. He awarded the rector the Order of the 3rd degree of St. Seraphim of Sarov. The Patriarch also performed a festive liturgy at the grave of his grandfather, who was buried on the territory of the Seraphim cemetery.

Seraphim Cemetery

On the territory of the Serafimovsky cemetery in St. Petersburg, a large number of priests found their final refuge, church leaders who made a huge contribution to the development of Orthodoxy in Rus'. These are, for example, Raina Kosma, Sashin Viktor, Morozov Evgeniy, Pashsky Pavel, Lomakin Nikolai and many others.

Near the Birch Road the sisters of the Ioannovsky Monastery rest. The first graves appeared here before the revolution. At the beginning of 1923, all the novices of the monastery were sent to camps, the monastery itself was simply destroyed and closed. The last burials appeared here after the end of the Great Patriotic War, when the decision was made to bury the sisters of the monastery on the territory of the Seraphim Cemetery in St. Petersburg.

During the Great Patriotic War, the cemetery served as a mass burial place for city residents. After the blockade, more than 100,000 people were buried in 4 common trenches. In 2004, on the site where the siege survivors rested, a Worship cross. During festive liturgies, memorial prayers are performed near the cross.

In August 2000, the cruiser Kursk, with 118 people on board, sank in the waters of the Barents Sea while carrying out training missions. Most of the dead are buried in the cemetery's mass graves.

Seraphim Cemetery became the burial place of a large number of famous people. These are scientists, artists, and philanthropists. Many of them are known far beyond the borders of the state.

Icons

Near the main choir of the temple there is the main shrine - the icon of the Sarov Seraphim. Here lie parts of the relics, the coffin and the stone where the monk performed his prayer, which lasted a thousand days and nights. Legend has it that the shrines went to the church as donations from the Ivanov spouses, who learned about the construction of the temple.

On the left side of the church is the “Tenderness” icon, depicting the Mother of God. Another name for the image is “Joy of All Joys.” As eyewitnesses testify, in the winter of 1833, in the cell of Father Seraphim, novices found the saint kneeling in front of this icon.

Next with right side there is an icon of the Kazan Mother of God. The shrine appeared in 1579 in Kazan. In 1811, the Kazan Cathedral was built especially for the icon, where it remained for almost 100 years. In 1904, thieves entered the church and stole the shrine. The robbers were soon found, however miraculous icon disappeared without a trace.

On the left side near the northern entrance there is an icon of St. Nicholas, created in oil at the beginning of the 20th century. The shrine stands on the floor in a specialized icon case (carved in the shape of a grapevine).

Near the icon of St. Nicholas the Savior there is a memorial plaque made of brass. It depicts St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. The plaque was created in memory of the soldiers and officers from the Oryol infantry regiment who died on the San River.

On the left side at the entrance to the temple is the “Sign” icon, created at the beginning of the 20th century. In the vastness of Rus', the original version of the shrine was called “Incarnation”, and it was known since the 11th century.

Immediately on the previous shrine is the icon of the Mother of God of Smolensk. Initially, the image was located within the walls of the Church of the Annunciation. After the closing of the latter, the icon was transferred to the Church of Seraphim of Sarov.

On the opposite side to the right is the icon of the Mother of God of Tikhvin. The image was painted in oil on wood at the end of the 19th century. The icon was originally created according to the image that appeared over the waters of Lake Ladoga in 1383.

In the temple there is an icon of the “Seeking of the Lost” of the Mother of God. The image helps people who have lost hope of salvation, those who feel that life is irrevocably over. The Mother of God helps such lost souls find the right path.

On the opposite side of the Crucifixion is the “Candlemas” icon. The holy image is one of the most ancient within the walls of the temple. It dates from the mid-18th century.

Within the walls of the temple there is an icon of the “Kazan-Romanov” Mother of God. The image was created in 1888 in honor of the memory miraculous salvation Alexander 3, survivor of a train accident. During the destruction of the imperial palace at the beginning of the 20th century, the icon was saved by Stepan Nikitich, who worked as a manager. In subsequent years, the shrine was hidden in his family until it was transferred to the temple of Seraphim of Sarov.

Schedule of services

Within the walls of the Church of Seraphim of Sarov at the Seraphim Cemetery, daily services are held:

• on weekdays there is morning liturgy (10:00) and evening prayer (17:00).
• On Sundays, services are held at 7, 10 and 13.

In big Orthodox holidays Special liturgies are held within the walls of the church. Their schedule must be clarified in advance, as changes are possible.

How to get to the temple

To get to the Seraphim Cemetery, you need to get off at the metro station " Old village" Next you need to walk along the Torfyanaya road for a little more than 300 meters. Before your eyes will be Berezovaya Alley, where the cemetery is located.

If you use ground public transport, go in the direction of the temple:

• trolleybus No. 40;
• buses No. 172, 93;
• minibuses No. 172, 229, 193, 93.

Contact details

To contact representatives of the temple, contact information has been provided:

• address – St. Petersburg, lane. Serebryakov, house No. 1 (Seraphim Cemetery);
• phone – 430-15-50, 430 14 32 (office).

Photos

In 2016, the Church of Seraphim of Sarov turned 110 years old. Over the years of its existence, the building has undergone numerous reconstructions and improvements. Today there is not only a huge Orthodox shrine, but also a building of historical value.

The Serafimovskaya women's community originates from the Poluninskaya Holy Cross women's community, which was located in the current Sapozhkovsky district of the Ryazan region. In 1860, the God-loving elder Pavel settled in this deserted and beautiful area at the invitation of the wealthy Sapozhkov merchant Vasily Ivanovich Polunin. Elder Pavel lived here for fifteen years. In 1875, he died, having shortly before his death taken monastic vows with the name Plato. After some time, V.I. Polunin himself settled in the elder’s cell, imitating the life of Plato. Here he opened women's almshouse and built a stone chapel. It was built in 1886 stone temple in honor of Honest Life-giving Cross. In 1890, his sons filed a petition to convert the almshouse to the Poluninskaya Krestovozdvizhenskaya women's community. The first abbess of the community was nun Palladia.

In 1906, by decree of the emperor, a plot of land equal to 1.5 tithes (approx. 3600 sq. m) in Novo-Kuntsevo, donated by the peasants of the village of Krylatskoye, was assigned to the monastery. They began to build a monastery and a temple on it. The construction was headed by nun Seraphima and novice Ekaterina Ilyeva. The design of the temple was prepared by V.F. Zhigardlovich in 1907

After completion of construction in 1909, it was consecrated by the dean of the monasteries, Archimandrite Daniel, in honor of St. Seraphim of Sarov. The priest Alexander Vladimirovich Rusinov became the rector of the church. The community developed - five houses for nuns and a clergy were built on the territory of the temple, the fence was replaced, the temple itself was plastered outside and inside, three wall paintings appeared in it: images of two angels and the death of St. Seraphim of Sarov. In 1915, permission was received from the Construction Department of the Moscow Provincial Board to build a chapel with a belfry, holy gates and premises for gatekeepers.

On September 28-29, 1917, the Holy Synod determined that the Kuntsevo metochion of the Poluninskaya Cross Exaltation community should be made an independent community. Nun Seraphima from the Poluninsk community was appointed head of the Kuntsevo Monastery. It was a difficult time for the Orthodox. It did not pass without a trace for the Seraphim community. In 1918, the community's property and temple were taken away. In order to perform divine services, it was necessary to conclude an agreement with representatives of local authorities and make an inventory of property, which was done all in the same 1918.

At the end of 1922 the community was abolished. All that remained was the church, which was turned into a parish church. At first, he successfully survived the “originality” of the government, not counting the fact that in 1922, 44 silver objects were confiscated from him - supposedly “for the benefit of the starving” - and a large bell was taken away.

A tragic fate befell the clergy and some parishioners of the church of St. Seraphim of Sarov in Kuntsevo. The first rector of the temple is Archpriest Alexander Vladimirovich Rusinov. He was born in 1878. He was the rector of the temple from 1907 to 1922. He was responsible for the construction of the temple and the difficult years of revolutionary power. In 1938, he was shot at the Butovo training ground. Now he is glorified among the holy new martyrs and confessors of Russia.

The second rector is Priest Sergius Felitsyn. The church was headed by Rev. Seraphim of Sarov in 1926. Sergei Nikolaevich Felitsyn was born in 1895 in the village of Pogost Trinity - Chizhi, Noginsk district, Moscow region. His father was a priest. Sergei Nikolaevich had two sisters and a brother. In 1916 he graduated from the Moscow Theological Seminary. He then graduated from the Moscow Theological Academy with a candidate's degree in theology. At that time, the temple suffered the most severe trials during its existence. The rector and parishioners fought to preserve the church.

In 1937 he was arrested in the Church of the Savior Miraculous Image on Setun and was shot along with deacon V.I. Krasnokutsky and another clergyman, whose name is not yet known. S.N. Felitsyn together with Krasnokutsky were glorified as Russian new martyrs and confessors.

After the closure of the temple, the owners of the building often changed. At first it housed various children's institutions, then manufacturing enterprises: Mechanical Transport Plant; Furniture accessories factory; Kuntsevo plant of plastic products and, finally, Kuntsevo plant of automatic pens, which around 1970 became a branch of the plant named after. Sacco and Vanzetti. Next to the temple, a brick bell tower overlooking the former Bolnichny Lane has been preserved. After the closure of the Seraphim-Nicholas Church, apartments were arranged in it, and then a blacksmith shop was located here. During this time, the bell tower lost its second tier, the holy gates were broken. The wooden bell tower and residential buildings on the territory of the abolished community have long been demolished. Apart from the church and the stone bell tower, all other buildings appeared during the Soviet period.

In 1999 the temple was visited by His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II. In 2000, on May 31, the church became a metochion of the Savvino-Storozhevsky Monastery. In 2006, the temple was given the status of a Patriarchal metochion.

In 2004, part of the buildings “strangely caught fire at night,” which gave grounds to remove part of the territory from the law on the protection of cultural monuments and historical heritage, while the territory urgently “sold to a certain LLC.” Currently, after changing several owners, the latter is constructing a residential building.

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