MIRACLES FROM THE LIFE OF SAINT SERAPHIN OF SAROV

Lee Evans

Miracles, signs, and wonders

Transcript

00:00In the final years of the life of St. Seraphim, countless people from across Russia came to

00:05his small cell, some seeking a simple blessing, others looking for comfort.

00:11Thousands came daily, yet he never grew weary.

00:15He spoke with each soul that approached him, revealing thoughts that only God knows, with

00:20words that were simple but full of power and humility.

00:25One day, a retired army general appeared at the monastery.

00:28He didn't come out of faith, but out of mere curiosity.

00:33He had heard about the elder's reputation and wanted to see what kind of man this so-called

00:37saint was.

00:39After indifferently touring the monastery grounds, he was ready to leave.

00:44Nothing had touched him.

00:46But then he ran into an acquaintance, a landowner, who urged him insistently to visit the elder

00:51together.

00:53At first the general refused.

00:55I don't need monks, he said scornfully.

00:59But eventually, perhaps out of politeness, perhaps some deeper stirring, he agreed.

01:06As they entered the cell, St. Seraphim stood up and bowed before him.

01:10The old elder bowed before the uniformed general, adorned with medals, and in that very moment

01:16the towering pride of the general crumbled.

01:18He felt a force unlike anything he had ever experienced.

01:23He stayed with the elder for half an hour.

01:26His companion felt out of place and quietly stepped outside.

01:31Moments later, loud sobbing was heard from within.

01:35The general was crying like a child, and when the door opened, the saint emerged, holding

01:40the general by the hand.

01:41The man continued to sob, covering his face with his hands.

01:45His medals and cap were left behind in the cell, completely forgotten.

01:50Tradition tells us that while they were speaking, the medals began to fall off his chest on their

01:54own.

01:56St. Seraphim calmly gathered them and placed them in the cap, saying,

02:00This happened because you took them without deserving them.

02:04Later the general confessed in awe.

02:06I traveled all over Europe and met countless distinguished people, but never have I seen

02:12such humility, such spiritual power, and no one has ever revealed the deepest secrets

02:17of my life to me as this elder did.

02:21Whether he was facing royalty or the forgotten poor, St. Seraphim always remained the same.

02:27Peaceful, humble.

02:29He bore no grudges, and never boasted about the miracles that came through his prayer and

02:33Christ's love.

02:34He would often say, We must drive out of our hearts all earthly joy, and rejoice only that

02:41our names are written in heaven.

02:45In June of 1827 a young woman came before the saint, twenty-two years old, already a mother

02:51of two small children.

02:54For the past year she had suffered from a mysterious illness.

02:58It all began after a divine liturgy on the day of a local feast.

03:02She had returned home and went for a walk with her husband.

03:07Suddenly, she was struck by dizziness.

03:11With great difficulty, they got her to the foyer of their house, where she collapsed with

03:15violent convulsions and vomiting and eventually fell into a speechless state.

03:20She briefly came to, only to begin grinding her teeth and chewing on anything nearby.

03:27Then, she fell asleep.

03:29From that day forward, for six months, she endured similar seizures every day.

03:35No one could help her.

03:37Three different doctors examined her, one of them among the most renowned in Russia.

03:40The last one told her plainly, No man can heal you.

03:45Only God can help you.

03:47She was devastated.

03:49But on the night before June 11th, she had a dream.

03:53An unfamiliar elderly woman appeared before her and asked,

03:56Why are you suffering and not seeking a doctor?

03:59The young woman panicked, made the sign of the cross, and began praying aloud,

04:05Let God arise and let His enemies be scattered.

04:08But the woman in the dream replied gently,

04:11Don't be afraid.

04:13I am just like you, a human being.

04:16But I now dwell in the kingdom of the departed.

04:18Go tomorrow to Sarov, to Father Seraphim.

04:22He is waiting to heal you.

04:23Who are you?

04:25The sick woman dared to ask.

04:28I am Alexandra, the first abbess of the Deveevo convent.

04:33The next morning, family and friends hitched the horses and began the journey to Sarov.

04:39The woman suffered terribly on the way, fainting, convulsions, exhaustion.

04:45They arrived after the second divine liturgy, just as the monks were having their meal.

04:50The elder was not seeing anyone at that time.

04:53But when the woman approached and uttered the Jesus prayer,

04:57he immediately came out of his cell,

05:00took her by the hand, and led her inside.

05:03He put on his stole, prayed silently to Christ and the Theotokos,

05:09and then gave her a piece of antidoron, some holy water, and three pieces of sugar.

05:16Each day, eat one piece of sugar and drink the holy water, he instructed.

05:21Go also to the grave of the servant of God, Alexandra.

05:28Make as many prostrations as you can, and take some soil with you.

05:33Alexandra suffers because of your illness and desires your healing.

05:36And when you feel afflicted, say this prayer.

05:42Father Seraphim, remember me in your prayer, and plead for me, the sinful one,

05:47that the enemy of God may not cast me again into this illness.

05:51At that very moment, the woman felt her strength return.

05:57From then on, she was completely healed.

06:00She would go on to give birth to four sons and five daughters.

06:03Her husband, in a letter of gratitude, wrote,

06:08We keep Father Seraphim's name deeply in our hearts,

06:11and in every memorial service, we remember him along with our loved ones.

06:17In that small forest cell, without riches or noise,

06:21something higher was always being born,

06:23a love that healed, a humility that overwhelmed.

06:27Today, as people are drowned in distractions and noise,

06:31the words and silence of St. Seraphim hold a different kind of power,

06:36a power that softens hearts, like that of the proud general,

06:40and heals souls, like that of the young mother.

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