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Remembering Hieromartyr Seraphim, Archbishop of Uglich · Saints and Scripture

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  SPEAKER_00: Welcome to the Saints and Scripture Podcast.
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  SPEAKER_00: Today is Wednesday, november fourth, twenty twenty six.
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  SPEAKER_00: Today we remember Hero Martyr Seraphim, Archbishop of Uglish, born Semyon Samoilovich on july nineteenth, eighteen eighty one, in Mirgarod.
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  SPEAKER_00: He devoted his life to serving the church through teaching, missionary work, and leadership.
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  SPEAKER_00: After graduating from the Poltava Theological Seminary in 1902, he taught at schools in Alaska, including Sitka.
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  SPEAKER_00: There, he was tonsured a monk and ordained a Hayero monk.
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  SPEAKER_00: He served as rector of the Nugek Spiritual Mission and taught at the Sitka Theological Seminary.
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  SPEAKER_00: He worked closely with Archbishop Tikhan, the future patriarch, who valued his zeal and asceticism.
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  SPEAKER_00: Returning to Russia, Seraphim served in various roles, including Vicar of the Uglitch Protection Monastery and Vicar of the Yaroslavl Diocese.
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  SPEAKER_00: In 1920, he was consecrated Bishop of Uglic and later elevated to Archbishop.
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  SPEAKER_00: During the difficult years of Soviet control, Seraphim was part of the Parallel Synod, a group seeking to preserve church independence and resist government interference.
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  SPEAKER_00: They supported decentralization and secret ordinations to protect the church.
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  SPEAKER_00: He was imprisoned multiple times, beginning in 1922, and after release, continued to lead and defend the church.
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  SPEAKER_00: In 1926, after the arrest of Metropolitan Joseph, Seraphim assumed the role of deputy patriarchal locum tenens, guiding the church until 1927.
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  SPEAKER_00: Seraphim refused to cooperate with Soviet demands to control church appointments.
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  SPEAKER_00: After his refusal, he was arrested again.
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  SPEAKER_00: He opposed the policies of Metropolitan Sergius, calling for courage and truth in leadership.
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  SPEAKER_00: In 1928, Metropolitan Sergius suspended him from priesthood and removed him from his position.
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  SPEAKER_00: Seraphim was arrested again in 1929 and sentenced to five years in a prison camp.
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  SPEAKER_00: Even in exile, he led the secret church, assigning priests and performing tonsures.
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  SPEAKER_00: He believed that in times of persecution, the church should not have centralized leadership, but that bishops should govern their own dioceses.
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  SPEAKER_00: Around 1934, he helped organize a small council that suspended Metropolitan Sergius for uncanonical actions.
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  SPEAKER_00: Later that year, Seraphim was arrested once more and sentenced to five years in the camps.
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  SPEAKER_00: He was executed by shooting on October 22nd, 1937, which is November 4th on the New Style calendar.
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  SPEAKER_00: Hieromartyr Seraphim was canonized with the new martyrs and confessors of Russia and approved for general veneration in 2000.
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  SPEAKER_00: Let us pray.
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  SPEAKER_00: Lord, grant us the courage and faith of Hieromartyr Seraphim.
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  SPEAKER_00: Help us to remain steadfast in truth and love.
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  SPEAKER_00: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, one God.
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  SPEAKER_00: Amen.