Suicide Rescue: “Don’t do it!”
One of my friends was an alcoholic. The binges were long. And during one of his drinking sessions he came to terrible thoughts of suicide. He went out into the hallway on the eve of what he had planned and suddenly saw a bent old man with a stick, with which he firmly and sternly told him: “Don’t do this!” And disappeared before his eyes.
The hops instantly disappeared from my head. An acquaintance went out into the street and, as he said, instead of a liquor store, his feet themselves led him to the temple. I bought a candle and began to walk around the icons, thinking about who to give it to. And suddenly I saw that same “old man”. It was Seraphim of Sarov. I fell on my knees in front of him and cried for a long time. He prayed, thanked him for admonition and asked for help to stop drinking. Since then his life has improved!
Faith
Rules for asking
You can contact the saint at different times of the day. In order for Seraphim to hear the prayers of the supplicant at home, you need to follow certain recommendations:
- tune in to the necessary mood, discard bad thoughts;
- stay alone in the room so that there are no distractions;
- Light a candle near the face and water, place everything on the table in front of you;
- read the prayer slowly, pondering the meaning of the words, with bright intentions;
- after reciting the sacred text, you should drink water and sprinkle it on your room, bed, and clothes.
The mother’s prayer to Seraphim of Sarov for the marriage of her daughter has enormous power. To do this, she needs to attend a service in the temple. It is worth praising the Higher powers and thanking them for everything that is available. Before the petition, they call the church name of their child. Then they cry for the daughter to acquire pure and bright love. We must remember that only sincere words will be heard by the Lord and his saints. You can also do a good deed - give, for example, alms to those in need.
It is allowed not only to say the prayer, but also to listen to it in audio recording. You just need to be careful and not lose the meaning of the words. You can add your own words to the prayer message. It is worth telling the saint about your experiences and desires.
You shouldn't expect instant results. Sometimes this takes a long time. Establishing a personal life is a long process. But you shouldn’t lose hope, you need to continue asking for help without blaming anyone. After the assistance provided, one must thank the Higher Powers.
Confessed easily!
I remember a story that I witnessed. They appointed us a new treasurer for the temple. But she was far from faith. But she regularly took her little sick granddaughter to receive communion, but she herself was not ready to approach the sacraments.
Once the parishioners of the temple gathered on a pilgrimage to Diveevo. On the way to the Iversky spring, the treasurer suddenly says: “While I was waiting for my granddaughter, I had such a good conversation with the priest in confession...” Do you remember your first confessions? They are so difficult. And here everything was so easy for a new Christian woman - “she spoke well.”
But she refused to take a dip in the source. However, approaching the bathhouse, she suddenly resolutely headed towards the water. And then I myself was surprised: I didn’t want to, I was afraid - and how did I decide?!
Your prayers are wonderful, Father Seraphim.
I.S.
The participants were sent home
December 2022. Hospital, recovery room. A new girl appears. And she has with her a book about the miracles of St. Seraphim of Sarov in the records of the monks. This woman read quietly in the evenings, without imposing her faith on anyone. Only once did I ask my roommates: “I called the priest to confess and take communion. Maybe someone wants to go with me?” Only the young girl responded. She said that she would really like to take communion, but she does not know how to confess correctly. She said that she had been receiving treatment here for a month and there was no improvement. Then two more roommates expressed a desire. We began to prepare, read prayers according to the prayer book. Another woman joined us from the next room. And grandma looked in alone: “Is there anything new to read?” So we gave her a book about Seraphim of Sarov.
In the morning a priest came from the Church of Sofia Slutskaya. He confessed and gave communion to everyone.
And after lunch, all the communicants were sent home...
Neonila
Miracles of St. Seraphim today
Miracles of St. Seraphim of Sarov in our days
Hello , dear visitors of the Orthodox website “Family and Faith”!
15 On January and August 1, the holy and prayerful memory of our venerable father Seraphim of Sarov of All Russia, the Wonderworker, is celebrated!
about the biography of this great saint of God on the website page The Life of St. Seraphim of Sarov
Below we post stories about the miracles of Father Seraphim that happened to our contemporaries, who fervently turned to St. Seraphim of Sarov.
(Based on materials from Pravoslavie.ru)
“I dreamed of a bright Russian grandfather”
Archpriest Vladimir Gamaris
Reverend Seraphim of Sarov appeared to me in a dream praying on a stone on a forest lawn in white Russian clothes. I didn't know who it was. I told my friend that I dreamed of a bright Russian grandfather kneeling on something round. In the dream, I walked up and bowed to him. Less than a month has passed. I came to the Intercession Monastery in Kyiv and saw an icon of a priest praying on a stone. I met a friend and asked: “Remember, I told you about my grandfather?” “I remember,” she replied. - “Now I know who he is. I saw him in the church on the icon. This is St. Seraphim of Sarov." At that time I began to constantly go to church. I believe that the Lord brought me to His Church through the prayers of St. Seraphim, when he stood on a stone for a thousand days and a thousand nights and saved many people with his prayer. By the grace of God I have been serving as a priest for more than 30 years. I never talked about this miracle publicly.
"Seraphim woke him up"
Maria
One day a baritone, about 40 years old (however, did not stay), who received a musical education at a provincial conservatory, came to our choir to learn church singing; but he never sang in the choir, and he also left music long ago. And suddenly his eyes bulged when he saw the icon of Seraphim of Sarov; asked: who is he? We said, and he told us, that when he was studying at a provincial music school or conservatory (I have already forgotten this), somehow, to keep warm, he wrapped himself in a heating pad and fell asleep. And then he sees an old man (whom he recognized on the icon), and he woke him up to urgently get up. The heating pad was already smoldering. If Seraphim had not woken him up then, he would have burned.
“All blood tests showed that things were bad”
NN
How Father Seraphim helped me.
In 2007, my mother was diagnosed with cancer, and they could not determine where exactly it was. And that made it even worse. All blood tests showed that things were bad. After a month of examination, nothing was found.
I have long wanted to go to Diveevo to visit St. Seraphim, but my sister said that this is a very holy place and we need to prepare for the trip, read the life, fast, take communion (at that time we were not yet churchgoers). But for some reason, after a month of tears about my mother, I confidently told my parents: “We’re going to Diveevo!”
We arrived on Saturday after lunch and, as soon as we stepped over the monastery fence, our souls felt so calm and so quiet... I really wanted to preserve this state. Then we venerated the relics of Father Seraphim, defended the akathist in the morning and went home to Moscow. On Monday, my mother went to her next appointment with the doctor, and he ordered an additional examination, and it was there that they found a polyp and there was oncology.
Then it was as if someone had arranged and done everything for us: some people helped with hospitalization in a good clinic - for free, others - with a good ward, which is important for morale in such a situation, others helped with medical professors. And so help came from those people from whom I did not expect, not from relatives and friends, but from strangers - this is how Father Seraphim managed everything. Mom had a very complicated operation, and two months later we were all going again to Diveevo to see Father Seraphim, mom was reclining, but we were already on our way to say thank you.
Seven years have passed. Thank God everything is fine with mom. We joined the church as a family, our parents got married.
The help of Father Seraphim is felt in everything. Every trip to Diveevo is a great consolation.
Reverend Father Seraphim, pray to God for us!
“I felt an inner call to go to the Seraphim-Diveevo monastery”
Larisa R.
I was at a crossroads in 2008 and had terrible stomach pain. I was thinking about whether I should leave the States and leave my husband, who did not want children and from whom I left for six months - trying to create a new relationship with another person who really wanted children. As a result, having fallen ill with severe gastritis for my sin in 2006, I returned to my husband, who forgave me and accepted me back. I started becoming a church member, attending the Greek Orthodox Church (and before that I was in the Catholic Church).
Many confessions, including a public one on a pilgrimage to the monastery of St. Anthony in Arizona (with our parish), but there was no improvement in my stomach. In 2008, I felt an inner call to go to the Seraphim-Diveyevo monastery and pray at the relics of Father Seraphim. And so it happened - my first pilgrimage trip was to Diveevo, we lived there for a week with a friend and her daughter (and I luckily met her right on the train, this was not the first time she had gone there, and for me it was a miracle, since I was not at all I knew if there was a pilgrimage center there and how I would get there, I only knew that I needed to go to Arzamas). It was winter, a week before Christmas. We prayed a lot there and venerated the relics of Father Seraphim, walked in prayer along the Kanavka, collected blessed oil and earth from the Kanavka, worked in the kitchen, plunged into the springs and at -35 C° and fasting we never got sick (for me it was very strange, because with gastritis my strength was very weakened, but there I felt cheerfulness and lightness; as a doctor, I could not understand this, only with the grace from this holy place and the relics of the saint I could explain it). Arriving home in the Caucasus, I had no pain for almost a month, but after a month they returned, but to a lesser extent, and I began to find herbs and probiotics that could control inflammation and suppress my Helicobacter.
During confession in Diveevo, my father advised me not to leave my husband, no matter what he was, I obeyed and returned to the States. My husband already agreed to adopt the child, and we went to Russia together for three years. Everything worked out for us, now my daughter is 5 years old, my husband and mother are alive and healthy, gastritis only bothers me in the morning, after sleep, but I found herbs that relieve inflammation and pain.
So I hold on, enjoy life, pray daily, read all the morning prayers and akathists for every day, read spiritual literature, try to be more involved in church life, take communion once a month.
Mom, a former agnostic and intolerant of faith, now goes to church with me and sometimes listens to the Gospel in the morning.
I give Holy Communion to my daughter regularly and I see how difficult it is for children to force themselves to pay attention and pray (they want everything quickly and briskly) - special services are needed for children! - so that it is clear and interesting for them. For now, Sunday school is the only alternative to this.
There’s only one problem left with me: my husband is a stubborn agnostic, and we don’t get along very well on the Christian issue of raising our daughter. But I pray to the Mother of God for him every day - for the conversion of an unbeliever. It’s difficult with him, he is much older than me (29 years difference), but I take this cross every morning and carry it (I put the Cross near the bed and kiss it every morning, I look at Christ Crucified, and this strengthens me; He endured and commanded us !).
Thank you Father Seraphim for your prayerful intercession for us sinners!
“She met St. Seraphim - alive, as in an icon”
Varvara Bolondaeva
Of course, the priest always helped and continues to help. And with sorrows, and with joys, and with sins, always cry to him. Always quick to help, grieves for us, does not judge. The first time I was in Diveevo and approached the relics, I was very worried - what to ask for? It seems like a solemn moment, something important needs to be said, but here comes the thought: a very small amount of money is not enough. I was even embarrassed. But before I had time to get home, they called from work: “Listen, they credited you with some strange money,” and they said exactly the same amount, penny for penny.
I felt very ashamed and scared then, and since then I have tried to ask only for spiritual help. But the conversation is not about me.
Once I went with volunteers to a hospice to talk with the elderly. Just talk, support, read books. One old woman had an icon of Father Seraphim hanging over her bed. The woman is intelligent, not that she is very church-going, but she used to go to church. And she said - so simply and ordinarily - that, leaving the temple (I think this was also in Diveevo), she met St. Seraphim. Alive, as in an icon.
“I told him:
- Father Seraphim, is that you?
And he told me:
- Yes, he is the one!
And I think: well, I need to give something, treat them, but I only have candy and an apple in my bag.
I told him:
- Father, take the candy!
And he smiled:
“They ruin your teeth.”
And he took the apple.”
This is how the saints are always there: to help, console or remind you of faith. Well, sometimes, to reason with it, not without it. All we need to do is ask and accept their participation and help.
“My cough went away instantly”
Evgenia Rudneva
Father Seraphim in Diveevo several times. But I always remember one incident and I am sure that it could not have happened without my father’s help!
It was in the winter, after severe bronchitis, there were still residual effects, I went to Diveevo. I didn’t take any swimwear on purpose.
And here we are in Tsyganovka. Beauty! Bitter frost, 20 degrees! Everyone ran to take a dip, but I contemplated the beauty around me. In an icon shop, a small dispute arose between the seller and a woman who wanted to buy a bathing shirt, but her own size was very small, and there was none. They tried to convince her that this was not the main thing, etc., and I heard the following story.
One day another group of pilgrims came to the spring. We plunged, walked, took photographs... after some time a man from that group returned there with ready-made photographs, where Father Seraphim was depicted - BIG, STANDING IN THE SKY! - and held the cross in his hands, dipping it into the source! THIS SHOCKED ME SO MUCH!
Having bought a shirt, and it turned out to be huge, size 56 (!), I rushed to the bathhouse. And, teeth chattering from the cold, I plunged in. God bless! What a blessed state it was! And it's hot! And joyful! And my bus has left! But for some reason I’m not worried! Of course he came back for me. And no one swore at me that they had to look for me and come back, and my cough went away instantly!!! This is how Father Seraphim bathed me in his spring! Making it clear that
for the doubts and embarrassment I had...
Father Seraphim! Pray to God for us!!!
“My husband didn’t understand why we got married”
Svetlana Fedorova
I gave alms to one nun for the construction of a temple (this was shortly before the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the glorification of St. Seraphim of Sarov). Mother asked: “Who should I pray for?” - and in response I asked you to pray for my husband, since he does not understand why get married when we already live well in a legal marriage! Mother replied that she was blessed to go to the holiday in Diveevo and she would pray to the monk there for us! And on September 13, 2003, my husband and I got married! He himself came up to me and told me to talk to the priest in church about the wedding! It was on Sunday after the liturgy, at which we both received communion! Glory to the Lord in His saints!!!!
“Father Seraphim helped arrange my destiny”
Lyubov Zinovieva
Father Seraphim helped arrange my destiny and filled my life with all the best that a person can have!
During my student days, it was difficult for me to find a job because I had to combine it with my studies. No one could afford to hire a student for half a day. I was in despair: there was no job, there were three more college courses ahead, I needed money. I also suffered greatly from loneliness: I wanted to meet true love, a serious, sincere relationship.
I accidentally turned on the TV and came across celebrations on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the canonization of St. Seraphim of Sarov. My heart was filled with them, and I went to the nearest church to pray at the icon of the saint. Immediately after that, they called me and invited me to work, where they not only let me go to study, but also taught me a lot. That's where I met my future husband!
The monk also arranged housing for our family: immediately after the prayers, he found the option we wanted.
Thank him for being in my life and answering my prayers!!!!
WITH ERAPHIM SAROVSKY. Altar Boy Stories
Contemporary miracles of St. Seraphim
And the Kathist to St. Seraphim of Sarov
Remained in her native Orthodoxy
My story is the return of the prodigal daughter. I became the wife of a foreigner, and of a different religion. Only, as they say, in hindsight I began to realize how ill-conceived my decision was. Moreover, it is a violation of the apostolic rules on the marriages of Orthodox Christians with people of other faiths. But then I was spiritually blind.
We were captivated by his friendliness, sociability, wealth, love for children and desire to have them. And after the wedding, the newly-minted husband began to ask, and then demand, to accept his faith. It was extremely difficult to resist, since I was financially dependent on him. They used threats, blackmail, intimidation, even assault.
And I began to pray to the martyr Yevgeny Rodionov, who in Chechen captivity did not succumb to persuasion to convert to Islam at the cost of his life. And I received strength and desire to fight for myself and my faith.
By the way, on the eve of my wedding and departure abroad, my friend gave me sand from the groove of Seraphim of Sarov. I was warmed and consoled by the prophecies of Father Seraphim: “The enemy will pass everywhere, but will stop at the ditch.” And I had a piece of the groove, and that means “the enemy will not pass through.”
This is what happened through the prayers of the Queen of Heaven, St. Seraphim of Sarov, and the warrior-martyr Evgeniy Rodionov. With their help, I became a parishioner of the Moscow Patriarchate Church.
Tatiana
Life of Seraphim of Sarov
The worldly name of the saint is Prokhor Isidorovich Moshnin. The great ascetic came from Kursk; he was born in 1754 into a wealthy merchant family. In his early years, the future hieromonk suffered a serious illness, during which he received a sign. The Mother of God appeared to the boy in a dream and promised to heal him. The dream came true - during the Procession of the Cross, the boy venerated the face of the Sign of the Most Holy Theotokos, after which he quickly began to recover.
With the blessing of Elder Dosithea, at the age of 22 the young man entered the Sarov Monastery as a novice. Eight years later he takes monasticism and the name Seraphim. An innate tendency towards seclusion prompts the ascetic to set up a cell for himself in the wilderness, at a distance of 5 km from the monastery. Seraphim of Sarov adhered to strict fasting, got his own food and spent all his free time in prayer. Next to his cell, the monk built a small apiary and planted a vegetable garden.
Eyewitnesses who happened to know the ascetic personally tell a lot of wonderful and amazing things about his life. For example, some of the monk’s guests saw a huge wild bear next to his cell, which Seraphim stroked and fed from his hands. In addition, the monk spent 1000 days in prayer vigil on a stone pedestal, performing the feat of stylite life.
One of the most remarkable and dramatic events in the life of the elder was the attack of robbers. The forest robbers found out that visitors regularly came to the monk, among whom were many rich guests. They decided that treasures, money and other precious things could be kept in the ascetic’s cell. The robbers broke into the monk while he was busy praying. The ascetic was severely beaten, his head was broken with the butt of an ax. No valuables were found in the hermit's cell.
The saint miraculously remained alive, and the robbers who attacked him were soon captured. However, following the precepts of Jesus Christ, Seraphim of Sarov insisted that they not be punished. The great ascetic died at the age of 78 while praying.
Survived a fire
Father Seraphim helped me many times. But I would like to highlight one case in particular.
It happened on St. Basil the Great - January 14th. Due to a short circuit in the garland, the Christmas tree caught fire. Near her are icons with towels, and I’m wearing a down scarf. I was scared, confused, and didn’t know what to do. And the fire had already burned to the ceiling. I wanted to bring the Christmas tree to the bathroom and put it out, but I couldn’t. My hair caught fire, my face and hands burned. Dropped it on the threshold into the bathroom. Outerwear was hanging nearby, I grabbed my coat and began to put out the fire with it. It’s surprising that my clothes didn’t catch fire, even though I was on fire. And the icons next to the Christmas tree remained intact - St. Seraphim and Amphilochius of Pochaev! They saved me!
Irina
Healing a woman's illness
I suffered from uterine bleeding for more than a year. There was a gynecological operation, but it did not get any easier: bleeding continued due to the endometrium, which had grown to 27 mm. The doctor prescribed medications, but they did not help.
Exhausted and desperate, she began to pray to Father Saraphim of Sarov, although at first she was ashamed to ask the saint about a purely female problem. I anointed myself with holy oil and said a prayer. And the endometrium began to be rejected!
Then, when I saw a more experienced gynecologist, I learned that even when the endometrium grows to 17-19 mm, medications help, but if it is more, only surgery is needed. When I told about what happened to me, the doctor was very surprised.
This is how Father Seraphim cured me.
Olga
How to prepare and what rules to follow
There are many prayers about love and marriage that can be found in the prayer book. It is recommended to sincerely pray to the icon “Softening Evil Hearts” if the relationship with your lover is going through difficult times or the planned marriage is in jeopardy.
Prayer to the Most Holy Theotokos - “Softening evil hearts.”
You should also seek help from the priest and priests, who will help you find the answer to your questions. They can suggest which prayer text is best to choose in a given situation, and in front of which icon it should be read. You can order a church service.
In addition, such saints as:
- Catherine;
- Ksenia Petersburgskaya;
- Matrona of Moscow.
However, it is worth considering that when using prayers, you cannot turn to other methods of attracting love, such as magic, since this is contrary to the Orthodox faith.
You cannot turn to sorcerers, witches, or magicians for help. In this way, you will not be able to attract love into your life, and suppressing the will of another person will eventually turn into a disaster. His subconscious will protest, which can disrupt his mental state, and such a relationship will only be a burden.
Ksenia Petersburgskaya - protects marriage and helps girls find their other half.
A person reading prayer texts must believe in his soul in their strength and power, otherwise he should not resort to this method of solving the problem.
We must ask God for blessings for a happy marriage and life together, pray several times every day, especially in those moments when our souls are heavy.
They started repairing the car right away
Saint Seraphim of Sarov helps not only in spiritual matters, but also in everyday problems.
One day I had an accident. Collision with an oncoming car. Thank God the airbags deployed and I was unharmed. But the car was seriously damaged. I took it to a repair shop. They promised to fix everything in 10 days. But the due date passed, then a month, then a second, and things are still there! Then I read about the miracles of St. Seraphim and prayed to him about my problem. And suddenly they call an hour later from the car service and say to come pick up the car one of these days!
Many thanks to Saint Seraphim of Sarov!
Nikita
Veneration of the Reverend
The Wonderworker has been deeply revered among Christians for many centuries, and therefore you can worship him in any church of the Russian Orthodox Church.
Memorial Days
St. Seraphim is commemorated several times:
- January 15;
- 27th of June;
- August 1;
- 10th of August;
- on the day of the Council of Nizhny Novgorod Saints.
Often, icon painters depict the monk as a gray-bearded old man
Iconography
Often, icon painters depict the monk as a gray-bearded old man, standing up to his waist or at full height. He wears simple black clothes, and a halo shines above his head. The saint holds the cross with his left hand and blesses with his right hand. One of these images is located in the Holy Trinity St. Sergius Lavra. There are also icons depicting scenes from the life of the miracle worker.
Admonition for disrespect
For a long time, my mother-in-law had a donated roll of printed, but not consecrated, paper icons of Seraphim of Sarov. I should have given it to the temple, but I never got around to it.
And somehow my second mother started a renovation: she began to re-glue the wallpaper. And under the wallpaper, to spread glue on it, I laid the same roll with icons of Seraphim of Sarov on the floor. I would have intervened and said that it was impossible to do this - to use paper with images of saints for household needs - but alas, I was faint-hearted then.
And then I see my little son running to his grandmother and running his feet along the roll with faces. I didn’t even have time to pick him up. Since then, my son started having problems with his legs and pain. We visited many doctors and took a long time to be treated. Until he was three years old, I carried him in a stroller. People didn’t understand, they laughed. But my son could not walk for a long time - his legs hurt. I realized everything. I prayed a lot, asked the saint for forgiveness, and my son felt better. Father Seraphim forgave us.
For me, this is a lesson for the rest of my life and an edification for my children and grandchildren - to reverently honor any faces of the Lord and saints, even if they are not icons, but simply their images.
Catherine
Preparation for prayer
You can ask for help in a temple or at home. In church you need to call on the Higher powers to help get rid of sinful thoughts. The temple will accept everyone who comes to it with pure aspirations. They turn to the Lord with a request to strengthen faith, because only a believer is happy. He knows that God and his saints care for him.
It is necessary, if possible, to attend divine services every week and place candles near the faces of the saints. We must also repent of our sins. Confession and acceptance of Holy Communion is the first and main step before starting prayer. You must mentally forgive all your offenders and not wish harm to anyone. You can start fasting: for at least a week, abstain from carnal pleasures, various types of entertainment and limit yourself in eating food. You should ask your spiritual mentor for blessings before starting the prayer. If this is not the case, then you need to contact any other priest.
A corner is being set up in the house where prayer will be performed. In a church shop they buy an icon with the face of a saint, an icon lamp or a candle. They also prepare living spring water and pour it into a plate.
