Finding of the Relics of Saint Seraphim of Sarov commemorated today
Orthodox faithful commemorate the 1903 uncovering and later rediscovery of the saint's relics, which were reposed in Diveyevo in 1991.
Today the Orthodox calendar marks the Finding of the Relics of Saint Seraphim of Sarov, the Russian ascetic who died on January 2, 1833, at the age of 73 while kneeling in prayer before the Mother of God "Tenderness" icon.
From grave visits to recognition and concealment
After his death, many pilgrims began coming to the saint's grave, and most of his personal belongings passed to the nuns of the Diveyevo community. Seventy years after his repose Seraphim was officially recognized as a saint, and in 1903 his relics were uncovered in a public ceremony attended by the Romanov imperial family and countless worshippers.
Reports from that time state that "the body of Saint Seraphim had not remained incorrupt, but consisted only of bones." For believers the proof of his sanctity was not the physical state of the remains but the numerous miracles attributed to him; his reputation as a wonderworker continued to draw the faithful.
In 1926 the relics were hidden by the authorities. They remained out of public view until 1990, when they were located in the basement of the Petrograd Museum of Religion and Atheism. The following year, 1991, the relics were transferred back to the Diveyevo Monastery.
The Finding of the Relics is observed each year by Orthodox communities who venerate Saint Seraphim of Sarov for his life of prayer and reported miracles. The commemoration recalls both the historical events around the relics and the spiritual legacy he left for later generations.
Photo: press material from the event
