"In 1961 he [Blessed Seraphim (Eugene)] fell ill with a serious intestinal disorder. [Note: His death some 20 years later would also be related to another intestinal disorder.] . . .
"Eugene learned that his disease was classified as fatal. He felt he should accept this as a punishment for his sins and trust in the justice of God. But he could not keep resistance from rising within him. Something he felt was wrong; something was missing. . . .
"During this traumatic time, Eugene visited an art store in San Francisco. As he paused to look at a selection of postcards on a rotating rack, his eyes fell upon a photograph of an old Serbian icon of the Mother of God [Note: the famed "Icon of the Three Hands".] He started to pray, but again could not hold back the storm raging inside him. It was the kind of anger born simply out of confusion, of straining but not be able to see what lies ahead. He tore out his heart before the Mother of God, revealing to her the desperate state of his soul. 'You gave birth to Him Who gave me life,' he prayed, 'to Him Who came to earth so that having, aquiring, consuming Him, we can go to heaven. Make sense out of my life. I still have talents--let them not be wasted. Grant me to enter your Son's Church, His saving enclosure, into the heart of hearts. Grant me to serve your Son!'"
--Not of this World, pp. 153, 154.
Eugene (Blessed Seraphim) subsequently recovered. On February 12, 1962, he was received into the Church. In 1963, the St. Herman Brotherhood was formed of Gleb Podmoshensky (later Abbot Herman) and Eugene (the future Father Seraphim). Shortly after 10:30, Thursday morning, August 20/September 2, 1982, Father Seraphim reposed in the Lord. He was forty-eight years old.
Posted by Clifton at June 3, 2004 06:00 AM | TrackBack