The Childhood and Youth of St. Seraphim of Sarov
The Childhood and Youth of St. Seraphim of Sarov The birthplace of St. Seraphim of Sarov was the city of Kursk. The saint came from a merchant family. Seraphim's father, Isidore Moshnin, was a pious and devout man. His earthly activities included owning brick factories and undertaking contracts to build houses and churches. Seraphim's mother, Agathia, was equal to him in virtue, but was especially distinguished for her compassion and attention to the poor. The family had three children. Seraphim was born on July 19 (August 1), 1758. His father died quite early, and the entire burden of raising the children fell on the shoulders of his widow. She also assumed the burden of overseeing the completion of the Church of St. Sergius, begun by her husband. One day, while supervising the construction and inspecting the bell tower, Agafia climbed to the top. Prokhor, who was accompanying her, approached the edge, leaned over the railing, lost his grip, and fell from the heights of the building under construction. His mother found him safe. Thus, God revealed His first miracle to the future luminary of the Russian land. At the age of ten, Prokhor fell seriously ill. It seemed everything was heading toward a dismal end: some had not even counted on his recovery. But then, the Mother of God appeared to Prokhor, promising a cure. A short time later, as the miraculous Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God was being carried through the city, Prokhor's mother quickly picked up her child, carried him into the courtyard, and presented him to the miraculous icon. Soon, the child began to recover, grew stronger, and became well. Thus, God revealed a second miracle to Seraphim. After this, Prokhor took up his studies with even greater diligence, spending much time reading and learning to write. One day, Divine Providence brought him together with a fool for Christ. They say that, meeting Agathia and her two sons on the street, the fool, looking at Prokhor, announced his future glory as a saint of God. Subsequently, in his interactions with the fool, Prokhor absorbed much goodness and kindness from him. During this time, he frequently attended church and prayed a lot. Meanwhile, he did not shy away from his role as his mother's assistant in household and commercial affairs, performing the necessary work. However, the more he matured spiritually, the more he realized how difficult it was to reconcile solitude, love, and service to God with the cares of the world.
The Childhood and Youth of St. Seraphim of Sarov The birthplace of St. Seraphim of Sarov was the city of Kursk. The saint came from a merchant family. Seraphim's father, Isidore Moshnin, was a pious and devout man. His earthly activities included owning brick factories and undertaking contracts to build houses and churches. Seraphim's mother, Agathia, was equal to him in virtue, but was especially distinguished for her compassion and attention to the poor. The family had three children. Seraphim was born on July 19 (August 1), 1758. His father died quite early, and the entire burden of raising the children fell on the shoulders of his widow. She also assumed the burden of overseeing the completion of the Church of St. Sergius, begun by her husband. One day, while supervising the construction and inspecting the bell tower, Agafia climbed to the top. Prokhor, who was accompanying her, approached the edge, leaned over the railing, lost his grip, and fell from the heights of the building under construction. His mother found him safe. Thus, God revealed His first miracle to the future luminary of the Russian land. At the age of ten, Prokhor fell seriously ill. It seemed everything was heading toward a dismal end: some had not even counted on his recovery. But then, the Mother of God appeared to Prokhor, promising a cure. A short time later, as the miraculous Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God was being carried through the city, Prokhor's mother quickly picked up her child, carried him into the courtyard, and presented him to the miraculous icon. Soon, the child began to recover, grew stronger, and became well. Thus, God revealed a second miracle to Seraphim. After this, Prokhor took up his studies with even greater diligence, spending much time reading and learning to write. One day, Divine Providence brought him together with a fool for Christ. They say that, meeting Agathia and her two sons on the street, the fool, looking at Prokhor, announced his future glory as a saint of God. Subsequently, in his interactions with the fool, Prokhor absorbed much goodness and kindness from him. During this time, he frequently attended church and prayed a lot. Meanwhile, he did not shy away from his role as his mother's assistant in household and commercial affairs, performing the necessary work. However, the more he matured spiritually, the more he realized how difficult it was to reconcile solitude, love, and service to God with the cares of the world.