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Orthodox saint

St Seraphim of Sarov

St Seraphim of Sarov, the Wonderworker

Όσιος Σεραφείμ του Σάρωφ ο Θαυματουργός · Преподо́бный Серафі́мъ Саро́вскїй чудотво́рецъ · Преподобный Серафим Саровский, чудотворец

St Seraphim of Sarov is remembered on 2 January (15 January on the Old Calendar). Orthodox Christians pray to St Seraphim of Sarov for peace of soul and the acquisition of the Holy Spirit, healing of illness and injury and help in despair, anxiety and fear.

Feast days

Feast
Repose (and second uncovering of relics, 1991)
Kept on
2 January (15 January on the Old Calendar)
Next, New Calendar
Next, Old Calendar
Feast
Uncovering of relics (1903)
Kept on
19 July (1 August on the Old Calendar)
Next, New Calendar
Next, Old Calendar

The New Calendar is kept by the Greek, Antiochian, Romanian and Bulgarian churches, the OCA and most converts; the Old Calendar by the Russian, Serbian and Georgian churches, Jerusalem and Mount Athos, 13 days later on the civil calendar.

The life of St Seraphim of Sarov

Prokhor Moshnin was born in Kursk in 1754 and was preserved unharmed as a boy when he fell from a bell tower. Entering Sarov Monastery, he became the monk Seraphim and then withdrew to a forest hermitage, where wild beasts came to eat bread from his hand and he prayed for a thousand days and nights upon a rock. Having acquired peace of soul and joy in the Holy Spirit, he taught, "Acquire the spirit of peace, and a thousand souls around you will be saved." After years of silence he opened his door to all, greeting every visitor, in any season, with "Christ is Risen, my joy!" He healed many, cared lovingly for the Diveyevo sisters, and reposed on his knees before an icon of the Theotokos on January 2, 1833. Glorified in 1903, he is one of the most beloved saints of Russia. Orthodox Christians pray to Saint Seraphim for healing, peace of heart and help in every distress.

What the faithful ask of St Seraphim of Sarov

The faithful pray for

  • peace of soul and the acquisition of the Holy Spirit
  • healing of illness and injury
  • help in despair, anxiety and fear
  • protection from temptation
  • wisdom in family decisions and the upbringing of children
  • the choice of one's path in life
  • true repentance
  • joy in Christ

St Seraphim of Sarov protects

  • the despairing and anxious
  • the sick and injured
  • souls beset by temptation
  • monastics and the Diveyevo sisters

Patron of

  • monastics
  • those seeking peace of soul
  • the sick
  • children
  • the Diveyevo Convent
  • Sarov and Diveyevo pilgrims

Miracles

  1. Living as a hermit, he fed bears, wolves and foxes from his hand, and a bear obeyed him and ran errands for him.

    Source: Repose of Venerable Seraphim, Wonderworker of Sarov (OCA)

  2. He prayed for 1,000 days and nights on a rock with upraised hands, saying 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner.'

    Source: Repose of Venerable Seraphim, Wonderworker of Sarov (OCA)

  3. People recovered sight, hearing, speech and the use of their legs after praying to him and bathing in his spring at Sarov.

    Source: Серафим Саровский: в чем помогает, чудеса и паломничество в Дивеево (Российская газета)

Where the traditions differ

Russian saint now honored throughout Orthodoxy and much admired by Western Christians. The popular Russian custom of praying at Diveyevo for the conception of children could not be confirmed from a cited source and is not listed.

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Name days

These names keep their name day on a feast of St Seraphim of Sarov:

Prayed to for

Questions

When is the feast day of St Seraphim of Sarov?

Repose (and second uncovering of relics, 1991): 2 January (15 January on the Old Calendar); Uncovering of relics (1903): 19 July (1 August on the Old Calendar).

What do Orthodox Christians pray to St Seraphim of Sarov for?

Orthodox Christians pray to St Seraphim of Sarov for peace of soul and the acquisition of the Holy Spirit, healing of illness and injury, help in despair, anxiety and fear, protection from temptation, wisdom in family decisions and the upbringing of children and the choice of one's path in life.

What is St Seraphim of Sarov the patron saint of?

St Seraphim of Sarov is the patron of monastics, those seeking peace of soul, the sick, children, the Diveyevo Convent and Sarov and Diveyevo pilgrims.

What does St Seraphim of Sarov protect from?

St Seraphim of Sarov protects the despairing and anxious, the sick and injured, souls beset by temptation and monastics and the Diveyevo sisters.

Whose name day is on a feast of St Seraphim of Sarov?

The name day of Seraphim and Serafim.

Sources

  1. Repose of Venerable Seraphim, Wonderworker of Sarov (OCA) (read 14 October 2026)
  2. Преподобный Серафим Саровский (Азбука веры) (read 14 October 2026)
  3. Серафим Саровский: в чем помогает, чудеса и паломничество в Дивеево (Российская газета) (read 14 October 2026)
  4. День памяти Серафима Саровского (360.ru) (read 14 October 2026)