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← Life of Saint Seraphim of Sarov/Book 1 · Житие преподобного Серафима, Саровского чудотворца
Chapter 18ChichagovZhitieSerafima.1.18

Житие преподобного Серафима, Саровского чудотворца

The Blessing of Obedience

Praskovya Semyonovna remembers how two sisters nearly lost a horse after disobeying Father Seraphim's instructions, and how their repentance and return to obedience restored it.

The senior sister at the mill community of Fr.1 Seraphim, Praskovya Semyonovna, testified a great deal about Father's mercies toward the sisters and, among other things, told how terrifying it was to disobey him. Once Father ordered her to come with the young girl Maria Semyonovna, bringing two horses for logs. They went straight to Father in the forest, where he was already waiting for them and had prepared two thin little logs for each horse. Thinking that one horse could haul all four logs, the sisters shifted these little logs onto one horse along the way, and loaded a large, thick log onto the other. But no sooner had they started off than that horse fell, wheezed, and began to die. Knowing they were at fault for acting against Father's blessing, they fell to their knees right there and, in tears, began asking forgiveness from afar; then they threw off the thick log and rearranged the little logs as before.2 The horse jumped up by itself and ran so fast that they could barely catch up with it.

Healing Through Another's Hands

Sister Ksenia Kuzminichna suffers a terrible toothache and, despite expecting Father Seraphim to heal her directly, goes to Father Pavel as she was told and is immediately healed.

Batyushka Fr.3 Seraphim constantly healed his orphans of various illnesses.4 Once Sister Ksenia Kuzminichna was suffering from a toothache so severe she couldn't sleep at night, ate nothing, and was worn out, since she still had to work during the day. They told the senior sister, Praskovya Semyonovna, about her; she sent Ksenia to Batyushka. "As soon as he saw me," Ksenia related, "he said: What's this, my joy—you haven't come to me in so long! Go to Father Pavel; he'll heal you. — And I thought: What's this? Can't he heal me himself? But she didn't dare to object. I found Father Pavel and told him that Batyushka had sent me to him.5 He squeezed my face very tightly with both hands and ran them over my cheeks several times.6 And the toothache stopped—it was gone as if someone had taken it away with a hand.»7

The Rake That Healeth

Evdokia Nazarova, who had been paralyzed for two years, is given a rake by Father Seraphim and told to work, and she is healed on the spot and later welcomed into the Diveyevo community.

Sister Evdokia Nazarova also related that, when she was still a young girl, she had suffered for two years from paralysis of her arms and legs, and they brought her to Father8 Seraphim, who, when he saw her, began beckoning her over to him. With great difficulty they led her up to the Father, but he put a rake in her hands and told her to rake hay. Right then she felt something fall away from her, and she began to rake as if she were well. At the same time Praskovya Ivanovna and Irina Vasilyevna were working with the Father. Those two began scolding her for coming to work with them when she was so sick, but the Father, discerning their thoughts in the spirit, said to them: "Take her in with you at Diveyevo; she'll spin and weave for you." So she worked until Vespers. The Father gave her a meal, and then she walked all the way home completely well.

The Forgotten One

The eldress Varvara Ilyinichna relates how Father Seraphim healed her twice and prophesied that she would be forgotten by everyone, a word that was fulfilled throughout her life.

The eldress Varvara Ilyinichna also testified that Father Seraphim had healed her: "He, my provider, healed me twice," she said.9 The first time, I was as if under a curse, and later my teeth hurt terribly — my whole mouth was full of sores.10 I came to him; he set me a little way off from himself and told me to open my mouth; he blew hard on me, tied a handkerchief over my whole face, and right then told me to go home — and the sun was already setting. I wasn't afraid of anything, trusting in his holy prayer; that night I reached home, and the pain was gone as if swept away by a hand.11 I often visited Father. He used to say to me: "My joy!" You will be forgotten by everyone."12 And indeed, it would happen that I'd come to Mother Ksenia Mikhailovna to ask for something — either shoes or clothing — and she'd say: "You should have come and asked at the proper time; go do your prostrations."13 She gives to everyone, but not to me. Once Tatyana Grigoryevna took offense at me somehow and says, "Ah, you forgotten one!" And I remembered that word of Father's—and how I cried out and burst into tears! And so Father's word came true: all my life I was the "forgotten one" to everyone.

Rusks for Patience

Father Seraphim gives Varvara and Akulina bundles of rusks and beats a sack of them as a sign, after which Akulina departs and suffers beatings in the world, while Varvara is scolded and then sheltered at the mill according to the elder's blessing.

Once Akulina Vasilyevna and I came to Father; for a long time he spoke with her privately, kept trying to persuade her of something, and clearly she obeyed.14 He came out and says, "Take some rusks out of my ark"—that's what he called his little coffin.15 He tied up a whole bundle of them, gave it to Akulina, and another bundle to me; then he poured a whole sack of rusks and started beating it with a stick, and we're laughing—rolling with laughter! Father glances at us and beats it even harder, and we—well, we don't understand a thing. Then Father tied it shut, hung it around Agrafena's neck, and told us to go to the convent. Afterwards we understood how this sister, Akulina Vasilyevna, left the convent and endured terrible beatings out in the world.16 She later came back to us and died in Diveyevo. When I returned to the convent, I went straight to Mother Ksenia Mikhailovna and told her that we had spent three nights in Sarov. She scolded me sternly: "Ah, you willful girl!17 How could you stay away so long without a blessing!" I ask forgiveness and say: Father kept us, and I hand her the rusks I brought. She answers: "If Father kept you, then God will forgive.18 Only he gave them to you for patience.» And soon enough that's just what happened: they said a great deal against me to Mother Superior, and she sent me away. I kept crying, and I went to Father Seraphim and told him everything; there I am crying, kneeling before him, and he's laughing and clapping his little hands together.19 He began to pray and ordered me to go to his girls at the mill, to the superior Praskovya Stepanovna. And she, by his blessing, kept me with her.»

Let Every Breath Praise the Lord

A sister finds Father Seraphim with flies on his face and blood running down his cheeks, and he stops her from brushing them away, saying that every breath should praise the Lord.

– «Once I come to Father Seraphim in his hermitage, and there are flies on his face, and blood is streaming down his cheeks. I felt sorry for him and wanted to brush them away, but he says: «Don't touch them, my joy; let every breath praise the Lord!» That's the kind of long-suffering man he was.»20

Read the original Russian

Старшая сестра в мельничной обители о. Серафима, Прасковья Семёновна, свидетельствовала много о батюшкиных милостях к сёстрам и, между прочим, рассказала, как страшно было ослушаться его. Однажды батюшка приказал ей, чтобы она приехала с отроковицей Марией Семёновной на двух лошадях за брёвнами. Они поехали прямо к батюшке в лес, где он их уже дожидался и приготовил на каждую лошадь по два тоненьких брёвнышка. Думая, что все четыре бревна может свезти одна лошадь, сёстры переложили дорогою эти брёвнышки на одну, а на другую лошадь взвалили большое, толстое бревно. Но лишь тронулись они с места, как лошадь эта упала, захрипела и начала околевать. Сознавая себя виновными, что они поступили против благословения батюшки, они, упав на колени, тут же, в слезах, заочно начали просить прощения, а затем скинули толстое бревно и разложили брёвнышки по-прежнему. Лошадь сама вскочила и так скоро побежала, что они едва-едва могли догнать её.

Батюшка о. Серафим постоянно исцелял своих сирот от разных болезней. Раз сестра Ксения Кузьминична страдала зубной болью, от которой не спала ночи, ничего не ела и изнемогла, так как приходилось днём работать. Сказали о ней старшей сестре Прасковье Семёновне; она послала Ксению к батюшке. «Как только он меня увидел,– рассказывала Ксения,– то и говорит: что это ты, радость моя, давно ко мне не пришла! Пойди к отцу Павлу, он тебя исцелит. – А я подумала: что это? Разве он сам не может меня исцелить?

Но возражать не смела. Я отыскала отца Павла и сказала ему, что меня послал к нему батюшка. Он туго-натуго сжал мне лицо обеими руками и несколько раз провёл по щекам. И зубы затихли, как рукой сняло».

Сестра Евдокия Назарова также рассказывала, что, будучи молодой девицей, она страдала два года параличом рук и ног, и её привезли к батюшке о. Серафиму, который, увидав её, стал манить к себе. Её с большим трудом подвели к батюшке, но он дал ей в руки грабли и велел гресть сено. Тут почувствовала она, что с неё что-то спало, и она начала гресть, как здоровая. Одновременно работали у батюшки Прасковья Ивановна и Ирина Васильевна. Последние стали выговаривать ей, зачем она, такая больная, пришла с ними трудиться, но батюшка, уразумев духом мысли их, сказал им: «Примите её к себе в Дивеево, она будет вам прясть и ткать». Так трудилась она до вечерни. Батюшка накормил её обедом, и затем она дошла до дома совершенно здоровою.

Старица Варвара Ильинична также свидетельствовала об излечении её отцом Серафимом: «Он, кормилец мой, два раза исцелял меня,– говорила она. – В первый-то, я словно порченая была, а потом у меня очень болели зубы, весь рот был в нарывах. Я пришла к нему, он меня поставил поодаль от себя, а мне велел рот открыть; сильно дунул на меня, завязал платочком мне всё лицо, да тут же велел идти домой, а солнце-то было уже на закате. Я ничего не убоялась за его святою молитвою, ночью же пришла домой, а боль как рукой сняло. У батюшки я часто бывала. Он мне говаривал: «Радость моя! Ты будешь забвенная у всех». И доподлинно, бывало, приду к матушке Ксении Михайловне просить чего или из обуви, или одёжи, а она скажет: «Ты бы во время приходила и просила; ступай на поклоны».

Всем даёт, а мне нет. Раз Татьяна Григорьевна что-то на меня оскорбилась и говорит: «Ах ты, забвенная!» , а я вспомнила это слово батюшки, да как закричу, заплачу! Так и сбылось слово батюшки: всю свою жизнь я была у всех «забвенная». Раз мы с Акулиной Васильевной пришли к батюшке, долго что-то он говорил ей наедине, всё в чём-то убеждал, но, видно, она послушалась. Он вышел и говорит: «Вынь из моего ковчега (так называл свой гробик) сухарей». Навязал их целый узел, отдал Акулине, а другой узел мне; потом насыпал целый мешок сухарей, да и начал его бить палкою, а мы смеёмся, так и катаемся со смеху! Батюшка взглянет на нас, до ещё пуще его бьёт, а мы – знать, ничего не понимаем.

Потом завязал батюшка, да и повесил на шею Аграфене и велел нам идти в обитель. После уже поняли, как эта сестра Акулина Васильевна вышла из обители и в миру терпела страшные побои. Она потом опять поступила к нам и скончалась в Дивеево. Я, как возвратилась в обитель, прямо пришла к матушке Ксении Михайловне, да сказала, что мы три ночи ночевали в Сарове. Она строго мне выговорила: «Ах, ты, самовольница! Как без благословения столько жила!» Я прошу прощения, говорю: батюшка нас задержал, и подаю ей сухари, что принесла. Она отвечает: «Коли батюшка оставил, так Бог простит.

Только он дал их тебе к терпению». Так вскоре и вышло: на меня много наговорили матушке, и она меня выслала. Я всё плакала, да и пошла к батюшке Серафиму, всё ему рассказала; сама плачу, стою пред ним на коленях, а он смеётся, да так ручками сшибается. Стал молиться и приказал идти к своим девушкам на мельницу, к начальнице Прасковье Степановне. Она, по его благословению, и оставила меня у себя». – «Раз я прихожу к батюшке Серафиму в пустынку, а у него на лице мухи, а кровь ручьями бежит по щекам. Мне жаль его стало, хотела смахнуть их, а он говорит: «Не тронь их, радость моя, всякое дыхание да хвалит Господа!» Такой он терпеливец».

Notes

  1. 1 ↩Source sentence ends on the abbreviated о. (Father); the name Серафима continues in the next sentence ref.
  2. 2 ↩заочно rendered as 'from afar' (asking forgiveness without Father present); not 'in absentia' in a legal sense.
  3. 3 ↩Russian 'о.' is the ecclesiastical abbreviation for отец (Father), here split across the sentence boundary from 'Серафим' in the next sentence.
  4. 4 ↩In this Life, 'orphans' (сироты) is Seraphim's affectionate name for the Diveyevo sisters under his care, not only literal orphans.
  5. 5 ↩батюшка retained as Batyushka, the customary English rendering for St. Seraphim as spiritual father in this Life; here it refers to Seraphim, who had just sent her to Father Pavel.
  6. 6 ↩туго-натуго: intensified colloquial for pressing very hard/tight; rendered as 'very tightly'.
  7. 7 ↩как рукой сняло: Russian idiom for sudden, complete relief of pain; kept the hand image because the preceding gesture makes it concrete, not merely figurative.
  8. 8 ↩The source sentence ends mid-title at «батюшке о.»; the abbreviated «о.» continues as «Серафиму» in the next sentence (Father Seraphim).
  9. 9 ↩кормилец мой is an affectionate folk address for a provider/benefactor who feeds and cares for someone; rendered here as "my provider."
  10. 10 ↩порченая evokes folk affliction by порча (a curse/hex); rendered "as if under a curse" rather than clinical illness.
  11. 11 ↩как рукой сняло is an idiom for sudden, complete relief; rendered with the source image "as if swept away by a hand."
  12. 12 ↩забвенная is a feminine epithet, "the forgotten one"; later narrative uses it as a standing label for her. Rendered as the prophecy "forgotten by everyone."
  13. 13 ↩ступай на поклоны directs her to make bows/prostrations, a common monastic disciplinary response.
  14. 14 ↩Colloquial но, видно rendered as 'and clearly' rather than a strong adversative 'but,' since the force is that she did in fact listen/obey.
  15. 15 ↩ковчег kept as 'ark' (sacred chest / ark), with the narrator's gloss that this was Seraphim's name for his little coffin (гробик).
  16. 16 ↩«как» links the prophetic beating of the sack in the prior section to Akulina’s later sufferings; rendered as explanatory ‘how’.
  17. 17 ↩«самовольница» = one who acts by her own will without blessing; rendered ‘willful girl’ for natural spoken force.
  18. 18 ↩«оставил» is object-elliptic; given s7 «задержал» and the next section’s talk of the rusks, rendered as ‘kept you’ (detained), not ‘left the rusks’.
  19. 19 ↩ручками сшибается: diminutive of hands + striking together; rendered as affectionate clapping, matching Seraphim's joyful gesture.
  20. 20 ↩терпеливец: a patient enduring person / long-sufferer; rendered as 'long-suffering man' to keep the ascetic force without archaic 'endurer'.

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