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I was recently reading the Little Philocalia of St Seraphim of Sarov as translated by Fr. Seraphim Rose.

According to this book, St Seraphim of Sarov himself prophesied that he would be eventually resurrected from the dead "in the manner of the Seven Sleepers of Ephesus" and preach repentance to all Russia. At this time he would rediscover four sets of relics and then lie down among them in death. Then the end will come.

Is anyone familiar with this prophecy? Is this something commonly know about St Seraphim? It sounds provocative.

Dear Marshall,

Yes, that particular prophecy of St Seraphim's was taken to mean two things.

The first was about four new glorifications of Saints from the Diveyevo Monastery, including the Abbess Alexandra (which was fulfilled this year).

St Seraphim was doubtless using symbolic language as to the first part of that prophecy, which is also coming true, in the person of new Orthodox missionaries who are imbued with his spirit and devotion.

In fact, St Seraphim Vyritsky, some say, was the embodiment of the spirit of St Seraphim of Sarov as he fulfilled the same rule of prayer for 1,000 nights and in all things imitated the Sarov Elder.

Alex