Brotherhood of Holy Cross Requests Prayers for Archimandrite Seraphim

The message states that the long-time abbot and spiritual father of ROCOR's mountain monastery had been experiencing loss of peripheral vision and reduced coordination for roughly a month before visiting a doctor on March 14th.

Stroke has been ruled out, but doctors discovered "an approximately two-inch edema in Fr. Seraphim's brain."

The Archimandrite spent the next week in the hospital, undergoing numerous tests for the next week. Final biopsy results are pending, but MRI and other tests have led the physicians to suspect "an aggressive primary brain tumor."

Fr. Seraphim was discharged from the hospital on the Sunday of the Cross, and is now home recovering at the monastery. Throughout this entire process, the brotherhood has been extraordinarily moved by Fr. Seraphim's constant cheerfulness of spirit, and even more so his patient, humble, and obedient acceptance of God's providence in his life—even as he ascends this new and unexpected cross.

The brotherhood is planning to arrange a public moleban service with an akathist to St. Panteleimon. They plan to notify the public as soon as a date is set and encourage all to attend.

The message notes that while cheerful, Fr. Seraphim is exhausted and his availability to pilgrims and visitors will be reduced for some time. 

We ask that everyone not direct any correspondence to Fr. Seraphim directly but rather to the monastery porter at (304) 849-2072 or porter@holycross.org, and the porter will pass the message along to the appropriate monk.

We likewise lift our prayers to the Almighty God that He grant His servant, the Archimandrite Seraphim, healing of soul and body through the prayers of His Most Pure Mother and the Great Martyr and Healer Panteleimon.

Read the full statement here.

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