The Society of St. Seraphim of Sarov is an informal devotional society dedicated to St. Seraphim, but pursuing the teaching of all the Fathers, Saints, and great Ascetics of Holy Orthodoxy. We take the maxim, “Save yourself, and thousands will be saved.” to be at once our mission for ourselves and our methodology of mission in general. We are dedicated to the one and only purpose for which all things in Orthodoxy exist, namely theosis (or deification).
We are a small group of people who meet weekly to pray Compline or one of the hours, encourage one another during the fasts of the Church, seek to overcome the passions, read and discuss the fathers of the Church, and ultimately make the direction of our lives that of union with God. One might say our twin interests are patristics and the ordinary asceticism of Orthodox living.
We believe in doing “all things together with the bishop,” and so do not really see ourselves as a para-Church society. Rather, each of us is in good standing and communion with Orthodox Churches, united to a bishop, and intends to remain so, seeking always salvation by the prayers of all, and to pray also for our beloved brethren and clergy, and most especially for our beloved hierarch, rightly dividing the word of Truth.
This site serves as a point of reference for reflection, a place to share interesting quotations and a few comments, and a means for those who have the care of us to look in on what we’re doing and offer us further wisdom and, if because of it they happen to think of us, pray for mercy and for our salvation.
Based in Oklahoma City, we refer to ourselves informally as “The Seraphim Society” or simply “4S”.
May God grant you His blessings through the prayers of our Holy Fathers!
You have a very good web site!
I cannot be in union with your bishop because I am Catholic. So do you inow of a similiar organization among Catholics. I live in Pittsburgh, Pa.
Thanks
Jack Schmitt
Jack. Thank you for writing. Most of the ones that come to mind immediately wouldn’t be very helpful. Within your own confession, only something Franciscan occurred to me, but really we consider these to be very different paths. Someone even wrote an article to that effect: [here]. My own feelings on this subject are that while we may respect some of the words, ideas, and behaviours of a Francis of Assisi — might feel an affinity and certainly a friendship — we cannot feel a sense of continuity with our own tradition. It’s perhaps propitious that your comment comes just a short while after our post entitled “Friendship, not Accord.” You see, we distinguish these.
Ordinarily, if you were in OKC, I’d say you’re welcome to come and read with us. Not everyone present is united to the same bishop - just the founding members. You could even come to the prayer part, with the understanding that the Orthodox would view it not as praying with you, but only praying for you, though in practice it would feel like everyone just saying the same prayers (e.g. Compline). You certainly wouldn’t be singled out or even spoken about in secret, but rather accorded the same dignity of all present. You would share in our great joy of you as a guest, our best (if meager) hospitality, and our simple gift of welcome of all who come peaceably for whatever reasons God knows.
We’re not really an organization so much as just a group of people who pray and help one another in theosis. The name “society” is there, and this small site, mainly to remind us why we are together, so we don’t fall into pride, to seek St. Seraphim’s guidance and blessing who taught us this work of our salvation, and to give Vladyka (”beloved bishop”), the shepherd of those of us who first began to pray and read together, a way to watch over these poor sheep.
Overall, we’re a quiet bunch. Our focus is prayer. We go to liturgy to pray. We gather together to pray. We read a little, but with all Orthodox, we believe nothing we cannot pray, and we pray all that we believe. We aren’t making a loud bang anywhere. In essence, and please allow that this is just an opinion: The Seraphim Society is a fulfillment, in small part, of much that your own Francis of Assisi sought and talked about, but the focus is much more akin to that of St. Seraphim as the fullness of Francis’ initial questions. Francis of Assisi said, “Preach the Gospel at all times and, when necessary, use words.” St. Seraphim said, “Save yourself, and thousands around you will be saved.”
As it is, we don’t have physical meetings in other states, but who knows, subject to our own Bishop’s approval, where that might evolve? Time and his abundant wisdom will tell. Most of our discussion comes from the things we’re [reading together], enhanced by the quotations we post, and is reflected, if only poorly, in rare comments we might make. My inclination is to suggest that if you’d like, while you are looking for something local, you can certainly initiate conversation on any of the quotations from the fathers that we post on the site, each of which has a comment/discussion feature available or, likewise, you’d be welcome to correspond with us, ask questions if you wish (we’re not experts and may not know many answers). We’re here, and we welcome you.
You might find something on the campus bulletin boards of St. Tikhon’s Seminary in South Canaan, PA. Among any large group of academics, there is bound to be a need for quiet reflection and prayer.
Pray for me, the sinner, if you should think of me at all.
Let us know what we can do for you.
- unworthy
pray for me am siner man and poor soul