St. Seraphim (Sobolev), Sofia Wonderworker (Dec 1, 1881–Feb 26, 1950)

Book excerpt: Biography. 103 On the Rights of Bishops and Church Modernism.. 107 Brief Spiritual Instructions. 116 From the Notes of Archbishop Seraphim's Spiritual Children. 116 Content 116 On Love and Obedience. 117 On humility. 117 On Following the Will of God. 119 On the struggle with sin. 120 On Prayer 121 On Repentance. 122 On Simplicity of Heart 123 ` 123 Thoughts Written Down by Spiritual Children. 125 On the Moral Basis of Sophianism.. 140 Archpriest S.N. Bulgakov as an Interpreter of the Holy Scriptures. 163 Content 163 I. Patristic teaching as a criterion of truth in theology and a guide to the Orthodox interpretation of the Holy Scriptures. Hagiographa. Heretical interpretations of Fr. Bulgakov, as a consequence of his rejection of this manual. 164 II. Fr. Bulgakov's explanation of the question of the Forerunner (Matt. 11:2-3), contrary to the interpretation of this text by John Chrysostom. 166 III. The inconsistency of Fr. Bulgakov's explanation of the imaginary doubt of the Forerunner by the general laws of spiritual life and analogies in relation to Christ and the Mother of God. 170 IV. The inconsistency of the explanation of the Forerunner's alleged doubt by the disappearance of knowledge in him and weakness. Fr. Bulgakov's untenable view of the question of the Forerunner, which seems to have two meanings: the feat of faith and doubt. 175 V. The inconsistency of Fr. Bulgakov's interpretation of the question of the Forerunner as evidence of faith; – and Christ's answer as His greetings to the Forerunner. 181 VI. The Inconsistency of the Forerunner's Assumption of "Conjectures" of Doubt. 183 VII. Heresy of Fr. Bulgakov's interpretation of the text: Matt. 11:2-3, despite the absence of a direct negation of dogmas here. Examples of his heretical interpretations with the denial of the dogmas of the Church. General conclusion. 186 On the day of the feast of the Holy Trinity. 192 Epistle to the Flock, on the Feast of the Bright Resurrection of Christ 197 Sermon. 201 Content 201 Speech delivered by the Rector of the Simferopol Theological Seminary, Archimandrite Seraphim (Sobolev), at his nomination as Bishop of Lubny1. 204 Homily for the 27th Sunday after Pentecost. On the Struggle with the Passions of Fornication and Wrath and on the Attainment, with the Help of the Grace of God, of Chastity and Meekness2. 207 Greetings to the Communicants on Saturday of the First Week of Great Lent. On the Great Salvific Significance of Holy Communion in the Life of Orthodox Christians3. 210 Homily on the Feast of the Exaltation of the Precious and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord. On the Salvation of Us from Sin, Damnation and Death by the Lord's Death on the Cross6. 212 Homily on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. On the Inner Baptismal Grace9. 219 Homily on the Feast of the Nativity of Christ. On the Blessings Granted to Us by the Nativity of Christ10. 223 Homily for Meatfare Sunday. On the Dread Judgment of Christ and on Mercy on Us for True Love of Neighbor11. 226 Homily for Forgiveness Sunday. On True Repentance12. 230 Sermon on the Feast of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos. On the Great Significance of the Most-Pure Virgin Mary in the Matter of Our Salvation13. 234 Homily on Great Friday. On Love for Christ14. 238 Sermon on the monastic tonsure of the novice of the Russian Monastery of the Saviour in Bulgaria, Brother Alexander (Popov)15. 242 Homily for the Feast of St. Nicholas. On Humility16. 245 Homily on the Feast of the Nativity of Christ. On the Peace of Christ17. 248 Homily on the Feast of Holy Pentecost. On the Grace of the Holy Spirit as the Goal of Our Christian Life18. 250 Homily on the Day of the Epiphany of the Lord. On Grace as a Source of Knowledge for the Acquisition of the True Christian Faith and Life22. 254 Homily on the Feast of the Nativity of Christ. On the Adoration of the Magi23. 259 A word on the suicide of a pupil of the fifth grade Alexander Krasnay26. 264 Sermon at the tonsure of Sergei Konus, who graduated from the Faculty of Theology27. 266 Homily on Forgiveness Sunday. On Non-Condemnation31. 269 Sermon before the Collection of Donations for the Russian Starving Monks of St. Athos32. 272 Homily on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. The Revelation of Baptismal Grace in Us as the Goal of the Christian Life52. 277 Homily for Forgiveness Sunday. On the Great Significance of Our Love for Neighbors and Especially Love for Enemies54. 281 Homily on the Feast of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos. On the Inner Participation of the Virgin Mary in the Work of Our Salvation, as the Cause of Her Greatest Prayerful Daring. On the Humility of the Most Holy Virgin56. 285 Greetings to those who graduated from the course of the Russian Sofia Gymnasium in 1931. 288 Homily for the 23rd Sunday after Pentecost. On the Operation of the Demonic Power in Our Life58. 289 Homily on the Feast of the Meeting of the Lord. On the Calling of All People to Salvation. The Salvific Significance of Our Fulfillment of the Laws of the Orthodox Church59. 293 Homily on the Feast of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos. On the Grace of the Holy Spirit as a Means of Our Renewal. The Need to Preserve This Grace through Turning Away from Sins60. 296 Homily for the 36th Sunday after Pentecost. On the Inner Regenerating Grace of Holy Baptism as a Sign Distinguishing True Christianity from Paganism62. 299 Homily on Forgiveness Sunday. On the Grievous Sin of Condemnation and the Struggle with This Sin70. 305 Homily on Holy Saturday. On the Joint Action of Divine Justice and Divine Love in the Work of Our Redemption72. 310 Sermon on the tonsure of Georgy Shelekhov73. 313 Homily on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. On the Grace of Baptism as a Distinctive Feature of Orthodox Christians75. 317 Homily for the Day of Holy Pentecost. On the Grace of the Holy Spirit as Our True Blessedness85. 323 Homily on the Day of the Meeting of the Lord. Explanation of the Feast Troparion87. 328 A Word Against the Persecution of Orthodoxy in Poland88. 331 Homily on the Nativity of Christ. Explanation of Some Christmas Stichera, Indicating Their Dogmatic Meaning89. 337 Homily on the Epiphany of the Lord. On the Enlightening Action of the Grace of the Holy Spirit93. 339 Homily for Forgiveness Sunday. On the Salvific Significance of Fasting for Us, If It Is Accompanied by Our True Love for Our Neighbors 95. 344 Homily for Holy Thursday. On the Fear of God96. 347 Homily on Holy Saturday. What It Means to Die with Christ and What It Means to Live with Him97. 349 Homily on the Day of Holy Pascha. Interpretation of the Second Troparion of the Ninth Ode of the Paschal Canon99. 351 Homily on Holy Pentecost. On the Grace of the Holy Spirit as a Means of a Wondrous Change of Our Soul100. 354 Homily on the Feast of the Meeting of the Lord. The Virgin Mary as an Example for Us of Unswerving Observance of the Laws of the Church102. 358 Homily on the Annunciation of the Most Holy Virgin Mary. Interpretation of the Words of the Feast Sedal103. 361 Homily on the Epiphany of the Lord. On the Baptismal Grace of the Holy Spirit. Its Revelation by the Fulfillment of the Divine Commandments and especially by Humility105. 364 Homily for the 3rd Sunday after Pentecost. The Orthodox Faith as a Means to the Attainment of the Kingdom of God108. 368 Homily on the Feast of the Nativity of the Most-Pure Virgin Mary. On the Economy of Our Salvation, in the Words of the Feast Troparion111. 372 Homily on the Feast of the Nativity of Christ. Explanation of the Words of the Nativity Troparion: "The Light of Reason Has Shone Forth to the World"113. 375 Address to the flock on the occasion of the aerial bombardment to which Bulgaria was subjected in 1944. 379 Sermon before the panihida for Bishop Theophan the Recluse, on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of his repose: 1894-1944.115. 380 Epistle to the Flock, on the Occasion of the Feast of the Bright Resurrection of Christ 385 Homily for the 12th Sunday after Pentecost. Faith as a Means of Deliverance from Sorrows117. 389 Homily on the Feast of the Exaltation of the Precious and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord. On the Salvific Power of the Cross119. 393 Sermon on the Feast of the Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos. On the Special Intercession of the Most-Pure Mother of God in Our Great Misfortunes123. 397 Homily on Great Friday. On Love for Christ 405 Homily on Holy Saturday. What it means to die with Christ and what it means to live with Him.. 409 Homily on the Day of the Epiphany of the Lord. On Grace as a Source of Knowledge for the Acquisition of the True Christian Faith and Life. 412 Homily on the Feast of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos. On the Great Significance of the Most-Pure Virgin Mary in the Matter of Our Salvation. 416 Homily on the Day of St. Nicholas. Faithfulness to the Teaching of the Holy Fathers as a Pledge of True Spiritual Enlightenment 421 Homily for the 23rd Sunday after Pentecost. On the action of demonic power in our lives. 426 Homily for the 27th Sunday after Pentecost. On the struggle with the passions of fornication and anger and on the attainment, with the help of God's grace, of chastity and meekness. 430 Homily for Meatfare Sunday. On the Dread Judgment of Christ and on Mercy on Us for True Love of Neighbor 433 Homily for Holy Thursday. On the Fear of God. 438 Homily on Great Friday. On Love for Christ 440 Homily on the Day of Holy Pascha. Interpretation of the Second Troparion of the Ninth Ode of the Paschal Canon. 444 Homily on the Feast of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos. About the inner participation of the Virgin Mary in the matter of our salvation, as the cause of Her greatest prayerful boldness. On the Humility of the Most Holy Virgin. 447 Homily on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. On Inner Baptismal Grace. 451 Homily on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. On Baptismal Grace as a Distinctive Feature of Orthodox Christians. 454 Homily on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. The revelation of baptismal grace in us as the goal of the Christian life. 461 Homily on the Feast of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos. On the Special Intercession of the Most-Pure Mother of God in Our Great Misfortunes. 464 Homily on the Feast of the Nativity of the Most Pure Virgin Mary. On the economy of our salvation, according to the words of the festal troparion. 468 Homily on the Feast of the Nativity of Christ. On the Blessings Granted to Us by the Nativity of Christ 472 Homily on the Feast of the Nativity of Christ. On the Peace of Christ 475 Homily on the Feast of St. Pentecost. On the Grace of the Holy Spirit as the Goal of Our Christian Life. 478 Homily on the Feast of the Meeting of the Lord. About the calling of all people to salvation. The Salvific Significance of Our Fulfillment of the Laws of the Orthodox Church. 482 Humility is the basis and essence of Christianity. The Mother of God loves the humble very much. Sermon on the Feast Day of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God. 485 Akathist to St. John, the Wonderworker of Rila and Desert Dweller 489 Biography. 505