22 October / 4 November

Neo-martyr Seraphim (in the world, Simeon Nikolaevitch Samoilovitch), Archbishop of Uglitch, was born on July 19, 1881, in the town of Mirgorod, in Poltava Province.

In 1902, Simeon graduated from the Poltava Theological Seminary and got a teaching position in America, teaching in Unalaska, Alaska in a two-grade school. In 1905 he held the same position in Sitka, where he was tonsured into the mantiya by Bishop Innocent (Pustynsky), and one month later, ordained a hieromonk. In 1906 Fr. Seraphim was the rector of the Nugek Theological Mission in North America. In the years 1907-1908 he taught at the Sitka Theological Seminary. In America, Vladyka spiritually struggled alongside His Grace Tikhon, the future Patriarch, who greatly valued the zealous missionary ascetic.

In 1908, Fr. Seraphim was assistant to the missionary of Vladikavkaz Diocese, and in 1909 was spiritual director of the Alexandrov Ardon Theological Seminary. In 1910 he was appointed first to be director of the excellent Mogilev Brotherhood Monastery, and later, at the request of His Grace Tikhon (then Bishop of Yaroslavl), transferred to be director of the Tolga Monastery in Yaroslavl.

There Fr. Seraphim wrote a scholarly work on the history of the Tolga Monastery, on the occasion of the 600th Anniversary of its founding. He opened a school of bee-keeping for orphan boys, and when the war began, set up an infirmary.

In 1915, Fr. Seraphim was director of the Uglitch Holy Protection Monastery. In February 1920 he was consecrated Bishop of Uglitch, vicar bishop of the Yaroslavl Diocese.

Vladyka belonged to the so-called “Parallel Synod,” which, with the tacit approval of His Holiness Patriarch Tikhon, existed in the Danilov (St. Daniel) Monastery. Established by Hieromartyr Fyodor (Pozdeevsky), it included eminent hierarchs: Archbishop Andrei (Ukhtomsky), Bishop Arseny (Zhadanovsky), Bishop Seraphim (Zvezdinsky), and Bishop Guriy (Stepanov).

Its members’ opinion that the Patriarchal Synod, under the firm control of the GPU, was ineffective and was forced to take a conciliatory position, may be taken as the reason the “Parallel Synod came into being. It was seen as a “constantly functioning pre-Conciliar conference” whose principal goal was to prepare for a secret Local Sobor that would be capable of resolving church problems without pressure from the authorities.

Beginning in July 1922, Vladyka was incarcerated in Yaroslavl; in 1924, after he was released, His Holiness Patriarch Tikhon elevated him to the rank of Archbishop. In 1925, Vladyka was temporary administrator of the Yaroslavl Diocese.

In 1925, in anticipation of his arrest, Hieromartyr Metropolitan Joseph (Petrovykh), one of the Deputies to the Patriarchal Locum Tenens, appointed several temporary deputies, including Vladyka Seraphim. On December 16/29, 1926, following Metropolitan Joseph Petrovykh’s arrest, Vladyka issued an Encyclical announcing that he was assuming the duties of Deputy Locum Tenens of the Patriarchal Throne. He administered the Church until April 1927, when he turned that authority over to Metropolitan Sergius Stragorodsky, who had been released from incarceration.

It is known that in 1927 the GPU summoned Vladyka to Moscow to propose that he accept compromising conditions in return for legalization of the Church, and that they indicated to him which individuals were to be appointed members of the Synod. The Holy Hierarch refused, and proposed his own list of candidates for membership in the Synod, including Metropolitan Kyrill (Smirnov). The CheKists said, “But he’s sitting [in jail].” The Holy Hierarch responded, “But he’s sitting in [your jail], so you release him.” For making such a response, he was soon placed under arrest.

After Metropolitan Sergius’ “Declaration” was issued, the Hierarch joined the “Yaroslavl Opposition” headed by Hieromartyr Agathangel (Preobrazhensky, commemorated on October 3). In January 1928, he wrote to express his regret that he had handed over the rights of Locum Tenens to Metropolitan Sergius “too hurriedly and unconditionally.” He implored Metropolitan Sergius to be courageous and issue another Declaration “to correct the first one,” which “strays from service to the Truth, and God does not help falsehood.” He called upon the Metropolitan to direct his gaze toward the senior hierarch, Metropolitan Agathangel of Yaroslavl, and turn over to him the authority of Locum Tenens. In April 1928, Metropolitan Sergius (Stragorodsky) removed Vladyka from his episcopal throne, and suspended him from serving. Arrest soon followed, and then exile from Yaroslavl to the Buinich Monastery of the Holy Spirit in Mogilev.

In his “Encyclical to the Entire Church,” issued in January 1929, the Holy Hierarch continued to denounce Metropolitan Sergius’ policy as the grievous sin of “luring our despondent and weak brethren into neo-renovationism.” As a result, he was soon re-arrested (in February 1929) and sentenced to a five-year term in the camps. However, his Encyclical enjoyed wide distribution throughout the land and was also publicized in Belgrade.

While incarcerated on the Solovki Islands, Vladyka was put to work as a general laborer. While carrying bricks for the construction of a building, Vladyka fell from the scaffolding, sustaining multiple rib fractures. They healed poorly, rendering him an invalid. In March 1932, he was released from the camp and exiled for three years to the Far North, where he headed a catacomb church, ordained priests, and performed monastic tonsures. According to his spiritual children, “he weakened physically in body, but his spirit remained resolute.” He believed that there should be no centralized Church Administration during the era of persecution; he believed that the each bishop should rule his own diocese.

Around 1934, Vladyka issued yet another Encyclical, announcing that because of uncanonical activities, beginning in 1927, Metropolitan Sergius (Stragorodsky) had been suspended from performing priestly functions. To confirm that encyclical, a “little catacomb Sobor [council of bishops]” was convened; it was intended that the decisions of that Sobor were to constitute a foundation for all exiled bishops and clergy. There are reports that Metropolitan Peter (Polyansky), Locum Tenens of the Patriarchal Throne, wrote from exile that the Russian Bishops must themselves impose sanctions upon Metropolitan Sergius for his anti-canonical actions.

In Arkhangelsk in May 1934, the Holy Hierarch was once again arrested, charged with establishing a new “counter-revolutionary organization, consisting of proponents of a true-orthodox church,” and sentenced to 5 years in the camps. He served in the Suslov division of “Siblag.” On October 22 (November 4 N.S.), 1937 was executed in the camp.

In 1981, Vladyka was glorified as a New Martyr. The Moscow Patriarchate canonized him in the year 2000.