On the day of commemoration of Venerable Seraphim of Sarov, Metropolitan Georgiy of Nizhny Novgorod and Arzamas gifted the saint’s holy image to the Archbishop Axey of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk and Kurily. The icon was painted in Sarov monastery and holds a part of Venerable Seraphim’s relic.

The delegation from Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk Diocese, headed by its archpastor and Sergey Naumov, the Governor of the Sakhalin Region, had arrived at Seraphim’s celebrations in Diveyevo. A lot of teachers took part in their pilgrimage.

The guests and archpastors with sisters from the monastery jointly prayed before the newly painted image of Venerable Seraphim and served a prayer service with akathist to the holy Sarov elder.

In his archpastoral address to the gathering of faithful, Metropolitan Georgiy of Nizhny Novgorod and Arzamas remarked that the guests traveled from far away to take part in the celebrations honoring Venerable Seraphim and receive his holy icon. “May this great man of faith from this part of Russia bless you, become an intercessor in your native lands and help other residents of Sakhalin and Kurily find their path to God. May he console and help you,” said the Nizhny Novgorod’s archpastor.

Archbishop Axey thanked Metropolitan Georgiy for the priceless gift and announced that a first prayer service with Akathist to Venerable Seraphim before his holy image will take place on Sakhalin next Saturday.