* * * Blessed Pelagia, the disciple of St. Seraphim of Sarov. The life of a fool for Christ Translation from Russian by Gheorghita Ciocioi Published 2011 Saint Pelagia Ivanovna Serebrenikova (1809 – 1884) of Diveyevo, whom St. Seraphim of Sarov guided along the path of foolishness for Christ’s covert and divinely inspired struggles, is undoubtedly one of the best-known representatives of this rare type of sainthood, beyond common human comprehension. The task assigned to her by St. Seraphim, which she carried out without hesitation, until the very end, was to care for his “orphan girls” of Diveyevo. Her encounter with another famous fool for Christ’s sake – St. Paraskeva of Deveyevo, also known as Pasha Sarovskaia – clearly reveals the following fact: Blessed Pelagia could not leave her spiritual daughters even before her death, “to become carefree, like Pasha,” for she would thus transgress the commandment of “batiushka Seraphim”. The present book – that retains our attention until the last page – introduces us into a world where virtues and the harsh spiritual struggles are hidden under the guise of foolishness for Christ’s sake, in order to better prevent vainglory. As the reader may learn from the many wonders witnessed by those who knew her, those who pray to Blessed Pelagia are never denied comfort and help from the blessed fool for Christ. She was canonized in the year 2004, and is celebrated on January 30, as well as July 8, when the women saints of Diveyevo are remembered. Format: 13x20 cm; 152 p. ISBN: 978-973-136-282-3 “Materikon” «« back