Making a Pligrimage to Platina Monastery.

[Moros]

Perhaps. Here's the scoop.

I got in contact with the Priest of the Orthodox Mission here just a few short months ago because I had been reading about Orthodoxy and wanted to "take that next step."

So we've met a few times over coffee and talked about this and that.

Well, this last meeting, I had mentioned to him that I really had no idea where to take my life. I am going to Europe here in March, which is my number one priority, then after that, I have to decide whether or not to get a job and a roommate and move out, or to go to uni/college, or to go to trade school, or what.

So he mentions to me that when he was younger and seeking purpose in life, he took a pilgrimage to Alaska and prayed to St. Herman for guidance. He said to me that perhaps a pilgrimage would be good, and that if I wanted to visit Platina, I could meet a friend of his (also a priest) in Redding, CA, and one of the monks from the Monastery would come pick me up and take me to Platina.

Sounds like a good deal to me. I could make it to Redding in about a day on a Greyhound.

A little about Platina. St. Herman of Alaska and St. Seraphim Rose started this Monastery and translated books out of Russian into English. Most of the books available in America about Orthodoxy were translated by them.

St. Seraphim was buried there and a church was built over his grave. He was moved, and now where he was buried now remains a pit. You can crawl under the church to his former burial site and pray to him, take some holy dirt, ect. Hence the pit.

I was thinking a visit to Platina for a week would be just what I need.

I could get away from the hustle bustle of the city. I could meet some great holy men. I could pray to a Saint. Best of all, I could experience Orthodoxy.

They have church services there, on top of the monastaic activities. People make pilgrimages there to pray to Sts. Herman and Seraphim.

Plus, how often does one get to see a monastery?! If anything else it would be a wonderful experience.

I am debating whether or not to go.

Your thoughts?

 

[MariaRegina]

Dear Osel:

St. Herman of Alaska evangelized Alaska in the 19th Century. He did not found the monastery in Platina, California to my knowledge.

from the www.oca.org website

http://www.oca.org/pages/dwp/dwp.asp?dayid=1213

Repose of the Venerable Herman of Alaska, Wonderworker of All America
Alaska, Valaam, America, Spruce Island (1837)

Troparion in tone 7
O joyful north star of the Church of Christ,
Guiding all men to the Heavenly Kingdom;
Teacher and apostle of the true faith;
Intercessor and defender of the oppressed.
Adornment of the Orthodox Church in America,
Blessed Father Herman of Alaska,
Pray to our Lord Jesus Christ
For the salvation of our souls!

Troparion in tone 4
O blessed Father Herman of Alaska,
North star of Christ's holy Church,
The light of your holy life and great deeds
Guides those who follow the Orthodox way.
Together we lift high the Holy Cross
You planted firmly in America.
Let all behold and glorify Jesus Christ,
Singing his holy Resurrection.

Kontakion in tone 3
The eternal light of Christ our Savior,
Guided you, O blessed father Herman,
On your evangelical journey to America,
Proclaiming the Gospel of peace.
Now you stand before the throne of Glory;
Intercede for your land and its people
Peace for the world and salvation for our souls!

 

[Moros]

Well, I'm just going on what he told me. Thanks for that though. We both didn't get much sleep so there was probably a miscommunication.

They are called, however, at Platina

"The St. Herman of Alaska Brotherhood."

What do you think, should I go?

 

[Moros]

The St. Herman Press is the publishing arm of the St. Herman of Alaska Brotherhood, a monastic-missionary Orthodox Christian brotherhood which is part of the Western American Diocese of the Serbian Orthodox Church, under His Grace Longin, Bishop of Western America.

The St. Herman of Alaska Brotherhood was founded in 1963 with the blessing of St. John Maximovitch

You can also contact us by letter at St. Herman Press, P. O. Box 70, Platina, CA, U.S.A. 96076.


Perhaps it was St. John and St. Seraphim who did the translations. We were talking heavily about St. Herman, and the other 2 I mentioned, so chalk it up to a jumble.

 

[MariaRegina]

Dear Osel:

I didn't know that Father Seraphim Rose was canonized! When did that happen?

Yes, if you can go, definitely go to visit St. Herman of Alaska Brotherhood! Please share some of your experiences with us!

A pilgrimage to a monastery is always a grace-filled event if one is humble and repentant.

A priest told me that when he went to the Arizona monastery of St. Anthony in Florence, Arizona, he visited an elderly monk who could look right through him. One don't need to say a word yet these holy men of God can read a person's soul.

Your sister in Christ,
Elizabeth

 

[Matrona]

Dear Osel:

I didn't know that Father Seraphim Rose was canonized! When did that happen?

He's not, as far as I know.

While I haven't read any of his works, I've heard enough from my Orthodox friends, and my priest, that make me think it's probably best that I steer clear of his writings.

If ROCOR chooses to glorify him as a saint, it would most likely be an obstacle in their hoped-for reunion with the Russian patriarchate.

 

[Reader Nilus]

Fr Seraphim has not been glorified by anyone at this time, his followers would love to see that. I think, myself, that he is indeed a saint. But in my 15 years of being Orthodox I have seen that he inspires just as much the opposite as well.
I would suggest Osel, a visit with the monks at St John of Shanghai and San Francisco. I know Fr Jonah from when before he was a monk, and I have had other friends spend months there as well.
Jeff the Finn

 

[Moros]

While I haven't read any of his works, I've heard enough from my Orthodox friends, and my priest, that make me think it's probably best that I steer clear of his writings.

Why?

On the fortieth day after Fr. Seraphim's repose, Bishop Nektary of Seattle, who had felt great love and respect for Fr. Seraphim, arrived at the St. Herman Monastery together with several clergymen. After Divine Liturgy, he served a pontifical Pannikhida on Fr. Seraphim's grave, at the the closing of which he gave a sermon ending in this phrase: "Fr. Seraphim was a righteous man, possibly a Saint." Having descended from the hillock of Fr. Seraphim's grave, he was just about to enter the catholicon, still holding the smoking censer in his hand. Abruptly he turned around and, with great feeling, loudly began to sing, accompanied by the brothers, clergy, and pilgrims: "We glorify, we glorify thee, our holy Fr. Seraphim, and we honor thy holy memory: instructor of monks and converser with angels."1 — And the sorrow of being separated from Fr. Seraphim turned into joy.

-

The two founders of St. Herman Brotherhood were Gleb Podmoshensky, a
Russian immigrant who finished Holy Trinity Seminary in Jordanville, New
York; and Eugene Rose, a California intellectual and graduate student of
Chinese and Eastern philosophy at Berkeley. Under the direction of
Archbishop (later Saint) John (Maximovich) of San Francisco, of the Russian
Orthodox Church Outside Russia, Gleb and Eugene began a publication, The
Orthodox Word, and a bookstore.

Their striving together eventually bore fruit in the formation of a
brotherhood, and later a monastery, in the mountains of Northern
California. Both Gleb and Eugene were eventually tonsured as monks and
ordained as priests, Fr. Herman and Fr. Seraphim respectively; and the
Monastery grew and flourished.

This is where I confused the two Hermans.

I would request that you all exercise a bit of patience with me as I am still learning. Thanks.

 

[MariaRegina]

Why?

On the fortieth day after Fr. Seraphim's repose, Bishop Nektary of Seattle, who had felt great love and respect for Fr. Seraphim, arrived at the St. Herman Monastery together with several clergymen. After Divine Liturgy, he served a pontifical Pannikhida on Fr. Seraphim's grave, at the the closing of which he gave a sermon ending in this phrase: "Fr. Seraphim was a righteous man, possibly a Saint." Having descended from the hillock of Fr. Seraphim's grave, he was just about to enter the catholicon, still holding the smoking censer in his hand. Abruptly he turned around and, with great feeling, loudly began to sing, accompanied by the brothers, clergy, and pilgrims: "We glorify, we glorify thee, our holy Fr. Seraphim, and we honor thy holy memory: instructor of monks and converser with angels."1 — And the sorrow of being separated from Fr. Seraphim turned into joy.

-

The two founders of St. Herman Brotherhood were Gleb Podmoshensky, a
Russian immigrant who finished Holy Trinity Seminary in Jordanville, New
York; and Eugene Rose, a California intellectual and graduate student of
Chinese and Eastern philosophy at Berkeley. Under the direction of
Archbishop (later Saint) John (Maximovich) of San Francisco, of the Russian
Orthodox Church Outside Russia, Gleb and Eugene began a publication, The
Orthodox Word, and a bookstore.

Their striving together eventually bore fruit in the formation of a
brotherhood, and later a monastery, in the mountains of Northern
California. Both Gleb and Eugene were eventually tonsured as monks and
ordained as priests, Fr. Herman and Fr. Seraphim respectively; and the
Monastery grew and flourished.

This is where I confused the two Hermans.

I would request that you all exercise a bit of patience with me as I am still learning. Thanks.

Thanks for clarifying this, Osel, that takes humility.

 

[Moros]

RE: JefftheFinn

I should like to see St. John's Monastery - my priest lived in SanFran for many years and tells me a lot about it.

I'd like to get an introduction to this sort of thing first, and, as Platina is closer and a bit more remote, I'd go there first.

Also, I've got some special accomidations planned for Platina.

So, in due course, I'll make my way.

For what it's worth, I've seen an icon of Righteous Seraphim of Platina
(Yes, Fr. Seraphim Rose! So it was inscribed) hanging and venerated by many
in the OCA Cathedral in Manhattan. A Moscow Patriarchal parish in this
country for years had an Icon of the New Martyrs which was NOT hidden away
at vists of the Bishops. They said nothing about it, and one even kissed it.

Recognition of saints is ultimately seen in the consciousness of the
faithful, howsoever that consciousness gets expressed.

http://www.cin.org/archives/cineast/199805/0164.html

-

A K A T H I S T
to our Holy Father
Blessed Seraphim Rose of Platina

http://www.sisqtel.net/~williams/akathist-frseraphim.html

-

 

[Reader Nilus]

It should be pointed out that Fr Herman was defrocked by Met ANTHONY the ROCOR Bishop of San Franisico after the repose of Fr Seraphim. The monks of Plantina went of into various sects until they found their way back to canonical Orthodoxy.
Jeff the Finn

 

[Reader Nilus]

RE: JefftheFinn

I should like to see St. John's Monastery - my priest lived in SanFran for many years and tells me a lot about it.

I'd like to get an introduction to this sort of thing first, and, as Platina is closer and a bit more remote, I'd go there first.

Also, I've got some special accomidations planned for Platina.

So, in due course, I'll make my way.

For what it's worth, I've seen an icon of Righteous Seraphim of Platina
(Yes, Fr. Seraphim Rose! So it was inscribed) hanging and venerated by many
in the OCA Cathedral in Manhattan. A Moscow Patriarchal parish in this
country for years had an Icon of the New Martyrs which was NOT hidden away
at vists of the Bishops. They said nothing about it, and one even kissed it.

Recognition of saints is ultimately seen in the consciousness of the
faithful, howsoever that consciousness gets expressed.

http://www.cin.org/archives/cineast/199805/0164.html

-

A K A T H I S T
to our Holy Father
Blessed Seraphim Rose of Platina

http://www.sisqtel.net/~williams/akathist-frseraphim.html

-

Osel, there is a monastery right in your back yard! It is the Monastery of the All- Merciful Savior on Vashon Island. Fr Tryphon is the Abbot. I know him and Fr Paul, both great folks.
Jeff the Finn

 

[MariaRegina]

Osel, there is a monastery right in your back yard! It is the Monastery of the All- Merciful Savior on Vashon Island. Fr Tryphon is the Abbot. I know him and Fr Paul, both great folks.
Jeff the Finn

Jeff, where is Vashon Island?

 

[Reader Nilus]

Vashon Island is in Puget Sound just off of Tacoma and Seattle. It is about 30 minutes away from where Osel lives.
Jeff the Finn

 

[Moros]

It should be pointed out that Fr Herman was defrocked by Met ANTHONY the ROCOR Bishop of San Franisico after the repose of Fr Seraphim.

Why? Do share your info.

 

[nicodemus]

While I haven't read any of his works, I've heard enough from my Orthodox friends, and my priest, that make me think it's probably best that I steer clear of his writings..

Fr. Seraphim's writing were very instrumental in leading me to Orthodoxy. I'm very grateful for his works. My parish isn't ROCOR, but there's still much reverence for him and his writings.

If ROCOR chooses to glorify him as a saint, it would most likely be an obstacle in their hoped-for reunion with the Russian patriarchate.

To my knowledge, this wouldn't be true. Fr. Seraphim wrote a lot of original work in Russian as well as his English works being translated into Russian and sent to Russia. To my knowledge, he is greatly loved & admired by the average Orthodox Russian.

The St. Herman of Alaska monastery, which was founded by Fr. Seraphim and Fr. Herman (Fr. Seraphim is reposed, I'm not sure about Fr. Herman, I do know he is no longer abbot there) publishes a Russian language magazine called The Russian Pilgrim (I think it is 'Russky Palominsk' in Russian.) The St. Herman of Alaska monastery did go through a rough spell, but they are now under a fully canonical jurisdiction. They are a monastery of the Serbian Orthodox Church.

I've corresponded with monks from that monastery before I became Orthodox and they helped me greatly in my search. I receive their publication The Orthodox Word, which is probably one of the best English language Orthodox periodicals out there.

 

[Matrona]

Why?

I don't know exactly why, but I consider myself obedient to my priest/confessor. If he tells me to avoid something, avoid it I shall. I'm a baby Christian, and heretical concepts can confuse me easily. Even if it's a lump of coal in a sea of diamonds, I still feel I must avoid it all until such time as I am spiritually mature enough to handle this sort of thing.

 

[Moros]

Fr. Seraphim's writing were very instrumental in leading me to Orthodoxy. I'm very grateful for his works. My parish isn't ROCOR, but there's still much reverence for him and his writings.

To my knowledge, this wouldn't be true. Fr. Seraphim wrote a lot of original work in Russian as well as his English works being translated into Russian and sent to Russia. To my knowledge, he is greatly loved & admired by the average Orthodox Russian.

The St. Herman of Alaska monastery, which was founded by Fr. Seraphim and Fr. Herman (Fr. Seraphim is reposed, I'm not sure about Fr. Herman, I do know he is no longer abbot there) publishes a Russian language magazine called The Russian Pilgrim (I think it is 'Russky Palominsk' in Russian.) The St. Herman of Alaska monastery did go through a rough spell, but they are now under a fully canonical jurisdiction. They are a monastery of the Serbian Orthodox Church.

I've corresponded with monks from that monastery before I became Orthodox and they helped me greatly in my search. I receive their publication The Orthodox Word, which is probably one of the best English language Orthodox periodicals out there.

1. Mine, aswell. My church is not ROCOR either, it is OCA.
2. This is true, they translated many books into english.
3. St. Herman of Alaska died in 1837.

Fr. Seraphim died in 1982.

Platina was founded by Fr. Seraphim and A different Herman. (Gleb Podmoshensky)

Platina is St. Herman of Alaska Brotherhood in his honour.

Platina is indeed under the jurisdiction of Serbian Orthodox.

I thank Jeff for his PM and information that Platina is once again canonical.

I am going sometime in the near future, possibly in 2 weeks.

Pray for a fruitful experience.

 

[Orthodox Andrew]

You should go for sure. I'm sure it will be something you will soon not forget.

 

[Orthodox Andrew]

Does anybody have any good links that give a bio of Fr. Seraphim Rose?