Seraph

A seraph (/ˈsɛr.əf/; pl. seraphs or seraphim /ˈsɛr.ə.fɪm/, in the King James Version also seraphims (plural); Hebrew: שָׂרָף śārāf, plural שְׂרָפִים śərāfîm; Latin: seraphim and seraphin (plural), also seraphus (-i, m.);Greek: σεραφείμ serapheím) is a type of celestial or heavenly being in Christianity and Judaism.

Tradition places seraphs in the highest rank in the Christian angelic hierarchy and in the fifth rank of ten in the Jewish angelic hierarchy. A seminal passage in the Book of Isaiah (Isaiah 6:1-8) used the term to describe six-winged beings that fly around the Throne of God crying "holy, holy, holy". This throne scene, with its triple invocation of holiness (a formula that came to be known as the Trisagion), profoundly influenced subsequent theology, literature and art. Its influence is frequently seen in works depicting angels, heaven and apotheosis. Seraphs are mentioned as celestial beings in an influential Hellenistic work, the Book of Enoch, and the Book of Revelation.

Seraphim Chichagov

Seraphim Chichagov (9 June 1856 or 9 January 1856– 11 December 1937), born Leonid Mikhailovich Chichagov, was a Metropolitan bishop of the Russian Orthodox Church who was executed by firing squad and subsequently canonized as a New Martyr.

Born into a military family, he enlisted as an artillery officer after finishing his schooling. Influenced by his experiences in the Russo-Turkish War and meetings with John of Kronstadt, he resigned from the military and became a clergyman. Following the death of his wife, he entered the Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius and received the monastic name Seraphim. He was later appointed father superior and Archimandrite of the Monastery of Saint Euthymius, and later the New Jerusalem Monastery. In 1905 he was appointed bishop of Sukhumi. In subsequent years he was appointed Bishop of Orlowski (1906–1908), Chişinău (1908–1912), Tver (1912–1917), and Warsaw (1918–1921). In 1928 was appointed Metropolitan of St. Petersburg.

He retired in 1933 due to age and ill health. Four years later he was arrested and charged with monarchist propaganda. Sentenced to death by firing squad, he was executed on December 11, 1937 at the Butovo firing range.

Seraphim (Nikitin)

Metropolitan Seraphim of Krutitsy and Kolomna (Russian: Серафим, митрополит Крутицкий и Коломенский; born Vladimir Myronovych Nikitin (Russian: Владимир Миронович Никитин); July 2, 1905 - 22 April 1979) is a Bishop of the Russian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan of Kolomna and Krutitsy.

Biography

Born in St. Petersburg in the family servant. In 1928 he graduated from the State Institute of Architecture.

During World War II he served in the Soviet Army.

In November 1951 he ordained deacon and then priest in the appointment of the Transfiguration Cathedral in Leningrad. As a member of the building committee of the Leningrad diocese. In 1958 he graduated from the correspondence section of the Leningrad Theological Academy with the title of Candidate of Theology.

June 26, 1962 he was tonsured a monk with the name Seraphim in the Pskov-Caves Monastery, on July 1 of the same year elevated to the rank of Archimandrite.

From 8 to 27 February 1968 a temporary administrator of the diocese of Voronezh.