Seraphim Rose: Encyclopedia II - Seraphim Rose - Death

Seraphim Rose - Death

After feeling acute pains for several days while working in his cell in 1982, Father Seraphim was taken by his fellow monks to a hospital for treatment. When he reluctantly arrived at Mercy Medical Center in Redding, 45 minutes from the town of Platina, he was declared in critical condition and fell into semi-consciousness. After exploratory surgery was completed, it was discovered that a blood clot had blocked a vein supplying blood to Father Seraphim's intestines, which had become a mass of non-functioning dead tissue. Father Seraphim slipped into a coma after a second surgery. Hundreds of people came to visit the hospital and celebrated the liturgy regularly in the chapel, praying for a miracle to save their beloved Father's life. Reaction from throughout the world was great, with thousands of prayers said for the ailing hieromonk. He died on September 2, 1982.

After being dead for several days and while lying in repose in a pauper's coffin at his wilderness monastery, visitors claimed that Father Seraphim did not succumb to decay and rigor mortis. His body remained supple while several claimed he smelled of roses. A cause for canonization was begun after Father Seraphim's burial. He eventually attained the title of Blessed after several miracles were attributed to him and now he awaits canonization into sainthood by an Orthodox synod.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Death", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki