In the host of martyrs of the Russian Orthodox Church of the 20th century, the holy martyr Metropolitan Seraphim (Chichagov) occupies a special place, unique to him. A well-born Russian aristocrat and a brilliant guards officer, a pious Orthodox layman and an inspired parish priest, a selfless monastic abbot and a strict diocesan bishop - these are the vivid images that have imprinted the remarkable personality of St. Seraphim in Russian church and civil history. Saint Seraphim entered the history of Russian holiness primarily as a courageous confessor and majestic martyr, who combined these two ascetic ministries in his long and righteous life. Saint Seraphim (in the world Leonid Mikhailovich Chichagov) was born on January 9, 1856. He studied at the First St. Petersburg military gymnasium, graduated first class from the Corps of Pages in 1875. In 1877-1878 he participated in the Russian-Turkish war. He independently studied theological sciences. He was interested in the problems of traditional medicine (the author of a system of treating the body with herbal medicines, which he outlined in the fundamental work “Medical Conversations”). As a result of systematic theological studies, an officer who has not even received a seminary education will turn into an encyclopedically educated theologian, whose authority will eventually be recognized by the entire Russian Orthodox Church. In 1890 he was dismissed, in 1891 “for comparison with his peers” he was promoted to colonel. 1878 was the spiritual child of the famous St. Righteous John of Kronstadt. With his blessing, he retired and was ordained. In 1896, the first edition of the “Chronicle of the Seraphim-Diveyevo Monastery” compiled by him was published, a significant part of which was devoted to the activities of Seraphim of Sarov. He visited this monastery, where nun Pelagia, who remembered Elder Seraphim, told him: “It’s good that you came, I’ve been waiting for you for a long time: St. Seraphim ordered me to tell you to report to the Emperor that the time has come for the opening of his relics and glorification.” Later, he actually received an audience with Emperor Nicholas II, gave him his book, which contributed to the canonization of Seraphim of Sarov. In 1902, by order of the emperor and the determination of the Holy Synod, he was entrusted with preparatory work for the canonization of Seraphim of Sarov, which took place in 1903. He wrote the life of the saint and published the second edition of the Chronicle of the Seraphim-Diveyevo Monastery. He was one of the organizers of the glorification ceremony. From February 1928 he became Metropolitan of Leningrad. He was shot on December 11, 1937. He was canonized by the Russian Church in 1997.