Ηegumen / Abbot
Saint Seraphim was born on September 25, 1875, in the village of Salikovo, Podolsk district of the Moscow province, in the family of peasant Alexei Krestyaninov and was named Sergey at baptism. In 1910, he became a novice at the Gethsemane Skete of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, where he was tonsured into monasticism with the name Seraphim. In 1917, he was ordained as hierodeacon, and in 1924 – as hieromonk. In 1926, he moved to the Paraklist Desert, the Holy Spirit Comforter. In 1928, the Lavra and the desert were closed, and the monastic artels were dispersed.
From 1928 to 1930, hieromonk Seraphim lived with his relatives until he found a position in the Protection Church of the village of Saburovo. In 1935, he was elevated to the rank of igumen. On November 26, 1937, Igumen Seraphim was arrested by the Zagorsk department of the NKVD and imprisoned in the Taganka prison. He was arrested in the same case as Archimandrite Kronid and other clergymen, accused of forming a 'counter-revolutionary monarchist group.' During the interrogations, he confirmed his active church activities and discussions about the difficulties of life under Soviet power.
On December 7, 1937, the NKVD troika sentenced Father Seraphim to execution. He was shot on December 10, 1937, at the Butovo firing range near Moscow and buried in an unknown common grave.
