Serapion the Wonderworker

Venerable Serapion the Wonderworker was abbot of the monastery of Saint John the Baptist in the Davit-⁠Gareja wilderness in Georgia, and received from God the gift of working miracles. Once, as he went toward the city behind several brothers, robbers attacked the monks who were walking in front and took many of the church vessels they carried. Terrified, the monks ran back to Serapion and told him. "Great is God," said Serapion, "I will not permit the unbelievers to steal His sacred things." With staff in hand, the elder raced ahead alone after the robbers. When they turned, they saw a terrible flame issuing from his staff and were afraid; they abandoned the donkey carrying their spoils and fled.

Another time, Serapion suddenly burst out of his cell and cried to the brothers: "Woe is me, robbers have attacked the servants on their way to the monastery," and then returned to his cell and began to pray. After a few hours the servants arrived, distraught, and reported that they had been attacked on the road; they had abandoned in flight the mules hauling the monastery's property. A short time later the mules arrived at the monastery alone, bearing their load as before.

Venerable Serapion at last gave up the leadership of the monastery, was tonsured into the great schema and withdrew into seclusion. God revealed to him that his death was near, and he asked the brothers to bury him under the church gates, in a grave he had prepared for himself, so that all who entered would walk over his grave. He fell asleep in the Lord in 1774. He is commemorated on 24 August (new style).