WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 05th November, 2021) The Russian Church Abroad (ROCOR) on Friday commemorates 50 years since the death of Archpriest Seraphim Slobodskoy, one of ROCOR's most well known priests and author of the book "The Law of God," his son Alexei Slobodskoy told Sputnik.
A major event is also scheduled on November 6 - the date when the Russian Orthodox Church celebrates St. Demetrius of Thessaloniki. Orthodox Christian believers pray on that day for the souls of their deceased loved ones. The tradition was established by Grand Prince of Moscow, Dmitry Donskoy, to commemorate the warriors fallen in the Battle of Kulikovo against the Golden Horde in 1380.
Alexei Slobodskoy said a service will be performed at the Holy Virgin Protection Church that was founded by his father in Nyack, New York on November 6.
"There will be a liturgy officiated by the First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia Metropolitan Hilarion (Kapral) along with Bishop of Manhattan Nikolai (Olhovski) followed by a memorial service. Afterwards there will be a commemorative luncheon with presentations and speeches in the church hall, which is named in honor of my father," he said.
Students from the Russian parish school, founded by father Seraphim, and a group of youngsters from the Russian scouts Camp National Association of Russian Explorers (NORR) will present a special music program in his honor.
Archpriest Slobodskoy was born in Russia in 1912, where he lived and practiced his Orthodox Christian faith. Slobodskoy became a prisoner of war during World War II and then lived in Germany for several years before emigrating to the United States.
"Many people know that my father wrote the book 'The Law of God.' It was first published in 1957," Alexei Slobodskoy said. "His goal was to write a comprehensive book about the Orthodox faith that could be used in Russian parish schools to teach the law of God as well as by families at home whose children do not have access to schools. He also knew that this book would be beneficial for adults who are learning about the Orthodox faith."
Father Seraphim came to the idea to write a book upon the wisdom conferred to by his father, who was also a priest, and said that Russia is a big country, but no one has written a good textbook on the law of God.
"That was something my father always remembered," Alexei Slobodskoy said.
The book made its way to Russia in the late 1980s and the 1990s. At first, it was smuggled in and people copied it over by hand to be able to increase its circulation. However, the book has since been printed in millions of copies and remains one of the most popular Orthodox Christian resources.
"I think that my father's book had a huge impact on the preservation and re-birth of Christianity in Russia after the fall of the Soviet Union. This is my father's legacy," Slobodskoy said.
