Case of Sicily Andersen
Sicily Andersen
Interview 28.10.2019
Richfield Springs. NY. USA.
The family of Sicily (born in 1962), daughter of the priest Vladimir Andersen, were very close to Fr. Seraphim and to Platina. Her father was a well-known associate of Fr. Seraphim in Christian preaching and book printing, as well as his assistant in the work of founding the monastery of St. Herman.
At that time he travelled by bus from Willits, CA (the place where they were living) to work in the bookstore of Gleb and Eugene (three hours away). They were busy setting up a monastery, and therefore could not be there.
The time of Fr. Seraphim in Platina were the years of Sicily's youth. Father Seraphim was her Godfather, and as she put it: “I could talk to him about anything ...”.
Her brother Vasily had the same blood type as Fr. Seraphim, and when Fr. Seraphim was at his death bed in hospital in Redding, he was next to him on another bed and would giving blood for transfusion. Also, it was Vasily who made the coffin of Fr. Seraphim after his repose, as he was known to be a handy man.
Incidents described below happened to Sicily Andersen.
Fact 6
On the eve of Fr. Seraphim repose, Sicily Andersen could not be with him, as she was in Albany at that time (NY, USA). Nevertheless, she knew that Fr. Seraphim was very sick.
She was called right after his death. After hearing the news, she cried and cried, out of compassion and due to the fact that she could not be near her beloved Fr. Seraphim. However, in her mind there was the thought that until the third day he was still here ..., and an even more timid thought, like the last and almost impossible hope… that he could visit her.
And at some point of crying and prayer, she unexpectedly and clearly experienced a state of peace/calm that had come to her heart from outside. And this peace was so deep that it simply stopped her from crying, ceased the stream of tears10, and dispelled any confusion.
She experienced it so deeply and clearly that from that moment she completely calmed down. She believed that Fr. Seraphim visited her and gave her this consolation and hence in the joyful state of Fr. Seraphim, who should no longer be mourned but rejoiced.
Fact 7
Another case happened many years later. Here's how Sicily describes it:
«My brother Vasily passed away on August 31, 1996. He was a subdeacon and at that time served in Lakewood in the church of Alexander Nevsky.
Two weeks before his repose we talked about death, because there was a reason for this - his wife Sandy (Alexandra)11 had cancer. He told me about a deep thought that is contained in the prayer "Our Father ..." when we say: "Thy will be done ..." - after all, this means "Yours, Lord, and not mine ..." He understood these words by his life! "God's will is everything!" - he said.
When my brother Vasily died12, it was extremely difficult for me to accept. On the 38-th day after his death, I had a dream about my brother and Fr. Seraphim. I dreamed about Fr. Seraphim, who was busy with some clerical work. I went over and asked him what was he doing? And he answered that he was preparing papers so that Vasily would enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
I was 34 years old then, Vasily – 35.
At first, I reacted to this vision with caution, thinking that if that is to happen, it must be on the 40th day ... and it was only the 38th day. But when I woke up, I was convinced firmly that my brother is now destined into the Kingdom of Heaven, and that Fr. Seraphim was the reason.
And on the same night his wife Sandy also had a similar dream. It was not associated with Fr. Seraphim, but it also had a symbolic meaning, which assured her that Vasily entered the Kingdom of Heaven.
***
There is also another case, told by Sicily, connected with Fr. Seraphim. This case cannot be directly applied to our criterion of posthumous manifestations of grace, but to the first - the life events of Fr. Seraphim. It is worth mentioning because of the same people, who were connected with each other spiritually, and as an illustration of this connection even after death.
«In 1972 my sister Margarita (Maggie) passed away. My family wanted her to be buried in Platina, but at that time no one was allowed to be buried there yet. Nevertheless, my parents received special permission for the funeral, both from the Bishop and from the State, because no cemetery had yet been established there.
After all these approvals, the whole family and the Platina’s monks took coffin to the monastery of Herman of Alaska. After bringing Maggie to the monastery, we placed her in the church and began to read the Psalter. My dad, brothers, Fr. Seraphim and Fr. Herman went to dig the grave.
After the grave was settled, we were very tired, Fr. Seraphim read the Psalter at night.
In the morning they carried my sister to be buried, and when the coffin was lowered into the grave, I looked at the church and heard singing coming from the church.
I looked at the others - they didn't hear anything. There is no way to suggest that anyone was in the church at that time. I was 10 years old back then and I was very worried. Later I wrote to Fr. Seraphim: "... Is it possible that this was really happening?" and Fr. Seraphim answered that it was not only "possible", but most likely - "it was so!»
10 See recording 002
11 A daughter of Valentina Vasilievna Harvey (for those who know more about the biography of Father Seraphim).
12 from an accident.