ECUMENICAL PATRIARCHATE

Exarchate of Parishes of Russian
Tradition in Western Europe

Memory eternal!

Mother Serafima (Hildesley)

After the Divine Liturgy celebrated on 1 August at St Seraphim's Church, Little Walsingham, 'Many years' was sung for Mother Serafima in her 90th year. Sadly, on 4th August 2008, in the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, London, Mother Serafima fell asleep in the Lord. Receiving Holy Communion on St Seraphim's day was the last thing Mother Serafima was aware of.

A remarkable woman and an exemplary Nun, Mother Serafima was born on 9th March 1918, Sophie Hildesley. She studied modern languages at Oxford and also studied at the Slade in London, before joining the Convent at Tymawr aged 27 years, becoming Sister Joanna.

While at Tymawr Mother Serafima worked in a small printing
workshop and among other things she translated the book on St Seraphim by Valentine Zander from the French. In 1963 a small book was published by Mowbrays written by her, called 'The Scapegoat'. This is the foreword by Metropolitan Anthony, in the reprinted version of 2001.

I have read twice this little book with a sense of gratitude toMother Serafima for blending with such understanding andperceptiveness the Message of the Two Testaments on theScapegoat and its fulfilment in the Person of Christ. Rooted deeply both in the Hebrew Tradition to which she belongs by her natural and cultural roots and the Faith in Christ the Fulfiller which she has embraced and by which she lives Mother Serafima can open our eyes - both our understanding and our hearts - to a message and a mystery which, perhaps, more than ever is relevant in this age of conflict and confusion. Whether we belong to the Old or to the New Testament our vocation is the same: with ChristCrucified to take on the burden of a world in distress and togetherwith it, without distinction of person, to be crucified on the Cross of Compassion, rejected by those whose burden we acceptreverently to carry and joined by those to whom the call to a life of Compassion,revealed dimly in the Old Testament and in its full tragic glory in Christ, has become the meaning of life

In 1976 Mother Serafima left Tymawr, staying briefly at Normanby, then with Archimandrite Barnabas, before settling in Walsingham with Father David and his small community.

Here she continued to do printing, including the Liturgical translations of Archimandrite Lazarus Moore, with whom Father David had studied in India. Some of the booklets printed by her, such as the Menaion, are used today. Working closely with Father David, printing the Newsletter regularly, helping with his correspondence as well as the regular Services and care of the church, she also helped care for him when he became ill.

In May 1987 she went on Pilgrimage to Lintula and New Valaam Monasteries. She also visited her sister in Hawaii, enjoying flying as a passenger with her nephews in their plane.

In the last 2 or 3 years Mother Serafima travelled to Russia to visit the Sarov and the resting place of St Seraphim, Divyevo. Mother Serafima corresponded with the children in the monastery school there, who wrote to her in English and sent her drawings.

In 1994, after the death of Archimandrite David, Mother Serafima moved to London and worshipped at the Cathedral of the Dormition and All Saints, Ennismore Gardens.

However,the link with St Seraphim's remained and she kept in touch with those she had left behind. In August 2007 she travelled to Walsingham for the last time, to the funeral of Anne Bailey for whom she had been sponsor.

Her time in Walsingham meant a great deal to Mother Serafima and to those who knew her. She is remembered as always cheerful, a positive presence whose influence had a good effect, showing her to be a true spiritual child of St Seraphim. She read daily the 'Spiritual Biography of St Seraphim,' by Archimandrite Lazarus and when it fell to pieces, she had it bound.

Mother Serafima will be greatly missed. 'Memory Eternal!' Her final resting place is at Brookwood, where her grave will be cared for by the Community of the Monastery of St Edward. At the funeral and burial there were representatives from Mother Serafima's family, the Convent in Tymawr, Saint Seraphim's Walsingham and London.

Mother Serafima with her bicycle outside St Seraphim's church

Sylvia Batchelor

From the Newsletter of the Church of St Seraphim, Little Walsingham