Yesterday’s thread of pictures of modern Saints inspired me to make a list of contemporary individuals whom I believe will be canonized in the near future. I am a layman and sinner of all sinners, so please take this with a grain of salt. None of these are controversial I believe

First up: Fr Valery Lukianov. Born in Shanghai and ordained by St. John Maximovitch. I met him several times when I went to Russian school at St Alexander Nevsky in Howell.

Next should come as no surprise to anyone, Fr Seraphim Rose:

Fr Thomas Hopko:

Number next: Elder Benedict of Optina. Former Father Confessor of Patriarch Kirill and Vladimir Putin (allegedly).

#5: Archbishop Dmitri of Dallas. He was recently exhumed and found incorrupt, and his body emitted a sweet fragrance, even in the middle of summer in Texas.

#6: Fr Alexander Schmemann.

#7: Fr John Nehrebecki. Reposed on Holy Saturday in 2019. Had the honor of serving with him several times.

#8: Elder Epiphanios of Athens.

#9: Fr George Florovsky.

#9: Fr John Meyendorff.

#10: Metropolitan Leonty

#11: Metropolitan Laurus. He was pivotal in the reunification of the Russian Church Abroad with the Moscow Patriarchate.

#12: Archbishop Vitaly, founder of Holy Trinity Monastery, Jordanville, NY.

#13: Protopresbyter Michael Pomazansky. Author of “Orthodox Dogmatic Theology.

And how could I forget these two! Elder Aimilionos of Simopetra

Elder Thaddeus of Vitovnica

Elder Cleopa

Elder Ephraim of Arizona

Matushka Olga Michael (I’m pretty sure the investigation into her universal canonization in well underway, she is already locally venerated in Alaska)

I’m pretty sure this thread is everyone I could think of at this point. Take-away message: just because Orthodoxy isn’t mainstream in the West, don’t think for a second that we don’t have Saints walking among us!

And of course now I’m remembering even more: Patriarch Pavle if Serbia