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In 1992, Father Seraphim was transferred to the [[Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem|Russian Orthodox Mission]] in Jerusalem where he served until late 1999. In 1995, [[Patriarch]] [[Alexei II (Ridiger) of Moscow|Alexei II]] awarded him a [[pectoral cross]]. In 1997, he was elevated to the dignity of [[Igumen|igumen]], at the Church of the Holy Trinity of the Jerusalem Mission. In 1999, Fr. Seraphim was recalled to Russia and assigned as head of the Orthodox pilgrimage section under the chairman of the Department of External Church Relations (DECR).
On [[April 3]], 2001, the [[Holy Synod]] of the Church of Russia elected Igumen Seraphim to the [[episcopate]] as Bishop of Baltiysk, [[Vicar]] of the [[Diocese]] of Smolensk and Kaliningrad. On [[April 18], Igumen Seraphim was elevated to the dignity of archimandrite by [[Metropolitan]] [[Kirill I Kyrill (Gundyayev) of Moscow|Kirill]] of Smolensk and Kaliningrad, chairman of the DECR, at the church of the Holy Trinity at Khorochevo. On [[May 19]], Archim. Seraphim was [[consecration of a bishop|consecrated]] Bishop of Baltiysk by Patr. Alexei II, assisted by nine other hierarchs at the [[Cathedral]] Church. After the liturgy, Patr. Alexei presented the newly-consecrated bishop with his bishop’s [[Crosier|crosier]].
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{{succession|
before=[[Panteleimon (Kutovoy) of Krasnoyarsk|Panteleimon (Kutovoy)]]|
title=Bishop of Baltiysk <br> Vicar of the Diocese of Smolensk|
years=2001 - Present|