At present, this little place of hermitage (that is, the cell where St. Seraphim once sought refuge in the Sarov Forest) is enclosed in a small church and serves as its altar. This is the ‘authentic’ hermitage of the Venerable Elder. It was previously located in the Sarov Forest, but the love of the Diveyevo nuns brought it here and has preserved it with care. The same goes for the nearer hermitage. Much later, Sarov residents built a replica of the hermitages that had been taken away from them. In the farther hermitage, in two recently constructed display cases, are the belongings of St. Seraphim — a fur coat, bast shoes with straps, boots, leather overshoes, in which he is usually depicted with a stick in his hands, an ax, stockings, hats, and more. The hermitage is a small hut with tiny windows, made from good timber. Its corners are protected from zealous pilgrims by being covered with leather. This church was under repair for the holidays, and therefore we did not stay there very long and were cautious… Near the farther hermitage is the nearer hermitage, which previously stood in the Sarov Forest, by a spring. In this hermitage, according to the Elder’s will, the ‘unquenchable’ Psalter is read. Here lies the greater part of the stone on which St. Seraphim prayed in the Sarov Forest for 1,000 nights.

… this is an ordinary wooden hut with a small entrance hall. The furniture consisted entirely of a simple unpainted linden table and two similar chairs. In the front corner stood holy icons with a lamp lit before them. There were also two liturgical books lying around. Upon entering the cell, Father Seraphim presented His Grace with a gift: a rosary, a bundle of wax candles wrapped in cloth, a bottle of wooden oil, and woolen stockings. His Grace accepted the gift with paternal warmth. Then he asked Father Seraphim, ‘Where is your other hermitage here, another even more secluded place? ’

… His Grace, opening the door that concealed a space between the wall of the cell and the stove, saw a tiny room… And here, as in the first cell, in the corner, between the wall and the door frame, stood a small icon with a burning lamp.