This post was originally dated 10/13/14
UPDATE: see post dated December 2024. St. Seraphim of Platina is now glorified by his Church.
It is certainly ok to pray privately to uncanonized blessed ones. Local veneration is how they are eventually canonized by the Church. It would be ok to sing the magnification at the end of a pannikhida, already Bishop Nektary has done this.
Is it ok to venerate icons of Fr. Seraphim?
It was forbidden by our synod – Fr. Seraphim's synod– to depict saints on icons with the halo painted in before their glorification. Icon-style images are fine, and the halo can be added after the glorification.
The glorification will happen in God's time. (It should be done by ROCA, since that is Fr. Seraphim's jurisdiction.) It usually takes a good number of years. For recent examples of how long it can take we have St. John Kronstadt, St. Xenia of Petersburg, St. Herman of Alaska, and St. John of S&SF.
The urge to venerate Fr. Seraphim can be expanded to include St. John S&SF. Fr. Seraphim is truly one of St. John's miracles. St. John took Fr. Seraphim under his wing and instructed him in an "academy" that he established just for Fr. Seraphim. By St. John's prayers, Fr. Seraphim became a miraculous American missionary. And now, just as St. John is loved everywhere in the whole world, so is Fr. Seraphim. Fr. Seraphim is an extension of St. John's universal ministry. And it is obviously a miracle.
This connection between St. John and Fr. Seraphim has a practical application which bears pointing out. Many folks don't realize that when somebody argues with Fr. Seraphim, [such as about the fall of the EP, or the toll houses or genesis and the age of the earth], then they are arguing with St. John, because Fr. Seraphim learned it directly from St. John.
Is it ok to venerate icons of Fr. Seraphim? I believe it is ok. At home, surely it's ok; but maybe not in church. If there were a portrait or photo of Fr. Seraphim in a narthex, I would have no problem greeting his image with a bow and/or a kiss. But if people are watching it could cause trouble. Keep in mind that Fr. Seraphim always tried to avoid unnecessary trouble
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