The Saint Meme

Cribbed from Elizabeth:

The task is to name four of your favourite Saints, one who was well on the way to sanctity, is widely venerated already and very likely to be made a Saint in due course, and one who isn't yet publicly declared a saint but probably should be made a Saint.

My votes:

St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco
St. Sergius of Radonezh
St. Xenia of St. Petersburg
The Holy Royal Martyrs (that's seven saints, actually, but I love 'em all): Nicholas II, Alexandra, Olga, Tatiana, Maria, Anastasia, and Alexei

Blessed:
Fr Seraphim Rose

Should be made a Saint :
Elder Paisios of the Holy Mountain. One anecdote: He and his disciple Athanasios were standing in their cell praying, when suddenly the lamps started to sway as if stirred by a strong breeze, only there was no breeze. When they were done praying, Athanasios asked Paisios what that was all about. Paisios said, "Oh, the Holy Virgin likes to visit people on the Mountain [ie, Mount Athos] and see what they're up to." "And what did she see when she visited us?" "Why, she saw two idiots praying!" Anybody who can call himself an "idiot" when visited by the Holy Virgin gets my vote for sanctity. ;-)

Who would you choose ?

I tag Mimi, Philippa, and Catherine......... and anyone else who wants to play.

(And I must confess that I left in Fr. Seraphim, who was mentioned on Elizabeth's blog, only because I don't know of anyone else who's as widely venerated but not yet a saint. I'd appreciate hearing other people's nominations.)