When is it customary to celebrate a holiday
Memorial Day of the Holy Blessed Matrona of Moscow is traditionally celebrated by the Orthodox Church 2 May, on the day when the righteous left our mortal world and passed into eternal life. They also commemorate St. 22 November, on her angel’s day, and March 8when the miraculous relics of St. Matrona were found (this holiday was established relatively recently – in 2013).
Today, in the Pokrovsky Monastery in Moscow, a gigantic line never dries up. People come here from all over, not only our country, but also the world, to bow to the relics of one of the most beloved saints, Blessed Matrona of Moscow.
We are accustomed to the fact that saints are people who lived many centuries before us, almost fairy-tale characters. But Matronushka is an exception to this rule – those who still found her in this world are still alive. And this makes the saint even closer to us.
earth path
Matrena Dmitrievna Nikonova (namely, that was the name of the blessed one) was born in 1881, presumably on November 22, on the day of memory of the Reverend Matrona. A simple village family already had three strong healthy children, but the last girl was born blind, she simply had no eyes. And if she had been given to an orphanage, a disabled child would have become a burden in a poor peasant family, but the pious Natalya, the girl’s mother, had a dream shortly before her birth in which her daughter appeared to her in the form of a blind snow-white bird with a human face. Seeing this as a revelation from above, Matryona’s mother did not allow her daughter to be disposed of and raised her in the faith.
And from the very childhood she showed an example of a righteous life: she was kind and meek, steadfastly endured her injury. And even when the girl lost her legs at the age of 17, Matryona Dmitrievna did not grumble, but accepted it calmly and with complete trust in God.
Many trials fell to her lot: the revolution of 1917, the civil war, the persecution of the Church, the Great Patriotic War, wandering from apartment to apartment, complete dependence on others, sometimes strangers – all this not only did not break the will of the saint, but also strengthened her humility and meekness.
We often complain about life, faced with the slightest difficulties in life, but just imagine what Matronushka (as her contemporaries affectionately called her) had to go through: she, completely helpless, unable to take two steps with her feet, was forced to hide from the godless authorities in various apartments, relying on sometimes unfamiliar people who were not always eager to look after a blind paralyzed woman, and even host crowds of those suffering to receive advice or healing.
They tried to arrest her many times, because the fame of the blessed one’s foresight quickly spread throughout Moscow, but she always knew in advance when to change her place of residence. And people began to go to Matronushka for advice even when the saint lived in her native village of Sebino, Tula province. And she, being inspired from above, always helped, instructed and, most importantly, prayed for everyone who came.
From the book of Zinaida Zhdanova, who lived for 7 years with Blessed Matrona, we know for certain about the saint’s foresight, it also mentions her meeting with Stalin, to whom she allegedly predicted the date of the end of the war. However, the fact of this meeting has not been confirmed anywhere else, therefore it is not considered completely reliable.
The saint died on May 2, 1952. And it is on this day that the Orthodox Church celebrates the memory of Matronushka.
Canonization
Some people who have little understanding of Christianity draw a parallel between the holy blessed Matrona and the clairvoyant Vanga. Like, both were blind, both predicted the future. Only they do not understand that insight and other miracles are a secondary phenomenon. The main thing is man’s service to God. The Matrona of Moscow devoted herself to Him. She gratefully accepted both her injury and eternal restlessness, spent all her time in prayer and serving people. “This is the will of God,” she said of her disability. Everyone who knew her or saw her at least once noted the warmth and kindness with which the saint literally radiated. And in all the photographs that have come down to us, she appears with an unchanging smile. Such a Matronushka was depicted by artists on all icons.
About her great love for people, despite all the suffering and deprivation, the words of the blessed one speak shortly before her good death: “Everyone, everyone, come to me and tell me how alive you are about your sorrows, I will see you, and hear, and help you».
And people come. First, to the grave at the Danilovsky cemetery, and then to the Intercession Monastery, where the relics of the saint are now buried. Everyone comes with their own misfortune, with their pain, and many with gratitude for the miracle they have done. And they bring the blessed white roses and chrysanthemums so beloved by her during her lifetime.
Blessed Matronushka was glorified as a saint in 1999, a year after her relics were transferred to the Intercession Monastery.
Miracles
As we see from life, miracles began even before the birth of the saint, when her mother had a prophetic dream in which the Lord revealed His will regarding the unborn child. The second miracle happened at the time of baptism. According to the testimony of the priest Father Pavel (Prokhorov), who performed the ceremony, a column of fragrant smoke rose from the font, where the baby was immersed, which happens when incense is burned.
The gift of clairvoyance came to the blind girl very early, and the line of pilgrims never disappeared in front of the Nikonovs’ house in the village of Sebino. The blessed one gave time to each of those who came, gave each one divinely inspired advice, receiving everyone with love until her strength ran out. And this despite the fact that the villagers in childhood mocked the blind girl and mocked her in every possible way. But she didn’t hold a grudge against anyone.
And even more miracles happen after the death of the blessed. It is difficult to say how many people she came to the rescue, for how many she begged the impossible from God: through prayers to her, women who were diagnosed with infertility by a council of the best doctors give birth to healthy children, the hopelessly ill are healed, and the lonely find a happy family. The saint helps in all family and everyday problems: find a job, get married, stop family quarrels.
As she once promised, the blessed Matrona hears everyone and helps everyone. Moreover, it helps very quickly.
And every year on May 2, for more than 30 years now, on the day of memory of Matronushka, the beloved saint, a particularly long line has been lining up at the walls of the Intercession Monastery. Parishioners hold white chrysanthemums and roses in their hands not only to ask the blessed old woman for their needs, but also to wish her a happy birthday for eternal life and simply to thank us for having her.
Word to the priest
Father Igor (Silchenkov), rector of the Church of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos in the village of Rybachye, Alushta deanery, Simferopol and Crimean diocese of the Orthodox Church MP:
“Matrona of Moscow from childhood had great spiritual gifts: the gift of reasoning and insight. Many turned to her for help, and she helped them. Most importantly, she showed the love of Christ, while being a physically weak person. She did not see the beauty of God’s world with bodily eyes, but contemplated it with spiritual ones.
But it also happens the other way around – we see everything with our eyes, but inside we have such dirt, such murmuring, such indignation! We look at the beauty, but we only see that everything around is bad, we walk around our native land, and we see it as hell.
All the time that the blessed Matrona lived in our world, she served God. Through her prayers, the Lord healed those suffering from any illness, her clairvoyance often saved people from misfortunes and losses, and people came to her in an endless crowd. And every time a miracle and glorification of God happened to everyone. In those times when people were taught that there is no God, she helped them meet Him in their lives. And the greatest miracle that the Holy Matronushka performed is the miracle of love.”