Saint Blessed Matrona of Moscow is one of the most famous and revered Orthodox saints. Having from birth the gift of working miracles, even before her death she became known as a prayer book and ascetic for the glory of God. Her whole life became an example of the great spiritual feat of love, patience, self-denial and compassion.
During Matronushka’s life, there were always pilgrims at her house. People came to mother for help from tens of kilometers away with their illnesses, anxieties, and sorrows. And Matronushka helped, healed, and instructed.
Blessed Matrona did not demand much from people, but she always demanded that they believe in God. She also taught not to despair and to the best of her ability to try to correct her life from sins and vices with the help of God.
The flow of pilgrims to venerate her holy relics does not dry up even today: from early morning until late at night, people with flowers come to the Abelmanovskaya outpost, where the Intercession Stauropegial Convent is located. Most often these are white roses and chrysanthemums - Matrona loved them more than anyone and did not like artificial flowers. Families, women and men come to Matronushka—as people affectionately call her.
Contemporaries remembered her as very bright, affectionate, with a quiet voice. She never complained, accepting everything that fell to her lot as given by God.
The blessed one predicted: “After my death, few people will go to my grave, only close ones, and when they die, my grave will be deserted, except for the occasional visit. But after many years, people will find out about me and will come in droves for help in their sorrows and asking the Lord God to pray for them, and I will help everyone and hear everyone.” Even before her death, she said: “Everyone, everyone, come to me and tell me, as if alive, about your sorrows, I will see you, and hear you, and help you.”
And mother also said that everyone who entrusts themselves and their lives to her intercession with the Lord will be saved. “I will meet everyone who turns to me for help at their death, everyone.”
Mentor, healer, teacher
There is a legend that at the age of 14, during a pilgrimage to shrines, she met John of Kronstadt.
The Wonderworker, seeing the girl, said: “Here comes my shift - the eighth pillar of Russia .” He had in mind not only the continuer of his business. The Elder guessed Matrona’s special purpose: to become the support of the Faith in the difficult times to come.
And so it happened, although Matrona herself did not claim to be a spiritual leader. Since childhood, preferring icons to toys, she spent the night talking to them, immersing herself in the world of spirituality. From her very birth, the Blessed One belonged entirely to God, and he allowed her to access the truth inaccessible to others.
Mother was a woman of few words, so the advice she gave only to those who asked for it became sacred knowledge.
People were convinced of the wisdom of her words, the correctness of her predictions, and they themselves chose her as a mentor. Predicting difficulties, Mother instructed how to overcome them. That is why there were endless queues of pilgrims to any house where Matrona lived. She never refused anyone. Even 3 days before the death, which she knew about, mother received people: she treated, taught, and predicted.
About family
Matrona saw the family as the most important institution of society, and she recommended that everyone who was going to get married be sure to get married in a church.
If the girl did not intend to become someone’s wife, then she should have kept the dinner of innocence until the end of her days.
Mother considered the spouse to be the main thing in any family, and the wife’s duty was to obey him in everything. One day a woman, who had been married without her will, approached her with a complaint that she could not find happiness with someone she didn’t love. But Matrona explained that she herself was to blame for her own problems. To honor the Lord, a woman should not argue with her betrothed, but be obedient to him in everything.
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Instructions of Holy Mother Matrona
Matrona of Moscow was not forced to believe and follow her advice and reasoning. But people, once convinced of her correctness, longed for revelations. So everything she uttered became an instruction.
Over Matrona’s long life, a lot of them have accumulated, but the most important topics can be highlighted:
- false teachers and sorcerers;
- faith and service to God;
- Russia;
- family;
- moral values.
False teachers and sorcerers
Mother taught pseudo-seers and self-proclaimed predictors to beware. Searching for spiritual mentors wastes time and energy, and a mistake in a teacher can lead to choosing the wrong path in life and loss of spirituality. That is why her instruction-testament to help the living appeared:
“I’ll die... come to my grave, I will always be there. Trust me, and I will give you thoughts on what to do and how to act. The time of delusion is coming, don’t look for anyone, otherwise you will be deceived.”
By charm she understood evil, the deception of the soul. Matrona fought against sorcerers all her life - invisibly, but persistently. She considered them and their minions to be supporters of evil and lost people.
You may be interested in the article: “Predictions and prophecies of Mother Matrona.”
Faith and service to God
This topic of Matronushka’s instructions is the most extensive. Which is not surprising - this was her whole life.
Trust in prayer and God's will
She herself lived with prayer and taught others to live this way, trusting in God’s will. It is obligatory to wear a cross on the body, make the signs of the cross, protecting oneself with the cross, the sacrament and prayer from evil spirits and evil.
«Get baptized often! The cross is the same lock as on the door.”
I saw that an angel was sitting on the right shoulder of each person, and an “enemy” on the left. And both keep records of his good and bad deeds.
Living without prayer, according to Matrona, threatens sudden death. Everything important for a person in everyday life also needs prayer protection: food, clothing, household items. God in man begins with prayer.
Therefore, today they offer a prayer to Mother Matrona:
O blessed Mother Matrona, your soul stands in heaven before the Throne of God, but your body rests on earth and, by the grace given to you from above, works many miracles!
Turn your merciful gaze upon us, sinners, living out our days in troubles, illnesses and sinful temptations!
Comfort us, the despairing, heal our serious illnesses, for our sins allowed by God, deliver us from troubles and the siege of demons, beg our Lord Jesus Christ to forgive us all our sins and iniquities that we have committed from our youth to the present time!
May we, through your prayers, receive grace and great mercy from the Lord and glorify in the Trinity the One God, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Communication with the Lord
Being a devout Christian, she never contradicted the church in her instructions. Instructing the believers, she echoed other priests:
“Go to church and don’t look at anyone, pray with your eyes closed or look at some image, icon.”
And this is not only in order to focus on prayer, but also so as not to harm the soul. In the church she is most open and therefore vulnerable.
She said that it is not a person’s decoration that shows the depth of faith, but sincere, unostentatious prayer. But I considered it useful to have a special room for communication with God, the windows of which face east. And in it is the “Throne of God”: a table for icons, but not for food.
Petitions to God
Matrona said that requests to God never go unheeded and lead to the salvation of the soul after the death of the body. She promised to hear appeals to her even from the grave and “...to meet each one at their death .
Commemoration of all those who have passed away
This is love for neighbors and a good deed that leads to the salvation of the soul . When the turn of the one who commemorates comes to appear before the judgment of God, the souls of those whom he commemorated will ask the Lord for him.
The power of Epiphany water
She considered water at Baptism to be a source of enormous power, which is transferred to the temple, man, the earth and everything living on it. She urged to use such water with caution:
“Wash yourself with the holy Epiphany water, starting from your head, so that it flows down to the end of your feet, washing your whole body. You need to pour a little holy water into a mug and top it up with regular water.”
Russia
Matrona of Moscow believed in the greatness of Russia and in all the prophecies she saw it withstanding the onslaught of troubles:
“...Russia has existed and will exist. Pray, ask, repent! The Lord will not leave you and will preserve our land!”
Family
Just as God rules the world, so does a man rule the family. Matronushka thought so and taught women obedience. Marriage was called to be consecrated in the church, and those who took a vow of celibacy were called to be patient and steadfast in anticipation of the Lord's crown.
She advised women to protect and appreciate natural beauty. Fake beauty, created by cosmetics, corrupts the soul.
Moral values
Mother spoke remarkably simply and wisely about slander and gossip:
“Why judge other people? Think about yourself more often. Each sheep will be hung by its tail. What do you care about other ponytails?”
And she urged sick people to have pity and help them as much as possible, showing tolerance. Matrona herself suffered enough from illnesses, but she accepted misfortune with humility and never lost her temper in public. To those who did this, citing nerves, I answered :
“What nerves, there are no nerves in war or in prison... You have to control yourself, be patient.”
Deprived of health, she taught others to take care and “repair” the body, a “house” for the soul. She believed in medicinal herbs and believed that God specially created them to help sick people. But she did not recognize mental illnesses; she considered them possession by evil spirits.
Mother Matrona passed away at the age of 71 (1881-1952), having survived revolutions, wars, famine, cold, changes in power and persecution of faith. But she always loved people. And she saved them for God with her love. She still saves, having been canonized in 2004.
Today, Blessed Matrona of Moscow is known and revered even more than during her lifetime. Not only residents of Moscow, where her ashes rest, come to her. Pilgrims come to Matrona from everywhere, having heard about miraculous healings and help. Just as she predicted:
“But after many years, people will find out about me and will come in droves for help in their sorrows and asking the Lord God to pray for them, and I will help everyone and hear everyone.”
Brief Life
The village of Sebino, Tula region, where Blessed Matrona was born
Matrona of Moscow (née Matrona Dmitrievna Nikonova) (November 22, 1881 - May 2, 1952, Moscow) is a saint of the Russian Orthodox Church.
Matrona Dmitrievna Nikonova was born in 1881 in the village of Sebino, Epifansky district (now Kimovsky district), Tula province, she was the fourth child in the family. According to the life of Saint Matrona, the parents, Natalya and Dmitry Nikonov, at first wanted to leave their blind daughter in an orphanage, but the mother changed her mind after she had an extraordinary dream: a white bird of extraordinary beauty, but blind, sat on her chest. Taking the dream as a sign, the God-fearing woman gave up the idea of sending the child to an orphanage. The daughter was born blind, but the mother loved her “unfortunate child.”
They also talk about the external, physical sign of the baby’s chosenness by God - on the girl’s chest there was a bulge in the shape of a cross, a miraculous pectoral cross. Later, when she was already six years old, her mother once began to scold her: “Why are you taking off your cross?” “Mommy, I have my own cross on my chest,” the girl answered.
Meeting of St. blzh. Matrona from St. right John of Kronstadt
Life reports that already from the age of seven or eight, Matronushka discovered the gift of prediction and healing of the sick. Through her prayer, people received healing from illnesses and consolation in sorrows. Visitors began to come and visit her. Wanting to thank Matrona, they left food and gifts for her parents. So the girl, instead of becoming a burden to the family, became its main breadwinner.
Many people came to Matrona for help. Four kilometers from Sebino lived a man whose legs could not walk. Matrona said: “Let him come to me in the morning, crawl. He’ll crawl by three o’clock.” He crawled these four kilometers, and walked away from her on his own feet, healed.
A legend has reached us about Matronushka’s meeting with the holy righteous John of Kronstadt, who, at the end of the service in St. Andrew’s Cathedral in Kronstadt, asked the people to make way for the 14-year-old Matrona, who was approaching the salt, and said publicly: “Matronushka, come, come to me. Here comes my shift—the eighth pillar of Russia.” Mother did not explain the meaning of these words to anyone, but her relatives guessed that Father John foresaw a special service for Matronushka to Russia and the Russian people during the times of persecution of the Church.
At the age of seventeen, Matrona lost the ability to walk: her legs suddenly became paralyzed. As Matronushka herself said, “such was the will of God.” Until the end of her days she was “sedentary.” She never grumbled because of her illness, but humbly bore this heavy cross.
Photo of Blessed Matrona
In 1925, Matrona moved to Moscow, where she lived until the end of her days. She lived wherever she had to - with friends and acquaintances. Matrona received up to forty people a day. People came with their troubles, mental and physical pain. She never refused to help anyone.
Matrona predicted her death in three days, continuing to receive people in her last days. She died on May 2, 1952. She was buried at the Danilovsky cemetery in Moscow; the grave later became a site of unofficial pilgrimage.
On March 8, 1998, the remains were exhumed; The relics were delivered to the Moscow Danilov Monastery, then transferred to the temple on the territory of the Intercession Convent and placed in a special tomb (raku).
On May 2, 1999, Matrona was canonized as a locally revered Moscow saint; The definition of the Holy Synod of August 17, 2004 read: “Include in the agenda of the upcoming Council of Bishops the issue of the church-wide glorification of the Holy Blessed Matrona of Moscow (Nikonova; 1881–1952).” In October of the same year, church-wide canonization took place.
About evil forces
Many believers rely on dreams, believing that God is trying to convey a special message through them. Matrona had a very negative attitude towards this practice, believing that seeing prophetic dreams is accessible only to a few, and to look for some kind of divine meaning in night dreams born of the brain is not only useless, but also sinful.
Mother noted that quite often a curse, due to which a person could become seriously ill, could be transmitted through small objects, such as coins. Therefore, you should not pick up anything on the street. Some healers act this way: they deliberately throw away some things that belong to the sick, so that the illness leaves his body and is transmitted to someone who is not lucky enough to pick up the discarded item. In addition, to preserve the purity of your soul, mother did not recommend attending demonstrations.
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Matronushka
Matrona of Moscow, Matryona, holy mother Matronushka... Even before her glorification as a saint, people knew and revered the blessed Matrona. There was always a line of people at her grave, candles and lamps were burning, people went to Matronushka for help and healing. And by faith they received what they asked for. Mother does not push away even people with weak faith and those who come out of curiosity, but helps, thereby strengthening them in their faith.
Mother Matronushka does not leave anyone with her help and patronage. She helps and consoles, people go from her as if on wings, feeling the outgoing love of Mother Matrona and help and consolation, many right there, at the grave of the blessed Matrona, received healing from their ailments and illnesses. The countless miracles of Mother Matrona, many testimonies of assistance and healings provided became the reason for the glorification of Blessed Matrona, and for canonization in 1998. Now the holy relics of Mother Matrona rest in the Pokrovsky Monastery, in Moscow, where people come in an endless stream to the Holy Matrona of Moscow.
Holy Righteous John of Kronstadt
About prayers
Mother considered prayers to be the most important aspect of spiritual cleansing, which is why they had to be present in everyone’s life and existence. Here are her main recommendations:
- Be sure to wear a pectoral cross.
- Getting baptized more often will help strengthen your faith, feel a connection with the Lord, and protect yourself from evil forces.
- It is also necessary to take communion more often in order to find peace and peace of mind.
- In the house, in the red corner next to the icons, mother recommended lighting lamps.
Matrona noted that a person can die completely unexpectedly, so you need to be baptized as often as possible.
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She viewed the cross as a powerful defense against negative forces: “The cross is the same lock as on a door.” In addition, the holy woman advised not to forget to baptize food.
About sorcerers and elders
Matrona was categorically against the love of some, even religious people, for going to grandmothers-healers and sorcerers. Mother believed that those who one day make a deal with evil forces, even with intentions of helping others, are already lost to God. That is why in difficult times you need to concentrate on prayer and communication with the Almighty, and not look for quick help. It is possible that sorcerers will be able to solve the problem with which they were approached, but they will harm the soul of the person who contacted them.
But Saint Matrona had nothing against treatment with herbs and folk remedies, for example in the bathhouse.
Similarly, mother had a very negative attitude towards elders and spiritual fathers, the search for which could destroy a lost soul. No one but ourselves can help us turn to God, so only constant prayer and righteous life will resolve the spiritual crisis. Meanwhile, she herself never refused help. Even after death, Matronushka is ready to help those who turned to her with prayers.
