Matryona Nikonova
Encyclopedia
Matrona Dmitrievna Nikonova, the Blessed Elder of Moscow, (1885 – May 2, 1952), known as Matrona of Moscow, is a renowned saint of the Russian Orthodox Church
who had the gift of spiritual vision and the gift of healing from early childhood.
, she and her friend Lydia Yankova became homeless peasants who left their villages to find work and food in larger cities. By 1925, Matrona moved to Moscow, possibly following her two brothers, and took to a life of wandering, finding shelter with friends and relatives in houses, apartments, and basements. She could not stay with her two brothers, both Communists, because Matrona preached the Russian Orthodox faith.
A story, related by her biographer, Zinaida Zhdanova, tells how Matrona told Zinaida's mother, Evdokia, described as being a plain 28-year-old, that she would marry a handsome nobleman. Evdokia moved to Moscow and became a cook at the house of a rich nobleman whose son, Vladimir, was betrothed to one Shukhova. Shortly thereafter, Vladimir is said to have had a dream in which a voice told him to marry a woman named Evdokia. The next morning he asked if there was such a woman in the household, met her, and nearly fainted. Later, he was sent for training to Perm
with Evdokia, and Zinaida was born shortly thereafter.
In another of her reported miracles, she helped a college architecture student revise a paper required for graduation by describing in detail some of the great architectural achievements in Florence
and Rome
, including the Palazzo Pitti
.
She is said to have predicted her own death three days in advance, accepting all visitors during those final days. Following her death in 1952, her gravesite became a pilgrimage site. She was recently canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church. Her remains are now in the Church of the Protecting Veil of Our Lady at Intercession Convent
in Moscow. The lines of people waiting to visit her gravesite is reported as regularly being quite long (often needing three or four hours to make a short visit to the gravesite) and well-behaved, which some have stated is rather unusual in Moscow.
Her day is commemorated by Orthodox Church on May 2
.
Russian Orthodox Church
The Russian Orthodox Church or, alternatively, the Moscow Patriarchate The ROC is often said to be the largest of the Eastern Orthodox churches in the world; including all the autocephalous churches under its umbrella, its adherents number over 150 million worldwide—about half of the 300 million...
who had the gift of spiritual vision and the gift of healing from early childhood.
Early life
Matrona was born to Dmitry and Natalia Nikonov in the village of Sebino in Tula Province. She was the fourth child. Her struggling parents planned to place her in an orphanage after her birth, but her mother changed her mind after she had a dream. Natalia dreamed that a white bird of holy beauty, with empty eye sockets landed on her breast. When Matrona was born, she was blind, with eyelids closed over empty eye sockets. Her mother took this as a sign from God. By the time she was eight, she had revealed a faculty of prophecy and healing powers.Revolution
Following the Russian Revolution of 1917Russian Revolution of 1917
The Russian Revolution is the collective term for a series of revolutions in Russia in 1917, which destroyed the Tsarist autocracy and led to the creation of the Soviet Union. The Tsar was deposed and replaced by a provisional government in the first revolution of February 1917...
, she and her friend Lydia Yankova became homeless peasants who left their villages to find work and food in larger cities. By 1925, Matrona moved to Moscow, possibly following her two brothers, and took to a life of wandering, finding shelter with friends and relatives in houses, apartments, and basements. She could not stay with her two brothers, both Communists, because Matrona preached the Russian Orthodox faith.
Later life
At a time when other religious people were sent to Stalinist labor camps or sent into exile for their beliefs, no one ever betrayed Matrona's location. People continued to come to Matrona for advice and for help with their troubles.A story, related by her biographer, Zinaida Zhdanova, tells how Matrona told Zinaida's mother, Evdokia, described as being a plain 28-year-old, that she would marry a handsome nobleman. Evdokia moved to Moscow and became a cook at the house of a rich nobleman whose son, Vladimir, was betrothed to one Shukhova. Shortly thereafter, Vladimir is said to have had a dream in which a voice told him to marry a woman named Evdokia. The next morning he asked if there was such a woman in the household, met her, and nearly fainted. Later, he was sent for training to Perm
Perm
Perm is a city and the administrative center of Perm Krai, Russia, located on the banks of the Kama River, in the European part of Russia near the Ural Mountains. From 1940 to 1957 it was named Molotov ....
with Evdokia, and Zinaida was born shortly thereafter.
In another of her reported miracles, she helped a college architecture student revise a paper required for graduation by describing in detail some of the great architectural achievements in Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
and Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, including the Palazzo Pitti
Palazzo Pitti
The Palazzo Pitti , in English sometimes called the Pitti Palace, is a vast mainly Renaissance palace in Florence, Italy. It is situated on the south side of the River Arno, a short distance from the Ponte Vecchio...
.
She is said to have predicted her own death three days in advance, accepting all visitors during those final days. Following her death in 1952, her gravesite became a pilgrimage site. She was recently canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church. Her remains are now in the Church of the Protecting Veil of Our Lady at Intercession Convent
Intercession Monastery (Moscow)
Intercession Monastery is a Russian Orthodox convent situated in Moscow, in the neighbourhood of Taganka. It has been known since 1635 and long remained a poor monastic abode outside the city proper, neighbouring a large cemetery for commoners...
in Moscow. The lines of people waiting to visit her gravesite is reported as regularly being quite long (often needing three or four hours to make a short visit to the gravesite) and well-behaved, which some have stated is rather unusual in Moscow.
Her day is commemorated by Orthodox Church on May 2
May 2 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
May 1 - Eastern Orthodox Church calendar - May 3All fixed commemorations below celebrated on May 15 by Old Calendarists-Saints:* Martyrs Hesperos and Zoe, and their sons Cyriacos and Theodoulos, at Attalia May 1 - Eastern Orthodox Church calendar - May 3All fixed commemorations below celebrated on...
.
Sources
- The Moscow Miracle Worker", by Polina Volidina, Aeroflot #6, 2006, retrieved February 26, 2007.