Full surname, name, patronymic of the holy righteous blessed Matrona of Moscow - Matrona Dimitrievna Nikonova. She was born on November 22, 1882 in the village of Sebino, Epifanovsky district, Tula province. Now it is the Kimovsky district of the Tula region. From 1942 to 1958 it belonged to the Moscow region. The population of the district today is about 43 thousand people. In the 19th century, these were agricultural lands that provided bread for Moscow and nearby cities.
The parents of Matrona of Moscow were named Dimitri and Natalia. They were honest, pious people and were engaged in hard peasant labor. Natalia gave birth to four children. Two boys - Ivan and Mikhail, and two girls - Maria and Matrona. The matron was the youngest in age. When she was born, her parents were already over 30. This age at that time was considered far from young.
There was not much wealth in the family, so the fourth child could become an extra mouth. Abortions were not performed in peasant families. This was viewed as a godly act. There were special shelters for unwanted children. In them, the kids were kept at public expense and with the money of benefactors.
Natalia decided to transfer the unborn child to an orphanage located in the neighboring village of Buchalki. It was created by Prince Golitsyn, and the children were kept in it in satiety and prosperity. But shortly before giving birth, the mother had a prophetic dream. An unborn daughter came to her. She looked like a white bird with a human face. The eyes of God's creature were closed. She sat down well on the woman's hand and sadly cocked her head to one side.
Being a deeply religious person, Natalia took the dream for a sign. She gave up the idea of parting with her unborn child. The girl was born blind, but her mother loved her more than other children and always surrounded her with love and affection.
The Holy Scripture says that God sometimes pre-elects faithful servants for himself even before they are born. Thus, the Lord addresses the holy prophet Jeremiah: “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you, and before you left the womb, I sanctified you.” Also, the Creator chose Matrona for a special service. From the very beginning, he laid the hardest cross on her. She carried him with obedience and patience all her life.
The blind girl born at baptism was named Matrona in honor of the Monk Matrona of Constantinople (392-492). This is a Greek ascetic of the 5th century, who lived on earth for a hundred years. Her memory is celebrated on November 9 (22).
The fact that the Lord chose a girl to serve himself is evidenced by the fact that when the child was lowered into the font, a cloud of fragrant smoke rose over him. Father Vasily baptized the child. The parishioners venerated him as a righteous and pious person. He was incredibly surprised at the vision and said: “I have baptized a lot, but this is the first time I have seen this. This baby will be holy. " Then Father Vasily turned to Natalia and said: “If the girl asks for something, you must contact me directly. Go and say what you need."
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The priest also added that Matrona would predict his death and take his place. This happened later. Late one evening Matrona suddenly announced that Father Vasily had died. The parents immediately ran to the priest's house and found that he had indeed just passed away.
The girl had an external bodily sign, emphasizing that she was chosen by God. This is a cross-shaped bulge on the chest. Therefore, Matronushka could not wear a pectoral cross, since it was present on her body from birth.
In infancy, Matrona of Moscow did not breastfeed from her mother on Wednesdays and Fridays. During these days she slept, and it was not possible to wake her up. The girl was not just blind. She had no eyeballs. In their place there were depressions that were tightly closed for centuries.
But instead of eyes, she received spiritual sight. In early childhood, her favorite pastime was to sneak into the holy corner at night, remove icons, lay them on the table and play with them. The faces of the saints replaced her dolls. In the silence of the night, the child communicated with those on a par with whom he had to get up.
The blind girl was very often bullied by children. They teased her, lashed with nettles, knowing that she would not see who was bullying her. The boys put her in a hole, and then watched with curiosity as the little girl groped out of it and slowly wandered home. As a result, the girl stopped playing with the children very early and spent all her time within the walls of her parents' house.
The house of the Nikonov family was located near the Church of the Assumption of the Mother of God. It was a large and beautiful temple, one in eight surrounding villages. The girl's parents regularly visited the monastery of God. Matronushka was constantly with them. Almost the girl grew up at the temple. She attended all services. At first with her mother, and then, when she grew up, she began to come to the temple alone.
Natalia, looking for her daughter, could always find her in the church. That one had a favorite place. It was located on the left behind the front door. There the girl stood motionless during the service. She knew church chants very well and constantly sang along with the choristers.
Mother sometimes felt sorry for her wretched daughter and said: "You are my unfortunate child!" To which the girl always replied in surprise: “This is me unhappy !? You have a poor Vanya and Misha. " The child understood that God had given him much more than others.
The gift of prophecy, foresight and healing of the sick opened in Matronushka at the age of 7. It was at this time that relatives began to notice that the girl was aware of human sins, crimes, and also thoughts. She felt the approach of danger, foresaw natural disasters and social unrest. Having prayed, Matrona gave people healing from sickness and spiritual comfort in sorrow.
People were drawn to the amazing child. People came to see the girl from the surrounding villages, from other counties and provinces. They brought patients who could not even walk or even get up. The girl was praying. After that, the man got to his feet and walked. People tried in every possible way to thank the young creature endowed with a divine gift. They left food and gifts for their parents. So, instead of becoming a burden for the family and an extra mouth, Matronushka became her main breadwinner.
Matrona's parents always went to church together. Once on a holiday, Demetrius did not go to church, and Matrona remained at home. Father and daughter read prayers and sang. Mother went to the temple of God alone and kept thinking about her husband: "Wow, you didn't go with me to the service." When the liturgy ended and the woman returned, her daughter said to her: "Mom, you were not in church." To these words, the mother exclaimed in surprise: “How was it not? I just came from there. " But the daughter shook her head and said, “No, you weren't there. My father was in the church. " With her spiritual vision, Matronushka saw that her mother was in the church only bodily.
In adolescence, Matrona had the opportunity to travel. The daughter of a local landowner, Lydia Yankova, took her on a long trip. They visited the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, St. Petersburg, as well as other cities and holy places of the immense Russian Empire.
In Kronstadt Matronushka had a chance to meet with the holy righteous John of Kronstadt. He, at the end of the service in St. Andrew's Cathedral, asked those present to make way and let the 14-year-old blind girl come to him. Addressing the people, he said: “Matronushka, come to me. Look, people - this is my change, the eighth pillar of Russia."
The meaning of these words remained unclear to those around him. But one can guess that Father John foresaw the special ministry of Matrona to the long-suffering Russian people during the persecution of the Church.
At the age of 16, the girl lost her legs, and she was unable to walk. Matronushka herself pointed out that the disease has a spiritual cause. She walked through the church after communion and knew that an unknown woman would now approach her. It is she who will forever deprive her of the opportunity to step on the ground. And so it happened. “I didn’t oppose it. Such was God's will,”Saint Matrona of Moscow later explained.
For the rest of her life, this amazing woman remained in a sitting position. She sat in different houses and apartments where people gave her shelter. This went on for 50 years, but mother never murmured. She humbly bore the heavy cross given to her by God.
At the age of 17, the girl predicted a revolution in Russia. She said that they would kill, rob, and destroy temples. They will begin to divide the land, grab huge plots with greed, and then abandon them and run to the cities. No one will need the land. The seer advised the landowner Yankov to sell everything and go abroad. Unfortunately, the man did not listen to the blessed one. In the terrible years of the Red Terror, he was killed, and his righteous and pious daughter ended her life in poverty.
For the church in Sebino, at the insistence of Matrona, the icon of the Mother of God "Seeking the Lost" was painted. This happened immediately after the outbreak of the First World War. Matushka Matronushka asked her mother to go to the priest and tell him that in the church library on such and such a shelf, in such and such a row, there is a book, which contains the image of the icon “Seeking the Lost”.
Icon of the Mother of God "Seeking the Lost"
The priest, hearing this, was very surprised. He went to the library and soon returned with the necessary book, on one of the pages of which there was a corresponding image. Matrona was very pleased and said that she wanted to order such an icon. She blessed the women to collect money for this order from villages. People donated with different willingness. One man gave a ruble and spat in annoyance that he parted with the money. His brother donated a penny for a laugh.
When the collected amount was brought to the seer, she went through all the bills and coins. She put the ruble and a penny aside with the words: "Take this money back: they spoil everything." At the same time, mother gave the names of those people who need to return donations.
The icon was commissioned by an artist from Epiphany. He came to Saint Matrona, and she asked him if he could paint such an icon. The man said that this business is familiar to him and does not present any difficulty. Then the woman told him to go to church, confess, take communion and repent of his sins. After the artist's soul was cleansed, the seer again asked him the same question. He assured his mother that he would do everything in the best possible way.
Much time passed, and the artist appeared at Matronushka's. He said that he could not paint an icon. He can't do anything. To this he was answered: "Go and repent of your sins, which you did not confess." The man was shocked to the core. He went straight to church, received Holy Communion, repented and returned to his mother. She nodded her head and said with satisfaction: "Now you will paint an icon of the Queen of Heaven."
On the initiative of the seer, another similar icon was ordered in Bogoroditsk. The first icon was published in 1915. Mother kept it to herself all her life. Currently, the icon is in the Intercession Women's Monastery. The second icon belongs to the Holy Dormition Monastery of the Tula diocese and is kept in the city of Novomoskovsk.
Many people came to Matushka Matronushka with their illnesses and sorrows. She did not refuse anyone. But her help had nothing to do with divination, conspiracies, magic. It was based on a completely different basis. The woman prayed and asked God for miraculous help for the sick in body and soul.
Saint Matrona of Moscow read prayers over water, and then gave it to those in need. Having drunk water and sprinkled with it, a person got rid of diseases and misfortunes.
After Soviet power was established everywhere in Russia, the seer brothers joined the party. It is clear that the blessed one, who received the people all day long and urged them to preserve the Orthodox faith, had no place in the house. All this could end badly for the elderly parents and brothers. To protect her family, Matushka Matronushka moved to Moscow in 1925. She lived in the capital city until the end of her days.
It was a completely new period in the life of an amazing woman. She became a homeless wanderer. I had to live in different places. Sometimes mother was surrounded by people who were hostile to her. They looked after the holy novice. They accompanied Matronushka everywhere and took care of her.
Before the war, mother lived on Ulyanovskaya street with the priest Vasily. This was the husband of her novice Pelageya. Soon, however, he was imprisoned. After that, the woman moved to Pyatnitskaya Street in Sokolniki. Here she was arranged in a plywood house. Mother lived through a harsh winter in it.
One of the women recalled how she came to her mother in the deep cold autumn. I went into the house, which could rather be called a barn, and saw that the small room was all filled with damp, dank steam. An iron stove is burning in the corner, and mother lies on the bed facing the wall. The guest called her, but she could not turn around, as her hair was frozen to the pillow. They were barely ripped off.
The newcomer says: “Mother, how can that be. You know that I live together with my mother. We have two rooms in a warm house, a separate entrance. Why didn’t you say anything and ask us?” At this, the blessed sighed and said: "God did not tell you not to regret it later."
After Sokolnikov, Matrona Moskovskaya moved to Vishnyakovsky lane. Here she lived for some time in her niece's apartment. She also lived at the Nikitsky Gate and in Zagorsk. From 1942 to 1949 she lived on the Arbat in Starokonyushenny lane. They settled her in an old wooden mansion in a spacious room. Mother made three corners in it from top to bottom with icons.
Starokonyushenny lane today
Saint Matrona of Moscow lived in the capital without a registration. It could have ended fraught with her. They would definitely be exiled from Moscow and exiled 100 kilometers away at best. But the woman surprisingly felt danger. She always left her next place of residence the day before the arrival of the police. Thus, she saved herself and those who gave her shelter.
Once, however, she knew that a policeman was supposed to come, but she didn't go anywhere. When the servant of the law appeared and ordered the people around to gather the seer to take her with them, she said: “Go quickly, misfortune is in your house. And then where will I go, blind and not walking."
The policeman obeyed his mother and went home. And there the wife lies on the floor, dying. She used kerosene gas, did something wrong and burned all over. The man grabbed his wife in his arms, ran out of the house and took her to the hospital. Barely managed to save her.
The next day a policeman came to work, and they asked him: "Well, did you arrest the blind woman?" And he replies: “I will never arrest a blind person. If not for her, I would have lost my wife. And so I managed to take it to the hospital, and she saved her life."
Living in the capital, my mother occasionally came to her native village. Now she has some business, then she will miss home and mother (her mother died in 1945). In general, her life was monotonous. During the day she received people, at night she prayed. She slept like the ancient ascetics: she dozed on her side, her fist thrust under her head. The years passed in such a measured rhythm.
Back in 1939, the seer predicted a terrible war that would bring a lot of grief to the Russian land. When the German troops crossed the Soviet border, mother ordered to bring her willow branches. She broke them and made sticks of the same length. She cleaned them of bark and prayed. She was spiritually present at the fronts and helped the soldiers. She told those around her that the Germans would not take Moscow, so there was no need to leave the city.
Saint Matrona of Moscow received up to 40 people per day. She did not refuse to help anyone. She gave a turn from the gate only to those who turned to her with crafty intentions. Many looked at my mother as a folk healer. They came to remove damage or evil eye. But, after talking with the seer, these people realized that before them was a man of God who perfectly mastered the saving mysteries of the Orthodox Church. Mother never took anything from people for her help.
Quite a few people came with incurable diseases. Many were worried about the loss of property. They asked for help with unhappy love, with a good job. They asked whether to tie the knot with a certain person, whether to change their place of residence. These were ordinary everyday questions. Mother had an answer to all of them.
The seer fought for every soul who turned to her for help. She always defeated the black forces. In fact, mother performed a great feat every day, which nothing can compare with in ordinary life. All this, of course, wore her down physically and spiritually. But outwardly, she behaved well.
Mother Matronushka
The matron always sat cross-legged on a bed or chest. She had fluffy hair parted in the middle. Her whole figure exuded kindness and God's grace. She spoke in a gentle voice, recited prayers loudly. She showed patience for human weaknesses. She never spoke in a categorical didactic tone or preached. The advice was always specific, without general words and omissions. I ended the meeting with each person with a prayer. In parting she made the sign of the cross.
Mother was never very verbose. She answered questions briefly and to the point. I always taught others not to judge others. At the same time she said: “Why condemn other people? Think about yourself more often. Each lamb will be hung by its own tail. What do you care about other people's tails."
Matrona taught to live with prayer, as often as possible to impose the sign of the cross on themselves and those around them, thereby shielding themselves from evil forces. She constantly instructed people: “Protect yourself with the cross, prayer, holy water and frequent communion. Let icons always hang in your house, and lamps burn in front of them”.
She taught to love, and most importantly, to forgive the old and the weak for the evil they committed in the past. She said about dreams: “Don't pay attention to them. Dreams come from the evil one. Their task is to upset a person, entangle him with thoughts."
She often liked to repeat: "The world lies in evil and delusion, and delusion - the seduction of souls - will be obvious, beware." She also warned gullible people: "If you go to someone for advice, then pray that the Lord will make him wise to give the right advice." Matushka insisted on patience and insisted that true believers should not stand out from others and emphasize their spiritual desire to join God. During prayer, she advised not to look at anyone, but to close your eyes, or look at a holy image, an icon.
The blessed one tirelessly reminded: “Sudden death happens if you live without prayer. The enemy sits on our left shoulder, and on our right - an angel. Each of them is holding his own book. In one, our sins are recorded, in the other - good deeds. Cross yourself frequently. The cross is the same lock as on the door. Never forget to baptize your food. Save yourself by the power of the life-giving cross."
During the days of demonstrations, mother asked her relatives not to go out into the street, to close the vents, windows and doors. She claimed that there were hordes of demons in the air, corrupting souls.
Once the seer was asked: "How did it happen that the Lord allowed to destroy so many temples?" To this the saint replied: “Everything is God's will. And the number of churches decreased because there were few believers. The people are under hypnosis, they are not themselves. A terrible force took possession of the souls of people. It penetrates everywhere. I used to sit in swamps and dense forests, because people prayed regularly, and their homes were protected by holy images, lamps and lighting. Demons without looking back flew past such houses, they were afraid to stop near them for a minute. And now demons are sitting in every apartment, and the souls of people are inhabited by them, since faith in God has disappeared."
Unceasing prayers helped Saint Matrona of Moscow carry the cross of service to people. It was a real feat. By the end of each day, the saint no longer had the strength to speak. She only moaned softly. But while helping others, the seer never revealed her true spiritual life to anyone. Her highest achievement is that she taught a righteous life not by words, but by personal example. I tried to familiarize people with spiritual vision, for only it contains the path to the salvation of the soul.
There were a great many healings through the prayers of Matushka Matronushka. She brought good to people. At the same time, she did not have her own corner and property. She lived only on offerings, which she herself could not dispose of. Everything went to the novices, and they distributed food and gifts to their relatives. Without the knowledge of these women, mother could neither eat nor drink.
In the difficult war years, people went to the blessed shaft to find out the fate of their fathers, sons, brothers who went to the front. Matrona was never wrong in these cases. She told someone that the person was alive, and she ordered someone to perform a funeral service and commemorate. Mother always encouraged people in difficult situations. She said that there was no need to be afraid, no matter how scary it was. The Lord himself will do what is needed, since everything is in his hands.
The last place of residence of Saint Matrona of Moscow was Skhodnya. This is a microdistrict of the city of Khimki, Moscow region. Here the blessed one lived at 23 Kurgannaya Street. She settled with a distant relative, leaving Starokonyushenny Lane on the Arbat. It was 1949.
People quickly learned the new abode of the blessed one, and went in a continuous stream. Mother's health by this time had weakened. All the same, old age began to affect. But she still received several dozen people a day. Only shortly before her death, Matronushka limited the reception, as she simply did not have enough strength.
The Lord revealed to her the date of death. Saint Matrona of Moscow learned about her last hour on earth three days before it came. She asked those around her to service her in the Church of the Deposition of the Robe on Donskaya Street. Mother categorically didn’t order people to bring wreaths and artificial flowers when saying goodbye to her.
Throughout her righteous life, devoted to selfless service to God, the seer received communion with the priests who came to her. She, like all people, was afraid of death. Before her death, Father Dimitri confessed her. He asked the blessed one: "Do you really feel fear of death?" To which he received the answer: “Yes, I am afraid of death. Every creature of God is afraid of her, because she is the end of bodily life and the beginning of another existence. The fear of the unknown gnaws at everyone, and it cannot be otherwise."
The deceased Matrona of Moscow
Mother Matronushka died on May 2, 1952. And on May 3, at the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, a note was submitted for the requiem about the repose of the newly reposed Blessed Matrona. She attracted the attention of the serving hieromonk. "Who submitted the note," the man asked excitedly, "has mother died?"
The mother and daughter, who came from Moscow, nodded in the affirmative. They said that tonight the coffin with the body of the deceased will be installed in the Church of the Deposition of the Robe on Donskoy. In the same way, in other churches of immense Russia, they learned about the death of Blessed Matrona.
Father Nikolai Golubtsov performed the funeral service for the deceased. After that, all those present came up and kissed the saint's hand. The burial took place on May 4, the Week of the Myrrh-Bearing Women, with a large crowd of people. At the request of mother, she was buried at the Danilovskoye cemetery.
Not long before her death, the holy eldress said: “After my death, few people will go to the grave. Only loved ones will visit, and when they die, the grave will empty. But after many years people will find out about me and will go in droves. And I will help everyone and I will hear everyone”.
She also said, “Everyone come to me and tell me about your sorrows. I will see you and hear you and help you. All who trust themselves and their lives to my intercession with the Lord will be saved. Everyone who turns to me for help, I will meet at their death."
In the 80s of the XX century, the grave of mother at the Danilovskoye cemetery became a holy place in Orthodox Moscow. People from all over Russia and from abroad came and came to it. They went to Matronushka with their troubles and illnesses, and mother did not refuse anyone, she helped everyone.
Millions of people know Matrona today. They call her affectionately and tenderly - Matronushka. Her miraculous help is felt by all those who turn to Mother, ask for intercession and intercession before the Creator. After all, the blessed eldress has great boldness towards God.
Finding the honest remains of the blessed eldress Matrona
On the evening of March 8, 1998, the Week of the Triumph of Orthodoxy, with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia, at the Danilovskoye cemetery in Moscow, the honorable remains of the XX century ascetic of piety, Blessed Eldress Matrona, were found.
The commission for opening the burial was headed by Archbishop Arseny of Istra. Bishop Alexy of Orekhovo-Zuevsky, Archimandrite Alexy and his brethren, priest Alexander Abramov took part in the transfer of the honest remains. The coffin of the eldress was taken to the Danilov Monastery and placed in the gateway church in the name of the Monk Simeon the Stylite.
In addition to representatives of the Orthodox Church, a forensic medical expert Professor Viktor Nikolayevich Zvyagin, as well as Doctor of Historical Sciences Andrei Kirillovich Tanyukovich took part in the work of the commission. These unbiased people found a bulge in the shape of a cross on the eldress's chest.
With the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II, the honest remains of Blessed Matrona were transferred to the Church of the Holy Fathers of the Seven Ecumenical Councils. In the evening, the brethren of the monastery served a funeral all-night vigil.
On May 1, the coffin with the honest remains of Blessed Matrona was escorted to the Moscow Intercession Convent, located at the Abelmanovskaya Zastava. There he was met by the abbess Theophania and the sisters of the monastery with the bell ringing.
At present, the honest remains of the blessed one rest in this monastery. An endless stream of people comes to them for help.
Winter cherry
Driving directions to the relics of Matrona of Moscow