Lifes of Saints
Blessed Matrona
By
May 2, 2006, 21:46

Blessed Matrona was born in 1885 year in Sebino village of Tula region in a poor family of Dmitri and Natalya Nikonov. From the birth Matrona was not simply blind, she had no eyes at all, but Lord gave her spiritual vision. From early years people’s sins, crimes and even thoughts were opened to Blessed Matrona. She felt when danger was coming, could forsee natural disasters and society disasters. Because of her prays people got healing and consolidation for their souls. To the house of Nikonovs to a blind girl people were coming from many villages. Some couldn’t walk and people bring them to a girl and she made them healthy. People wanted to thank Matrona and gave her parents food and gifts. So, a girl instead of being burden became a family bread – winner. In 1925 year Matrona moved to Moscow and lived there up to her last days. Matrona’s prays had nothing with magic and that’s why magicians hated her.

When war started (Second World War) Blessed Matrona asked everyone who comes to her bring willow’s branches. She break them to equal size and cleaned them from the bark. People who knows her remembers that her fingers were in wounds. Matrona could spiritually be in different places, for her spiritual vision there were no barriers. She often said that she was made an invisible help to Russian solders on different fronts.

When she healed people, mother (Matrona) asked them to have faith in God and a to have a wish to reform their lives. So, one visitor she asked: “Does she believe that God can heal her?”. To another she said to go to every Sunday mass in Church, and in each – to be on confession and to receive a Lord’s Supper. For those who lives in a marriage she blessed as a must to have a Wedding ceremony in Church.

The last day of her life was 2 May 1952 year. Before it Blessed Matrona said: “Everyone, everyone come to me and say about your problems like to a living one, I will see you, hear you and help you.”. She also said that those who give their lives to her intercession to God, will save themselves. “Everyone who asks me for help, I will meet them at death, everyone”.

Kontakion 1

Chosen by the Holy Spirit from thy swaddling clothes O blessed eldress Matrona, / Thou didst receive bodily weakness and blindness from God for spiritual cleansing, / Thou wast enriched with the gift of foresight and wonderworking and hast been adorned with an incorruptible crown from the Lord. / Wherefore, we offer thee crowns of praise, in gratitude crying out: / Rejoice O righteous mother Matrona, fervent intercessor before God for us!

Ikos 1

An angel in the flesh wast thou revealed to be, O blessed Matrona, fulfilling the will of God. Though thou wast born in bodily blindness yet the Lord who maketh wise the blind and loveth the righteous enlightened thy spiritual eyes that thou mightest serve His people and the things of God were made manifest through thee. Wherefore with love we sing to thee such things as these:

Rejoice, chosen one of God from thy youth; Rejoice, thou who didst shine forth with the grace of the Holy Spirit from thy cradle. Rejoice, thou who wast enriched with the gift of miracles even as a child; Rejoice, thou who wast filled with wisdom from God most high. Rejoice, thou who foresawest the will of God with noetic eyes; Rejoice, thou who didst put to shame the wise of this age who are blinded in mind. Rejoice, thou who ledest deluded souls back toward God; Rejoice, thou who assuagest sorrow and affliction. Rejoice O righteous mother Matrona, fervent intercessor before God for us.