Saint Matrona is considered one of the most revered saints in Russia. Thousands of believers come to venerate the relics of the saint in the Intercession Monastery every day. Blessed Matrona herself painted the icon of the Mother of God, and did not part with it until her death. The icon is also kept in the monastery.
One day, during baptism, when the priest lowered Matrona into the water, everyone saw a column of fragrant light smoke above the baby. The priest said that he had been baptizing for many years, but this was the first time he had seen this. He also noted that the girl would be special and would also predict his death. And so it happened.
Saint Matrona - considered one of the most revered saints in Russia
Who is Matrona of Moscow?
The blessed mother had the gift of healing and foresight. She was born blind, but she saw through the soul of people. Matrona of Moscow spent her life in tireless prayers for the needy and suffering, the poor and disadvantaged. Wandering through Russian villages, she brought comfort and affection to every home. And today people come from afar to honor the memory of the saint, turning to her for help, advice and protection.
There is a beautiful custom - to bring flowers as a gift to Matrona, which she loved during her lifetime. In return, each visitor also receives a bud from the blessed old woman. Before writing what to do with a flower from Matrona of Moscow, it is worth learning about her extraordinary fate and the miracles she performed.
From the age of 7-8, Matrona predicted the future and healed people
Already from the age of seven or eight, Matrona had the gift of predicting what would happen, as well as healing the sick. Many people came to her for help. She helped everyone. As a child, a kind girl took her with her on pilgrimages to holy places.
She visited the Kiev-Pechersk Lava, the Trinity-Sergius Lavra and many other places. At the age of 17, Matrona stopped walking and lost her legs. Mother Matrona said that this was all due to spiritual illness.
She knew that one day in church after communion, a woman would come up to her and take away her ability to walk forever. Mother said that she did not avoid this, because such was the will of the Lord.
She remained sedentary until the end of her life. But she never complained, but endured all the trials. One day she asked her mother to go to the priest and tell him that he had a book in his library that contained an image of the icon “Recovery of the Lost.”
Father was surprised, but the image was found. Matrona told her mother that she would paint this icon. The mother was saddened, but Matrona very often said that the Mother of God was asking to come to church with them. She blessed all the women to collect money to paint the icon.
The image of the Mother of God “Seeking the Lost”, which was painted by the artist at the request of Mother Matrona
When the money was collected, the icon was commissioned to be painted by an artist from Epifani. Mother asked him if he could definitely paint this icon, but the artist answered clearly and confidently that he could.
But after a while he came to Matrona and said that he couldn’t do it. She told him to repent of his sins. Afterwards he confessed and took communion with the priest, only after he was able to paint the icon. Matrona did not part with this icon until the very end of her life. She asked to paint another icon to give to the temple.
Life is holy
Matrona Nikonova was born in November 1881. She became the fourth child in the family. The girl was born blind, and her parents initially intended to leave her in an orphanage. But they didn’t do this - soon after the birth of Matrona, her mother was sent a wonderful and unusual dream: she saw in it a snow-white bird of outlandish beauty, but blind, which easily landed on her chest.
Another evidence of the girl’s chosenness was an unusual sign on her chest, reminiscent of a cross. And during the baptism, a column of light, fragrant steam burst out of the font into which the child was lowered.
It is said that already at the age of seven the girl showed the gift of foresight and the ability to heal. People came to her not only from her native village, but from the surrounding area. Being blind, she had special vision - she saw the soul of everyone.
At the age of eighteen, the girl lost her legs, and she could not walk for the rest of her days.
Youth Trials
In her adolescence, Matrona had the opportunity to travel to sacred places. The daughter of a neighboring landowner, a sincere and deeply religious girl, invited the blind girl on pilgrimage trips - to the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, to St. Petersburg with its grandiose cathedrals. There is a legend about a meeting in Matrona with John of Kronstadt, who somehow learned about her arrival at the cathedral and called her his successor, the eighth pillar of Russia. Most likely, Father John knew that Matrona would have a special service to her people in difficult times of persecution of Orthodoxy.
At the age of 17, Matrona suffered the following test: her legs gave out. For the rest of her life—50 years—she could no longer move independently. She foresaw this event and did not resist God's will. There were always volunteer helpers nearby. All the troubles of life did not make Matrona despondent and complain; she believed that everything was God’s will, and continued to carry out her service.
The fate of Matrona during the years of revolution and war
Today, pilgrims from all over the country turn to the saint for help, bringing the Matrona of Moscow’s favorite flowers to the incorruptible relics. After all, a hundred years ago she was caring and kind-hearted towards people. Although she herself was unwell, no one ever heard any complaints from her, but only words of consolation.
After the events of 1917, Matrona and her friend Lydia Yankova became poor and, left without a home, lived wherever they had to. In 1925, they arrived in the capital, where visitors continued to come to the saint - about forty people every day.
During the war years, Matrona of Moscow lived with her fellow villager, Zinaida Zhdanova, who later described the miracles performed by the saint in a collection of her memoirs. Even being seriously ill, she continued to receive petitioners.
Matrona foresaw her death three days before. The blessed one left this world on May 2, 1952. She was buried in Moscow, at the Danilovsky cemetery. Matrona's grave became one of the favorite places of pilgrimage for her admirers.
Persecution and Persecution
She lives without registration, almost in an illegal situation, is afraid and miraculously avoids arrest. Sometimes she had to live with people who were hostile to her, often in terrible conditions. But there were also those who helped the blind, immobilized healer.
Sometimes Matrona had to urgently leave her habitable home literally a few hours before the police arrived. She felt them and saved from repression not so much herself as those who gave her shelter. They tried to arrest her many times. Many of her inner circle were imprisoned.
Miracles of Saint Matrona
Today the name of the blessed old woman is known to many believers. Many people are interested in how many flowers to bring to Matrona of Moscow and what they should be. People revere the holy old woman and are grateful to her, because during her lifetime she performed many miracles. You can learn about them from the life of Blessed Matrona.
So, while still a child, she healed a man who could not walk. They write that he lived in one of the neighboring villages, four kilometers from Matrona’s house. She told him to crawl to her - the man had already gone back healed, on his own feet.
Mother Matrona continues to work miracles even after her death. Thousands of people share their stories of how the blessed one’s prayer gave them a cure for a serious illness, helped them conceive a child or meet a life partner. Another evidence of her healing power are flowers from the Matrona of Moscow Monastery. What to do to honor the relics of the old woman and where are they located?
Is it possible to give flowers from the relics to relatives?
If flowers are received from church ministers, then they are allowed to be given to anyone: parents or children, friends, your significant other, other relatives. There is a tradition of presenting them to people who are in difficult life situations. Perhaps they are sick, so they cannot make the pilgrimage themselves. In this case, presenting bouquets is a very rewarding and noble activity.
Prayers will also help:
“Holy righteous mother Matrona! You are a helper to all people, help me in my troubles (…..). Do not leave me with your help and intercession, pray to the Lord for the servant of God (name). In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen."
“Blessed Elder Matrona, our intercessor and petitioner before the Lord! You look with your spiritual gaze both into the past and into the future, everything is open to you. Enlighten the servant of God (name), give advice, show the way to solve the problem (....) Thank you for your holy help. In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen."
Where is the relic of Matrona of Moscow located?
Seventeen years ago, the relics of Saint Matrona were transported to the Danilov Monastery in the capital, and after that to Pokrovsky. There they were placed in a silver shrine; Next to it is an exhibition with photographs. You can visit the relics of Matrona of Moscow any day from six in the morning to eight in the evening. When coming to the monastery, it is customary to bring with you the favorite flowers of the Matrona of Moscow. As described in the life of the saint and in the memoirs of her contemporaries, she preferred chrysanthemums, daisies, cornflowers and roses to others.
But you can venerate the relics of the old woman not only in the Intercession Monastery. There are particles of them in other churches in the capital. Incorruptible relics are also brought to monasteries located in different parts of the country.
How to ask for help and intercession from a saint?
It is believed that Matrona of Moscow patronizes people whose profession is related to the upbringing and education of children. Also under its protection are doctors, especially pediatricians, ophthalmologists, and orthopedists. Favorite holy month is May. It is believed that people born then can count on her help.
There are several ways to earn the favor of the Matrona of Moscow. The first of them is to feed the beggars on the street or stray dogs or pigeons. Before turning to the saint, it is good to bring a donation to the temple, including black bread, nuts, milk, cookies, honey, caramel.
However, the most important thing is to go to the monastery with bright intentions and a pure soul, with sincere faith and respect. After all, Saint Matrona never refused people help and consolation.
What flowers should Matrona bring?
Today there is a custom of bringing her favorite flowers to the relics of Matronushka. Therefore, the aisle where the silver shrine is located is filled with fresh bouquets all year round. At the same time, flowers from some pilgrims become blessed gifts for others - when leaving the monastery, the nuns give each visitor a bud. That is why the question of how to use flowers from Matrona of Moscow is so common.
People are also interested in what kind of bouquets to bring to the relics. The memoirs about Matrona say that most of all she loved wildflowers: daisies and cornflowers. It is also customary to bring chrysanthemums, white lilacs, red tulips and roses of any color to the monastery. In general, it is not so important what type and shade the buds will be, the main thing is that the intentions of the person asking are bright and come from the heart. Then the saint will definitely hear the prayer and help.
Many people are interested in whether it matters how many flowers are brought to the Matrona of Moscow. Knowledgeable people assure that the quantity does not matter much, the main thing is that it is odd.
Is it possible to take flowers at the Danilovsky cemetery
Priests can also hear this question very often. It is not recommended to take plants without permission . If permission has not been obtained, then you should not violate the integrity of the grave design. Moreover, the bouquets are addressed specifically to the saint, and not to some third-party person who liked them.
You may be interested in the article: “The miraculous oil of St. Matrona.”
What to do with a flower from Matrona?
When leaving the monastery, all visitors to the relics of the blessed old woman are given one or more buds of the saint’s favorite flowers. They are believed to be endowed with special powers. That’s why people are so interested in what to do with the flower from Matrona of Moscow.
Usually the buds are dried and stored next to the icons. They also say that you can add them to tea or prepare a healing decoction and apply them to sore spots. Some people sew flowers from holy places into a pillow, believing that they will become a talisman that protects against evil and sorrow.
Everyone chooses for themselves what to do with the flower from Matrona of Moscow. The main thing to remember is that consecrated buds should never be thrown into the trash. As a last resort, you can simply lay them on the ground.
The healing power of flowers from the saint
Knowing how to use the flowers of the Matrona of Moscow, it is important to remember what power they have. They say that the buds obtained in the monastery can heal various diseases. To do this, you need to take a bath with a decoction of flowers or apply them to a sore spot. It is good to brew tea from the petals.
Flowers from Matrona of Moscow can also predict future events, giving special signs to their owners. It is believed that they do not fade for a long time - bouquets often retain their freshness for more than a month.
The flowers of the Matrona of Moscow are truly endowed with magical powers. Everyone finds their own use for it; the main thing is to truly believe and carry only bright thoughts and intentions in your heart. After all, this is exactly how Saint Matrona lived her life, healing the sick and comforting the suffering.
Where did the tradition come from?
Saint Matrona of Moscow was marked by God even before her birth. From an early age, the girl had the gift of seeing people and their future; she could predict the healing or death of a patient. The blessed one never repaid anyone with evil for evil, although she endured bullying more than once. Humility and patience were her special gifts. Filled with love for God, Matrona was always ready to help people, even after the age of 18, when her legs became paralyzed.
She lived a difficult life, full of persecution, hunger and cold, but until the last hour she continued to serve people, being a conduit between God and Christians. Not only ordinary people, but also the powers that be, including rulers and generals, turned to the saint for help in moments of special problems, including diseases incurable by doctors.
Read about the saint:
Before her death, Matrona of Moscow said that at first rarely would anyone come to her grave, and then the pilgrimage would begin, and for every person who asked for her relics, she would ask before the Almighty.
Preparing to meet Saint Matronushka at her icon with her relics, believers try not only to explain their problems to the mother, but to please her with her favorite flowers.
Important! Bouquets brought to the blessed Matronushka are not a sign of her appeasement, but a symbol of the expression of love, veneration and gratitude.
Childishly devoted to God, never having seen the light, born with empty eye sockets, Matrona of Moscow loved flowers very much.
Standing in prayer near the icon of Matronushka, you feel amazing warmth and acceptance, tears themselves begin to flow. One gets the feeling that the holy prophetess is standing nearby. My soul becomes especially calm, as if the answer has come that everything will be fine.
Flowers of the Matrona of Moscow - consecrated flower bouquets, handed to everyone who comes out after veneration at the holy relics, have healing powers with faith in the power of the Creator and His saints.
It is difficult for the earthly mind to comprehend how a blind person can not only identify flowers, but also have special favorites among them.
