The number “forty” has a sacred meaning both in Christianity in general and in Orthodoxy in particular.
For example, it was for forty years that the prophet Moses led the Jews through the desert, and for forty days Jesus taught the Apostles the secrets of the Kingdom of God. And Elder Zosima preached that the entire history of mankind can be measured in “weeks and forties.”
From all of the above, it becomes clear why the First Apostles preserved the Old Testament custom of mourning the dead for forty days. Moreover, our Church prays not only for the dead, but also for the living.
Brief biography of the Saint
Matrona’s birthday is November 22, according to various sources, 1881 or 1885. She was born in the Tula province (the village of Sebino) into a family of simple peasants. She became the youngest child; at the time of her birth, her parents were not at all young. Due to poverty, the mother decided to give the child to an orphanage after birth, but she was stopped by a special dream. The daughter appeared to her as a white bird with a human face and closed eyes and sat on her right hand.
Considering this a message from God, the believing woman abandoned her intention to get rid of the baby. The girl was born completely blind, but her mother had no doubt that Matrona had been chosen by the Almighty even before birth, and she loved her very much. The girl’s chosenness was also indicated by the fact that when Matronushka was baptized, those around her saw a fragrant light haze over the baby. Over time, it became clear that having deprived the girl of her physical sight, the Lord gave her spiritual vision: Matrona discovered the gift of providence and healing.
Matronushka visited the temple with her God-fearing parents and literally grew up there. She knew all the services well, sang along with the choristers, and if her daughter disappeared, her mother always knew that she could be found in church. Gradually, people from all surrounding lands began to come to the girl with requests to pray for them and heal the suffering. They thanked her with edible gifts: gradually the girl became the real breadwinner of the family.
At the seventeenth year of her life, the girl’s legs suddenly became completely paralyzed and she completely lost the ability to walk. It turned out that she foresaw this, but did not resist God's will. So she remained “sedentary” until the end of her days and never complained. She correctly predicted future events for people, in particular, she foresaw the revolution, and healed seriously ill people with the power of her faith. That is why occultists and sorcerers disliked Matrona so much.
In 1925, the Blessed One moved to Moscow and lived there until the end of her life. The city was full of spiritually lost people, and Matrona was happy to help them. When the war began, the Saint prayed for the front-line soldiers, was invisibly present on the battlefields and helped Soviet soldiers. She often healed people possessed by demons and called everyone to deep faith in the Lord.
In 1952 (May 2) the Blessed One died. After the funeral service, believers approached the old woman’s body and kissed her hands. Even before her death, Matronushka told people that even after her death they should turn to her in their sadness, she would hear them and help.
Now the relics and the miraculous icon with the face of Mother Matronushka are in the Pokrovsky Stauropegial Convent for Women in Moscow. Every day people from all over the country visit it to venerate the relics of Matronushka and ask for help.
A little history
It was a long time ago…
On the lands where it was planned to build the monastery, there had long been a cemetery for homeless, unidentified people. Such people who did not accept church repentance before death could not be buried in ordinary parish cemeteries.
This is how terrible special places appeared: barns with deep holes. One hundred or two hundred unidentified corpses were thrown into them and covered with earth.
And only 2 times a year the priests performed funeral services for them. It was here that the corpse of False Dmitry was brought on a collapsing cart intended for manure in 1606 and thrown into a pit with many other mutilated corpses. Therefore, at first, people called the monastery that emerged, originally a man’s monastery, the monastery on Poor Houses or simply the Bozhedomsky Monastery.
The monastery was completed by another king, Alexei Mikhailovich. Money from the rental of these lands to tenants was invested in this construction. For this, among the common people the monastery was called “room monastery”.
In the 17th century, the Cathedral of the Intercession of the Virgin Mary was rebuilt again, but from stone. In the next, already 18th century, the newly rebuilt Church of the Resurrection of the Word arose and nearby, by God’s command, a bell tower, consisting of 3 tiers, 30 meters high, grew by the hands of Russian craftsmen.
Ups and downs, destruction and restoration
In 1812, Hieromonk Jonah, who was at that time the Rector of the monastery, probably foreseeing future atrocities here, loaded all the church relics into a cart, took almost all the inhabitants with him and took them away from the city.
The monastery itself was severely destroyed during the war with Napoleon's troops: the French who entered the holy monastery land placed horses in the churches, burned and, mockingly, stabbed holy icons with bayonets, and used altars as tables.
Soon after their departure, Elder Jonah returned, and with the help of the residents and monks, they, as far as possible, mostly restored the monastery. For this, Jonah was respectfully called “the builder.”
Around 1870, the Intercession Monastery became a missionary monastery. That is, monks lived and studied there, who expressed a desire, after graduating from the institute, to go to other cities on educational missions. During its existence, the institute has trained several dozen graduates.
But times have changed dramatically. In 1926-1929, churches began to close, and then the monastery itself suffered the same fate. The bell tower was blown to the ground. The cemetery that existed at the monastery was at that time the largest necropolis in Moscow. It occupied an area of about 5.4 hectares.
Many famous residents of the city were buried there. For example, a large family burial of members of the Botkin family, Khludov - a merchant quite famous for his charitable deeds, the poet Glebov, you can’t count them all...
But, despite this, in 1934 most of the graveyard was simply destroyed, and the Tagansky recreation park that still exists today appeared in this place. On the monastery land there was a gym, a printing house of a then popular publication, an extensive film studio, a magazine editorial office and other government offices.
The convent begins to live again
Almost 70 years later, in 1994, the monastery began to be revived, but as a monastery for women. In October 1995, the first divine service took place in the Church of the Intercession, which was still in a dilapidated state.
5 nuns with Abbess Feofania, the first abbess of the Holy Protection Convent, prayed and sang during this service.
And the abbess’s brother carefully cut out a new, very first iconostasis from a sheet of plywood, to which paper icons were attached. This is how the first solemn Divine Liturgy took place in the church, which was beginning its second life.
Later, all its buildings and vast lands were returned to the monastery. All except the one where Taganka Park is now located.
Over time, in 2002, the stone three-tier bell tower with a clock was completely restored. It became an exact copy of the one that was destroyed a long time ago: in 1926.
And now 12 bells, with their iridescent, powerful sound that carries over a long distance, call believers to Divine Services.
How to properly contact Matrona
According to believers, Matrona helps those suffering in a variety of cases, and during her lifetime she did not push anyone away. People affectionately call Matrona “barefoot.” How to ask for help: prayer, like any other Saint of the Orthodox Church. There are icons with the face of Matrona in many churches; you can put an icon at home and pray to it. If life circumstances allow you to come to the Intercession Monastery in Moscow, stand there with other pilgrims and venerate the icon and relics of the Saint - this is a good deed. But we must remember that Saints hear prayers said anywhere, the main thing is that they come from the heart.
There are the following ways to ask Matrona for help:
- Come to the church of your hometown, where there is an icon with the face of the Holy One.
- Visit the Intercession Monastery in Moscow.
- Come to the grave of the Blessed One at the Danilovsky cemetery in Moscow. In 1998, her relics were transferred to the Intercession Monastery, but believers still come to the grave and, expressing veneration for the Saint, light candles and read prayers.
- Place an icon of the Matrona of Moscow at home and pray to her for help every day.
- Now it is possible to purchase silver coins with the face of the Saint.
Rules for placing an order for Sorokoust
- The person you indicate must be baptized;
- It is necessary to indicate the name with which he was baptized in the church;
These are the requirements of temples!
Prayers offered for the health of a loved one or relative are especially powerful. To order a magpie about health in church means to seek the invisible help of the Lord, asking him not so much about the physical condition as about the spiritual healing of a person. The basis of any illness or difficult life circumstances is, first of all, a sinful component, therefore, when we ask God for purity of thoughts and spirituality, we receive God’s mercy and improve the physical condition of the one whose name is indicated in the note.
May the Lord be with you!
How to behave in the Intercession Monastery
The Intercession Monastery is truly a holy place in Moscow and all of Russia. Since 1998, the relics of St. Matrona and an icon with her face have been located there. There are two queues to get there: it is very crowded in any weather. Orthodox Christians from all over the country go to Matrona, filled with faith. Everyone just wants to venerate the relics or icon for a few seconds and ask the Blessed One. People know what Matrona of Moscow helps with.
There is a correct custom of bringing flowers to Matronushka’s temple. After all, she loved them so much during her lifetime. At parting, the ministers usually give pilgrims several flowers, which are usually dried and kept at home near the iconostasis or brewed tea from them. It is believed to have healing properties. It is also good to collect holy water in the temple.
You can express your requests in writing. It is best to write notes with requests in advance, then throw them in a special box near the icon. An example sample: “Holy Mother Matrona, bless me for my journey (surgery, marriage, birth of a child). Grant an easy road (childbirth, treatment). Save and preserve us." You can order a prayer service at the temple. They are held daily after the liturgy: on weekdays at about 9 a.m., on weekends at half past ten in the morning.
Already in line, it is better to start an internal appeal to Matrona: “Holy righteous old woman Matrono, pray to God for us!” You need to have a strong inner faith that Matrona of Moscow will hear. How to ask for help? You can use your own words; you don’t have to know the prayer word for word. Only purity of thoughts, sincerity and faith are important. But the words of the prayer, learned by heart, will help strengthen the believer’s request. Matrona's Memorial Day is May 2. This is the day of Matronushka’s death, and this month was also the Blessed One’s favorite month. It is especially important to pray to the Holy One on this day, it can be filled with miracles.
The most convenient way to get to the monastery is by metro. Then any passerby will show you the way. The closest to the monastery is the Proletarskaya metro station. The walk along Abelmanovskaya Street will take about 10 minutes. It is best to arrive early in the morning on a weekday to get to the front of the queue. The monastery receives pilgrims from 7 am from Monday to Saturday and from 6 am on Sunday to 8 pm.
Holy Matrona of Moscow: photo
What is magpie?
Sorokoust is a prayer service performed daily for forty days. On these days, particles are removed from the prosphora. At the end of the liturgy, each particle is immersed in the Blood of Christ, and the priest reads the prayer “Wash away, O Lord, the sins of those who were remembered here with Your honest Blood, with the prayers of Your saints.”
Thus, a sacrifice is made to God on behalf of all people remembered during the liturgy - both living and dead.
You can order sorokoust at any time, no calendar restrictions are imposed. However, during Great Lent, when full liturgies are served only on Saturday and Sunday, it is better to submit ordinary notes “On health” or “On repose.”
Traditionally, magpies order “On Health” not only for improving the physical condition of relatives and friends. The concept of “health” also includes a person’s spiritual state, peace of mind and even material well-being. Such a prayer can also be a request to God to help change the intentions of the ill-wisher and return love and harmony to his heart.
Petitions to Matrona of Moscow
Matronushka helps in various everyday difficulties. People turn to her with both small and large problems. Any requests will be heard, the main thing is that the thoughts of the person praying are pure. The Saint prays for the following:
- About health , easy course of the operation. Both the sufferers themselves and their loved ones ask.
- About marriage . Many girls resort to Matrona’s help in matters of the heart. She helps to find love and get married.
- About saving the family . Women who want to return their husband to the family pray to the Blessed One.
- About conceiving a child . Matronushka helped many true believers find a loved one and become a mother. The saint even heals those suffering from infertility. When a married couple has already lost all hope of procreation, prayer to Matrona can help.
- About protection from damage and the evil eye . Prayer has always been considered the most powerful remedy against the evil eye. It is best to pray in a church or at home near an icon, lighting church candles.
- About work . Matronushka helps not only to solve employment problems, but also to get rid of troubles that arise at work.
- About help with any plans (major purchase, trip, deal). The prayer to Matrona of Moscow for help is considered universal; it is read in any life circumstances. Believers say that reading it daily cleanses the soul and fills it with goodness.
Folk customs when reading a prayer
Believers say that if you accompany the prayer to Matronushka with certain actions, they have great power. For example, before going to church to see the icon or relics of the Matrona of Moscow, it is better to leave a donation to the temple in the form of food, remembering that this is exactly the kind of gratitude the Saint received during her lifetime. They usually bring bread and other baked goods, tea, sugar, flour, nuts, and honey. You need to do this at least once a week for a month before the pilgrimage.
It is good to do a good deed: help the poor, donate money to the sick, etc. And you must go to Matrona with pure thoughts and firm faith in the fulfillment of what you want.
It is customary to bring Saint flowers alive. She loved white lilacs, chrysanthemums, red carnations, tulips, and any roses. According to the legends about Matronushka’s life, she was very fond of rowan berries brought from the frost. It is a good omen to plant a chokeberry tree in honor of the Saint. So Matrona will become the intercessor of the entire home and family.
