Our next companion is St. Matrona, who although born blind and eventually unable to walk, welcomed the pilgrimage of hundreds who sought her for physical and spiritual healing.
Born into a poor family in 1881 in the village of Sebino, Russia, Matrona’s mother despaired of being able to feed another child and planned to give her to an orphanage. However, one night she had a dream in which her child visited her, with eyes firmly closed. She decided at that moment to raise the child, and when Matrona was born blind, she knew the dream had been prophetic.
Young Matrona may have been blind, but her spiritual sight was keen. From an early age, she began to converse with saints through their icons, know things that were about to happen, and eventually demonstrate the gift of healing. Rather than becoming a burden, her life became a great blessing to her family. Imagine what it must have been like as crowds began to come to her home like the Magi, asking for the prayers and blessings of a child, and bearing gifts to leave behind. Young as she was, did she ever wonder why she had been chosen for such a role, or understand her incredibly unique place in it? Did she ache with the desire to bring others into her world, wondering why those with “sight” could not see all that she could see?
When the Revolution came to Russia, her brothers were afraid that the crowds who visited Matrona would attract unwanted attention. By this time Matrona had also lost the use of her legs, but her inner strength never seemed to waver. She was moved to Moscow, staying with various friends and always leaving just in the nick of time to avoid an unwanted discovery. An endless stream of people continue to visit Matrona, thirsting for spiritual healing and instruction.
It is fascinating that by her prayers, many were said to be healed of paralysis and mental and physical ailments, yet she herself lived her whole life with what most would see as suffering or limitations. Although we do not know whether St. Matrona ever prayed for or struggled with the question of her own physical healing, we see by her life that she chose to live creatively within this unchosen situation, and turned it into a source of life and healing.
In this paradox, St. Matrona accompanies us as a witness to the ways in which our lives are uniquely shaped and formed to be a spiritual gift to the world. She invites us to ask the question: might what the world sees as limitations truly be the doorway into spiritual sight? Might the places where it feels like death has touched us be the very places that alchemize into compassion, into resurrection life?
May we walk this Nativity season in the company of St. Matrona and all Orthodox women who have gone before us, welcoming the gifts of each other on this pilgrimage of our lives together.
Holy mother Matrona, pray to God for us!