A reliquary containing a portion of the relics of Saint Matrona of Moscow has been permanently transferred to the Church of the Icon of the Mother of God "Joy of All Who Sorrow" in Yoshkar-Ola. The church's right chapel is dedicated to this beloved saint.

Metropolitan Ioann of Yoshkar-Ola and Mari has presented the reliquary with the holy relics as a gift to the church. The holy relics arrived in the evening of November 5, on the eve of the patronal feast day. They will be kept in the church's sanctuary and will be brought out for veneration during special religious services.

"The relics will remain in the church permanently," the diocese stated. "They will be kept in the sanctuary, except for special religious services when the relics will be taken out for the veneration of the faithful: on Fridays, the Akathist to Blessed Matrona of Moscow will be read as part of the evening service, and on Saturdays, following the Divine Liturgy, a blessing of water service and a service to Saint Matrona will be performed."

Saint Matrona, born in 1881 in the Tula region, was blind from birth but possessed the gift of spiritual insight. According to her hagiography, from a young age, she had knowledge of not only human sins and transgressions but also people's thoughts. She felt impending danger and could foresee natural and societal disasters. Through her prayers, many people found healing from illnesses and solace in their sorrows.

In 1925, Matrona moved to Moscow, where she lived until her passing on May 2, 1952. In October 2004, the Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church included Matrona of Moscow in the list of universally recognized saints. Her relics now rest at the Pokrovsky Convent in Moscow.

Photo: Yoshkar-Ola Diocese