Saints Maria and Matrona were born in 1876 and 1882 respectively in the village of Varyukovka, Ryazan province, to peasant parents Naum and Platonida Groshov. In their youth, they visited an elder who predicted their path to the monastery.
In 1909, the sisters became novices at the Alexander-Mariinsky Monastery, where they spent their time in labor and prayer. After the monastery was closed, they returned home and settled in the church watchman's house, where they labored for twenty years, helping in the church and teaching children to pray.
The sisters were respected in the village but faced persecution from atheists, including the chairman of the local council, Vasily Yazykov, who attempted to disperse the parishioners. In 1931, the priest was arrested, and the sisters began to secretly save church items from destruction.
In 1938, the authorities resumed arrests, and the sisters were arrested on February 26. During interrogations, they denied the accusations of anti-Soviet activities, claiming they only read the Psalter and taught faith. On March 11, 1938, the NKVD troika sentenced them to execution, and they were shot on March 20, 1938, buried in an unmarked grave at the Butovo firing range near Moscow.
