Matryona Grigoryevna Belyakova was born on November 6, 1864, in the village of Anemnyasevo, Ryazan province. Her parents were poor, and her father was known to be a drunkard. At the age of seven, she contracted smallpox and became permanently blind. Her life in her parents' home was full of suffering and humiliation. From the age of 17, people began to come to her for help, and she healed them from ailments, praying to God for them.
Matryona did not eat meat from the age of seventeen and strictly observed fasts. She endured cold and prayed for help for the needy. After the death of her parents, she had to suffer from her relatives, but she did not lose faith and hope. People brought her donations, but her father took them for tobacco and vodka.
Matryona was known as a blessed one; people came to her not only from nearby villages but also from distant places. She healed various ailments, and many healings were documented. In 1933, due to the anti-religious movement, she was arrested, but she did not lose her spirit and continued to pray.
She died on July 16/29, 1936, in the House of Chroniclers in Moscow. After her death, she was glorified as a saint; her life path became an example of patience and confession.
