Pelagia Ivanovna was born in 1809 in Arzamas, growing up in the house of a strict stepfather. From childhood, she exhibited peculiarities, and her mother tried to marry her off. Two sons and a daughter of Pelagia died in infancy. After visiting St. Seraphim in Sarov, she began to lose her sanity, wandering the streets and praying at the church porch. Her husband did not understand her devotion, mocked her, and chained her. After a severe punishment from the city governor, he dreamed of a cauldron with a terrible fire prepared for him for the torment of Pelagia.
After many years of suffering, her relatives allowed her to go to Diveyevo. Here she continued to act madly, throwing stones and torturing her body. She fed only on bread and water. For many years she walked 'to her work', throwing bricks into a pit with dirty water.
During the turmoil in the monastery, Pelagia fought for the truth in her own way, even striking the archbishop. After the turmoil, she changed, grew fond of flowers, and began to take care of them. The abbess Maria undertook nothing without her advice. Pelagia called everyone in the monastery her daughters and was a true spiritual mother.
Pelagia Ivanovna passed away on January 30/February 11, 1884. Her body lay in the temple unchanged, covered with living flowers. On July 31, 2004, she was glorified in the rank of locally revered saints of the Nizhny Novgorod diocese, and in October 2004, a decision was made for her church-wide veneration. The holy relics of Pelagia, discovered in September 2004, were placed for veneration in the Kazan church of the Serafimo-Diveevsky monastery.
