In Communist Russia, May 1st was celebrated, but Saint Matrona spoke to them about the Third World War. She had no eyes, yet she saw all the mischief and cunning of humanity's recent centuries. The great saint predicted three world wars—two have already occurred, and the third remains, with humanity burdened by a thousand and two problems.
Saint John of Kronstadt, a great saint of the Russian Orthodox Church, once encountered the then-unknown blind young Matrona in the crowded Church of Saint Andrew. He proclaimed, "Come, Matronushka, come. Here comes my replacement—the eighth pillar of Russia," prophetically speaking of Matrona's special mission for the Russian people and the persecution he foresaw coming.
On May 2nd, we bow our knees in reverence to Saint Matrona, who was not only the eighth pillar of Russia but today stands as a pillar of truth and solace in these challenging times. She foresaw the German invasion of Russia and spoke of a later war that would kill millions overnight. In her youth, she predicted the 1917 revolution, saying, "They will loot and destroy churches, seize land, and greedily divide it among themselves, persecuting all without exception."
Architect and engineer Mr. Zhdanov recalls asking Saint Matrona about Russia's course during the revolution. She told him, "First, they will put Stalin in power. After him, rulers will change, each worse than the last. They will plunder Russia. After the war, these comrades will travel abroad, see how foreigners live, become corrupted, and finally lose all shame." She predicted that during this time, someone named Mikhail would appear, attempting to bring change, but he would fail and be killed. "There will be unrest, disputes, and massacres. One party will fight another. Then, there will be improvement, but it will take time," she said.
Speaking of our era, Saint Matrona foretold, "You will breathe a sigh of relief. You will have everything, even the ability to pray on Red Square and hold a requiem for the martyred Tsar. But then the old powers will return to Russia, and the situation will become worse than ever. How I pity you to the end of time, for that is how you will live."
She described the third great catastrophe of humanity, stating, "War will no longer be as we have known it. Without war, you will still die. Countless victims will lie dead on the ground. I will tell you something else: in the evening, everything will be fine and upright on the earth. But when you wake the next morning, everything will be covered with dust, and there will be no war."
Despite being blind, she foresaw how advanced military technology would turn against humanity, causing complete destruction. Ana Vibornova recalls visiting Matrona during the Great Lent of 1952, shortly before her death. "Do not fear," Matrona reassured her, "There will not be another war soon. We will lie down as we are and rise differently." When Ana asked how, Matrona replied, "We will return to the wooden plow." Puzzled, Ana inquired about the meaning of the "wooden plow." Matrona explained, "That is how we will till the land. Forget tractors; we will use wooden plows, and life will be good, but we are not there yet."
Saint Matrona reflected on the causes of destructive wars and inhumanity, attributing them to divine will and a hypnotized populace influenced by a terrible demonic force. She said this demonic force once lurked in swamps and dense forests but now resides in homes and people, who have distanced themselves from Christ. She advised closing doors and windows during mass demonstrations, as slogans chanted by demons fill the air. "Save yourselves by the power of the Cross," she urged. "Pray unceasingly. Man becomes unrighteous without prayer."
She predicted a time when people would be forced to choose between the Cross and bread. "We will choose the Cross," she said. "But how will we live?" Matrona responded prophetically, "Pray, make balls from the earth, pray to God, eat, and you will be satisfied."
On May 1, 2017, after a vespers service in honor of Saint Matrona at the Annunciation Church in Perissos, Athens—where a relic of the saint is kept—I sought a taxi in the dark. When I found one, the driver said he had just paid homage to Saint Matrona. "She is a great saint who resolves problems," he told me. He shared stories of how he took couples on the verge of divorce to Saint Matrona's church, and they reconciled afterward.
On Easter 2018, after the divine liturgy, I encountered the same taxi driver. He recognized me and spoke of daily miracles he experienced through his connection with Saint Matrona.
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