Venerable (Monastic) 15th century

Venerable Matrona of Chios

15th century (died before 1455; OrthodoxWiki gives 20 October 1462)

Also known as Matrona

A woman of a wealthy family of Chios who sought monastic life and founded a women's monastery, known for charity and asceticism.

Feast Day

October 20

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Commemorated as

Our Venerable Mother Matrona of Chios

Life

Venerable Matrona of Chios was a Greek ascetic and monastic founder of the 15th century, born in the village of Volissos on the island of Chios. Born Mary, she was the youngest of seven children of Leon and Anna, a prosperous and respected Christian family.

From her youth she showed a strong calling toward monastic life. Refusing an arranged marriage, she fled to Katavasis, an area overlooking Volissos where a women's monastery stood; her parents found her and brought her home but ultimately supported her aspirations. After their deaths she gave much of her inheritance to the poor and distributed inherited farmland among her sisters and the orphans of the community.

She practiced fasting and prayer at Katavasis for three years before entering a small monastery of three nuns in the island's capital, where her name was changed to Matrona on her profession. Surpassing the others in devotion and understanding, she was elected abbess after the death of the original abbess. Known for charity and healing, she founded a women's monastery in the Palaiokastro quarter of the town of Chios. She died after a brief illness and was buried in the monastery church, where many afflicted with all manner of illness came and were healed. Her feast is kept on October 20.

Timeline 7 moments Read Hide

15th century (one source says 14th) Birth in Volissos Born Mary in the village of Volissos on Chios, the youngest of seven children of Leon and Anna, a wealthy and pious Christian family.
Youth Refusal of marriage and flight to Katavasis When her parents sought to arrange a marriage, she refused, desiring monastic life, and fled to Katavasis, an area overlooking Volissos with an existing women's monastery. Her parents located her and brought her home but eventually supported her calling.
After her parents' deaths Distribution of inheritance She gave much of her inheritance to the poor and distributed inherited farmland among her sisters and the orphans of the community, devoting the remainder to building a monastery in the Palaiokastro quarter of the town of Chios.
Early monastic years Three years of ascesis and monastic profession She practiced fasting and prayer at Katavasis for three years, then entered a monastery of three nuns in the island's capital, where her name was changed to Matrona; she surpassed the others in devotion, spirituality, and understanding.
After the abbess's death Election as abbess When the original church (dedicated to St. Artemios) was completed and the abbess died, the nuns elected Matrona as her successor.
Before 1455 (OrthodoxWiki: 20 October 1462) Repose By tradition she foresaw her own death in a dream and became ill for seven days, counseling the nuns; she died at Katavasis, Chios, and was buried in the monastery church.
1470 Founding of the Holy Monastery of St. Matrona By tradition the saint appeared in a dream to the nobleman Roidis near Mesa Didima, instructing him to build a monastery in place of a planned summer villa; his sisters became its first nuns.

Contributions & Legacy

3 contributions Read Hide

Charity and Monastic Founding

After her parents' deaths Matrona devoted her inheritance to charitable ends, giving to the poor and apportioning inherited farmland among her sisters and local orphans. The remainder she committed to founding a women's monastery in the Palaiokastro quarter of the town of Chios.

Sources relate that the monastery built a public bath, funded by the sale of its remaining property, so that the poor and wayfarers might bathe. She is remembered for her charity to the poor and for healing the sick during her lifetime.

Relics & Shrines

Matrona was buried in the church of her monastery on Chios. Her feast is kept on October 20; an additional commemoration on July 15 marks the finding of her head.

A separate house, the Holy Monastery of St. Matrona, was built in 1470 by the nobleman Roidis near the village of Mesa Didima, by tradition after the saint appeared to him in a dream and directed him to build a monastery rather than the summer villa he had planned; his sisters became its first nuns. During the Turkish occupation, the abbot Nikephoros of Chios composed the liturgical '24 Hymns of Agia Matrona.' The monastery continues today with four resident nuns and holds annual celebrations on October 20.

Miracles & Traditions

Historically Documented: Sources record that during her lifetime Matrona was able to heal the sick, and that after her death many people afflicted with all manner of illness came to the monastery church and were cured.

Traditional Accounts: By tradition she foresaw her own death in a dream and was ill for seven days beforehand, during which she counseled the other nuns. Tradition also holds that the founding of the Holy Monastery of St. Matrona at Mesa Didima followed a dream-appearance of the saint to the nobleman Roidis.

Sources: OCA Synaxarion (oca.org), Lives of the Saints