Romanii de Jos, Vâlcea County, Romania, May 5, 2026
The Romanian Orthodox Church celebrated the local glorification of the newly canonized St. Matrona of Hurezi on Tuesday, May 5, at Hurezi Monastery in Vâlcea County, where the saint lived.
St. Matrona was canonized during a meeting of the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church on July 1, 2025, alongside 15 other Romanian women of holy life. The general proclamation of their canonization took place at the Patriarchal Cathedral on February 6 of this year. Her local glorification follows one day after that of St. Maura of Mount Ceahlău, with whom she was canonized.
His Eminence Metropolitan Irineu of Oltenia led the Divine Liturgy at Hurezi Monastery together with 16 other hierarchs from Romania and the Romanian diaspora, reports the Basilica News Agency.
“She truly passed through great labors and hardships,” Met. Irineu said during the proclamation. He emphasized the saint’s life of asceticism and total dedication, noting that she was pleasing to God through her entire life.
“St. Matrona is truly honored by our Savior Jesus Christ and raised to the rank of the saints—those who followed His teaching and sanctified their lives and came to be together with the angels,” he said.
The Metropolitan of Oltenia underlined that St. Matrona’s desire to follow the monastic path manifested from childhood, “wanting to be pleasing to God”: “She devoted herself to fasting and prayer, choosing the life of poverty through which she always became enriched.”
Met. Irineu emphasized the sacrificial dimension of her life: “The saint mortified her body to become a living sacrifice to our Savior Jesus Christ and listened to His word: Be perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect!” noting that she “always prepared herself for the moment of passing from this world.”
His Eminence Archbishop Varsanufie of Râmnic highlighted the spiritual significance of the moment: “Unlike 11 years ago, this monastery is again filled with the Grace of God through the proclamation of the canonization of one of its inhabitants.”
His Eminence emphasized that the monastic establishment at Hurezi has been, throughout time, a place of holiness and authentic living.
“This monastic establishment has had inhabitants with chosen life, with holy life, great defenders of the faith, but also great practitioners of the Jesus Prayer, lovers of vigil and lovers of continuous sacrifice,” he said.
After the Divine Liturgy, His Grace Bishop Andrei of Covasna and Harghita read the Synodal tomos of the local proclamation of canonization. The moment was followed by the singing of the troparion and the presentation of St. Matrona’s icon.
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St. Matrona was born on August 2, 1852, in Săliștea Sibiului, to the pious parents Nicolae and Stana, who gave her the baptismal name Maria.
In her youth she entered monasticism at Sărăcinești Monastery, after which she moved to Hurezi Monastery, where she remained for the rest of her life, entering into obedience to her spiritual father Orest, a disciple of St. Hierarch Calinic of Cernica.
Mother Matrona continued her monastic life, and her counsel was highly valued by the other nuns in the community. On April 18, 1923, at age 71, she was elected abbess.
Toward the end of her life, while enduring a serious illness, St. Matrona received notice from the Mother of God that she would soon pass into the blessed Heavenly life.
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