Ignatius of Loyola

Ignatius of Loyola, Priest and Spiritual Writer, 1556

The Collect:

Almighty God, who called Ignatius of Loyola to the service of your Divine Majesty and to seek you in all things; Give us also the grace to labor without counting the cost and to seek no reward other than knowing that we do your will; through Jesus Christ our Savior, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, now and for ever. Amen.

Iñigo de Recalde de Loyola, youngest of thirteen (one of my sources says eleven) children of Don Beltran Yáñez de Loyola and Maria Sáenz de Licona y Balda, was born in 1491 in the family castle in the Basque province of Gipozkoa, in northeastern Spain, near the French border. While serving as a soldier as a young man he was badly injured and was bedridden for many months, and spent the time reading. He asked for tales of knightly adventure, but instead was given a Life of Christ, written by a Carthusian monk. He read it, and his life was transformed. He went on pilgrimage to Montserrat (near Barcelona), where he hung up his sword over the altar, and then spent about a year first working as a nurse and orderly in a hospital there, and then retiring to a cave to live as a hermit and study The Imitation of Christ, by Thomas a Kempis, a book urging the Christian to take Christ as example, and seek daily to follow in His footsteps. It is probably during this year that he wrote his Spiritual Exercises, a manual of Christian prayer and meditation. He directs the reader to begin with an event in the life of Christ, and to imagine the scene in detail, to replay the episode in his mind like a movie script, and to try to feel as if he had himself witnessed the event, and then to use this experience as a motive for love, gratitude, and dedication to the service of God. The book is available today in hardcover and paperback. It has been much used by Christians of all varieties. Ignatius then made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem to see with his own eyes the scenes of Our Lord's life and death. He wanted to stay and preach to the muslims, but the Franciscans stationed there advised him that he needed an education in order to preach effectively. Back in Spain, he spent ten years (1524-1534) getting an education, beginning by going to elementary school to learn Latin grammar, and ending with a Master of Arts degree. He often preached to groups of people assembled by chance; but in those days a layman undertaking to preach on his own, without a license or supervision, was automatically suspected of heresy. Ignatius was twice imprisoned by the Spanish Inquisition and questioned about his beliefs, an experience that made a deep impression on him. He was finally acquitted, but forbidden to discuss religious matters for three years. Today, his followers are aggressively proud of the fact that no member of their order has ever sat on an Inquisitorial tribunal. In 1534, he and six fellow students formed a group who vowed to travel to Jerusalem and there preach the Gospel to the moslems. This group later took the name, "The Society of Jesus," and were nicknamed "the Jesuits" by outsiders, a nickname that stuck. In 1537 the Jesuits (now ten in number) gathered in Venice and offered their services to Pope Paul III. Ignatius and some of the others were ordained to the priesthood, and they were assigned various tasks. In 1540 they became a formal organization, with the usual monastic vows, plus a fourth vow of personal obedience to the Pope. In order to have more time for preaching and study the order abolished the practice of reciting the monastic Hours in community. Its chief goals were: 

(a) renewal of the Roman Catholic Church through extensive education

and the encouragement of frequent use of the sacraments, (b) extensive missionary work in non-Christian countries, and (c) a suitable response to the growing challenge of Protestantism. 

In the remaining fifteen years of his life, Ignatius supervised the Jesuits from Rome and saw the order grow from ten men to a thousand. It was always active in missions, and became deeply involved in education. Ignatius counselled his Jesuits (technically neither monks nor friars, but priests regular) to proceed with charity and moderation, "without hard words or contempt for people's errors." He died suddenly on 31 July 1556. His writing include the following prayer:

     Teach us, good Lord, to serve thee as thou deservest;

     to give, and not to count the cost, 

     to fight, and not to heed the wounds,

     to toil, and not to seek for rest,

     to labor, and not to ask for any reward,

     save that of knowing that we do thy will.*

*The Lectionary, James Kiefer, http://satucket.com/lectionary/Ignatius_Loyola.htm

Potluck Canceled!

 

Join us Sunday!

Join us for “at church” or “virtually” for worship this Sunday, August 1, 2021, The Tenth Sunday after Pentecost, at St. Alban’s, St. Thomas’, St. Patrick’s, and Iglesia Episcopal La Esperanza de Familias Unidas. Remember - Beginning this Sunday - Masks are again mandatory for all, and communion will be offered in one kind - bread only. We strongly urge everyone to get vaccinated.

Holy Eucharist, Rite Two

St. Alban’s - 8:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.*

St. Thomas' - 10:00 a.m.*

St. Patrick’s – 1:30 p.m.*

* These liturgies will be Live-Streamed on Facebook for those who choose to remain at home.

Download a pdf of the leaflet to print or to use on your phone or tablet. Holy Eucharist - https://drive.google.com/file/d/12vBsMJIn3NhoaRqX5OtRtdVzXCJqhpEp/view?usp=sharing

La Santa Eucaristía: Rito Dos

Iglesia Episcopal La Esperanza de Familias Unidas – Domingo - 5:00 p.m.

y vía transmisión en vivo en nuestra página de Facebook.

Zoom Compline

Sunday - 8:00 p.m.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83861688528?pwd=WFdBcndxV3hzbUpETDNTSFFzc3Z0QT09

Meeting ID: 838 6168 8528

Passcode: 800

Dial by your location +1 312 626 6799 or +1 346 248 7799

We hope to “see” you all on Sunday as you are most comfortable!

Dawnell+, Whit+, Rob+ and Deacon Rita

Art from Clip Art, Steve Erspamer, Liturgy Training Publications – ltp.org

William Wilberforce

William Wilberforce, Social Reformer, 1833

The Collect:

Let your continual mercy, O Lord, kindle in your Church the never-failing gift of love; that, following the example of your servant William Wilberforce, we may have grace to defend the poor, and maintain the cause of those who have no helper; for the sake of him who gave his life for us, your Son our Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

William Wilberforce was born in 1759 and served in Parliament from 1780 to 1825. A turning point in his religious life was a tour of Europe. In the luggage of a travelling companion he saw a copy of William Law's book, A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life. He asked his friend, "What is this?" and received the answer, "One of the best books ever written." The two of them agreed to read it together on the journey, and Wilberforce embarked on a lifelong program of setting aside Sundays and an interval each morning on arising for prayer and religious reading. He considered his options, including the clergy, and was persuaded by Christian friends that his calling was to serve God through politics. He was a major supporter of programs for popular education, overseas missions, parliamentary reform, and religious liberty. He is best known, however, for his untiring commitment to the abolition of slavery and the slave trade. He introduced his first anti-slavery motion in the House of Commons in 1788, in a three-and-a-half hour oration that concluded: "Sir, when we think of eternity and the future consequence of all human conduct, what is there in this life that shall make any man contradict the dictates of his conscience, the principles of justice and the law of God!"  The motion was defeated. Wilberforce brought it up again every year for eighteen years, until the slave trade was finally abolished on 25 March 1806. He continued the campaign against slavery itself, and the bill for the abolition of all slavery in British territories passed its crucial vote just four days before his death on 29 July 1833. A year later, on 31 July 1834, 800,000 slaves, chiefly in the British West Indies, were set free. *

The Lectionary, James Kiefer, http://satucket.com/lectionary/William_Wilberforce.htm

Potluck on Sunday

Please join us this Sunday, August 1st, for our first of the month potluck after our 10 a.m. service. Bring you favorite dish to share. We have plenty of room to spread out on the Sun Porch! This is a wonderful time fir food and fellowship.

Mary and Martha of Bethany

Mary and Martha of Bethany

The Collect:

O God, heavenly Father, your Son Jesus Christ enjoyed rest and refreshment in the home of Mary and Martha of Bethany: Give us the will to love you, open our hearts to hear you, and strengthen our hands to serve you in others for his sake; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Mary and Martha lived with their brother Lazarus at Bethany, a village not far from Jerusalem. They are mentioned in several episodes in the Gospels. 

On one occasion, when Jesus and His disciples were their guests, Mary sat at Jesus' feet and listened to Him while her sister Martha busied herself with preparing food and waiting on the guests, and when Martha complained, Jesus said that Mary had chosen the better part. 

   

When Lazarus, the brother of Mary and Martha, had died, Jesus came to Bethany. Martha, upon being told that He was approaching, went out to meet Him, while Mary sat still in the house until He sent for her.  It was to Martha that Jesus said:  "I am the Resurrection and the Life."

 

Again, about a week before the crucifixion, as Jesus reclined at table, Mary poured a flask of expensive perfume over Jesus' feet. Mary was criticized for wasting what might have been sold to raise money for the poor, and again Jesus spoke on her behalf. On the basis of these incidents, many Christian writers have seen Mary as representing Contemplation - prayer and devotion, and Martha as representing Action (good works, helping others); or love of God and love of neighbor respectively. They see the same symbolism also in Leah and Rachel, the daughters of Laban. Leah was dim of sight, but had many children. Rachel had few children, but one of them saved the whole family from destruction. Leah represents Action, which is near-sighted and cannot penetrate very far into the mysteries of God, but produces many worthwhile results. Contemplation has fewer results, but one of those results is Faith, without which it is impossible to please God." Yet, there is a sense in which Action comes first -- "If a man love not his brother, whom he hath seen, how shall he love God, whom he hath not seen?" So it is that Leah must be wed before Rachel. 

On some calendars, Lazarus is commemorated together with his sisters, on others his resurrection is remembered separately on 17 December.* 

 *The Lectionary, James Kiefer, http://www.satucket.com/lectionary/Mary&Martha.htm

Return to Masks and Communion in One Kind

St. Alban's St. Patrick's, St. Thomas' Episcopal Churches in Monroe and West Monroe (y Iglesia Episcopal La Esperanza de Familias Unidas) will return to mandatory masks during in person worship and Communion in one kind (bread only) on Sunday, August 1, 2021 - The Tenth Sunday after Pentecost. This will continue until infection rates for COVID-19 are reduced. This is per Bishop Jake's Guidelines and per the recommendation of Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards (wearing of masks indoors). 

We urge everyone to get vaccinated to stem the spread of the virus!

Zoom Evening Prayer & a Video - Today

Join us tonight for Evening Prayer and a Video to learn something new.

Zoom Evening Prayer & a Video
Wednesday, 5:30 p.m.
 
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86781577595?pwd=VjNnZTZnUFFadkJPc3VOVTh3K21Idz09  
 
Meeting ID: 867 8157 7595
Passcode: 530
Dial by your location +1 312 626 6799 or  +1 346 248 7799

Johann Sebastian Bach

Johann Sebastian Bach, Composer, 1750

The Collect:

Sound out your majesty, O God, and call us to your work; that, like thy servant Johann Sebastian Bach, we might present our lives and our works to your glory alone; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Johann Sebastian Bach, widely regarded as the greatest of all composers of music for Christian worship, was born in 1685 in Eisenach, Thuringia, Germany, into a family of distinguished musicians. In 1708, shortly after marrying his cousin, Maria Barbara Bach, he became court organist to the Duke of Weimar, where he wrote his principal compositions for the organ. In 1717 he became music director (Kapellmeister) to Prince Leopold of Coethen. In 1720, his wife died, and in 1721 he married Anna Magdalena Wuelcken, for whom he composed a famous set of keyboard pieces. From 1723 until his death in 1750 he was at Leipzig, where he taught, conducted, sang, played, and composed. He had 20 children, of whom nine survived him, four of whom are also remembered as composers.

In addition to his secular music, Bach wrote a considerable amount of music for worship. He drew on the German tradition of hymn-tunes, and arranged many of them as cantatas, with elaborate choir settings for most stanzas, and a plain four-part setting for the final stanza, to be sung by the congregation with the choir. Normally each stanza is unique, using the melody traditional for that hymn, but with variations, particularly in the harmony, that reinforce the meaning of the words of that stanza. He wrote altogether nearly two hundred cantatas, including at least two for each Sunday and holy day in the Lutheran church year (matching the subject of the cantata with that of the Scripture readings prescribed for that day). Two of the better known are "Christ lag in Todesbanden" (Christ lay in the bonds of death"), based on an Easter hymn by Martin Luther; and "Jesu, meine Freude" (Jesus, all my gladness).

It is an ancient custom that during Holy Week the Gospel readings shall be from the accounts of the Passion (=suffering and death) of Our Lord, and that, where possible, these accounts shall be read, not by a single reader, but with the speeches of different persons read by different readers (and the crowd by the choir or the congregation). This may be said, or chanted to a simple tune. Bach wrote, for the St Matthew Passion, and again for the St John Passion, an elaborate musical setting, with the Gospel narrative sung by a soloist, with the dialog by other singers, and commentary by the choir in the form of hymns and more elaborate pieces. He also wrote a setting for the traditional Latin Liturgy, his famous B Minor Mass. The Liturgy (or Order for the Celebration of the Lord's Supper and the Administration of Holy Communion, Commonly Called the Mass) is divided into the Ordinary (the parts that are the same every time) and the Propers (the parts that vary from day to day, such as the Bible readings). The choral parts of the Ordinary include the Kyrie ("Lord, have mercy" or "Hear us, O gracious Lord"), the Gloria ("Glory to God in the highest," based on Luke 2:14), the Credo ("I believe in one God, the Father Almighty..."), the Sanctus-benedictus ("Holy, Holy, Holy" and "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord", based on Isaiah 6:3 and Matthew 21:9), and the Agnus Dei ("O Lamb of God," based on John 1:29). Bach wrote choir settings for these (in case anyone is wondering why a devout Lutheran would write choir settings for a Mass, I point out that the language of the Liturgy is ancient, and contains nothing not taught by Lutheran and Methodist and Presbyterian churches), and his work is not simply a matter of supplying pleasant-sounding melody and chords. For example, in the Creed, there occurs the line, "And I believe one holy catholic and apostolic Church." In Bach's setting of this line, there are two melodies sung by the choir simultaneously. One is a traditional plainchant melody, most frequently sung by Roman Catholics. The other is a Lutheran chorale melody. The two melodies are interwoven, and they harmonize perfectly. Bach was not just a musician. He was a Christian, and a preacher of the Gospel.*

*The Lectionary, James Kiefer, http://satucket.com/lectionary/bach_handel_purcell.htm and click here for a bit of Bach fun.

William Reed Huntington

William Reed Huntington, Priest, 1909

The Collect:

O Lord our God, we thank you for instilling in the heart of your servant William Reed Huntington a fervent love for your church and its mission in the world; and we pray that, with unflagging faith in your promises, we may make known to all people your blessed gift of eternal life; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

W R Huntington, although never a bishop, had more influence on the Episcopal Church than most bishops. He was born in Lowell, Massachusetts, in 1838, the son of a physician, studied at Harvard, and was ordained a priest in 1862. In each of the thirteen General Conventions of the Episcopal Church that met between 1870 and his death, he was a member, and indeed the most prominent member, of the House of Deputies. In 1871 he moved for the restoration of the ancient Order of Deaconesses, which was finally officially authorized in 1889. His parish became a center for the training of deaconesses. Huntington's was the chief voice calling for a revision of the Book of Common Prayer (completed in 1892), and his the greatest single influence on the process of revision. The prayers he wrote for it include the following, used during Holy Week and on Fridays. 

Almighty God, whose dear Son went not up to joy but first

he suffered pain, and entered not into glory before he was

crucified: Mercifully grant that we, walking in the way of

the cross, may find it none other than the way of life

and peace; through the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

Despite his involvement in the national affairs of the Church, Huntington was foremost a parish priest, for 21 years (1862-1883) at All Saints' Church in Worcester, Massachusetts, and for 26 years (1883-1909) at Grace Church, New York City. He died 26 July 1909.*

 *The Lectionary, James Kiefer, http://satucket.com/lectionary/WRHuntington.htm

Saint James

Saint James the Apostle

(transferred from July 25)

The Collect:

O gracious God, we remember before you today your servant and apostle James, first among the Twelve to suffer martyrdom for the Name of Jesus Christ; and we pray that you will pour out upon the leaders of your Church that spirit of self-denying service by which alone they may have true authority among your people; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

James the son of Zebedee and his brother John were among the twelve disciples of Our Lord. They, together with Peter, were privileged to behold the Transfiguration, to witness the healing of Peter's mother-in-law, and the raising of the daughter of Jairus, and to be called aside to watch and pray with Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane on the night before his death.

James and John were apparently from a higher social level than the average fisherman. Their father could afford hired servants, and John (assuming him to be identical with the "beloved disciple") had connections with the high priest. Jesus nicknamed the two brothers "sons of thunder,"  perhaps meaning that they were headstrong, hot-tempered, and impulsive; and so they seem to be in two incidents reported in the Gospels. On one occasion, Jesus and the disciples were refused the hospitality of a Samaritan village, and James and John proposed to call down fire from heaven on the offenders. On another occasion, they asked Jesus for a special place of honor in the Kingdom, and were told that the place of honor is the place of suffering.

Finally, about AD 42, shortly before Passover, James was beheaded by order of King Herod Agrippa I, grandson of Herod the Great (who tried to kill the infant Jesus), nephew of Herod Antipas (who killed John the Baptist, and examined Jesus on Good Friday), and father of Herod Agrippa II. James was the first of the Twelve to suffer martyrdom, and the only one of the Twelve whose death is recorded in the New Testament.

James is often called James Major (= greater or elder) to distinguish him from other New Testament persons called James. Tradition has it that he made a missionary journey to Spain, and that after his death his body was taken to Spain and buried there. At Compostela (a town the name of which is commonly thought to be derived from the word "apostle", although a Spanish-speaking listmember reports having heard it derived from "field of stars," which in Latin would be campus stellarum). His supposed burial place there was a major site of pilgrimage in the Middle Ages, and the Spaniards fighting to drive their Moorish conquerors out of Spain took "Santiago de Compostela!" as one of their chief war-cries. The Spanish form of "James" is "Diego" or "Iago". In most languages, "James" and "Jacob" are identical. Where an English Bible has "James," a Greek Bible has IAKWBOS.*

*The Lectionary, James Kiefer, http://www.satucket.com/lectionary/James.htm 

Tomorrow

Join us for “at church” or “virtually” for worship this Sunday, July 25, 2021,

The Ninth Sunday after Pentecost, at St. Alban’s, St. Thomas’, St. Patrick’s,

and Iglesia Episcopal La Esperanza de Familias Unidas. Holy Eucharist, Rite Two St. Alban’s - 8:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.* St. Thomas' - 10:00 a.m.* St. Patrick’s – 1:30 p.m.* * These liturgies will be Live-Streamed on Facebook for those who choose

to remain at home. Download a pdf of the leaflet to print or to use on your phone

or tablet. Holy Eucharist -

https://drive.google.com/file/d/11pg-1j2uIWvjzvPZtYuxRQ5zBagk1tVL/

view?usp=sharing

La Santa Eucaristía: Rito Dos Iglesia Episcopal La Esperanza de Familias Unidas – Domingo - 5:00 p.m. y vía transmisión en vivo en nuestra página de Facebook. Zoom Compline Sunday - 8:00 p.m. Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83861688528?pwd=

Meeting ID: 838 6168 8528 Passcode: 800 Dial by your location +1 312 626 6799 or +1 346 248 7799 We hope to “see” you all on Sunday as you are most comfortable! Dawnell+, Whit+, Rob+ and Deacon Rita Art from Clip Art, Steve Erspamer, Liturgy Training Publications – ltp.org

John Cassian

John Cassian, Monastic and Theologian, 435

The Collect:

Holy God, whose beloved Son Jesus Christ blessed the pure in heart: Grant that we, together with your servant John Cassian and in union with his prayers, may ever seek the purity with which to behold you as you are; one God in Trinity of persons now and for ever. Amen.

Saint John Cassian (ca. 360 – 435) (Latin: Jo(h)annes Eremita Cassianus, Joannus Cassianus, or Joannes Massiliensis), John the Ascetic, or John Cassian the Roman, is a Christian theologian celebrated in both the Western and Eastern Churches for his mystical writings. He is known both as one of the "Scythian monks" and as one of the "Desert Fathers." John Cassian was born around 360 probably in the region of Scythia Minor (now Dobruja in modern-day Romania), although some scholars assume a Gallic origin. He was involved in a disputation concerning the Patriarch of Constantinople (St. John Chrysostom), and, when the Patriarch was forced into exile from Constantinople in 404, the Latin-speaking John Cassian was sent to Rome to plead his cause before Pope Innocent I. While he was in Rome John Cassian accepted the invitation to found an Egyptian style monastery in southern Gaul, near Marseille. His foundation, the Abbey of St Victor, a complex of monasteries for both men and women, was one of the first such institutes in the west, and served as a model for later monastic development. Cassian's abbey and writings influenced St. Benedict, who incorporated many of the same principles into his monastic rule. Since Benedict's rule is still used by Benedictine, Cistercian, and Trappist monks, the thought of John Cassian still guides the spiritual lives of thousands of men and women in the Western Church. John Cassian wrote two major spiritual works, the Institutions and Conferences. In these, he codified and transmitted the wisdom of the Desert Fathers of Egypt. The Institutes (Latin: "De institutis coenobiorum") deal with the external organization of monastic communities, while the Conferences (Latin: "Collationes") deal with "the training of the inner man and the perfection of the heart." The spiritual traditions of John Cassian had an immeasurable effect on Western Europe. Many different western spiritualities, from that of Saint Benedict to that of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, owe their basic ideas to John Cassian.*

*The Lectionary, via Wikipedia - http://www.satucket.com/lectionary/john_cassian.htm

Saint Mary Magdalene

Saint Mary Magdalene

Today the Church remembers Saint Mary Magdalene, Primary witness to the resurrection, and Apostle to the Apostles.

According to John 20:11-18...

But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. They said to her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping?’ She said to them, ‘They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.’ When she had said this, she turned round and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping? For whom are you looking?’ Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, ‘Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Mary!’ She turned and said to him in Hebrew, ‘Rabbouni!’ (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, ‘Do not hold on to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them, “I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.” ’ Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, ‘I have seen the Lord’; and she told them that he had said these things to her.

The Collect:

Almighty God, whose blessed Son restored Mary Magdalene to health of body and of mind, and called her to be a witness of his resurrection: Mercifully grant that by your grace we may be healed from all our infirmities and know you in the power of his unending life; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Zoom Evening Prayer & Bible Project

Join us tonight for Evening Prayer and our Bible Project Class to learn something new about the Bible.

Zoom Evening Prayer & Bible Project

Wednesday, 5:30 p.m.

 

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86781577595?pwd=VjNnZTZnUFFadkJPc3VOVTh3K21Idz09  

 

Meeting ID: 867 8157 7595

Passcode: 530

Dial by your location +1 312 626 6799 or  +1 346 248 7799

Maria Skobtsova

Maria Skobtsova, Monastic and Martyr, 1945

The Collect:

O Creator and Giver of Life, who crowned your martyr Maria Skobtsova with glory and gave her as an example of service to the suffering and poor even unto death: Teach us to love Christ in our neighbors, and thereby battle injustice and evil with the light of the Resurrection; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God in glory everlasting. Amen.

Maria Skobtsova (20 December 1891 in Riga – 31 March 1945 in Ravensbrück concentration camp, Germany), was a Russian noblewoman, poet, nun, and member of the French Resistance during World War II.

Maria was born to an aristocratic family in 1891 in Riga, Latvia, then part of the Russian Empire. She was given the name Elizaveta Pilenko. Her father died when she was a teenager, and she embraced atheism. In 1906 her mother moved the family to St. Petersburg, where she became involved in radical intellectual circles. In 1910 she married a Bolshevik by the name of Dmitriy Kuz'min-Karavaev. During this period of her life she was actively involved in literary circles and wrote much poetry. By 1913 her marriage to Dimitriy had ended.

Through a look at the humanity of Christ — "He also died. He sweated blood. They struck his face" — she began to be drawn back into Christianity. She moved—now with her daughter, Gaiana—to the south of Russia where her religious devotion increased.

In 1918, after the Bolshevik Revolution, she was elected deputy mayor of Anapa in Southern Russia. When the anti-communist White Army took control of Anapa, the mayor fled and she became mayor of the town. The White Army put her on trial for being a Bolshevik. However, the judge was a former teacher of hers, Daniel Skobtsov, and she was acquitted. Soon the two fell in love and were married.

Soon, the political tide was turning again. In order to avoid danger, Elizaveta, Daniel, Gaiana, and Elizaveta's mother Sophia fled the country. Finally they arrived in Paris in 1923. Soon Elizaveta was dedicating herself to theological studies and social work.

Soon, Daniel and Elizaveta's marriage was falling apart. Elizaveta moved into central Paris to work more directly with those who were most in need.

Her bishop encouraged her to take vows as a nun, something she did only with the assurance that she would not have to live in a monastery, secluded from the world. In 1932, with Daniel Skobtov's permission, an ecclesiastical divorce was granted and she took monastic vows. In religion she took the name Maria. Eventually, Fr. Dmitri Klepinin would be sent to be the chaplain of the house.

Mother Maria made a rented house in Paris her "convent". It was a place with an open door for refugees, the needy and the lonely. It also soon became a center for intellectual and theological discussion. In Mother Maria these two elements—service to the poor and theology—went hand-in-hand.

After the Fall of France in 1940, Jews began approaching the house asking for baptismal certificates, and Father Dimitri would provide them. Many Jews came to stay with them. They provided shelter and helped many to flee the country. Eventually the house was closed down. Mother Maria, Fr. Dimitri, her son Yuri and her mother Sophia were all arrested by the Gestapo. Fr. Dimitri and Yuri both died at the Dora concentration camp.

Mother Maria was sent to the Ravensbrück concentration camp. On Holy Saturday, 1945, she was sent to the Gas Chamber.*

*Source, The Lectionary, via Wikipedia - http://satucket.com/lectionary/maria_skobstova.html