Maria Fedina was an Orthodox nun, born around 1870 in the Tambov Governorate, who lived as a holy fool. After losing her parents at thirteen, she traveled between Sarov, Diveyevo, and Ardatov, often wearing tattered clothing and walking barefoot. She gained a reputation for identifying the hidden sins of pilgrims, identifying herself as a descendant of John the Baptist. Eventually, she entered the Diveyevo monastery under the guidance of the nun Paraskeva, where she lived until her death in 1931.
Life and monasticism
Following the death of her spiritual mother in 1915, Maria was briefly expelled from the monastery due to her unconventional behavior. She returned to the community after an encounter with a peasant, whose private sins she had accurately identified. During the Soviet era, authorities attempted to isolate her from the public, leading the monastery to restrict her contact to written letters. She predicted the eventual destruction of the monastery and the imprisonment of several sisters.
Death and veneration
After the monastery was closed, Maria was arrested, though she faced no criminal charges. She died on August 26, 1931, and was buried in the village of Bolshoye Cherevetovo. She was canonized in 2004, and her relics were later transferred to the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God Church within the restored Diveyevo monastery complex. Her feast day is observed on September 8.