[[Image:15806010-2-.jpg|right|thumb|Saint Mary of Paris]][[Image:Four martyrs.jpg|right|thumb|Maria (Skobtsova) and Companions - the four martyrs.]]The holy and glorious venerable-martyr '''Maria Skobtsova''' (also ''Saint Mary of Paris'' or ''Mother Maria'') was a [[nun]] and [[martyr]] in Paris in the early twentieth century. She encouraged hospitality and love of one's neighbor, often in the most uncompromising of terms. She considered this to be the foundation of the Christian gospel, and she embodied it in her life. She is often compared to Dorothy Day, an American [[Roman Catholic Church|Roman Catholic]] who founded the Catholic Worker movement. [[Saint]] Mary died a [[martyr]] in Ravensbrück prison. She was [[glorification|glorified]] by the [[Church of Constantinople]] on [[January 16]], 2004, along with her companions, [[Priest]] [[Dmitri Klepinin]], her son [[George Skobtsov|George (Yuri) Skobtsov]], and [[Elie Fondaminsky]]. They are commemorated on July 20.

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. Her confessor was Father [[Sergius Bulgakov]]. Later, Fr. [[Dmitri Klepinin]] would be sent to be the [[chaplain ]] of the house.

Mother Maria was [[Glorification|glorified]] by act of the Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate on [[January 16]], 2004. The [[glorification]] of Mother Maria, together with Fr. Dimitri, Yuri, and Ilya Fondaminsky took place at the Cathedral of Saint Alexander Nevsky in Paris on [[May 1]] and [[May 2|2]], 2004. Their [[feast day]] is [[July 20]]. Mother Maria has also her "dies natalis" as feast day on [[March 31]].

==Writings==*''Mother Maria Skobtsova: Essential Writings'', trans. Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky (Orbis, 2003). ISBN 978-1570754364. *E. Skobtsova (Mother Maria), ''The Crucible of Doubts: Khomyakov, Dostoevsky, Vl. Solov'ev, In Search of Synthesis, Four 1929 Works.'' Translated and commentary by Fr. S. Janos, frsj Publications (2016), ISBN 978-0-9963992-3-4 ==External linkslink==*[http://incommunion.org/category?page_id=868/Links to many resources/st-maria-skobtsova/ having to do with the life and writings of Saint Maria Skobtsova] at InCommunion.org, the website of the Orthodox Peace Fellowship*[http://www.geocitiesmere-marie.com/Athens/Parthenon/4541/links.html A Saint of Our Day: Web-site dedicated to Mother Maria Skobtsova, Nun and Martyrin Russian]

[[Category:Modern Saints]][[Category:20th-century saints]] [[fr:Maria Skobtsova]][[ro:Maria Skobţova]]