Manefa of Gomel

Venerable Manefa of Gomel (in the world Maria Vladimirovna Skopicheva, 1918-1984) was a schema-⁠nun of the Chonki Convent in Belarus and a spiritual elder in the village of Sevryuki. She was canonized in 2007 by the Orthodox Church of Belarus, on 11 August 2007, in the cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul in Gomel; she is commemorated on 29 July (11 August).

She was born on 1 April 1918 in the village of Sevryuki near Gomel, to Vladimir and Glikeria Skopichev, and was baptised Maria, in honour of Venerable Mary of Egypt. From early childhood she had cerebral palsy and could not walk. Even so, she helped her mother about the house and learned to cut and sew. Maria loved prayer, and her mother often carried her on her back to the Chonki Convent of the Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God for the services. The abbess Polyxenia always called her to the convent.

After much prayer she entered the community and was tonsured into the small schema on the feast of the Transfiguration, then, obedient, prayerful, fasting and industrious, she received the great schema from one of the last Optina elders, Schema-⁠hegumen Macarius, who became her spiritual father. Before his death, Macarius entrusted her to Hieroschemamonk Artemy Pototsky. During the war she lived in the home of believers who looked after her, and then the gift of foresight opened in her: she foretold the fate of soldiers who had gone to the front. After the war the Chonki Convent was closed, and she returned to her native village, where she received many people.

Her great kindness drew the suffering, from the village and from afar. Her constant counsel was prayer, repentance and mercy. She saw with what thoughts each one came, spoke simply and calmly, never raised her voice, could tell strangers the secrets of their souls, their past and their future, and gave them counsel. Through her prayers healings also took place. She herself asked for nothing, but, with the blessing of Schema-⁠hegumen Macarius, accepted what was pressed upon her and fed the destitute and those who came from afar. Priests and laity came to her, even unbelievers, who, knowing the power of her prayers, turned sincerely to God.

She fell asleep in the Lord on 25 February 1984 and was buried in the village cemetery of Sevryuki. Her grave remained a place of pilgrimage, where people found healing and spiritual strength. From 2005 the priests of the Gomel cathedral served weekly and then daily memorial services there. On 11 August 2006, with the blessing of Patriarch Alexy, her remains were opened and proved fragrant; the relics were taken up and displayed for veneration in the cathedral at Gomel. The following year Manefa was canonized, the rite being served by Metropolitan Philaret, exarch of Belarus.