Zinaida Vladimirovna Zhdanova says that in 1946, a woman came to their apartment, where Matrona also lived back then. The woman was a high official. Her only son had gone insane, her husband had been killed at war, and she herself was an atheist of course. She had taken the sick son to Europe, but no famous psychiatrists could help him.
“I have come to you out of despair," she said to Matrona, "I have nowhere else to go to.”
Matrona asked, “If God heals your son, will you believe in God?”
The woman said, “I don’t know what it means to believe.”
Matrona asked for some water and in the presence of the poor woman started to pray loudly over the water. Giving her the water, the blessed woman said, “Now go to Kashchenko clinic [a psychiatric clinic in Moscow], talk to the nurse there and tell them to hold him tight as they lead him. He will fight, but you throw the water in his face, so that it also enters his mouth.”
Zinaida recalls, “A short time later, my brother and I witnessed with our eyes how this woman came to see Matrona again. She thanked Matrona on her knees and said that her son was now well. This is how it happened. She came to the hospital and did everything Matushka Matrona had told her. There was a hall there, to which her son was brought in on one side of the barrier, and she came from the other side. She had a vial with the water in her pocket. The son was struggling and screaming. 'Mom, throw it away, the thing in your pocket, don’t torture me!' She was shocked – how did he know? She quickly splashed some water into his face, some got into his mouth, and suddenly he calmed down, his eyes became clear and he said, 'I feel good!' And he was discharged soon thereafter.”
“I have come to you out of despair," she said to Matrona, "I have nowhere else to go to.”
Matrona asked, “If God heals your son, will you believe in God?”
The woman said, “I don’t know what it means to believe.”
Matrona asked for some water and in the presence of the poor woman started to pray loudly over the water. Giving her the water, the blessed woman said, “Now go to Kashchenko clinic [a psychiatric clinic in Moscow], talk to the nurse there and tell them to hold him tight as they lead him. He will fight, but you throw the water in his face, so that it also enters his mouth.”
Zinaida recalls, “A short time later, my brother and I witnessed with our eyes how this woman came to see Matrona again. She thanked Matrona on her knees and said that her son was now well. This is how it happened. She came to the hospital and did everything Matushka Matrona had told her. There was a hall there, to which her son was brought in on one side of the barrier, and she came from the other side. She had a vial with the water in her pocket. The son was struggling and screaming. 'Mom, throw it away, the thing in your pocket, don’t torture me!' She was shocked – how did he know? She quickly splashed some water into his face, some got into his mouth, and suddenly he calmed down, his eyes became clear and he said, 'I feel good!' And he was discharged soon thereafter.”