FIRST DAY OF CELEBRATION OF A NEW ORTHODOX SAINT —-SAINT MAGDALENE (MĂDĂLINA )GOD SEES .

 DAY OF CELEBRATION OF A NEW ORTHODOX SAINT —-SAINT MAGDALENE (MĂDĂLINA )GOD SEES .

Saint Mădălina was born in 1895, on November 22 (according to the old calendar), one day after the feast of the Entry of the Virgin Mary into the Church, into a family of believers in the village of Șciubic.

Her father, Milenko Ilić, was of Serbian origin, and her mother, Milca, was Romanian, a descendant of the ancient Cătălinici family from Transylvania, Romania. At her baptism, celebrated on December 3/16, she was given the name Măndălina (Magdalene), a sign of her vocation to a life of humility and service.

From her earliest childhood, she showed a love for prayer and the Church. Although girls were not encouraged to study at that time, she learned to read and write, receiving from God the gift of wisdom and unshakeable faith.

Marriage and widowhood: the beginning of sacrifice

At the age of 19, on the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord (February 2, 1914), she was married in the neighboring Romanian village of Mălainița. But God's will was different: her husband, Miloș, fell in World War I, leaving her a widow with a small child. Then, Saint Măndălina strengthened her faith, constantly repeating, "God sees," words that became the motto of her soul.

The struggle for faith in times of persecution

During the Bulgarian occupation (1915-1918), priests were arrested and killed, and the church in Șciubic was left without pastors. Then, Saint Măndălina, by the grace of Christ, took charge of the church, keeping the flame of faith alive. In times of spiritual darkness, when many were lost to witchcraft because of the incomprehensible language of religious services, she, who knew both Romanian and Serbian well, was a bridge between peoples and a comfort to the faithful. And so she became a bridge between earth and heaven, as one chosen by God and a mediator before the Heavenly Throne.

Despite frost, storms, and scorching heat, she walked tirelessly 5 kilometers to the church to read and sing at religious services. The bishops, seeing her humility and fervor, allowed her to enter the altar, something unusual for women at that time.

The life of an ascetic and advice to the people

Living as a nun in the world, she fasted constantly, prayed at night, and guided people toward God's law. Many did not know what the feasts or fasts were, but she explained it to them kindly, saying each time, "God sees."

When she tended the sheep, she quoted from the sacred books, and the place where she prayed was later chosen to build a monastery, a sign that God had accepted her fervor.

Her departure to heaven and the testimonies of her holiness

On October 15, 1962 (October 2 according to the old calendar), with a candle in her hand and making the sign of the cross until the last moment, Saint Mandalina passed away to the Lord. Her face lit up, as if she had seen Christ coming to take her soul.

The funeral was held in the cathedral of Negotin, attended by many priests and monks, and the people confessed: "She was a saint! There has never been another like her!"

Her relics are now in the church of the monastery of Mălainița, where they are venerated with devotion by the Romanian and Serbian faithful.

Miracles and signs after her death

A monastery was built on the spot where she used to graze her sheep and pray, and the children who hid in the bushes to watch her go to church were left with the memory of her incessant prayers.

She dreamed that she was flying to Jerusalem, and God fulfilled her wish, taking her in spirit to the tomb of the Savior.

She was canonized as a saint by the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church at its session on July 1, 2025, with the title "Saint Magdalene of Mălainița" and her feast day on October 15. Pray for us sinners, amen.