Mother Elisabeth’s life was a profound testament to her pursuit of God. Despite her personal sorrows, she devoted herself to aiding others, always ready to offer support through her words and deeds.
In this article we’ve gathered several of Mother Elisabeth’s insightful sayings on faith, prayer, and acts of mercy, hoping they will provide you with strength and inspiration.
“What comfort and strength the Orthodox faith has given me! Through it, I feel united with the Church that has revealed the Heavenly Church on earth to me and possesses the most pleasing means to God for giving thanks and praying to the Heavenly powers in both joy and sorrow.”
From a letter to Princess Z. N. Yusupova (April 1916)
“Only prayers remain unchanged, utterly unchanged, and the longer one lives in this world, especially in our times, the more one feels the connection of souls before God.”
From a letter to Princess Z. N. Yusupova (Summer 1910)
“I am certain that prayer with a rosary will be a profound consolation and a firm support throughout our lives. Hold on to it tightly, dear one, believe in it, and peace will envelop you. You will no longer be able to live without these words that connect us with Him, from Whom we receive all suffering and joy, life in this world and the next.”
From a letter to Princess Z. N. Yusupova
“If we step away from our Church, we show cowardice. God will surely withdraw His blessing and the grace of the Holy Spirit, and we will walk in darkness.”
From a letter to Emperor Nicholas II (May 1909)
“Simply trust in the holy saint who will protect and guide you, and you will have strength, both physical and spiritual, and the fullness of perfect peace.”
From a letter to Princess Z. N. Yusupova (1 July 1908)
“We earthly beings cannot give peace to a suffering soul, but He Who gives trials also gives strength. We sometimes forget to come to Him, thinking we must prepare long for Holy Communion to be worthy of it. But when are we ever worthy? Never. So let us be like children, come to Him with tears, seek His forgiveness, and He will open His arms, ready to comfort us. He understands everything, forgives everything; just let us go, go to Him.”
From a letter to Princess Z. N. Yusupova (2 December 1910)
“When God grants health and the opportunity to work for Him, that is happiness.”
From a letter to A. N. Naryshkina (20 January 1909)
“I long to give thanks, every minute, for everything the Lord has given me. I long to offer Him my insignificant gratitude by serving Him and His suffering children.”
From a letter to Emperor Nicholas II (18 April 1909)
“There is no art more difficult to master than the art of faith — yet people think deep faith comes effortlessly. Of course, if you can be humble and trusting like a child, then I believe your Guardian Angel will offer special help, and temptations will pass you by.”
From a letter to Prince F. F. Yusupov (Summer 1908)
“If we believe in the supreme sacrifice of God the Father, who sent His Son to death for us and raised Him again, we will see how the Holy Spirit illuminates our path, and our joy will be eternal, even if our poor human hearts and earthly minds must endure moments that seem dreadful.”
From a letter to Countess A. A. Olsufyeva (April 1918)
“Every cross becomes a joy because joy is hidden within it.”
From a letter to Prince F. F. Yusupov (29 April 1910)
“Working for Christ requires loving one’s neighbour, for every soul we bring to Him will be a joy for Him in heaven.”
From a letter to Princess Z. N. Yusupova (1 October 1908)
“Thank God, we humans are created in His image; we are souls clothed in flesh. Truly, if even a few hundred are reborn to purity — imagine the joy!”
From a letter to Princess Z. N. Yusupova (1 October 1908)
“In the pursuit of elusive happiness, the heart sometimes overlooks perfect joy that lies just beside it — that’s the sad part.”
From a letter to Prince F. F. Yusupov (28 February 1911)
“We must cling more closely to God. The Lord says, ‘My son, give Me your heart, and let your eyes observe My ways’ (Proverbs 23:26). Then be assured that you are giving everything to God if you give Him your heart, that is, your very self.”
From a letter to the Sisters of the Martha and Mary Convent of Mercy (April 1918)
“The higher we try to ascend, the greater the feats we impose upon ourselves, the more the devil strives to blind us to the truth. The higher we rise, the more frequently we fall. We must advance so slowly that it seems we are standing still. ‘The house of the soul is patience, the food of the soul is patience’ (from the teachings of Elijah the Presbyter). One must not look down on others; we must consider ourselves the worst of the worst. This is precisely what we must strive for — with God’s help.”
From a letter to Emperor Nicholas II (26 March 1910)
“If life does not punish you, you must become your own judge.”
From a letter to Princess Z. N. Yusupova (5 January 1909)
“Everything is a miracle, and nothing is a miracle (what a profound thought!), ‘for everything is so simple in God's boundless greatness.’ It is a miracle that we exist; it is so wonderful — life, God’s mercy, the joy of serving Him, eternal life — it awaits us — and perfect peace before God’s face.”
From a letter to Prince F. F. Yusupov (Summer 1908)
“Often at critical moments, when a suffering soul wishes to open up, obstacles arise for a heart-to-heart conversation. This is none other than the devil’s wiles — for he plays a much more active and visible role in our poor earthly life than we think. As soon as we draw near to living in God and for God, the king of evil reveals himself. And we — we must be keenly aware of his presence, his power, and be on guard day and night so that the great enemy does not catch us unawares and unarmed.”
From a letter to Prince F. F. Yusupov (Summer 1908)
“He Who sends us sorrows also gives us strength if we ask Him.”
From a letter to Prince F. F. Yusupov (23 June 1908)
“We must direct our thoughts towards our heavenly homeland so that we may see things in their true light and be able to say, ‘Your will be done.’”
From a letter to Countess A. A. Olsufyeva (April 1918)
“I wish to work for God and in God, for suffering humanity.”
From a letter to Emperor Nicholas II (April 1909)
“I am convinced that every good deed follows us into the next world and is accepted by God to wash away our sins.”
From a letter to Princess Z. N. Yusupova (5 January 1909)
“We cannot offer people blue skies, the sea, the sun, or pure air, but we can give them faith in God, confidence in themselves, the desire for rebirth, and the wish for Christ to shelter them under His wing, granting peace through His boundless divine goodness, always ready to forgive.”
From a letter to Princess Z. N. Yusupova (1 October 1908)
“Thus, my primary goal is to alleviate the sufferings of humanity, to reveal to them the Divine light, and to become, God willing, a beacon.”
From a letter to Princess Z. N. Yusupova (Summer 1908)
“People suffering from poverty and enduring physical and moral hardships should receive at least a little Christian love and mercy — this has always concerned me, and now it has become the purpose of my life.”
From a letter to A. N. Naryshkina (20 January 1909)
“My sisters know how to work, and we do everything with faith. The great mission of our convent and sisters is to offer Christian charity in the name of the Orthodox Church.”
From a letter to Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna (20 September 1909)
“We can express the sincerity of our love for Christ and our devotion to Him by comforting others; this is how we give our lives to Him.”
From a letter to A. N. Naryshkina (20 January 1909)
“Duty is duty, and if you have taken on a task, you should not immediately arrange a rest for yourself.”
From a letter to Emperor Nicholas II (30 June 1909)
Decades later, we strive to continue the work of Grand Duchess Elisabeth Feodorovna in our Convent. This includes visiting hospitals and homes for children and adults with special psychophysical needs and running farmsteads housing men and women with addictions. At the “Ichthys” monastery school, we care for the younger generation. And now we are beginning the construction of an almshouse.
Our work of love and assistance would be impossible without your support, whether in prayer or material contributions.
Source: “Balm for the Soul. A Path Full of Light. From the Letters of Saint Elisabeth Feodorovna.” Moscow. Publishing House “Nikea”, 2016.
