Grégoire Benevitch

This article by Grigory Benevich examines the theological and spiritual motivations that led Mother Maria (Skobtsova) to rescue persecuted Jews in Nazi-occupied Paris. Through an analytical study of her writings — articles, poems, dramatic works — the author shows that Mother Maria's commitment stemmed not merely from humanitarian compassion, but from an elaborated theological reflection on the relationship between Christians and Jews, drawing on the legacy of Vladimir Soloviev and Russian religious philosophy. The article highlights her conception of the Jewish people's "personhood," of sacrificial love as the only authentic Christian response to the Jewish question, and of the joint imitation of Christ and the Mother of God. The author also engages in a critical dialogue with Sergei Lezov, who contests the significance of Mother Maria's actions, and offers a nuanced assessment of certain limitations in her thinking on the collective conversion of Israel.