Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna of Russia, born on June 26, 1899 in Saint Petersburg, Russia, was a member of the Russian Imperial Family who met a tragic end during the Russian Revolution of 1917. She was canonized as a passion bearer by the Russian Orthodox Church following her and her family's assassination by Bolshevik revolutionaries.
Maria was the third daughter of Tsar Nicholas II and Tsarina Alexandra. Her birth in 1899 brought disappointment to the public of Russia, who had hoped for a male heir. However, Nicholas II adored her and she quickly became beloved for her humble, kind-hearted nature. Maria's Russian title of Velikaya Knyazhna, meaning Grand Princess, set her apart from other European princesses as an Imperial Highness.
Although too young to become a Red Cross nurse like her older sisters, Maria became the patroness of a hospital during World War I and frequently visited wounded soldiers. She was known for her beauty, pure heart, and benevolence. Maria had two older sisters, Grand Duchesses Olga Nikolaevna and Tatiana Nikolaevna, as well as a younger sister, Anastasia Nikolaevna, who was rumored to have escaped the family's assassination. Maria also had a younger brother named Tsarevich Alexei of Russia.
In 2007, the remains of two children believed to be Maria and her brother were discovered, and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh and husband of Queen Elizabeth II, provided DNA to confirm their identities. Maria's legacy lives on as a symbol of resilience and grace in the face of tragedy.