It's Not Often That Your Match Was Secretly Baptized in Belarus
14
Matthew, 31, and Olya, 28, met face-to-face for the first time on a Sunday in June of 2014 at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City. After Mass, they went to an Italian restaurant for lunch and then took a walk through Central Park. From the moment they met, they felt a connection, and Olya knew in her heart that they were soulmates.
This first date happened just 11 days after connecting on CatholicMatch. "Our faith initially led us to take an interest in each other, and then our chemistry together really solidified it. Olya is such a sweet girl with a deep faith. Her love of the Lord really caught my attention, and it showed in her messages," Matthew said.
Olya also found Matthew to be exceptional. She said, "Matthew is a very sincere, kind man—these traits attracted me so much. All his messages had warmth. He loves God, and that was extremely important for me. Our first date was very special and romantic."
They were an unlikely pair: She was from Belarus and was baptized secretly in the Orthodox Church to avoid persecution from the Communists.
He was raised in Connecticut, with all the comforts of American freedom. They were brought together on CatholicMatch because of their shared love for the Eucharist, Tradition, and prayer.
He Prayed Daily for a Wife in Front of the Blessed Sacrament
Matthew had spent some time away from the Church when he was in college, but reading the Church Fathers began his journey back home. One day during Mass, as the priest held up the consecrated Host, Matthew found himself overwhelmed by the presence of God.
His faith deepened by his journey, he fell in love with the Latin Rite and felt a profound reverence for the Blessed Sacrament. He started attending the Extraordinary Form of the Mass exclusively. "I was looking for someone with not only the same liturgical preference but a more traditional faith and lifestyle which included devotions like the daily rosary and frequent confession," Matthew explained. He joined CatholicMatch in April of 2014, a month before Olya did. He prayed in front of the Blessed Sacrament daily for a wife.
In 2009, Olya had a unique opportunity to come to the United States from Belarus to pursue a career in the medical field. Although Olya was still Orthodox, she enjoyed being a part of different Catholic groups. A friend told her about CatholicMatch.com, but Olya didn't believe that the site would actually help her find a faithful hus
band. She continued to focus on her career until May of 2014, when suddenly she wanted to give CatholicMatch a try. "It was a spontaneous decision," she said.
At the end of May, Matthew noticed Olya's profile in the new members section of his newsfeed, and he sent her a message with a questionnaire he had made himself. She found his questions thoughtful, so she looked at his profile and then replied. From there, they exchanged emails, and then they moved onto phone calls.
She was living in Brooklyn, and he was in Connecticut. They both worked full-time, so they made the effort to meet each Sunday for Mass and then a date. They also made time to Facetime each other each night and pray together.
He introduced her to the Latin Rite and other traditional Catholic practices, and she introduced him to the traditions and feasts of the Orthodox Church. When they could meet in person, they not only prayed, but also did fun things together, such as playing tennis, taking hikes, sharing jokes, enjoying music, and going to Catholic Underground NYC.
She Said Da!
When St. Valentin
e's Day of 2015 arrived, Matthew had hoped to surprise Olya. She, however, already knew what was coming. "I knew that Matthew was going to propose to me. He asked for my ring size . . . he is very bad at keeping secrets," she mused. They went to see a musical in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and then went to a perpetual adoration chapel."
After praying for several minutes, I got down on one knee in front of the Blessed Sacrament and a statue of the Holy Family, and I asked Olya for her hand in Holy Matrimony," Matthew remembered. Olya's eyes welled up with tears, and she responded with an enthusiastic, "Da!" (which means "yes" in Russian).
After spending some time in prayer together, they went out for dinn
er to celebrate.
Olya was confirmed in the Catholic Church that Easter, so that the couple could receive the Eucharist together in one Church. On October 24, 2015, on the Feast of St. Raphael the Archangel (in the traditional Church calendar), they married at St. Stanislaus Roman Catholic Church in New Haven, Connecticut. "We had the Traditional Latin Nuptial Mass (Missa Cantata) complete with a choir singing Gregorian chant and Renaissance polyphony.
Olya's family came all the way from Belarus to celebrate. Her nieces were the flower girls, and her dad walked her down the aisle. We could not stop smiling as we said our wedding vows. During our nuptial Mass, we held each other's hands tightly, knowing that we had been united in Holy Matrimony.
At the end of the Mass, Olya laid roses at the feet of a statue of our Blessed Mother and we consecrated our marriage to the Sacred Heart of Jesus through the Immaculate Heart of Mary," Matthew fondly recalled.
Ravioli and The Rosary
The couple now lives in New Jersey, where Matthew is a teacher. Olya continues her commute to New York City for her career, but they are careful to spend time with each other when they are not working.
"We love traveling; we've had a lot of adventures that bring us closer. When we are home, we love to cook ravioli together, watch movies, read books, and we lov
e to discuss the news. We both have a good sense of humor—we tickle each other a lot!" says Olya.
The religious practices they began while dating continue to be central to their married life. They attend Mass regularly, go to Adoration at least once a week, and are careful to pray the rosary daily together, as well as keep other devotions. They are happy and hoping the Lord will bless them with many children.
Matthew wants to encourage people who are considering CatholicMatch.
"If God is calling you to marriage and you feel like the dating pool around you is limited, there is no better place to help you find someone than CatholicMatch. Once you join, do not be afraid to message people, and do not be afraid to respond to them. You never know who God will send your way!" he says.
Olya adds, "Do not hesitate to join CatholicMatch. My husband said to me today that he would pay any amount of money to find me and be with me. Listen to your heart, love God, pray constantly, and He will take care of your future!"