Maria Skobtsova was a Russian-born nun, poet, and activist who lived in the early 20th century. Born Elizaveta Pilenko in the Russian Empire, she moved through various intellectual and political circles before settling in Paris. There, she integrated her theological studies with intense social work, serving the needy and refugees. During World War II, she participated in the French Resistance by sheltering Jews. She was eventually arrested by the Gestapo and died in the Ravensbrück concentration camp in 1945. She is recognized as a saint in the Eastern Orthodox Church.