Vera the Silent was an Orthodox ascetic and hermit who lived in the mid-19th century. She gained prominence for her extreme devotion, specifically for observing a vow of silence that lasted twenty-three years until her death in 1861. Residing primarily at the Syrkov Maiden Monastery near Veliky Novgorod, she lived a highly reclusive and austere lifestyle. Some legends suggest she may have been Empress Elizabeth Alexeevna, the wife of Alexander I, though she never confirmed her true identity or origin.