Eva Lee Matthews

Eva Lee Matthews (1862-1928) was an Episcopal nun best known for founding the Community of the Transfiguration.

Early life Eva Lee Matthews was born on September 9, 1862, in Glendale, Ohio. Her father, Stanley Matthews, was a Union officer in the Civil War and later became a Supreme Court justice.

As an adult, Eva traveled to Palestine. The book "A Little Pilgrimage to Holy Places" is an account of her travels. She also went to England, where she spent several months visiting various religious communities, including the Sisters of the Holy Paraclete in Whitby. Inspired by the work of these religious orders and others she visited in the United States, Matthews developed a desire to establish a similar community in her home country.

She remained head of the community until her death in 1928.

Legacy

The Episcopal Church honors her with a feast day on its church calendar on July 6.