There are quite a lot of revered Saints in Christianity who became famous for their actions and strong faith in God. One of the most famous in the spiritual world is Macarius the Great, whose memorial day is an official Christian holiday.
Life of Saint Macarius
Macarius the Great, also called the Egyptian, was born around 300 AD. He lived quite a long life. This man received the title of saint for his deeds and for his radiant faith in God.
His life began in Lower Egypt. Then, at the very beginning of his journey, he did not think about God, until one day he lost his wife. Having been widowed, he did not look for a replacement for the woman he loved and began to study holy scripture. After a short time, he buried his parents, after which he went into the desert to adopt a hermit's lifestyle, uniting with God and studying with an old hermit.
A little later, rumors spread about him. The local bishop invited him to become a minister of the local church, but the Monk Macarius could not accept this offer, so he again withdrew into the desert. Now he was completely alone.
At about 40 years old, Macarius received the gift of resurrection. He performed miracles, raising the dead and healing the sick. At about 60 years old, he founded a monastery, which was later named in his honor. It is located in the Nitrian desert, where most of the miracles took place. Macarius died there, leaving behind many teachings and during his lifetime spreading his faith over many distances. His relics are still kept in this monastery.
Memorial Day of the Great Macarius February 1
This event is celebrated by all Orthodox Christians 1st of February according to the new style. On this day, liturgies are held in churches dedicated to the memory of the saint. On the day of memory of Macarius the Great, it is customary to ask him that God would grant us healing - both mental and physical. In churches, prayers are read aimed at gratitude and eternal memory of his deeds.
At home, many believers read prayers to St. Macarius so that God would hear their requests for help and blessings. Here is one of the most ancient prayers:
Oh, Reverend Father Macarius! We pray to you, unworthy ones, by your intercession, ask our All-Merciful God for mental and physical health, a quiet and godly life and a good answer at the Last Judgment of Christ. With your prayers, extinguish the arrows of the devil, so that sinful malice may not touch us, and having piously ended our temporary life, we may be worthy to inherit the Kingdom of Heaven and together with you glorify the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen.
February 1 is a day of hope and love. Each self-respecting Christian pays tribute to the memory of Saint Macarius by attending the festive liturgy in church or reading prayers at home. We wish you that your faith strengthens and your troubles go away. Be happy and don't forget to press the buttons and
The Monk Macarius, called the Great, is one of the Holy Fathers of the Church, who composed many prayers and left many works for the edification of the Orthodox. He was a hermit, a hermit, who labored in the Sinai desert and experienced the whole spiritual life, while at the same time instructing people with his conversations and writings. The works of St. Macarius, who is also called Egyptian, since it was from the Nile Valley that he was from, are an example of patristic writings, a type of instruction that guides Orthodox Christians in their spiritual life today. His life is full of numerous instructive stories and miracles.
ICON OF THE REVEREND MACARIUS THE GREAT: HOW TO RECOGNIZE THE SAINT?
The image of Saint Macarius is difficult to distinguish among the images of other hermits. Be careful when choosing an icon: it should be signed with the name of Macarius next to the face of the saint or at its foot. The most famous image of Mary of Egypt is a fresco, that is, an icon painted on a wall on wet plaster, by Theophanes the Greek (c. 1340-1410). This icon painter was actually born in Byzantium, on the territory of modern Greece, and worked in the Italian colonies of that time - Cafe and Galata. Now in their place is the Crimean city of Feodosia. Apparently, it was there that Feofan learned about the Russian Renaissance: while the Renaissance was beginning in Italy, at the center of which stood man and his desire for pleasure, and in Rus' Orthodoxy, driven out by the Tatar-Mongols, was rising from its knees. Temples began to be built. As a pious man and, judging by the frescoes, with great spiritual experience, Theophanes began to develop the art of fresco icon painting in Rus'. His first work on our lands was the frescoes of the Church of the Savior on Ilyin Street, and among the best preserved is the image of St. Macarius the Great. Even existing in fragments and restored today, this fresco is one of the most beautiful examples of world art. It is located on the choir of the Trinity chapel of the temple, and perfectly reflects the expression, expressiveness and originality of the Greek style of writing (in addition to this image, a number of frescoes have also been preserved in the temple: the Trinity, the Mother of God, the prophets and the most famous - the Almighty Savior in the dome). The icon of Macarius the Great is a monochrome (black and white) image of a tall and strong old man with a face dark from tanning in the desert. All that is visible on him is a cap of gray hair and a long beard. At first glance, his entire figure seems covered with hair - but upon closer inspection, a person sees that the hermit stands as if illuminated, bathed in a pillar of Light. The figure of the saint is depicted in broad strokes of white paint in cursive writing; The face and palms are highlighted in black - this lack of detail and the color, as if shining from an unusual icon, make a stunning impression. Let us note that on other icons Saint Macarius is depicted in clothes gray from the wool of wild goats. But the Monk Theophan the Greek interpreted the image of the saint in a completely different way: in a flash of light, as if in the mystical radiance of God’s grace descending on him, depicted in free strokes, which seems to burn away the sinful and highlights the face of the saint, drawing attention to it. In the icon of St. Macarius Theophan the Greek and in his other images there is a very small number of colors: such a stinginess of the color scheme denotes the ascetic renunciation of Macarius himself from the world, its diversity and multicolor, supported by the icon painter and his visually reflected focus on the One Necessary - the radiant grace of God. It was Macarius the Great who laid the foundation for individual, personally oriented spiritual work in Orthodoxy and monastic asceticism in obedience to mentors, confessors, and experienced elders. On the dark face of Macarius of Egypt, “gaps” are more clearly visible - features of white paint on the face, displacing the facial features and symbolizing the light of God’s grace, changing man and matter in general, creating him in a different, spiritual state. The same spaces are on his palms: on the icon they are usually raised up, or only one hand is raised, and in the other the saint holds a cross. The gesture of opening the palms means accepting the prayer of the one turning to the saint, as well as sending peace to the one praying. This gesture shows strength and confidence in peacekeeping force: so often the rulers of cities and countries, ascending to the podium, only make a gesture to stop the noise in the hall. The pose of Saint Macarius calls for peace of mind and seems to immediately send it to everyone who turns to him. Every person who prays feels spiritual silence, heartfelt peace within. Please also turn to the icon in prayer. loving people and Saint Macarius sending them God's grace.
THE PATH TO THE MONACHISM OF SAINT MACARIUS
The place and time of birth of the future great ascetic, one of the founders of Christian monasticism, is known: around the year 300, Saint Macarius was born in the village of Ptinapor in Lower Egypt. Raised in Christian obedience, despite the desire to devote his life to God, he married at the behest of his parents. However, God soon took his wife to Himself. The saint worked, helped his parents and studied the Holy Scriptures a lot. He was able to enter monasticism only after the death of his parents, who did not want to let him go to the monastery. Even then, in the Egyptian (Sinai) desert there was a community of hermits under the leadership of St. Anthony the Great, the founder of monasticism. Like Saint Macarius, this saint is revered in the main Christian denominations: Orthodoxy and Catholicism. The Monk Macarius distributed all his inheritance to the poor and went into the desert to pray to God under the guidance of only his spiritual father. This unknown saint - and perhaps an Angel - instructed him in spiritual life, worship, fasting and prayer. They lived by weaving baskets and lived in two small huts in the desert. Over time, Saint Macarius settled in a monastery under the direction of Anthony the Great, where he lived in a monastic hostel, becoming a follower and one of Saint Anthony’s close disciples. Years later, Macarius the Great left this monastery with the blessing of his spiritual father Anthony, going to the North-West of Egypt to the Scythian monastery. It was here that he himself became a spiritual mentor, becoming so famous for his exploits and wisdom that already at the age of thirty he earned the nickname “elder youth”, like a monk-schema monk. According to the rules established by the holy apostles, a person cannot take holy orders until the age of Christ: 33 years. But even earlier, the bishop of Ptinapor himself wanted to ordain Saint Macarius as a clergyman; Macarius himself preferred to quickly retire into the wilderness in order to avoid such an honor. The Monk Macarius suffered many even visible misfortunes from demons, but it was precisely because of his humility that the saint always weakened the devil. So, the demons tried to beat him many times; Once, when he was living alone in the desert, one girl, having become pregnant, accused the saint of seducing her. The girl's fellow villagers almost killed the saint. But he did not even break his vow of silence: Macarius continued to weave baskets, and gave all the money raised to feed the girl. According to God's providence, she could not free herself from the burden for a long time and, realizing that she was punished by the Almighty Himself, pointed to true father her child. When Saint Macarius was about forty years old, he was at the death of Abba Anthony the Great, receiving from him a traveling rod as a blessing, and receiving grace from the saint: as the disciples of Saints Macarius and Anthony said, he accepted the blessing, like the prophet Elisha, to receive mantle (clothes) from Prophet Elijah. It is known that after this Saint Macarius began to perform miracles and healings with his prayer - so that his fame spread throughout the cities of Egypt and people began to flock to him from everywhere. Saint Macarius avoided fame and sought solitude in prayer. Since he could not leave either the monks of his monastery or the people thirsty for his help, he dug under his usual monastic cell tight and deep cave to pray and exhaust the flesh with asceticism. With his prayer, by the grace of God, he even began to resurrect the dead, but he remained just as humble, kind and quiet a man. The Monk Macarius had the Holy Spirit within himself: inveterate villains, as soon as they spoke with him, repented of their crimes, converted to Christianity and even took monastic vows. Many stories about the miracles of the saint are kept by the ancient Fatherland - collections of stories from the lives of saints. Having reached the age of maturity by the standards of society of that time - forty years old - Saint Macarius accepted the priesthood. From now on, he helped people by performing the Sacraments of the Church, and also led the monastic community. During the reign of the heretic emperor Valentine (364-378), Saint Macarius the Great, together with Macarius of Alexandria, was expelled from the desert by the king’s henchman, Bishop Luke, who had fallen into heresy. The saints, already in their old age, were arrested and taken by ship to a deserted island where pagans lived. However, even there, Saint Macarius the Great was able to perform a miracle, healing the daughter of the main pagan priest and baptizing all the inhabitants of the island. Having learned about this, the heretic bishop was ashamed of his act and returned the elders to their monastery. The intercession of St. Macarius before God during his lifetime saved many from dangers, temptations and vices. The mercy of Saint Macarius, his kindness were so great that they became a proverb among the monks of the Sinai desert, who said that just as God covers the Earth with His grace, so Abba (that is, father, spiritual mentor) Macarius covered sins. He forgave sins, helped to perk up one’s spirit, and seemed to not hear and forget the person’s sins in further communication with him after confession. Saint Macarius lived to be almost a hundred years old and lived in ascetic work, hermitage and monastic monasteries for about 60 years, dying for worldly life, living for yourself, but living for God and people. And yet, all his life he continued to talk with God in prayer, growing spiritually again and again, discovering new things in himself and people, learning new things about God and the Earth he created. He continued to repent of every sinful movement of his soul and rejoiced in spirit about God's mercy. Shortly before his death, the Holy Fathers of monasticism appeared to him: Anthony and Pachomius the Great, saying that he would soon depart in peace to the Kingdom of Heaven. Saint Macarius joyfully spoke about his impending death to his disciples, blessing everyone, giving his last instructions and dying in 391, betraying his soul into God’s hands.
REAL STORIES FROM THE LIFE OF SAINT MACARIUS
The saint became famous for his simplicity and mercy - so that in the ancient Fatherland (patericon), collections of instructive stories from the lives of ancient saints, many amazing stories about these qualities of his:
- Seeing a thief at his cell, the saint himself helped him load the stolen baskets and the small money saved for the ascetic’s food onto a donkey - just so as not to judge the man and deciding that God gave and God took away.
- One day the saint was walking through the desert and saw a skull lying on the ground. After praying, he was able to talk to the soul of the person to whom the skull belonged during life - the priest. He said that due to his anger he was in hellfire, but I am grateful to Saint Macarius: after all, the ascetic prays for the whole world, the living and the dead, and during prayer this priest and others like him, burning in the flame, can at least see each other a little.
- One day, an Angel of God told Saint Macarius that he had not achieved the spiritual perfection that... two women living in a nearby city possessed. The saint was not filled with envy, but went to the city to learn from these women. It turned out that these are two wives of two brothers who live in peace with each other and live together with their spouses Christian life in the middle of a world full of temptations. This episode from the life of Saint Macarius is given as consolation and instruction to all Orthodox Christians: one can achieve holiness without being a monk, like Saint Macarius, but by being in prayer and love with one’s neighbors.
SPIRITUAL LIFE AND INSTRUCTIONS OF THE SAINT
Saint Macarius described his experience of spiritual work and asceticism as beautiful literary language. His works are read by Orthodox Christians to this day, studying the theological heritage of the saint and guided by his advice as a wise spiritual mentor. About fifty spiritual conversations and less than a dozen instructions and messages were left to humanity after the saint as pearls of his wisdom. They are divided and entitled according to such themes as Christian Love, reason, its freedom and its ascension to God, spiritual perfection, prayer, patience, purity of heart. The saint showed how transitory earthly life is and how in it one can prepare the soul for the Kingdom of God in Heaven: one must cultivate in the soul a kinship with God. After all, if we don’t like virtue, we don’t love God and prayer - next to God we will simply be burned by His grace, being alien to it and incapable of communicating with Christ, in paradise we will be bored and we ourselves will suffer there. Saint Macarius said that you need to change, rejecting vices and changing your condition, your nature to good, pure. We ourselves can become partakers of the Divine nature of the Lord, uniting with him, first of all, in the Sacrament of Holy Communion. Man will inherit the Kingdom of God “by justice and by the mercy of God” - that is, God is good, but He will follow the will of man himself, shown by his actions and earthly life. The ability to pray and the desire for God become vectors in the life of every person who loves Christ. The main basis of spiritual life is faith, then life according to the Commandments of God, without mortal sins. The works of Saint Macarius have been translated, perhaps, into all languages of the world. From its very foundation, the Russian Orthodox Church has been guided by them in its instructions for spiritual life: the saint wrote simply and clearly, which is why today many Orthodox Christians try to follow his advice. The life of Saint Macarius himself also serves as an example for many Orthodox Christians, especially monks. His life and miracles were described by the priest Rufinus, who knew the saint personally: he described the lives of many of his contemporaries, but devoted a separate chapter in the book about them to the Monk Macarius. The life of the saint was written in the same century by Bishop Serapion of Lower Egypt, which led to the canonization (official canonization) of Macarius the Great. From the records of Father Rufinus and Bishop Serapion it is clear that Saint Macarius enjoyed authority and veneration among all Egyptians. The monastic communities of Egypt, in turn, gave rise to the entire monasticism of Eastern Christian Church, which over time received the name Orthodox.
WHAT DO YOU PRAY TO SAINT MACARIUS THE GREAT?
The Monk Macarius of Egypt became famous for his severity of life, his ability to control his passions, and many miracles performed at the requests of people. Therefore, even today they pray to him in many needs. The icon of St. Makanius is quite rare, but many monasteries venerate him as a great mentor and have an image of the saint in churches inside the monastery. You can also purchase an image of a saint in a church shop - since the image is rare, you need to look for it for sale at the cathedral (main) cathedral of your city or in monasteries. In front of the icon, light a candle, cross yourself twice, kiss the hand of the saint on the icon, cross yourself again and bow, and then begin to read the prayer - you can use your own words. You can ask Saint Macarius the Great:
- About enlightenment with the light of truth, assistance in making vital decisions;
- Strengthening faith and the ability to pray;
- About correcting your life, seeing your sins and getting rid of them in spiritual purity;
- About consolation in troubles and help to patience;
- About peace of mind and tranquility;
- About deliverance from the misfortunes of the devil, deliverance from witchcraft influences;
- About wisdom and choosing the right path in life.
Macarius the Great was born around 300 in Lower Egypt in the village of Ptinapor. IN early age At the request of his parents, he got married, but was widowed early. After the death of his wife, Macarius delved into the study Holy Scripture. Having buried his parents, Macarius retired to the desert closest to the village and became a novice under the elder hermit who lived there. A local bishop passing through Ptinapor ordained Macarius as one of the junior clergy of the local church, but Macarius, burdened by the rank he had received, left the village and retired completely alone into the desert.
After living alone for several years in the Paran desert, Macarius went to Anthony the Great and became his student, living for a long time in the monastery he founded in the Thebad desert. On the advice of Anthony, Macarius retired to the Skete desert.
At the age of 40, Macarius was ordained to the priesthood and made abbot of the monks living in the Skete desert. At the same age, according to church tradition, he received the gift of miracles and became famous for many miracles, including the resurrection of the dead. So, according to legend, the saint raised the dead in order to convince the heretic who denied the possibility of resurrection. From later evidence about the life of Macarius, it is known that he could appeal to the dead in such a way that they could speak out loud. There is a known case when a dead person testified to justify an innocent person; another deceased person told where things were hidden, which saved his family from slavery.
Around 360, Macarius founded a monastery in the Nitrian desert, which later received the name - Monastery of Macarius the Great.
Coptic monastery of St. Macarius the Great
Macarius the Great, together with Macarius of Alexandria, suffered during the reign of the Arian emperor Valens. They were exiled to a deserted island inhabited by pagans, but, according to legend, through the healing of the priest’s daughter, Macarius converted the inhabitants of the island to Christianity. After the Arian bishop, who sent Macarius into exile, became aware of this, he allowed both elders to return to their deserts.
The monk lived to be 97 years old; shortly before his death, the Monks Anthony and Pachomius appeared to him, conveying the joyful news of his imminent transition to the blessed Heavenly abodes. Having given instructions to his disciples and blessed them, the Monk Macarius said goodbye to everyone and rested with the words: “ Into Your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit". Macarius died in 391, in the monastery he founded.
Monastery of St. Macarius the Great
Relics of three Macarii in the Egyptian monastery of Macarius the Great: Macarius the Great, Macarius of Alexandria and Macarius the Bishop
The relics of Macarius the Great are located in Italy, in the city of Amalfi and in Egypt in the monastery of Macarius the Great.
Literary heritage
The theological heritage of Macarius the Great consists of fifty words (conversations), seven instructions and two epistles. The main theme of the works is the spiritual life of a Christian in the form of ascetic solitude. In a number of his works, Macarius interprets the Bible allegorically (for example, Discourse on the Vision of Ezekiel).
The thought that greater good and the goal of man - the unity of the soul with God - is the main one in the works of St. Macarius. Talking about ways to achieve sacred unity, the monk was based on the experience of the great teachers of Egyptian monasticism and on his own. The path to God and the experience of communion with God among holy ascetics is open to every believing heart. That is why the Holy Church included in the commonly used vespers and morning prayers ascetic prayers of St. Macarius the Great.
Earthly life, according to the teachings of the Monk Macarius, with all its labors, has only a relative meaning: to prepare the soul, to make it capable of receiving the Kingdom of Heaven, to cultivate in the soul an affinity with the Heavenly Fatherland. " The soul that truly believes in Christ must shift and change from the present vicious state to another state, good, and from the present humiliated nature to another, Divine nature, and be remade into a new one - through the power of the Holy Spirit". This can be achieved if “we truly believe and love God and follow all His holy commandments.” If the soul, betrothed to Christ in holy Baptism, does not itself contribute to the grace of the Holy Spirit given to it, then it will be subject to “excommunication from life”, as having been found to be indecent and incapable of communion with Christ. In the teaching of St. Macarius, the question of the unity of God’s Love and God’s Truth is experimentally resolved. The inner feat of a Christian determines the measure of his perception of this unity. Each of us acquires salvation by grace and the Divine gift of the Holy Spirit, but achieving the perfect measure of virtue necessary for the soul to assimilate this Divine gift is possible only “by faith and love with the effort of free will.” Then “as much as by grace, so much by righteousness,” the Christian will inherit eternal life. Salvation is a divine-human work: we achieve complete spiritual success “not by Divine power and grace alone, but also by bringing our own labors,” on the other hand, we arrive at “the measure of freedom and purity” not only through our own diligence, but not without “assistance from above the hand of God.” " A person’s fate is determined by the actual state of his soul, his self-determination towards good or evil. " If the soul in this still world does not receive into itself the shrine of the Spirit for much faith and prayer, and does not become a participant in the Divine nature, then it is unsuitable for the Kingdom of Heaven«.
Troparion to St. Macarius the Great, tone 1
Desert dweller, and an angel in the flesh, / and a wonderworker appeared, our God-bearing Father Macarius, / by fasting, vigil, and prayer, I received heavenly gifts, / healing the sick and the souls of those who come to you by faith. / Glory to Him who gave you strength, / glory to Him who crowned you, // glory to Him who heals you all.
Kontakion to St. Macarius the Great, tone 1
Having passed away your blessed life in the life of martyrs, / you worthily settled in the land of the meek, God-bearing Macarius, / and having populated the desert like a city, you received grace from the God of miracles, // in the same way we honor you.
Philokalia. Volume I Corinthian Saint Macarius
Saint Macarius the Great
Saint Macarius the Great
Information about the life and writings of St. Macaria
The greatest successor to the teaching gift of St. Anthony was St. Macarius of Egypt. Legends have preserved only two cases of visits by St. Macarius St. Anthony, but we must assume that these were not the only cases. Probably St. Macarius more than once had to listen to the lengthy conversations of St. Anthony, who, out of his solitude, he sometimes led throughout the night to the brethren who had gathered for edification from him and were waiting for him in the monastery, as Cronius assures (Lavsaik, chapter 23). That is why in the conversations of St. Macarius, one can hear almost word for word some of the instructions of St. Antonia. Anyone who reads both in a row can notice this immediately. And one cannot help but admit that this lamp is St. Macarius - kindled by that great luminary - St. Antonia.
Tales about the life of St. Macarius did not reach us in its entirety. Everything that could be found out about him was collected in his biography, which was included with the publication of his conversations. The most remarkable incident in it is the vain he endured when he still lived not far from the village. What humility, what self-sacrifice, what devotion to the will of God! These traits then characterized the entire life of St. Macaria. Satan also publicly admitted that he was completely defeated by the humility of the saint. Macaria. It was also a ladder to those high degrees of spiritual perfection and gifts of grace that we finally see in St. Macaria.
From the writings of St. Macarius has 50 conversations and an epistle. They have been published in Russian translation for a long time, and there is no need to place them in our collection as they are. Let us make a selection from them, which would represent in some order the instructions of St. Macaria. For they represent something whole and are remarkable in that they clarify in detail the main task of Christianity - the sanctification of the fallen soul through the action of the grace of the Holy Spirit. This is the main point where almost all of his lessons are directed. This is what the Greek Philokalia does. From St. Macarius contains not his conversations, but 150 chapters extracted by Simeon Metaphrastes from his conversations, which for us amount to seven words. But what Metaphrastus does, anyone can do. That's what we do too.
St. Macarius does not concern himself with particulars in asceticism. Those to whom he addressed his conversations were already diligent workers. Therefore, he was primarily concerned only with giving the proper direction to these works, indicating to them the final goal to which they should strive, raising such labors and sweats. This, as already mentioned, is the sanctification of the soul by the grace of the Holy Spirit. Spirituality is the soul of the soul. There is no life without him. It is also a guarantee of a future bright state.
St. Macarius deals with the fallen soul and teaches it how to come out of this state of darkness, corruption, and deadness into the light, to be healed, to come to life. Therefore, his instructions are important not only for world-deniers, but for all Christians in general: for this is what Christianity is about: to rise from the fall. This is why the Lord came; and all His saving institutions in the Church are also directed. Although everywhere he sets a world-denying life as a condition for success in this matter; but a kind of renunciation of the world is also obligatory for the laity. For everything in the world is enmity to God. And what is the salvation?
In choosing instructions, we will adhere to the order that naturally forms in our heads when we read the conversations of St. Macaria. St. Macarius often raises his thoughts to our very beginning and depicts the bright state in which the first man was - and this in order to make the already gloomy appearance of the fallen, depicted by him in the most unattractive images, seem even darker. He does both so that the boundless mercy of God, revealed to us in saving us through the incarnation of the Only Begotten Son of God, and the grace of the Most Holy Spirit, becomes more obvious. Nevertheless, he exhibits these three objects for the purpose of arousing in everyone the desire to work out their salvation and inspire them with courage to patiently walk and complete their entire path. This path begins with the formation of a firm, to the point of the stomach, determination to follow the Lord - it goes through labor in the feats of self-compulsion and self-resistance, but through this leading to a tangible action of grace, or, as he says, until the grace of the Holy Spirit is finally revealed in the heart in strength and effectiveness - leads to the perfection possible on earth in Christ Jesus our Lord and ends with a twofold state of souls in the future life.
Thus, all the thoughts of St. We will collect Macarius the Great under the following titles:
The bright state of the first person. The gloomy state of the fallen.
Our only salvation is the Lord Jesus Christ.
Forming a firm resolve to follow the Lord.
State of labor.
The state of those who have received a feeling of grace.
Possible Christian perfection on earth.
Future state after death and resurrection.
The speeches of St. Macarius word for word. The collector makes only the titles on his own behalf. In quotations, the first number means the conversation, and the second is the chapter or paragraph of the conversation. It should be noted that there are paragraphs that contain more than one idea; That’s why they are sometimes quoted more than once.
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From the author's bookSt. Macarius the Great, Egyptian (390–391) February 1 (January 19, O.S.) St. Macarius the Great, Egyptian, was born in the village of Ptinapor in Lower Egypt. At the request of his parents, he married, but soon became a widower. Having buried his wife, Macarius said to himself: “Listen, Macarius,
From the author's bookVenerable Macarius the Great, Egyptian (On prayer for the dead) I. On this day, the memory of one of the great ascetics of the Egyptian deserts, Ven. Macarius of Egypt, who lived in the 4th century AD. Once, although in the desert, Venerable. Macarius saw a dry human on the ground
From the author's bookMacarius the Great (+391) Macarius the Great (Macarius of Egypt; c. 300, Ptinapor - 391) - Christian saint, hermit, revered as a saint, author of spiritual conversations. He was widowed early, having taken up the study of the Holy Scriptures after the death of his wife. After the death of his parents, he left
The Monk Macarius of Egypt was born around 301 in Egypt. The saint's father was a presbyter and was called Abraham, but his mother bore the name Sarah. Since the marriage of Macarius’s parents was barren, they agreed to live in spiritual cohabitation, not carnal, decorating their lives with many virtues. At that time, barbarians attacked Egypt and plundered all the property of the inhabitants of Egypt, including Abraham and Sarah. One day, when Macarius’s father was sleeping, the holy patriarch Abraham appeared to him in a dream, who began to console him in misfortune and at the same time predicted that God would soon bless him with the birth of a son. It was then that Macarius’s parents moved to the village of Ptinapor in Lower Egypt. After some time, Presbyter Abraham became very ill. But in a dream an Angel appeared to him and said: “God has had mercy on you, Abraham. He heals you from illness and grants you His favor, for your wife Sarah will give birth to a son, the same name as blessedness. He will be the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit, living on earth in angelic form, and will lead many to God.” Soon after this, Sarah conceived in old age, and, after a certain time, she had a son, who was named Macarius, which means “blessed.”
When the youth Macarius reached adulthood and learned to understand the Holy Scriptures, he wanted to lead a monastic life. But his parents, forgetting about the prophecy, persuaded him to enter into marriage. Macarius obeyed, but after the wedding he did not touch his bride. A few days later, one of Macarius’ relatives happened to go to Mount Nitria. Macarius also went with him. The Nitrian Desert bordered Libya and Ethiopia and received its name from the neighboring mountain, where a lot of nitrate, or saltpeter, was found in the lakes. In Nitria, in a dream vision, a wondrous man appeared before the saint, shining with light, who said: “Macarius! Look carefully at these deserted places, for you are destined to dwell here.” Waking up from sleep, Macarius began to reflect on what was said to him in the vision. At that time, no one had yet settled in the desert, except for Anthony the Great and the unknown hermit Paul of Thebes.
Immediately upon the return of the blessed one, his wife died, having passed away immaculately in eternal life. Macarius thanked God, reflecting at the same time: “Pay attention to yourself, Macarius, and take care of your soul, for you too will soon have to leave this earthly life.” And from that time on, Macarius no longer began to care about anything earthly, constantly remaining in the temple of the Lord and reading the Holy Scriptures. Meanwhile, Abraham, the father of Macarius, lost his sight from old age and illness. Blessed Macarius looked after his father with love and zeal. Soon the elder departed to the Lord, and six months later Sarah, Macarius’ mother, also died. The Monk Macarius buried his parents, and then distributed all his property to commemorate the souls of the deceased.
Having thus freed himself from all everyday worries, Macarius came to an experienced elder, who lovingly received the humble young man, showed him the beginnings of silent monastic life and taught him the usual monastic needlework - basket weaving. He also arranged a separate cell for Macarius, not far from his own. Some time later, the bishop of that country came to the village of Ptinapor and, having learned from the inhabitants of the village about the exploits of Blessed Macarius, he called him to himself, making him a cleric of the local church, although Macarius was still young. But Saint Macarius, burdened by the position of cleric, left and settled in a deserted place. One reverent man came here to him and began to serve Macarius.
The devil, a hater of all good, seeing how he was being defeated by the young monk, began to vigorously fight him, plotting various intrigues: sometimes instilling in him sinful thoughts, sometimes attacking him in the form of various monsters. When Macarius was awake at night, standing in prayer, the devil shook his cell to the very foundation, and sometimes, turning into a snake, crawled along the ground and furiously rushed at the saint. But blessed Macarius, protecting himself with prayer and sign of the cross, I considered all these intrigues for nothing. Then the devil taught one woman to slander Macarius for allegedly dishonoring her. The relatives, believing her, beat the blessed man to a pulp, and then demanded that he now support their daughter. Having recovered, the blessed one began to make baskets and sent the money from their sale to feed the woman. When the time came for her to give birth, the righteous judgment of God befell her. For a very long time she could not get rid of the burden, sobbing bitterly from severe pain, until she admitted to slander. Hearing that the hermit was innocent of her shame, the inhabitants tried to fall at his feet with tears, asking for forgiveness, so that the wrath of God would not befall them, but Macarius did not want glory from the people and hastily retired to Mount Nitria, where he once had a vision in a dream.
Having lived there for three years in one cave, he went to Anthony the Great, for he had long wanted to see him. Received with love by the Monk Anthony, Macarius became his disciple and lived with him for a long time, receiving instructions and trying to imitate his father in everything. Then, on the advice of the Monk Anthony, Macarius retired to a solitary life in Skete. The hermitage desert was located a day's journey (25-30 versts) from the Nitrian Mountain, in the northwestern part of Egypt. It was a waterless, rocky desert, a favorite place for Egyptian desert dwellers. Here Macarius shone so brightly with his exploits and was so successful in monastic life that he surpassed many of the brethren and received from them the name “elder youth.” Macarius had to fight demons day and night. Sometimes the demons clearly turned into various monsters and rushed at the saint, sometimes they raised an invisible battle against the saint, instilling in him various passionate and unclean thoughts. However, they could not overcome this courageous fighter of truth.
It happened one day that Macarius collected many palm branches in the desert for weaving baskets and carried them to his cell. On the way, he was met by the devil with a sickle and wanted to hit the saint, but could not. Then he said to Macarius: “Macarius! Because of you I suffer great sorrow, because I am unable to overcome you. Here I am, doing everything you do. You fast, and I don’t eat anything at all; You are awake - and I never sleep. However, there is one thing in which you are superior to me. This is humility. That’s why I can’t fight you.”
When the Monk Macarius turned 40 years old, he received from God the gifts of miracles, prophecy and power over unclean spirits. At the same time, he was ordained a priest and made abbot (abba) of the monks living in the Skete. Various legends circulated among the fathers about the exploits of Saint Macarius, this heavenly man whom everyone called the Great. They say that the monk constantly ascended his mind to the heights and most of his time directed his mind towards God rather than towards the objects of this world.
Macarius often visited his teacher Anthony the Great, conducting spiritual conversations with him. Together with two other disciples of the Monk Anthony, Macarius was honored to be present at his blessed death, and, as some kind of rich inheritance, received Anthony’s staff. Together with this staff of Anthony, the Monk Macarius received the spirit of Anthony the Great, just as the prophet Elisha once received such after Elijah the Prophet. By the power of this spirit, Macarius performed many wondrous miracles. Thus, he destroyed the machinations of sorcerers, returning people to their original appearance after the evil eye and magical transformations, healed incurable diseases with prayers and holy oil, and cast out demons many times. The Monk Macarius received such blessed power from God that he could even resurrect the dead. With this gift, he put to shame heretics and restored the truth in complicated cases involving murders and unpaid debts.
The prologue also tells the following about St. Macarius. One day he was on the road and, when night overtook him, he entered a pagan cemetery to spend the night there. Finding there an old bone of a deceased pagan, the monk placed it at his head. The demons, seeing such boldness of Macarius, took up arms against him and, wanting to frighten him, began to shout, calling bone female name: “Go to the bathhouse to wash.” The demon who was in this dead bone answered this call: “I have a wanderer above me.” The monk was not afraid of the demonic wiles, but boldly began to beat the bone he had taken, saying: “Get up and walk if you can.” The demons were put to shame.
Another time, the Monk Macarius walked through the desert and found a dried human skull on the ground. Macarius asked the skull: “Who are you?” - “I was the chief of the pagan priests who lived in this place. When you, Abba Macarius, filled with the Spirit of God, having compassion on those in torment in hell, pray for us, we then receive some relief.” - “What relief do you get and what is your torment?” “How far the sky is from the earth,” the skull answered with a groan, “so great is the fire among which we are, scorched from everywhere from head to toe. At the same time, we cannot see each other's faces. When you pray for us, we see a little of each other, and this serves us as some consolation.” Hearing such an answer, the monk shed tears and said: “Cursed is the day when a person transgressed the Divine commandments.” And again he asked: “Are there any other torments worse than yours?” “We, who did not know God,” answered the skull, “albeit a little, but still feel the mercy of God. Those who knew the name of God, but rejected Him and did not keep His commandments, are tormented below us by much more severe and cruel torments.” After this, the Monk Macarius took that skull, buried it in the ground and left.
Many people came to Saint Macarius different people, even from distant countries. Some asked for his prayers, blessings and fatherly guidance, others for healing from their ailments. Because of this crowd, Macarius now had little time to devote himself to the thought of God in solitude. Therefore, he dug a deep cave under his cell, where he hid for prayer. His monastery, as Rufinus narrates, was located lower, in another desert; there were many brothers in it.
One day Macarius was sitting on the road leading to the monastery. Suddenly he sees the devil walking in human form, dressed in shaggy clothes and covered with pumpkins. Macarius asked: “Where are you going, breathing malice?” - “I’m going to tempt the brethren.” - “Why did you put pumpkins on yourself?” - “I bring food to the brethren.” - “Are there food in all the pumpkins? - asked the monk. "In all. If someone doesn’t like one, I will offer another, a third, etc., so that everyone tries at least one.” Having said this, the devil left. The monk remained on the road. Seeing that the devil was returning, Macarius asked again: “Did you go well to the monastery?” “It’s bad,” answered the devil, “and how could I achieve success? All the monks turned against me, and no one accepted me.” - “Do you really not have a single monk who would obey you?” - Macarius asked again. “I have only one,” answered the devil. - When I come to him, he spins around me like a top. - “What is his name?” - “Theopempt!” Then Abba Macarius went into the distant desert to the named monastery. The brethren, hearing that the saint was coming to them, came out to meet him with palm branches, and each of them prepared his cell, thinking that the monk would want to stay with him. But Macarius the Great asked the monks who Theopempt was here, and went in to him. He received the saint with great joy. Left alone with Theopemptus, Saint Macarius wisely questioned him and learned that he was overcome by the spirit of fornication and other sins. Having taught the monk soul-helping instructions, the blessed one returned to his desert. There, sitting by the road, he again saw the devil going to the monastery, and he admitted that now all the monks were against him.
Once, when the Monk Macarius was praying, there was a voice to him that said: “Makarius! You have not yet achieved such perfection in a virtuous life as two women living together in the nearest city.” Having received such a revelation, the monk took his staff and went to that city. Having found a house there where the said women lived, he called both of them to him and said to them: “For your sake, I took upon myself such a great feat, coming here from the distant desert, for I want to know your good deeds, which I ask you to tell me about.” , without hiding anything.” “Believe us, honest father,” the women answered, “that last night we shared our bed with our husbands. What virtues do you wish to find in us?” But the monk insisted that they tell him their way of life. Then the women said: “We were not related to each other before, but then we married two brothers, and for 15 years now we have all been living in the same house; During our entire life together, we did not say a single malicious or bad word to each other and never quarreled with each other. Recently we decided to leave our carnal spouses and retire to the company of holy virgins serving God. However, we cannot beg our husbands to let us go. Then we made a covenant with God and among ourselves - not to utter a single worldly word until our death.” Having listened to their story, the Monk Macarius said: “Truly God is not looking for a virgin, nor a married woman, nor a monk, nor a layman, but for a free intention, accepting it as the deed itself, and gives the grace of the Holy Spirit acting in man to the voluntary will of every person.” and governing the life of everyone who wants to be saved.”
During the life of Macarius the Great, also called the Egyptian, another venerable Macarius, of Alexandria, shone with holiness. He was a presbyter in a monastery called Cell. This area was located in the desert between Nitria and Skete. The ascetics of Mount Nitria retired to the desert of Kelii after they had already established themselves in monastic life. Here they practiced silence, and their cells were significantly removed from each other. This blessed Macarius of Alexandria often came to the Monk Macarius of Egypt, and they walked together through the desert many times. When the Arian Emperor Valens reigned, he initiated a very severe persecution of the Orthodox. By royal order, Lucius, an Arian bishop, arrived in Alexandria and deposed St. Peter, the successor of St. Athanasius the Great, from his episcopal see. He also sent soldiers into the desert to capture and exile all the desert fathers. Among the first, both Saints Macarius were captured and taken to a remote island, the inhabitants of which worshiped idols. One of the priests who was on that island had a daughter possessed by a demon, and the monks, having prayed, drove him out and healed the girl. Her father immediately believed in Christ and accepted holy baptism. Also, all the inhabitants of that island turned to Christ. Having learned about what had happened, the wicked Bishop Lucius was greatly ashamed that he had expelled such great fathers. Therefore, he secretly sent for the blessed Macarii and all the holy fathers who were with them to be returned to their former habitats.
Meanwhile, many people came to the Monk Macarius the Great from everywhere, so the need arose to build a hotel for wanderers and the sick. This is what the saint arranged. Every day he usually healed one sick person, anointing him with holy oil and sending him home completely healthy. The monk did this so that other sick people, who were not immediately healed by him, would live with him for some time and thereby receive healing not only of the body, but also of the soul, while listening to his divinely inspired teachings.
One day the Monk Macarius went from Skete to Mount Nitria with one of his disciples. When they were already approaching the mountain, the monk said to the disciple: “Go ahead of me.” The student went and met a pagan priest carrying a large log. Seeing him, the monk shouted: “Listen, you demon! Where are you going?" The priest beat the monk so badly that he barely survived. Grabbing the thrown log, the priest ran away. Soon he met the Monk Macarius, who lovingly said: “Save yourself, hard worker, save yourself.” The priest stopped and asked: “What good did you see in me, greeting me with such words?” “I see that you are working,” answered the monk. Then the priest said: “I was touched, father, by your words. I see that you are a man of God. “Before you, another monk met me and scolded me, and I beat him to death.” And with these words the priest fell at the saint’s feet, hugging them and saying: “I will not leave you, father, until you convert me to Christianity and make me a monk.” And he went along with Saint Macarius. After walking a little, they came to the place where the monk lay beaten by the priest and found him barely alive. Taking it, they brought it to the church. The fathers, seeing the pagan priest together with the Monk Macarius, were greatly amazed. Then, having baptized him, they made him a monk, and for his sake many pagans converted to Christianity. Saint Macarius gave the following instruction on this occasion: “ Evil word and makes the good evil, but a good word makes the evil good.”
One day the Monk Macarius came to the monastery of Abba Pambo. Here the elders asked the blessed one to give a word for the edification of the brethren. Saint Macarius began to say: “Forgive me, for I am a bad monk; but I saw monks. So one day I was sitting in the Skete in my cell, and the thought came to me to go into the inner desert. Five years later I went there and found huge swamp, in the middle of which I saw an island. At this time the animals came to drink water. Among the animals I noticed two naked people and thought that I was seeing disembodied spirits. Seeing that I was very frightened, the people calmed me down and said that they were from the monastery, but it had been thirty years since they left the monastery. One of them was Egyptian, the other was Libyan. Then they asked me what situation the world was in now, whether the rivers were still filled with their streams, whether the earth abounded in its usual fruits. I answered them: “Yes.” Then he asked them how I could become a monk. They answered me: “If a person does not renounce everything that is in the world, he cannot be a monk.” To this I said: “I am weak and therefore cannot be like you.” “If you cannot be like us,” they said, “then sit in your cell and lament your sins.” And again I asked them if they did not suffer from cold in winter and scorching heat in summer. They answered me: “The Lord God has given us such bodies that we do not suffer from frost in winter, nor from heat in summer.” “That’s why I told you, brethren,” the Monk Macarius finished his speech, “that I have not yet become a monk, but I have seen monks.”
One day the Monk Macarius was asked by the Skete fathers how he achieved the fact that his body always remained thin? The Monk Macarius gave the following answer: “Just as a poker, which is used to turn over burning wood and brushwood in a stove, is always scorched by fire, so in a person who always directs his mind to the Lord and always remembers the terrible torment in the fire of Gehenna, this fear not only consumes the body, but it also dries up the bones.”
Then the brethren asked the monk about prayer. He gave them the following instruction: “Prayer does not require verbosity, but you must raise your hands, saying: Lord! as You wish and as You Yourself know, have mercy on me. If the enemy raises a sinful war in the soul, one must only say: Lord, have mercy. The Lord knows what is good for us and will show us mercy.”
Another time, Abba Isaiah asked the monk: “Tell me, father, some instruction for the benefit of the soul.” “Run from people,” the Monk Macarius answered him. “That is, sit in your cell and lament your sins.” He said to his disciple Paphnutius the Great: “Do not offend anyone, do not slander anyone, by doing this you will be saved.” The saint also said: “If you want to be saved, be like a dead man: do not be angry when you are dishonored, do not be arrogant when you are praised. By doing this you will be saved.” To the elders who lived on Mount Nitria, the monk said: “Brothers! let us cry, and let tears flow from our eyes, cleansing us before we cross to where the tears will burn our bodies in agony.”
One day the Monk Macarius found a thief in his cell. Outside, near the cell, a donkey was tied, onto which the thief was placing stolen things. The monk, seeing this, did not let the thief know that he was a householder, and even began to help him take things and put them on the donkey. Then he let him go in peace, thinking like this: “We didn’t bring anything with us into this world, and we can’t take anything away from here. The Lord has given us everything, and as He wishes, so everything happens. May God be blessed in everything!”
The fathers said about this Venerable Macarius that he became, as it were, an earthly god, for, just as God, although he sees the whole world, does not punish sinners, so the Monk Macarius covered the human infirmities that he saw. It happened that even being far from his children, he appeared to them during demonic temptations and miraculously helped them avoid falls. The prayer of Macarius the Great had such power with God. One day the monk himself, being very tired, prayed fervently and was transported across a great distance to where he needed to go.
Now is the time to tell us about the blessed death of Macarius of Egypt, which Serapion, the writer of his life, told us about. The time of death did not remain unknown to the monk. Shortly before his repose, Saints Anthony the Great and Pachomius the Great appeared to him in a vision. Those who appeared announced to the saint that on the ninth day he would depart into blessed eternal life. Then the divine Macarius called his disciples and said to them: “Children! Now the time has come for my departure from here, and I hand you over to the goodness of God. So, preserve the fatherly statutes and traditions of the fasters.” Having then laid his hands on his disciples, having sufficiently taught them and prayed for them, the monk began to prepare for his death. When the ninth day arrived, the Cherub appeared to Saint Macarius with many Angels and with the saints and took his immortal soul to the heavenly abodes.
The describer of the life of Saint Macarius Serapion heard from Venerable Paphnutius, one of the disciples of the saint, that when the soul of Macarius ascended to heaven, some of the fathers saw with their mental eyes that the air demons stood in the distance and shouted: “Oh, what glory have you been awarded, Macarius!” The saint answered: “I am afraid, for I do not know anything good that I would do.” Then those of the demons who were even higher along the path of the following soul of Macarius screamed: “You truly escaped our hands, Macarius!” But he said: “No, but we must also avoid it.” And when the monk was already at the gates of heaven, the demons exclaimed: “He escaped us, he escaped.” Then Macarius loudly answered the demons: “Yes! Protected by the power of my Christ, I escaped your wiles.” Such is the life, death and transition to eternal life of our venerable father Macarius of Egypt.
Saint Macarius the Great died around 391 at the age of 90. The place of his exploits is still called the Makaria desert. The relics of the saint are located in the city of Amalfi in Italy. The precious heritage of the experienced wisdom of Saint Macarius that has come down to us is 50 Words, 7 Instructions and 2 Epistles, as well as several sublime prayers. The subjects of the conversations and instructions of the Monk Macarius are the grace of God and inner spiritual life, as it is accomplished on the path of contemplative solitude. Despite the profound subject matter, the conversations and instructions of the spirit-bearing teacher are simple and intelligible to the mind and close to the reverent heart.