Prayer of Saint Macarius of Alexandria. Venerable Macarius the Great, Egyptian (†391) Elder Macarius of Egypt

In the year of celebrating the 1000th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus', at the Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church, a whole host of saints of God, whose activities span about six centuries of church history, were glorified. And among them is the head of the Russian Church of the 16th century, St. Macarius, Metropolitan of Moscow and All Rus'.

All-Russian Metropolitan Macarius was born c. 1482 in Moscow in a family of pious parents. It is known that his father’s name was Leonty and that his mother subsequently took monastic vows with the name Euphrosyne. At baptism he was named in the name of Michael, the Archangel of the Heavenly Forces. His distant relative, the brother of his great-grandfather, was the Monk Joseph of Volotsk (+ 1515; memorial September 9). From the funeral Synodic of the Assumption Cathedral we learn that in the family of St. Macarius there were many more persons of monastic and clerical rank. Mikhail's father, apparently, died soon after the birth of his son, but his mother, placing her trust in the upbringing of her son in the Providence of God, took monastic vows in one of the monasteries. Then the future saint decides to leave peaceful life and devote himself to serving God. To do this, he entered the monastery of St. Paphnutius of Borovsky as a novice (+1477; memorial May 1).

This monastery was known for the strict ascetic life of its monks. The great saints of the Russian Church originally labored here: the monks Joseph of Volotsk and Levkiy of Volokolamsk (16th century), Daniil of Pereyaslavl (+1540; commemoration April 7) and David of Serpukhov (+ 1520; commemoration October 18). During his tonsure, the future saint was named in honor of the famous Orthodox ascetic hermit St. Macarius of Egypt (+ 391; memorial Jan. 19). At the monastery, he untiringly went through the school of monastic feats of vigil, humility, prayer and obedience, delved into book wisdom, and comprehended the scriptures of holy icons. The cathedral church of the Borovsk monastery was painted by the famous icon painter Dionysius, and there were also icons of St. Andrei Rublev (15th century; commemorated on July 4). The monk Macarius, the future metropolitan, studied artistic skills with the great masters of antiquity.

On February 15, 1523, during the ritual of Great Lent, the monk Macarius was appointed by Metropolitan Daniel (1522-1539; (1547) as archimandrite of the Luzhetsky Monastery of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, founded by the Monk Ferapont of Mozhaisk (+ 1426; memorial May 27). Being rector monastery, he starts the monastery Synodik, establishing the commemoration of all the deceased brethren, arranges a chapel in the monastery cathedral in honor of his Heavenly patron - the Venerable Macarius of Egypt.But Archimandrite Macarius's stay in Mozhaisk was short-lived: three years later he was called to archpastoral service.

On March 4, 1526, Archimandrite Macarius was consecrated as archbishop of Veliky Novgorod and Pskov, to the most ancient see of the Moscow Metropolis. The saint's consecration took place in the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin, and on July 29 of the same year he arrived at the see, which had been widowed without a bishop, according to the chronicler, for 17 years and 7 weeks. The chronicler says: “The saint sat on the archbishop’s table, and there was great joy among the people, not only in Veliky Novgorod, but also in Pskov and everywhere. And the bread was cheap, and the monastery was blessed with taxes, and there was great intercession for the people, and there was a feeder for the orphans.”

In a new high field, Bishop Macarius takes care of the missionary education of the northern peoples of the vast Novgorod land. He repeatedly sends priests there to preach the Gospel, commanding that pagan temples be destroyed, pagan rituals eradicated, and everything sprinkled with holy water. The blessing for missionary work in the very north of the Novgorod region, as well as the antimension, sacred vessels and books, was received from the saint by the Saint Tryphon of Pechenga (+ 1583; memorial Dec. 15).

In 1528, in the second year of his episcopal service, Saint Macarius, fulfilling the decree of the Moscow Council of 1503, made a decision to introduce a cenobitic charter in all Novgorod monasteries. Having gathered the abbots, he “began to teach them, as from the Life-Giving Trinity, from the highest Wisdom with teaching, so that they can organize a common life.” From that time on, the abbots, having accepted the good advice of the God-loving archbishop, began to introduce communal rules in their monasteries, began to erect stone or wooden churches and introduce common meals. According to the chronicler, the number of monks in the monasteries immediately increased.

The saint showed great concern for the creation and decoration of churches in his diocese and, above all, in Veliky Novgorod. He landscaped the St. Sophia Cathedral; above the entrance to the cohort, with his blessing, images of the Most Holy Trinity and St. Sophia, the Wisdom of God, were painted, “for the veneration of all Orthodox Christians.” The lord's craftsmen installed a pulpit in the cathedral and made new royal doors with a richly decorated curtain. In total, under Saint Macarius, in Novgorod alone, about forty churches were built, rebuilt and re-decorated after fires, for which books were written, church utensils and vessels were made in the lord’s workshop.

Having acquired the skill of icon painting in the Pafnutievo-Borovsky Monastery, the saint, as reported in the chronicle of 1529, “renovated” the great shrine of the Novgorod land - the icon of the Mother of God “The Sign,” which had become very dilapidated by that time. After finishing the work, he himself led the icon with a religious procession to the Spassky Church on the Trade Side, where it was constantly kept for veneration by the pious Novgorodians.

Being the shepherd of the children of the church, Saint Macarius devoted much energy and care to serving his neighbors, treating equally the rich and the poor, the small and the great. O himself buries those who were burned in prison during a fire, collects money throughout the diocese for the ransom of compatriots from Tatar captivity, and sends Grand Duke Vasily III part of the candle that miraculously lit up at the relics of St. Varlaam of Khutyn. During the time of national disasters, pestilence and drought that happened in Veliky Novgorod, the active archpastor convenes the clergy, delivers sermons, performs prayer services with a special rite of washing the holy relics and then orders that everything in the vicinity be sprinkled with this water. Soon the pestilence and epidemic cease. With his arduous work, Archbishop Macarius gained great love from his flock.

In 1542, by order of St. Macarius, the church of St. Nicholas was built in the lord’s courtyard, whom the archbishop especially honored as the patron saint of travelers. He himself repeatedly made long trips both throughout the diocese and beyond: for example, in 1539 he went to Moscow, where he headed the election and installation of a new All-Russian Metropolitan - St. Joasaph (1539-1542; (1555; memorial July 27 ), chosen from the abbots of the Trinity-Sergius Monastery.

With the blessing of the saint, lives and services of Russian saints are written in Novgorod. Hieromonk Elijah from the house lord's church compiled the life of the martyr George of Bulgaria (+ 1515; memorial May 26), and also wrote a canon and service to Michael of Klopsky (+ c. 1456; January 11). His life was written by Vasily Mikhailovich Tuchkov, who in 1537 arrived in Novgorod from Moscow on the sovereign’s business. “At that time, the throne was then adorned by the Wisdom of God, truly blessed to the same-named Archbishop Macarius, whose many, for the sake of virtue, throughout all Russia, the glory of him came.” Vladyka Macarius addressed him with the words: “Keep the secret of the king, child, and write clearly the works of God” (Tov. 12, 7) and “spread the life and miracles of the venerable and blessed Michael, called Sallos, who lived a blessed life at the Life-Giving Trinity to Bedbugs." The created lives were edifying reading for pious Novgorodians

In 1542, the Russian Church raised the question of electing a new metropolitan to the Moscow see. By God's providence the choice fell on the ruler of Novgorod. “By the grace of the Holy Spirit, by the holy election and will of the Grand Duke Ivan Vasilyevich of All Russia, Macarius was named metropolitan archbishop of Great Novagrad and Pskov; On March 16, on the fourth week of Holy Lent, he was elevated to the court of the Metropolitan, and placed on the high throne of the High Priesthood of Great Russia to the Metropolis of the same month of March 19, on the 4th week of Holy Lent,” we read in the Nikon Chronicle. At the time of the election of Saint Macarius to the throne of the Moscow wonderworkers Peter, Alexy and Jonah, he was about 60 years old.

In the 16th century Russia was the only Orthodox country that was not burdened by a foreign yoke. And so in 1547, in Moscow, the stronghold of Orthodoxy, for the first time in history, the royal wedding of the Moscow sovereign took place, which was performed by St. Macarius. This event had special significance, since it took place in Moscow, and not in Constantinople, and was performed by the metropolitan, and not the patriarch. Now Orthodox Christians all over the world looked with hope and hope at the only Orthodox king in the world.

Shortly before the Kazan campaign, the Tsar. Concerned about the disaster that has arisen in the newly founded city of Sviyazhsk, he turns to the Metropolitan with the question of how to help the disaster that has occurred. To which the holy elder boldly replies: “May the relics of all the saints be brought to the cathedral church, may the service be performed over them and the water may be holy from them, may the priest sent by you, the sovereign, with our humility to Sviyaga to the Most Pure Nativity of Her and to all churches prayer services will also be performed and the waters will be sanctified together, and the city will be sanctified with the circus of the cross and with holy waters, and all people will be protected with the cross and sprinkled with water, so that Christ will quench His righteous wrath for the prayers of His saints, and send a teaching to those living in the city, How men have sinned, but little will they come from their evils.” After the prayer service, Metropolitan Macarius wrote a teaching message to the city of Sviyazhsk. In it, he encourages residents to zealously fulfill Christian traditions, remembering the fear of God and avoiding sinful acts. The water blessed at the prayer service, along with the message, was sent in 1552 to Sviyazhsk, where illness and disorder in the garrison soon began to cease through the prayerful intercession of St. Macarius.

In 1552, Metropolitan Macarius blessed the tsar to go to Kazan and predicted his future victory and victory. Later, in memory of this event, the Cathedral of the Intercession on the Moat was built in Moscow, now known as the Church of St. Basil the Blessed. A chapel was built in it in honor of the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem. The head of the Russian Church himself consecrated this marvelous cathedral, a pearl of Russian architecture. Here, on Red Square, in memory of the Gospel event, the saint made a solemn procession on a donkey on the feast of Palm Resurrection. After the Kazan victory, a new vast diocese was created in the Russian Church, in which missionary activity began with the installation of the first Kazan saint, Archbishop Guria (+ 1563; commemoration Dec. 5).

In 1547 and 1549 The saint convenes Councils in Moscow, which rightfully remain in the history of the Russian Church with the name of the Makarievskys. The issue of glorifying Russian saints was resolved at them. Before this, the glorification of saints was carried out in Rus' with the blessing and authority of the local bishop, so ascetics were revered only in the lands of their labors and exploits. Metropolitan Macarius, whom his contemporaries called a martyr, convened the Councils and took upon himself the great work of establishing church-wide glorification and veneration of the holy saints of God. The Makariev Councils of 1547 revealed an entire era in the history of the Russian Church, “the era of new miracle workers.” This is what all newly canonized Russian saints were called then. These Councils caused a great spiritual upsurge in Russian society.

At the Makaryev Councils, the first autocephalous Metropolitan Jonah, the Novgorod hierarchs John, Jonah, Euthymius, Nikita, Niphon were canonized; noble princes Alexander Nevsky, Vsevolod Pskovsky, Mikhail Tverskoy; the pillars of monasticism are the Venerable Paphnutius of Borovsky, Macarius of Kalyazinsky, Alexander of Svirsky, Nikon of Radonezh, Savva of Storozhevsky and others. The chronology of these names covers almost the entire period of Christianity in Rus' by that time, their liturgical glorification shows the diversity of their saving deeds. The Russian people turned to their prayerful intercession with zeal.

The glorification of the ascetics required the writing of new services for them with liturgical instructions of a typical nature on the order of their performance, as well as the creation again or editing of their previously written lives. All this is done by the High Hierarch Macarius of glory for the sake of God and His holy saints, whom “the Lord God glorified with many miracles and various banners.”

At the beginning of 1551, the Stoglavy Council, convened by Metropolitan Macarius, began work in the royal chambers of Moscow. It examined a variety of issues relating to the appearance of a Christian and his behavior and piety, church deanery and discipline, icon painting and spiritual enlightenment. After the Council, mandate letters were sent to various parts of the Russian metropolis, which were then used as the basis for conciliar decrees in their preparation and editing. The cathedral received in history the name Stoglavy, i.e. its materials are presented in one hundred chapters.

It is known that Saint Macarius made great efforts to eradicate various false teachings. At the Council of 1553, the heresy of Matthew Bashkin and Theodosius Kosoy was condemned, who taught that Christ is not God, they did not venerate icons and rejected the Church Sacraments.

Saint Macarius made a huge contribution to the development of ancient Russian writing. While still in Novgorod, he continued the works of Archbishop Gennady (+ 1505; memorial 4 December). And if Archbishop Gennady collected biblical books, then Bishop Macarius set the goal of collecting all the spiritual literature in Rus'. He began his work on systematizing Russian church literature in 1529. This undertaking received in history the name of the Great Makaryev Chetya Menaion. Their first edition was included in the Novgorod St. Sophia Cathedral in 1541, the second in the 50s was given as a contribution to the Kremlin Assumption Cathedral, and the third was later received by the first Russian Tsar. The Menaions collect and edit various lists of the lives of many saints, the homiletical, theological and patriotic heritage of the Russian Church.

Metropolitan Macarius supervises the work of not only editors and copyists, but also the authors of spiritual works. Thus, he commands the archpriest from the Kremlin Church of the Savior on Bor, Ermolai, to write a book about the Holy Trinity and the life of Bishop Vasily of Ryazan. On the initiative of the saint, the first systematic work on Russian history was created - “The Powerful Book of the Royal Genealogy”, the composition of which was directly worked on by the royal confessor - Archpriest of the Annunciation Cathedral Andrei (in monasticism Athanasius), the future metropolitan, successor and continuer of the works of St. Macarius. Particularly close, obviously, to Metropolitan Macarius was the prolific writer of Ancient Rus', Priest Vasily, monastically Varlaam, who glorified the Pskov saints with his hymnographic and hagiographic works.

Saint Macarius became the patron of printing in Rus'; under him, the printing of books began for the first time in the Russian state by the cleric of the Church of St. Nicholas of Gostunsky in the Kremlin, Deacon Ivan Fedorov. In the afterword of the Apostle in 1564, published after the death of the saint, and in two editions of the Book of Hours in 1565, it is said that they were also printed “with the blessing of the Right Reverend Macarius, Metropolitan of All Rus'.” At that time, these books were not only read in churches, they were also used to teach literacy.

Saint Macarius, who devoted so much energy to the glorification of Russian saints, by the grace of God, was honored in his daily activities with constant communication with pious men who were later canonized by the Russian Church. With his blessing, the monastery was founded by the Monk Adrian Poshekhonsky (+1550; commemorated March 5), whom the Metropolitan himself ordained and gave him a charter for the construction of the Church of the Assumption of the Mother of God.

A contemporary of Saint Macarius was an amazing saint, whom Muscovites called the Nagokhod - Basil the Blessed (mem. August 2). He repeatedly prayed at services in the Assumption Cathedral performed by the Metropolitan. His denunciation of the king is significant when, after the Divine Liturgy in a crowded church, the blessed one surprised the autocrat, who during the service was thinking about building a new palace for himself, noting that “there was no one at the liturgy, but only three: the first metropolitan, the second - the blessed queen, and the third he , sinful Vasily." Later, the saint himself personally performed the funeral service and buried the blessed one.

On February 3, 1555, Saint Macarius appointed Saint Guria (+1563; October 4) to the new Kazan see, and even earlier he ordained another of his contemporary, Venerable Macarius the Roman, of Novgorod (XVI century; commemorated January 19). named after the monastery.

Particular attention should be paid to the relationship between the Metropolitan and the great Russian ascetic of the 16th century. Venerable Alexander of Svir (+1533; memorial Aug. 30). The Monk Alexander, whom the Lord Himself honored with the Trinity condescension - a visit, was known to the metropolitan, who had honored his works and exploits since the Novgorod period. Before his death, the Monk Alexander entrusted Saint Macarius to take care of his brethren and the founded monastery. 12 years after the death of the saint, the Metropolitan commanded the Svir abbot Herodion to write his life, and another 2 years later, that is, only 14 years after his death, at the Council of 1547, the canonization of the saint took place. The Monk Alexander thus belonged simultaneously to the number of those whom Saint Macarius canonized and to the number of those with whom he communicated in his life. In the Intercession Cathedral on Red Square (St. Basil's Cathedral) in 1560, Saint Macarius was consecrated in honor of the Venerable Alexander of Svirsky

In 1555, on the feast of the apostles Peter and Paul, the miraculous icon of St. Nicholas of Velikoretsky was brought from Vyatka to Moscow. By the providence of God, Metropolitan Macarius and Archpriest Andrei of the Annunciation renovated this great shrine, “for he was accustomed to icon painting.” The saint worked with much desire and faith, fasting and prayer to renew the holy image of the great wonderworker.

Metropolitan Macarius constantly cared not only for the entire flock, but also for each person, being merciful towards individual, even lost, children of the Church. So, one day, in the Assumption Cathedral, after an evening service, someone “with the enemy’s teachings intended to commit theft,” but was restrained by an invisible force and could not do this. In the morning he was discovered and when Metropolitan Macarius came, they told him how the thief was found in the church. However, the saint was ordered to release him, but the zemstvo judges wanted to judge the criminal according to the law. Then the Metropolitan strictly forbade this and sent a church watchman to escort “Tatya” to a safe place. Arriving at Kulishki, to the Church of All Saints, he began to walk there with a frantic look and soon died. Some grumbled at the metropolitan for letting the thief go unpunished, but the saint was not annoyed with them, and ordered the body of the deceased to be buried.

The basis of the virtuous life of Metropolitan Macarius was the daily work of asceticism, fasting and prayer. One of his unknown contemporaries wrote: “To Metropolitan Macarius of Moscow, who motionlessly lives and rules the true Word of God... from ash abstinence and can barely walk, he is meek and humble, and merciful in everything, and by no means hates pride, but to others cutting off and forbidding, having acquired malice as a child with your mind, you were always perfect.” Cases of insight also testify to the height of his spiritual life. He predicted the capture of Kazan by Russian troops in 1552 and Polotsk in 1563.

It is known that the Metropolitan foresaw the coming disasters of the Russian land, which the oprichnina, established by the Tsar shortly after his blessed death, brought to it. “At some point in the night, the saint stood at his usual prayer and said in a great voice: “Oh, I, a sinner, am more than all men! How can I see this! Wickedness and division of the earth is coming! Lord, have mercy, have mercy! Quench your anger! If you had not had mercy on us for our sins, otherwise it would not be with me, for me! Lord, don’t let me see this!” And shed great tears. And then I heard it from the cell attendant, a certain spiritual person, and was surprised at this, and thought to myself: “Who is he talking to?” And not seeing anyone, you were surprised at this. And he spoke to him spiritually about this: “Wickedness is coming, and hemorrhage, and division of the earth.” This important message from the Piskarev chronicler brings the image of Metropolitan Macarius closer to the ecumenical patriarchs Gennady (458-471; commemorated on August 31) and Thomas (607-610; commemorated on March 21), who earnestly prayed that the Lord would avert the disasters coming for the Church, according to at least during their priesthood.

One day the formidable tsar asked Metropolitan Macarius to send him a helpful book. Having received the Rite of Burial, he became angry with the saint: “You sent me to be buried, but such books cannot be brought into our royal palaces.” And Macarius said to him: “I, your pilgrim, sent simply by your order, that you ordered me to send a book useful for the soul; and she is the most useful of all: if anyone honors her with attention, he will never sin.”

In mid-September 1563, in memory of the martyr Nikita (+372; memorial 5 September), the saint performed a religious procession, during which he caught a severe cold and fell ill. In the evening, he “began to tell his elder that he was exhausted, his body was cold with illness and was possessed by the essence.” He ordered to report his weakness to the place of his tonsure, the Pafnutievo-Borovsky Monastery, and ask the abbot to send him a spiritual elder. Elder Elisha was sent to the saint, who undoubtedly represented the sick hierarch the Venerable Paphnutius himself, who had the custom of spiritually comforting the sick before their death, confessing them and preparing them for departure to another world.

On November 4, the saint prayed for the last time in the Assumption Cathedral and during the prayer service he himself venerated the icons and relics of the great wonderworkers Peter, Jonah and other eminent metropolitans buried in the cathedral, while heartfelt tears flowed from his eyes, and the elder Vladyka sighed prayerfully for a long time before the image of the Most Pure Mother of God of Vladimir, so that all those present marveled at his wonderful prayer. Then the saint humbly asked forgiveness from everyone.

On December 3, the Tsar came to Metropolitan Macarius to ask for a blessing. The saint told him about his intention to retire to the place of his tonsure - the Pafnutievo-Borovsky monastery, but the king persuaded him to remain at the see. Just before his death, the Metropolitan expressed a desire to the Tsar to retire to the monastery, even wrote to him about this in a letter, but by the will of the Tsar he was forced to refuse this again. The feast of the Nativity of Christ arrived, but the life of the saint was already extinguished. He could no longer read the Gospel himself, which he had done all his life, and now the Holy Scriptures were read at his request by clergy close to him.

And so on December 31, 1563, when the bell struck for matins, “the most reverend, wondrous saint and shepherd of the Russian Metropolis of All Russia gave up his soul in the hands of the Living God, Whom you loved from your youth and followed Him with an irrevocable thought.” When his face was revealed before the removal of his body from the metropolitan chambers, it was “like a shining light, for his pure, and immaculate, and spiritual, and merciful life and for other virtues, not like a dead man, but like someone who is sleeping.” Everyone marveled at this wonderful vision, raising glory to God, who glorified His saint.

The funeral service for the saint was performed by 5 bishops in the presence of the king and many people. After this, the high priest's farewell letter was read, which the metropolitan wrote before the end of his life, asking everyone for prayers, forgiveness and granting everyone his last archpastoral blessing.

This is how the great organizer of the Russian Church, Moscow Metropolitan Macarius, ended his wondrous life, whose veneration began immediately after his death. Soon the first icon of the saint appeared on the tomb. It is known that, having returned from the Lithuanian campaign of 1564, the tsar kissed the images of Saints Peter, Jonah and Macarius in the Assumption Cathedral, “kindly kissing them.”

“You will be with the monk, and with the innocent man you will be innocent. And you will be chosen with the chosen (Ps. 17:26-27),” says the psalmist and prophet David. Constantly communicating with holy ascetics, Metropolitan Macarius set an example of faith and the height of archpastoral service. He cared about the spiritual enlightenment of his flock. Having glorified so many Russian saints, he himself now stands before the throne of the Life-Giving Trinity.

Venerable 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: “Pay attention, Macarius, and take care of your soul, for you too will have to leave earthly life.” The Lord rewarded his saint with a long life, but from then on mortal memory was constantly with him, forcing him to feats of prayer and repentance. He began to visit the temple of God more often and delve into the Holy Scriptures, but did not leave his elderly parents, fulfilling the commandment to honor parents.

After the death of his parents, the Monk Macarius ("Macarius" - in Greek means blessed) distributed the remaining estate in memory of his parents and began to fervently pray that the Lord would show him a mentor on the path of salvation. The Lord sent him such a leader in the person of an experienced old monk who lived in the desert, not far from the village. The elder received the young man with love, instructed him in the spiritual science of vigil, fasting and prayer, and taught him handicraft - basket weaving. Having built a separate cell not far from his own, the elder placed a student in it.

One day a local bishop arrived in Ptinapor and, having learned about the virtuous life of the monk, made him, against his will, a clergyman of the local church. However, Blessed Macarius was burdened by the violation of silence, and therefore he secretly went to another place. The enemy of salvation began a stubborn struggle with the ascetic, trying to frighten him, shaking his cell and instilling sinful thoughts. Blessed Macarius repelled the attacks of the demon, protecting himself with prayer and the sign of the cross. Evil people raised a curse against the saint, slandering a girl from a nearby village for seducing her. They pulled him out of his cell, beat him, and mocked him. The Monk Macarius bore temptation with great humility. He meekly sent the money he earned for his baskets to feed the girl. The innocence of Blessed Macarius was revealed when the girl, having suffered for many days, could not give birth. Then she confessed in agony that she had slandered the hermit, and pointed out the real culprit of the sin.

When her parents learned the truth, they were amazed and intended to go to the blessed one with repentance, but the Monk Macarius, avoiding disturbance from people, moved away from those places at night and moved to Mount Nitria in the Paran desert. Thus, human malice contributed to the success of the righteous.

After living for three years in the desert, he went to the father of Egyptian monasticism, whom he had heard about while still living in the world, and was eager to see him. The Monk Abba Anthony lovingly received Blessed Macarius, who became his devoted disciple and follower. The Monk Macarius lived with him for a long time, and then, on the advice of the holy Abba, he retired to the Skete desert (in the northwestern part of Egypt) and there he shone so brightly with his exploits that they began to call him the “old man”, since, having barely reached thirty years of age, he showed himself to be an experienced, mature monk.

The Monk Macarius experienced many attacks from demons: one day he was carrying palm branches from the desert for weaving baskets; on the way the devil met him and wanted to hit the saint with a sickle, but he could not do this and said: “Macarius, I suffer great sorrow from you, because that I cannot defeat you, you have a weapon with which you repel me, this is your humility." When the saint turned 40 years old, he was ordained a priest and made abbot (abba) of the monks living in the Skete desert. During these years, the Monk Macarius often visited the Great Anthony, receiving instructions from him in spiritual conversations. Blessed Macarius was honored to be present at the death of the holy Abba and received as an inheritance his staff, along with which he received the purely spiritual power of the Great Anthony, just as the prophet Elisha once received from the prophet Elijah extreme grace along with the mantle that fell from heaven.

The Monk Macarius performed many healings; people flocked to him from different places for help, advice, asking for his holy prayers. All this violated the saint’s solitude, so he dug a deep cave under his cell and retired there for prayer and contemplation of God. The Monk Macarius achieved such boldness in his walk with God that through his prayer the Lord raised the dead. Despite such a height of achieved Godlikeness, he continued to maintain extraordinary humility.

One day, the holy abba found a thief in his cell, who was loading his things onto a donkey standing by the cell. Without showing that he was the owner of these things, the monk silently began to help tie up the luggage. Having dismissed him in peace, the blessed one said to himself: “We have brought nothing into this world, it is clear that we cannot take anything away from here. May the Lord be blessed in everything!”

One day the Monk Macarius was walking through the desert and, seeing a skull lying on the ground, asked him: “Who are you?” The skull answered: “I was the main pagan priest. When you, Abba, pray for those in hell, we receive some relief.” The monk asked: “What are these torments?” “We are in a great fire,” answered the skull, “and we do not see each other. When you pray, we begin to see each other a little, and this serves us as some consolation.” Hearing such words, the monk shed tears and asked: “Are there even more cruel torments?” The skull replied: “Below, deeper than us, there are those who knew the Name of God, but rejected Him and did not keep His commandments. They endure even more severe torments.”

One day, while praying, Blessed Macarius heard a voice: “Makarius, you have not yet achieved such perfection as the two women living in the city.” The humble ascetic, taking his staff, went into the city, found a house where the women lived, and knocked. The women received him with joy, and the monk said: “For your sake, I came from the distant desert and I want to know about your good deeds; tell us about them, without hiding anything.” The women responded in surprise: “We live with our husbands, we have no virtues.” However, the saint continued to insist, and then the women told him: “We married our own brothers. During our entire life together, we did not say a single evil or offensive word to each other and never quarreled among ourselves. We asked our husbands to let us go to the women’s monastery, but they do not agree, and we took a vow not to utter a single word of the world until death." The holy ascetic glorified God and said: “Truly the Lord does not look for a virgin or a married woman, nor a monk, nor a layman, but appreciates the free intention of a person and sends the grace of the Holy Spirit to his voluntary will, which acts and controls the life of every person striving to be saved.”

During the reign of the Arian emperor Valens (364-378), the Monk Macarius the Great, together with him, was persecuted by the Arian bishop Luke. Both elders were captured and put on a ship, taken to a deserted island where pagans lived. There, through the prayers of the saints, the priest’s daughter received healing, after which the priest himself and all the inhabitants of the island received holy Baptism. Having learned about what had happened, the Arian bishop was ashamed and allowed the elders to return to their deserts.

The meekness and humility of the saint transformed human souls. “A bad word,” said Abba Macarius, “makes the good bad, but a good word makes the bad good.” When asked by the monks how one should pray, the monk answered: “Prayer does not require many words, you just need to say: “Lord, as You wish and as You know, have mercy on me.” If the enemy attacks you, then you only need to say: “Lord, have mercy!” The Lord knows what is good for us and will show us mercy.” When the brethren asked: “How can one become a monk?”, the monk replied: “Forgive me, I am a bad monk, but I saw monks fleeing in the depths of the desert. I asked them how I can become a monk. They answered: “If a person is not refuses everything that is in the world, he cannot be a monk." To this I answered: "I am weak and cannot be like you." Then the monks replied: "If you cannot be like us, then sit in your cell and lament your sins."

The Monk Macarius gave advice to one monk: “Run from people and you will be saved.” He asked: “What does it mean to run from people?” The monk answered: “Sit in your cell and lament your sins.” The Monk Macarius also said: “If you want to be saved, be like a dead man, who is not angry when he is dishonored, and does not become exalted when he is praised.” And again: “If for you reproach is like praise, poverty like wealth, lack like abundance, you will not die. For it cannot be that a true believer and one who strives in piety should fall into the impurity of passions and demonic deception.”

The prayer of St. Macarius saved many in dangerous circumstances and saved them from troubles and temptations. His mercy was so great that they said about him: “Just as God covers the world, so Abba Macarius covered the sins that he saw, as if he had not seen, and heard, as if he had not heard.” 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, Lord, I commend my spirit.”

Saint Abba Macarius spent sixty years in a desert that was dead to the world. The monk spent most of his time in conversation with God, often in a state of spiritual admiration. But he never stopped crying, repenting and working. The abba transformed his abundant ascetic experience into profound theological creations. Fifty conversations and seven ascetic words remained the precious heritage of the spiritual wisdom of St. Macarius the Great.

The idea that the highest good and goal of man is the unity of the soul with God is fundamental 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 the ascetic prayers of St. Macarius the Great in the commonly used evening and morning prayers.

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 its present vicious state into another state, good, and from its present humiliated nature into 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 a soul in this still world does not receive into itself the shrine of the Spirit through much faith and prayer, and does not become a participant in the Divine nature, then it is unsuitable for the Kingdom of Heaven.”

The miracles and visions of Blessed Macarius are described in the book of Presbyter Rufinus, and his life was compiled by the Monk Serapion, Bishop of Tmunt (Lower Egypt), one of the famous figures of the Church of the 4th century.

*Published in Russian:

1. Spiritual conversations / Transl. priest Moses Gumilevsky. M., 1782. Ed. 2nd. M., 1839. Ed. 3rd. M., 1851. The same / (2nd trans.) // Christian reading. 1821, 1825, 1827, 1829, 1834, 1837, 1846. The same / (3rd trans.) // Ed. 4th. Moscow Theological Academy. Sergiev Posad, 1904.

2. Ascetic messages / Trans. and approx. B. A. Turaeva // Christian East. 1916. T. IV. pp. 141-154.

The teaching of St. Macarius is also stated: Philokalia. T. I. M., 1895. P. 155-276*.

Venerable Macarius of Alexandria

O sacred head, earthly angel and heavenly man, venerable and God-bearing Father Macarius! We fall to you with faith and love and pray diligently: show us your holy intercession to the humble and sinners. Because it is a sin for our sake, it is not the imams of freedom for the children of God to ask our Lord and Master for our needs, but we offer you a prayer book favorable to Him and we ask you with zeal for many: ask us from His goodness for favorable gifts to our souls and bodies: faith in justice, hope salvation is undoubted, love for everyone is unfeigned, patience in suffering, constancy in prayers, health of soul and body, fruitfulness of the earth, prosperity of the air, contentment of everyday needs, peaceful and serene life, good Christian life and a good answer at the Last Judgment of Christ. Do not forget, Reverend Father, the deserted place of your deeds, but be kind to it and glorify it with your miracles: and mercifully deliver all who come to venerate the relics of your saints from the temptations of the devil and all evil. Hey, miracle-working saint! Do not deprive us of your heavenly help, but with your prayers bring us all into the haven of salvation, and show us heirs of the All-Bright Kingdom of Christ, let us sing and glorify the ineffable generosity of the Lover of God, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and your holy paternal intercession, in forever and ever. Amen.

Sermon before the rite of expelling evil spirits from a person.

Sergiev Posad, Edition of the Church of St. Peter and Paul, 2002, 11 pp., 1.5 MB

The spiritual censor is Abbot Nikolai (Paramonov).

2011, 712 pages, 6 MB

Publishing house “Blagovest”, Moscow, 2011, 480 pp., 80 MB

Publisher: Blessing, 2004 MP3, 192 kbps, 139 MB.

Deacon Alexey Karpunin reads.

The recording uses chants performed by the choir of the Holy Trinity Sergius Lavra. DOWNLOAD

MP3, 3 hours 16 minutes, 320 kbps, 451 MB.

Performers: monks of the St. Elisabeth Monastery, Minsk. DOWNLOAD

Venerable Macarius of Alexandria

St. Macarius of Alexandria

Born in 295 in Alexandria. He was engaged in trade until he was forty years old, then he accepted holy baptism and retired into the desert. After several years of ascetic life, he was ordained to the rank of presbyter and made abbot of a monastery called “Kelli”, in the Egyptian desert between Mount Nitria and a monastery in which hermit monks labored in silence, each separately in his own cell. He was the most sincere friend of the Monk Macarius of Egypt (+ c. 390-394), together with whom during the reign of Valens he was expelled from his fatherland. Both Macarii were very similar to each other in character and way of life and had the same common teacher and mentor - St. Anthony the Great (+ 356), from whom they repeatedly received instructions for improvement in a virtuous life.

One day, the Monk Macarius of Alexandria and Macarius of Egypt needed to cross the Nile River on a large ferry, on which two tribunes (chief commanders) also boarded with their magnificent retinue of troops, squires and warriors, adorned with chains and gold belts. When these tribunes noticed two reverend elders, dressed in shabby clothes and standing in a corner, they praised their humble and poor life, and one of the thousand officers said to the elders: “Blessed are you who despise the world.” The Monk Macarius of Alexandria responded to this: “We really neglect the world, but the world laughs at you. What you said was not of your will, but prophetically, because we are both called Macarii, that is, blessed.” Touched by these speeches of the Monk Macarius of Alexandria, the tribune, upon returning home, took off his clothes and, distributing his property to the poor, chose a hermit’s life.

The Monk Macarius, increasing his exploits, made it a rule not to eat any bread or brew other than hard millet or some seeds soaked in water. The monk lived in such abstinence for seven years. Then, for three years, he ate a small piece of bread a day (less than a pound), and drank the same amount of water, which served as a strong mortification of the flesh. Using all his efforts, the monk also struggled with sleep, but after such a feat he said for the edification of others: “As far as I had the strength, I overcame sleep, but I was not able to overcome human nature, which requires sleep, and therefore I had to obey it.”

When the Monk Macarius began to be very strongly tempted by the demon of fornication, in order to overcome this enemy, he sat naked for six months in a skete swamp, exposing himself to the bites of many large mosquitoes. And when he returned to his cell, the disciples recognized only by his voice that it was their Abba Macarius.

Having heard about the very strict rules of life of the Tavennisiot monastery, where the rector was the Monk Pachomius the Great (+ 348), the Monk Macarius, hiding himself under worldly clothes, during the entire Holy Pentecost did not eat either bread or water, with the exception of a small amount of dry leaves cabbage on Sundays. And he did this only so that other monks would see what he was eating and so that he would not fall into the sin of arrogance. The Monk Macarius worked incessantly at night and did not rest from his labors; he never sat down or lay down the whole time. He stood without opening his lips, not talking to anyone, but in silence with all his heart, offering up prayer to God. Having seen such a feat of the monk, the ascetics of that monastery were put to shame, for they were exalted in mind, proud of their exploits and fasting. The Monk Macarius, showing humility and giving instruction to everyone, returned to his place.

The primordial enemy of the human race became very embittered with the Monk Macarius for his strictly ascetic lifestyle, and therefore began to tempt his mind with vanity, forcing him to go to Rome. Struggling with temptation, the saint poured a bag of sand, took it upon himself and walked for a long time with this burden in the desert until he tired his body and the proud thought left him.

Through his ascetic life, fasting, and renunciation from all earthly things, the Monk Macarius acquired the gift of working miracles and insight into the innermost thoughts of people, and was rewarded with many miraculous visions. Abba Macarius, being filled with Divine grace, saw that demons, attending church singing and monastic meetings, mocked some, inducing drowsiness or thoughts; at other, weaker brothers, inattentive to prayer, they viciously mocked, sitting on their necks and shoulders; from some monks, if demons began to do something indecent in front of them, they were suddenly driven away by some force and no longer dared to stop in front of them or pass by them.

The Monk Macarius told another, more wondrous and terrible thing, namely, how one of the ascetics of the holy monastery, the Monk Mark, received the Holy Mysteries from the hands of Angels, and the careless of the brethren received, instead of the Body of Christ, burning coals, and the Body of Christ taught by the priestly hand returned back to the altar. The demons ran far away from those who were worthy of holy communion. Meanwhile, near the altar with the priest stood the Angel of the Lord and, together with the priest’s, extended his hand to distribute the Divine Mysteries.

St. Macarius became famous for his many miracles of healing the sick and those possessed by demons.

After many labors and exploits, the Monk Macarius departed to the Lord in peace around 394-395, being one hundred years old from birth.

The Monk Macarius was also a church writer; he penned the “Sermon on the Exodus of the Soul,” which is part of the Followed Psalter, a monastic rule in 30 chapters, and a letter to monks.

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Saint Macarius the Great: life, prayer

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Saint Macarius the Great is an Orthodox miracle worker and hermit who achieved veneration as a Saint, and is also the author of religious discourses.

Life of Macarius the Great

Saint Macarius was born around 300 in Lower Egypt (the village of Ptinapor). At the behest of his parents, he married, but soon became a widower. After the death of his parents and wife, the saint distributed all the property that he had to the poor and then went into the desert to visit an old man. The old man received him with all love and preached to him the spiritual science of worship, fasting and prayer services, and also taught him such a craft as basket weaving. Having erected a separate dwelling not far from his cell, the old man assigned a student there.

After spending several years in the desert, he went to Saint Anthony the Great, the father of the Egyptian hermitage, about whom he had heard a lot while in the world and since then he zealously wanted to meet him. The Monk Anatoly himself lovingly received Blessed Macarius, who soon became not only a devoted student, but also a follower.

The Monk Macarius the Great lived with the Saint for quite a long time, but then, heeding the advice of Anatoly, he headed to the northwestern part of Egypt to the Skete desert. And it was there that he became famous for his exploits, for which they began to call him “an old man,” because by that time he had barely reached thirty years of age, showing himself to be a mature monk with rich experience.

Since that time, the Monk Macarius the Great of Egypt has performed a considerable number of healings. People, hoping for help, advice and to hear his sacred prayers, came to him from different places.

However, all this did not provide privacy for the Wonderworker, and therefore he dug a deep cave under his dwelling, where he could retire to think about God and say prayers. In his walk before the Lord, the monk was able to achieve such boldness that, after saying his prayers, the Almighty brought the dead back to life, but despite the achievements of the Saint, he continued to adhere to extraordinary humility.

During the reign of King Valentine, an Arian (from 364 to 378), the monk, together with Macarius of Alexandria, suffered persecution from Luke, an Arian bishop. Both hermits were captured and put on a ship, taking them to a deserted island where only adherents of paganism lived.

It was there that, after reading the prayers of the Miracle Workers, the daughter of the chief priest found healing, after which he and all the inhabitants of the island went through the rite of Baptism. But when the bishop learned what had happened, he was ashamed and allowed the elders to return to their hermitages.

The saint spent about 60 years in a desert that was dead to the world, where he spent most of his time talking with the Lord while in a state of spiritual ecstasy, but he never stopped working hard, repenting and crying.

And the Wonderworker embodied his significant ascetic knowledge in comprehensive Theological writings, consisting of fifty spiritual conversations and seven ascetic words, namely:

• Macarius the Great on purity of heart;
• About spiritual perfection;
• About prayers;
• About prudence and patience;
• About the ascension of the mind;
• About love;
• About freedom of mind.

It was these creations that became the precious heritage of the divine wisdom of Saint Macarius, and the opinion that the task of a believer and his highest good is the unity of the soul with the Lord is the main idea in his writings. In telling what methods exist for achieving sacred cohesion, the monk took as a basis the knowledge of Egyptian monastic teachers, and also used his own experience.

The skills of holy monks in Communion with God and the path to the Most High is open to every heart in which hope and faith live. That is why the Orthodox Church introduced the ascetic prayers of the Great Wonderworker into the commonly used morning and evening hymns.

The Saint died at the age of about 90 in 391.

What do they pray to the Saint for?

During his lifetime, for his rigor, accomplished deeds and purity of spirit, the monk was awarded the title Great, therefore, the text of the prayer said before the image of the Egyptian monk will help in resolving many life situations, and will also protect from temptations and misfortunes. They pray to the miracle worker:

• About enlightenment;
• About help in preserving and strengthening faith;
• To gain spiritual purity;
• Finding consolation in difficult life situations;
• The prayer of Macarius the Great helps to obtain spiritual peace;
• On the expulsion of evil spirits;
• About descended wisdom;
• To receive patronage.

When is the Day of Remembrance of the Wonderworker celebrated?

In the Christian Church, a day of celebration in honor of the Saint is established on February 1 (January 19 - old style), where a service is held and an akathist is performed as a form of veneration.

Text of the prayer of Saint Macarius the Great:

Oh, sacred head, reverend father, most blessed Abvo Macarius, do not forget your poor to the end, but always remember us in your holy and auspicious prayers to God. Remember your flock, which you yourself shepherded, and do not forget to visit your children. Pray for us, holy father, for your spiritual children, as if you have boldness towards the Heavenly King, do not remain silent for us to the Lord, and do not despise us, who honor you with faith and love.

Remember us unworthy at the Throne of the Almighty, and do not stop praying for us to Christ God, for you have been given the grace to pray for us. We do not imagine that you are dead, even though you have passed away from us in body, but even after death you remain alive. Do not give up on us in spirit, keeping us from the arrows of the enemy and all the charms of the devil and the snares of the devil, our good shepherd. Even though your relics are always visible before our eyes, your holy soul with the angelic hosts, with the disembodied faces, with the heavenly powers, standing at the Almighty Throne, rejoices with dignity.

Knowing that you are truly alive even after death, we bow down to you and pray to you: pray for us to Almighty God, for the benefit of our souls, and ask us time for repentance, so that we may pass from earth to heaven without restraint, from the bitter ordeals of the demons of the air princes and may we be delivered from eternal torment, and may we be heirs of the Heavenly Kingdom with all the righteous, who from all eternity have pleased our Lord Jesus Christ, to Him belongs all glory, honor and worship, with His Beginning Father and with His Most Holy and Good and Life-Giving Spirit, now and ever and ever. Amen.

Angelic Revelation to St. Macarius of Alexandria

Angelic revelation about how important it is to remember the soul after death on the days appointed by the church (3, 9, 40). On these special days for the deceased, we must provide him with all possible assistance. Only the Orthodox Church remembers the dead and only the prayers of the Orthodox Church are heard by God. Thus, the Holy Church covers us with its prayer both in this life and in the future.

Angelic revelation to the Monk Macarius of Alexandria about the afterlife state of human souls and about the days of church commemoration of the dead (the third, ninth and fortieth from the day of death).

Once upon a time, when we were walking through the desert, says the disciple of St. Macarius, - I saw two angels who accompanied St. Macarius, one on the right side, the other on the left. On the way, we accidentally found a damaged and stinking corpse. St. Macarius, feeling the stench, covered his nostrils with his hand until he passed by. The angels did the same.

The sinful soul, while still in the body, emits the stench of evil deeds, but much more so after death.

The elder, seeing this, asked them: “Do you really smell the stench of the world in the same way?” They answered: “No; but we, imitating you, did this: for we do not feel the stench, but only smell the stench from the souls of sinners. He is as disgusting to us as the stench of this corpse is disgusting to you.” Surprised by this, the elder tells them: “Explain to me, I ask you: the stench from the souls of sinners - do you feel them in this life, or after their death? And how do you distinguish the souls of sinners who believed in the Lord from the souls of the wicked who did not believe? Tell me if I have gained your favor. The angels answered: “Listen, Macarius, chosen one of God!

The sinful soul, while still in the body, emits the stench of evil deeds, but much more so after death. For evil deeds lie on her, and cover her with darkness, like a black garment. The soul, like the breath of immortal light, in itself is light and pure, but, being in the body and not properly controlling it, each is defiled by sin, some more, some less. But listen, Macarius, how the souls of believers and unbelievers are taken from the body; however, take earthly things for the weakest image of heavenly ones. Just as soldiers sent from an earthly king to seize someone, when they come, they take him against his will, and he is struck with fear and trembles at the very presence of those dragging him on a journey without mercy, so when angels are sent to take the soul of a righteous person or a sinner, it is struck with fear, and trembles at the presence of formidable and inexorable angels. Then she sees that wealth and the presence of relatives and friends are vain, invalid, and completely useless for her; she feels the tears and groans of those around her, but without experiencing such a call, she can never utter a word or give a voice; fears the distance of the journey, etc. life changes; he is also struck by the unmercifulness of the rulers whom he sees before him; worries about his life in the body, cries about separation from it, due to his usual addiction to it. She cannot have that one and only consolation that her own conscience provides if she is not aware of good deeds in herself. Such a soul, even before the determination of the Judge, is incessantly condemned by conscience.”

Abba Macarius offers another question; he says: “I ask you, explain this too: when the fathers ordained to make an offering in the Church to God for the deceased on the third, ninth and fortieth day, then what benefit comes from this to the soul of the deceased?” The angel answered: “God did not allow anything inappropriate and useless to be in His Church, but God allowed His heavenly and earthly sacraments to be in His Church and commanded them to be performed. For when on the third day there is an offering in the Church, the soul of the deceased receives from the angel guarding it relief from the grief that it feels from separation from the body; receives because praise and offerings in the Church of God have been made for her, which is why good hope is born in her. For for two days the soul, together with the angels who are with it, is allowed to walk on earth wherever it wants. Therefore, the soul that loves the body sometimes wanders around the house in which it was separated from the body, sometimes around the coffin in which the body is laid; and thus spends two days, looking for nests for himself, like a bird. And a virtuous soul goes to those places in which it used to do the truth. On the third day, He who rose from the dead on the third day - the God of all - commands, in imitation of His Resurrection, every Christian soul to ascend to heaven to worship the God of all. So, the good Church is in the habit of making an offering and prayer for the soul on the third day.

But if the soul is guilty of sins, then at the sight of the pleasures of the saints it begins to grieve and reproach itself.

After worshiping God, He is commanded to show the soul the various and pleasant abodes of the saints and the beauty of paradise. The soul examines all this for six days, marveling and glorifying the Creator of all this - God. Contemplating all this, she changes and forgets the sorrow that she had while in the body. But if she is guilty of sins, then at the sight of the pleasures of the saints she begins to grieve and reproach herself, saying: “Woe is me! How I fussed in that world! Carried away by the satisfaction of lusts, I spent most of my life in carelessness, did not serve God as I should, so that I too could be rewarded with this goodness and glory. Alas for poor me! Even now I am surrounded by the worries and untimely care that possessed me in that world. What is there to me in the vineyards and olive trees that I have planted? What benefit will the field I purchased bring me? What good does the gold collected there benefit me? What benefit does the wealth there have for me here? What profit did all the sweetness of life and this world bring me? Alas for me! I worked in vain! Alas for me!

I spent my life recklessly! Alas for me! I loved short-term glory and acquired eternal poverty! Alas for me! What have I endured? Woe is me! I didn’t know how darkened I was. Woe is me! No one can help me now, so that I, the unfortunate one, can receive the glory of the Lord.” After considering, over the course of six days, all the joy of the righteous, she is again lifted up by the angels to worship God. So, the Church does well by performing services and offerings for the deceased on the ninth day. After the second worship, the Lord of all again commands to take the soul to hell and show it the places of torment located there, the different sections of hell and various wicked torments, in which, while the souls of sinners are incessantly weeping and gnashing their teeth. Through these various places of torment the soul rushes for thirty days, trembling, so as not to be condemned to imprisonment in them. On the fortieth day she again ascends to worship God; and then the Judge determines the place of imprisonment appropriate for her based on her cases. So, the Church acts correctly by making remembrances of the departed and those who have been baptized.

This is not the case with souls who have not received Holy Baptism. After separating these unenlightened souls from the body, the inexorable angels, taking them, severely beat them and say: “Come here, wicked soul; know who is your Master and Lord of all. You did not want to know Him, living carelessly in the world, but know Him now, condemned to eternal torment.” And having taken her up to the first heaven, they set her up and show from afar the glory of the angels and all the heavenly powers, saying: “The Lord of all these is Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God, whom you did not want to know and honor with worship. Go away from here to the wicked like you and to their prince the devil, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels, whom you worshiped as gods in life.”

The angels, having said this and hugged Macarius, the servant of God, became invisible to us. We will give glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and always and forever and ever. Amen.

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The peculiarity of the Orthodox faith is the veneration of the holy fathers and their works compiled for posterity. One of them was Macarius the Great, whose life is full of instructive stories. He became famous not only for his miracles, but also for his numerous soul-saving works.

The path to monasticism of St. Macarius

The future saint was born at the very beginning of the 4th century, in Egypt, which is why he is considered Egyptian. In his youth, Macarius was married, although very soon he became a widower and devoted himself to the study of the Holy Scriptures. Obeying the word of God, he did not become a monk as long as his parents were alive and took care of them. The life of Macarius the Great as a monk began only after their death. Then he went into the desert, where he spent several months alone.

Then he fulfilled his old dream - he became a disciple of St. Anthony (both saints are revered by both Orthodox and Catholics because they lived long before the division of churches). Macarius the Great was joyfully accepted into the monastic family. A few years later, with the blessing of his spiritual father, he again went into the desert.

Life of Macarius the Great

According to the apostolic rules, a person cannot become a priest until he reaches the age of 33. Unfortunately, now these ancient foundations are not always observed, but in the days of the first ascetics they were taken very seriously. Although Saint Macarius the Great was very wise and had a humble disposition, he was called a “youth” until he was 30 years old. Then people understood that spiritual growth is the work of a lifetime, and only a few chosen by God can reach the upper steps.

• Macarius acquired such a peaceful spirit that even robbers turned to Christ after talking with him. There are many stories about this that are recorded in ancient patericons.

Having reached the age of 40 (formerly considered maturity), the saint was ordained to the rank of priest. He also became the leader of the community in which he lived. During these years, St. often visited. Anthony, I was able to learn a lot from him.

Macarius the Great knew for sure that prayer is the only way to God. He himself composed many of the prayers that are included in the daily prayers for Orthodox Christians. It’s easy to recognize them - the texts are short, but succinct, full of humility and repentance. You will find a few at the end of this article, be sure to read them. Even if there is no feeling of repentance in the heart yet, prayer will melt the heart over time, and the believer will be able to feel all his baseness before the Creator, but also realize His goodness and love.

Conversations of Macarius the Great

For those who seek the salvation of the soul, Macarius the Great left his writings - Conversations, Instructions and Epistles. Spiritual conversations are divided by topic:

• about maintaining purity of heart;
• about prayer;
• about there, how to become patient;
• how to achieve spiritual perfection;
• about love and freedom.

The works of Macarius the Great have been translated into many languages, including Russian. The words of the wise old man provide great food for thought and bring much benefit to the soul. For example, he teaches that the first step is to gain firm faith. Then force yourself to live according to the commandments, even if your heart resists it. Macarius the Great wrote in fairly simple language, so anyone can understand his instructions.

His brother Rufinus wrote about Macarius the Great himself in an essay on the life of monks. There he is given a separate chapter. It consists of several episodes. From the narrative it is clear that even then the elder was respected both among the population and among the hermits. Egyptian monastic communities were very numerous; they played a very important role in the formation of the universal Church.

What do they pray to the saint for?

Having reached adulthood, the monk was awarded the gift of miracles from the Lord. Once he even resurrected a dead man in order to convince a person who denied the possibility of resurrection (even some of the Jewish religious schools did not believe in this).

Although in those days Christianity was already quite well known, it was still persecuted. Emperor Valens, who ruled until 378, exiled Macarius the Great to an island where only pagans lived. The monk was with his friend. While they arrived at the place of exile, the leader's daughter fell ill. The monk healed the girl, which caused all the witnesses to the miracle to convert to Christianity.

When rumors of this reached the authorities, both monks were allowed to return to their monastery. The Monk Macarius the Great lived to a very advanced age. It is believed that saints move to some other level of existence and begin to literally feed on the energy of the Creator (in fact, this is indicated in the Bible that the believer will live by the Word of God). He departed to the Lord in 391. His relics remain partly in Italy, partly in the monastery he founded.

One should ask the saint, first of all, for help in saving the soul. You can also pray for physical health and teaching the truths of Scripture.

Prayer of St. Macarius the Great

Reverend Father Macarius! Look upon us mercifully and lead those who are devoted to the earth to the heights of heaven. You are a mountain in heaven, we are on earth below, removed from you, not only by place, but by our sins and iniquities, but we run to you and cry: teach us to walk in your way, teach us and guide us. Your entire holy life has been a mirror of every virtue. Do not stop, servant of God, crying to the Lord for us. By your intercession, ask from our All-Merciful God the peace of His Church, under the sign of the militant cross, agreement in faith and unity of wisdom, destruction of vanity and schism, confirmation in good deeds, healing for the sick, consolation for the sad, intercession for the offended, help for the needy. Do not disgrace us, who come to you with faith. All Orthodox Christians, having performed your miracles and beneficent mercies, confess you to be their patron and intercessor. Reveal your ancient mercies, and to whom you helped the Father, do not reject us, their children, who are marching towards you in their footsteps. Standing before your most honorable icon, as I live for you, we fall down and pray: accept our prayers and offer them up on the altar of God’s mercy, so that we may receive your grace and timely help in our needs. Strengthen our cowardice and confirm us in faith, so that we undoubtedly hope to receive all the good things from the mercy of the Master through your prayers. Oh, great servant of God! Help all of us who flow to you with faith through your intercession to the Lord, and guide us all in peace and repentance, end our lives and move with hope into the blessed bosom of Abraham, where you now rest joyfully in your labors and struggles, glorifying God with all the saints , in the Trinity glorified, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Video about Saint Macarius

Saint Macarius the Great - life, prayer, conversations, word on purity was last modified: June 22nd, 2017 by Bogolub

Venerable Macarius the Great, Egyptian

Born in Egypt around 301. With love and zeal, he served his parents in old age, fulfilling the commandment to honor parents, and after their death he became completely free from everyday worries. Under the guidance of an experienced elder monk, the Monk Macarius began to undergo silent monastic life and handicrafts. At first he settled in a deserted place not far from the village where he lived, then the monk moved to Mount Nitria in the Paran desert.

After living for three years in the desert, he went to the Monk Anthony the Great (U 356), the father of Egyptian monasticism, whom he had heard about while still living in the world, and was eager to see him. The Monk Abba Anthony lovingly received Blessed Macarius, who became his devoted disciple and follower. The Monk Macarius lived with him for a long time, and then, on the advice of the holy Abba, he retired to the Skete desert (in the northwestern part of Egypt) and there he shone so brightly with his exploits that they began to call him the “old man”, since, having barely reached thirty years of age, he showed himself to be an experienced, mature monk. Here the Monk Macarius had to fight demons day and night, and they screamed that they could not defeat him, because he had a great weapon - humility.

When the saint turned 40 years old, he was ordained a priest and made abbot (abba) of the monks living in the Skete desert. During these years, the Monk Macarius often visited the great Anthony, receiving guidance in spiritual conversations. Together with two other disciples of the Monk Anthony, the Monk Macarius was honored to be present at his blessed death, and as a kind of rich inheritance, he received the staff of the Monk Anthony, with which he supported his weak body on the road, dejected by old age and fasting exploits. Together with this staff, the Monk Macarius received the spirit of Anthony the Great, just as the prophet Elisha once received such a spirit after Elijah the prophet. With the power of his spirit, the Monk Macarius performed many wondrous miracles. One day the Monk Macarius spoke with the skull of the chief pagan priest, who spoke about his torment and about the more severe and fierce ones that befell those who knew the name of God, but rejected Him and did not keep His commandments.

Due to the multitude of people who came to him, the Monk Macarius had little time to devote himself to the thought of God at a distance. Therefore, the monk dug a deep cave under his cell, about half a furlong in length, where he hid from those who constantly came to him and violated his thoughts of God and prayer. The Monk Macarius achieved such boldness in his walk before God that, through his prayer, the Lord raised the dead. Despite such a height of achieved godlikeness, he continued to maintain extraordinary humility.

During the reign of the Arian Emperor Valens (364-378), the Monk Macarius the Great, together with the Monk Macarius of Alexandria, was persecuted by the Arian bishop Luke. Both elders were captured and put on a ship, taken to a deserted island where pagans lived. There, through the prayers of the saints, the priest’s daughter received healing, after which the priest himself and all the inhabitants of the island received holy baptism. Having learned about what had happened, the Arian bishop was ashamed and allowed the elders to return to their deserts. The meekness, humility and mercy of the saint transformed human souls. St. spent 60 years. Macarius in the world-dead desert. The monk spent most of his time in conversation with God, often in a state of spiritual admiration. The Abba transformed his abundant and ascetic experience into profound theological works. 50 conversations and 7 ascetic words remained the precious heritage of the spiritual wisdom of St. Macarius the Great. The highest good and goal of man - the union of souls with God - is the main idea in the works of St. Macarius.

The monk lived to be 97 years old, and shortly before his death (U c. 390-391) the Monks Anthony and Pachomius appeared to him, conveying the joyful news of his imminent transition to the blessed heavenly abodes. The monk began to prepare for his death. Nine days later, a Cherub with many Angels appeared to the Monk Macarius. When the holy soul of the Monk Macarius was taken by the Cherub and ascended into heaven, some of the fathers saw with their mental eyes that the air demons stood in the distance and screamed that the saint had escaped them. Macarius.