Blessed Macarius. Venerable Macarius the Great, Egyptian

Venerable Macarius 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 Holy Scripture, 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 replied 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 angry or offensive word to each other and never quarreled with each other. We asked our husbands to let us go convent, but they do not agree, and we made a vow not to utter a single word of the world until death." The holy ascetic glorified God and said: "Truly the Lord is not looking for a virgin or a married woman, nor a monk, nor a layman, but appreciates the free intention of a person and voluntary his will sends the grace of the Holy Spirit, 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, people appeared to him. Reverend Anthony and Pachomius, who reported 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 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 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 significance: 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*.

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 disciple, 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 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 significance: 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.

The Monk Macarius the Great, of Egypt, 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 Saint Anthony the Great, 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 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 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 significance: 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.

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, passing blameless into 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 clergyman 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 the sign of the cross, considered all these intrigues to be 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 the 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, and healed incurable diseases with prayers and holy oil, he 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 the bone by a woman’s name: “Go and wash in the bathhouse.” 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 received 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: “An evil word makes the good evil, but a good word makes the evil good.”

One day the Monk Macarius came to the monastery of Abba Pamvo. 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 a 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 the Monk Paphnutius, one of the saint’s disciples, that when the soul of Macarius ascended to heaven, some of the fathers saw with their mental eyes that 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.

Brief life of St. Macarius of Zheltovodsk, Unzhensk

Pre-reputable Ma-ka-riy of Zhel-vod-sky, Un-female was born in 1349 in Nizhny Novgorod in the family blah-che-sti-vykh ro-di-te-ley. At the age of twenty, he secretly left his family and took foreign haircut in the Nizhe-rod Pe-chersk monastery -li from the saint (later the arch-episcopal Suz-dal; † 1385; commemorated June 26). With all the ardor of his youthful soul, he devoted himself to the work of spa-se-nia: strict fasting and precise use of foreign ruled from-him in front of all the bra-ti-i-mi.

Only three years later did the very old Ma-kar-ria find out where he had disappeared to. The father came to him and tearfully begged his son only to come out and see him. The Reverend Ma-kariy spoke with his father through the wall and said that he would see him in his future life. neither. “At least give me your hand,” the father asked. The son fulfilled this small request, and the father, having kissed his son’s hand, returned home. Loaded with glory, the humble Ma-ka-riy fled to the bank of the Vol-ga river and hid-vis-hall here in a cave nearby Lake Yellow Waters. Here he stood firm and endured the battle of the enemy. Lovers without a word gathered with the Most Holy Ma-karius, and in 1435 he built a monastery for them in the Name Most Holy Trinity. Here he began to preach Christianity to the surrounding Che-re-mi-sam and Chu-va-sham and baptized Ma-go-me-tan and tongue -no-cov in the lake, which received the name of Saint. When, in 1439, the Kazan ta-ta-ry ra-zo-ri-li monastery, Pre-po-do-no-go Ma-kariya was taken prisoner. Out of reverence for his good-honor and good-creative love, Khan from-pu-stealed the saint from captivity and together with he freed up to 400 Christians. But with the pre-excellent Ma-kariya they took the word not to sit down at the Yellow Lake. The most honorable Ma-ka-riy with honor hon-ro-nil from the bi-en-nyh in his abode and set off 240 versts to Ga -lich edges. During this transition, all the entanglements, according to your prayers, were fed miraculously about -at once. Reach the city of Un-zha, the great Ma-kariy stood 15 versts from the city on the shore of the lake Un-zha cross and built a cell. Here he founded a new monastery. In the fifth year of his life in Un-zha, the venerable Ma-kariy fell ill and died at the age of 95 years.

Even when he was alive, the great Ma-kariy was truly blessed with a gift: he healed the blind and the demonic. tuyu de-voosh-ku. After his death, there were many healings from his powers. The monks erected a temple over his tomb and established a community of living. In 1522, ta-ta-ry na-pa-li on Un-zhu and wanted to rip off the gray rib-ra-ku in Ma-ka-ri-e-voy pu- Shame, but you went blind and, having lost your sight, rushed to run. Many of them ended up in Un-zhe. In 1532, mo-lit-va-mi pre-do-do-no-go Ma-ka-riya escaped from the ta-tar city of So-li-ga-lich, and blah-go-dar The living people set up a side-works in the cathedral church in honor of the saint. More than 50 people pray to you for the benefit of Ma-ka-ria for relief from severe illnesses -gov, how is this an established commission, sent by Pat-ri-ar-hom Phil-re-t on June 24, 1619.

Complete life of St. Macarius of Zheltovodsk, Unzhensk

The saint of God Ma-ka-riy was born in Nizhny Novgorod from the blessings of his birth. His father's name was Ivan, his mother's name was Ma-ri-ey. Even in his infancy, Ma-kariy surprised them: when the bell rang for morning, he began to get madly about in the cradle and cry. And at every church bell, Ma-kariy called out like that, but at other times he was silent. For a long time I couldn’t understand what was the matter, and at what point I was freaking out, but one day everything once-re-shi-elk.

One day, on a holiday, we called the church, the ro-di-te-li began to get ready for matins, and the little Ma-ka-riy , as always, he began to scream and cry.

“If he would stop crying,” said the father, “they would take him with you to the service.” Ma-kariy immediately calmed down, and when he was brought to the church, he heard the singing of a singer and laughed and then the whole service was sul-bal-sya ma-te-ri. That's when Ma-kariy cried, and from that day they began to carry him to the temple; every time he was very happy, and if he was left at home, he would start screaming and crying again. Here they say ura-zu-me-li that God’s blessing is on their re-ben-ke.

When Ma-kariy grew up, did he learn book literacy, and in this matter he soon succeeded so much that he not only his peers, but also his elders. He looked more like an adult than a child: despite his natural intelligence and lively mind, his character -ru he was sedate and ras-su-di-tel-ny. Ma-ka-riy did not like to play with children, he endured sitting for books and went to church every day. Everyone loved him, was happy about him and bless God.

From the rock Ma-kari heard about the mo-na-she-stvo and secretly decided to leave his parents’ house and go to the mo-na-stair. He chose the Pe-cher-skaya monastery, on-ho-div-shu-yu-sya on the bank of the Volga, three versts from the city, and from the -Vil-Xia there. On the way, he met a beggar, dressed in s-socks, Ma-kariy exchanged clothes with him and under the guise I never got to the mo-na-sta-ryu.

From the rock he saw the ar-hi-mand-ri-ta (he was then, subsequently, the bishop of Suz-dal) and asked for strength in mo-na-hee. At last, seeing Ma-ka-ria’s young age, I began to ask where he was from and who his parents were. Ma-ka-riy hid his origins. He called himself a resident of another city, said that he was a round si-ro-ta, penniless and none of He has no relatives. He himself, Ma-kariy finished, wants to serve God in the monastery.

I really liked his speech, and besides, he warned that the boy was called to become a great mover. no one That's why, without any delay, he received him into the monastery, cut his hair in the monastery, settled him in his cell and for a long time over the years he became his father, mentor and teacher.

Monk Ma-kariy worked diligently and fulfilled all obedience; he was in charge of everything, he waited for the brethren, he didn’t get into arguments with anyone, he was silent for a long time. more than he said; and if you had a conversation with someone, it was obligatory to be brief and kindly, and even then you tried to do it as soon as possible -finish once. Soon he will be talked about as a big mover, not only in the monastery, but also for his pre-de-la mi.

The saint's birth, without having any news from his son, asked about him and was very re-va-li, but don’t have any hope of finding him.

About three years passed, and then Father Ma-kariya happened to meet a Pe-chersk monk who had come to the city. clan according to some Mo-na-Styr de-lams. The father told him about his grief: three years ago his son disappeared, and since then nothing has been heard about him.

The monk said: “It seems that just three years ago a young man came to our monastery, he was dressed like a beggar, but he looked good.” decent and good, and tearfully begged to accept him. At last I left him in the monastery, and now this young man has become one of the best monks and is barely successful perhaps more than everyone else. His name is the same Ma-ka-ri-em.”

Father began to cry. He immediately went to the monastery and looked everywhere for Ma-kariya, but could not see him. As soon as he appeared, he came to the present man and fell at his feet, begging him to show his son. Then I went to my cell, where Ma-ka-riy lived. “Child,” the old man said, “your father, about whom you didn’t tell us, came to the monastery and wants you see". “My father,” said Ma-kariy, “the Lord God, who created heaven and earth, and after Him - you, my mentor and teacher".

And his father was standing at that time under the door. Hearing Ma-kariya’s voice, he screamed with joy and called his son through the window, asking him to come out so he could hug him. But Ma-ka-riy, afraid to touch, left the hall. Then the father, crying, said: “I won’t leave my cell until I see your face and at least feel a little bad.” -in-ryu with that-boy.”

Ma-ka-riy did not agree to the agreement and did not leave the cell. “My dear child,” the father begged, “if only you could give me your hand.” Ma-kariy extended his hand through the window, and the father, grabbing it, said: “My beloved son, save your soul.” Yes, pray for us, sinners, so that we, through your prayers, may see the Kingdom of Heaven.”

Afterwards, having said goodbye to his son, he threw his money at the junk and went home; he told his wife about everything, and they rejoiced together and glorified God for giving them sons. Nika.

Ma-ka-riy was still working in the office. Soon he surpassed all the monks living there and gained everyone's honor and respect. Weary of this, Ma-kariy decided to leave the monastery and settle in a deserted place. Just like the earlier Ro-di-tel-house, he left the monastery: praying, he lived in the work of God and -Walked where the eyes were looking.

He walked for a long time through the bo-lo-there and the forests, until he came out to the river, called-my Meadow, and, having chosen a place, built a h-zhi-nu. Here he began to live alone in silence and prayer.

But he wasn’t able to talk to people for long: soon the residents of the surrounding villages and towns learned about Ma-kariya and began to come to him for guidance and spiritual help, and some who wanted to leave from the world, over time, and settled next to him. When there were a hundred fraternities, a mo-na-stair was formed, and a little while later -whether to build a temple in the name of God-manifestation of our Lord Jesus Christ and complete it in many good- yes-rya-ra-ni-yam pre-po-do-no-go father Ma-ka-riya.

Several years passed, and, as before, the saint became a guest, and the laity, in large numbers, came those who came to him for advice, found him silent; couldn’t stand such a life, the great one became one of the brethren in the present and secretly from everyone in zero money. Again he wandered le-sa-mi. The place where he stayed was called Zhel-tye Vody and the moose was on the eastern bank. Gu Vol-gi next to a small lake. Ma-ka-riu liked this area very much. Here he lived in a small cell, working alone and constantly praying to God.

But soon his retreat was to-ru-she-but - this time I live in the Yellow Waters of a different faith-tsa-mi - chu-va- sha-mi and mord-voy. Arriving at the pre-dignified cell and seeing his modest and difficult life, they were at first very surprised . Then they began to bring bread, honey, wheat to the old man, and every time they were touched by his kindness and patience; Ma-ka-riy accepted their gifts with bliss - but not for himself, but for his own. He baptized many in the lake, which was almost right next to his cell. By that time, not only the Chu-va-shi and the Mor-d-va came to him: the people flocked, wanting to hear having become and learned a life pleasing to God, some sat down nearby. The Reverend, I remember what the Lord said - “He didn’t come to Me from out of the way,” - he didn’t forbid they should sit down, seeing their goodwill and old age. So, around the pre-excellent Ma-ka-ria, a new, already second, monastic monastery was formed , and in 1435, under his leadership, a temple was erected in the name of the Living Trinity. Even earlier, Ma-ka-ria came from-the-sto-I-the-lem, and he-was-for-a-long-time, for-a-sto-yan- but caring for the brethren and instructing them in their labors, and the number of monks increased every day , since the fame of the Lord Ma-kariya and his abode spread throughout Russia and many came from far away. their edges and asked if they could be given a foreign haircut.

One of these was the blessed Gregory, called Pel-sham; Leaving the birthplace, he came to Zhel-tye Vody, accepted a monastic position and, following the example of Ma-ka-ria, who he was both his ancestor and his father, became a great prayer and fasting man, and later helped -sya and is sacred, which confirmed the word: “A good father and child would have- They are good, but they teach from the art and the teachers are artful.”

The name Ma-ka-ria has become famous, but not only in the common people, but also among the princes, who are from their estates have everything they need in the village. The monastery was famous for its external appearance, the strength of the walls, the basic structure of the buildings, but most of all -knowledge and diligently eat mo-na-khov, God-pleasing life under-ra-zhav-shih-to-me. But soon there would be peace and prosperity in Russia.

During the reign of the blessed Prince Va-si-lia Va-si-lie-vi-cha, one of the Ta-tar military leaders no-kov, named Ulu-ah-met, expelled by his compatriots from the Golden Horde, near went to the Russian pre-de-lams and settled in Ka-za-ni. From there he ran to the neighboring principality, moving further and further across the Russian land. So he reached Nizhny Novgorod, then his army dissipated, using fire and sword to destroy the Christians -skie villages.

They appeared at the Yellow Waters and came to the monastery of the pre-excellent Ma-kariya. The mo-na-hi didn’t defend for long, the ta-ta-ry rushed into the mo-na-stairs and you crushed them like spiking -ve, only a few were taken prisoner, and most of the rubbish was burned.

Elder Ma-kariy was also in captivity. Did they take him to the ta-tar vo-e-na-chal-ni-ku? And the name of the pre-precious one was well-known among them, because he and Ta-tar, who were attached to him, ho-di-li, always love-without-but pri-n-mal and po-ko-il. When he found out what kind of person was standing in front of him, he became angry: “How dare you,” he said to our own and to us, knowing the holy life of this old man, to scold him and his abode? Do you know that those like him will have to answer to God, Who is the same for them and for us!” And he ordered the saint to be released, and with him other captives - several monks and laymen, numbering about four-hundred. -people, not counting women, children and old people.

In parting, the chief said to Ma-kariya: “Get out of these places immediately and never come here again.” “Turn around, since this land will now be under the Kazan Khan.”

The pre-precious position of his mo-na-hows is good. “Here is a man of God,” said the chief, “who cares not only about the living, but also about the dead.” And he decided to take the dead.

The saint went to the obi-te, from which there was only one piece left. Seeing the corpses of the brethren lying all over the place, Ma-kari began to cry; then, having sung the correct prayers, he chanted them according to custom and began to co-convey with the former Shi-mi people with him, where should they go. Re-shi-ti go to the city of Ga-li-chu. The walk there was no less than four-hundred miles, but, praying to God, we left.

It was June. They walked for many days; Afraid of ta-tar, we walked through the impenetrable forests and bo-lo-there. Soon the food ran out, everyone was tired and tired, and grief began.

Just then they met an elk in the forest, they drove him away and were planning to kill him. Is there a blessing for that from Pres. Ma-ka-riya? And it was Peter's fast, and there were three days left before the holiday. The old man ordered the elk to be let go, having first opened his ear, and said: “Have faith, and God has spoken to us.” will not leave us: on the day of our 100th birthday, we will meet this elk again, and then we will eat him for the glory of God. For now, I ask you to endure these three days, and the Lord will save us from death according to our faith.”

And so it happened: on the day of the feast of the holy first apostles Peter and Paul, when people from all “Could it be, because of the elder’s prayer, that same elk with the cut ear came out to them. They took him by the hand and brought him to the great Ma-kariy, who said lo-xia in pi-shu.

Na-sy-tiv-shis, everything is b-go-da-ri-li-God, and Ma-ka-riy said: “From now on you will not have a shortage of stats in pi- still according to your faith.” And indeed, all the way they passed either an elk, or a deer, or some other animal. So they came to the pre-de-ly city of Un-zhen-ska.

It was an old Russian city on the banks of the Unzhi River. The town at that time was very small, and it was surrounded by sparse villages. When the venerable one came here, all the living met him with joy: they had heard about the saint. then the old man and you would have immediately given him all possible honor. But Ma-kariy wanted only silence and solitude; he immediately began to ask about a deserted place where he could -settle. There's a place for him, fifteen versts from the city, not far from the river, on the bank of the forest lakes There, in a clearing, a very similar cross erected a cross and built a cell next to it. This was in 1439, and a little time later, with the blessing of God, the monastery was again created for them. And so Ma-kariy lived, according to his custom, days and nights, he served God with prayers and fast-for-nothing work. and, in addition, the gift of research that he received in the last years of his life.

Five years later, it felt like death was approaching. By that time he was nine hundred and five years old, of which he had lived in a monastery for eighty years.

Knowing when and how he would die, Ma-ka-riy came to Un-zhensk and fell ill there. Before his death, he ordered that his body be taken to the monastery he had created and that it would be okay there. After that, having prayed and said his blessings to everyone who was with him, he quietly went to the Lord. This happened on July 25, 1444.

On this day, the city and the surrounding area were filled with a wonderful blessing, emanating as if from myrrh and incense, and all the people - in the houses, on the streets and wherever they happened to go - inhaled the aroma and rushed to eat to the phone, pre-extended.

The whole people cried. The body of the old man with the candles and ka-di-la-mi, with the singing of psalms, was carried to the mo-na-styr, where it was well-ro- no way. All the painful and maimed people who fell to his relics received healing.

The miracle continued many years later, and they appeared not only in the treatment of pain but also in help and protection from visible and invisible enemies, from the devil's goats and from Tatar ple-na.

In 1522, in the reign of the great prince Va-si-lia Iva-no-vi-cha, there was a terrible invasion of the Ta-tars on the Un- female There were over twenty thousand enemies, and the town was small and the inhabitants of the military area were inexplicable. They had one for hope - for God and for the pre-excellent Ma-kariya of Zhel-vod-skogo, to help they have been there more than once in similar situations. Strengthened by this hope, they spent three days and three nights away from the wasp of the wondrous city.

Their chief was a certain vo-e-vo-da Fedor. At the sight of those who had fallen, he would have fallen into confusion, but, having learned from the villagers that the holy elder Ma-karii Zhel-to -vodsky always protected them from the ta-tars, Fyodor went to the church, fell on his knees in front of the icon and began to pray with the tears, asking for help from Un-zhen-sk and to save people from death and captivity.

Meanwhile, the ta-ta-ry again went on the attack and burned the city from all sides. People are engulfed in confusion: the fire is burning, and the ta-ta-ry are crowding - all as one beg-la-li Ma-ka-ria for the step-no-thing.

Suddenly it started to rain, soon it turned into a downpour, and suddenly there was a flood. When the streets and houses sank, the whole city seemed to float, and the fire subsided.

Now the ta-ta-rs came into confusion: one part went against the other, and they started fighting. The city-dwellers saw from the walls how the ta-ta-rys were on their own, and they realized that the very good Ma-ka- ry saved Un-zhensk; Many people saw the old man standing on the lake and pouring water from a huge tub into the city. Immediately the gate opened, they rushed towards the ta-tar and most of them were per-e-bi-li. Those taken prisoner said that they had seen a hundred people in the air above the city and shooting follow them; Then he, on a big white horse, crashed into their army, and they, both of them crazy with fear, began to chop each other up. cha-mi, thinking that they are fighting with the Russians.

That's where the pre-precious iz-ba-vil from ta-tar mo-na-styr, in which he was well-placed. It happened like this: when the ta-ta-ry on-pa-li on Un-zhensk, a number of three-hundred rushed to the mo-na-sta- I'm in the hope of being blessed and easy to do. But as soon as they got close to the object, they all went blind. Not seeing anything, they fled in horror to different parts, many ended up in the river and drowned .

In 1535, mo-lit-va-mi Ma-ka-riya Zhel-to-vo-sko-go was saved from the ta-tar by the city of So-li-ga-lich, and blah-go-dar -the living people set up a side-works in the cathedral church in honor of the great one.

During the invasion of La-kov, the inhabitants of Yuryev-ts, Suz-da-la and Nizh-ne-Nov-go-ro-da came to the -step-le-niu-holy Ma-ka-ria and receive help. Tsar Mi-kha-il himself made a vow to go on foot to Un-zhensk, if his father Philaret was freed from Polish captivity, and, - having read my pro-s-my, he fulfilled his promise.

There are many known cases of miracles with the help of the pre-excellent Ma-ka-ria.

When the Kazan ta-ta-ry osa-di-li Un-zhensk, one young woman named Ma-riya was captured. They tied her up with a rope and took her away with other captives. They walked for three days. Maria, afraid of being dispossessed, could not drink or eat all the way, she only prayed and cried. So, day and night, hanging around behind me, she prayed to the Lord and the Most Holy God. Calling for help and holy presence, pre-excellent Ma-kariya of Yellow-water. When the next stop was made, Maria collapsed to the ground and, tied up, fell into a deep sleep. It happened in the steppe. It was a dead night. Closer to the morning, the venerable Ma-kariy appeared to the sleeping one. He stood at the head and, touching her hand against her heart, said: “Don’t grieve, but breathe and go home.” . But Maria could not wake up from her sleep. Then the saint took her by the hand, helped her get up and said: “Get up and follow me.” Maria woke up and, seeing him no longer in a dream, but in reality, recognized him by the icon she had seen and followed. It's starting to get light. The great one disappeared, and Maria was left alone in a deserted place. She felt scared.

When it was all light, Maria saw that she was standing on the road leading to Un-zhensk, and not far away she saw The city itself doesn’t either. Maria ran away and soon found herself in front of the city gate. They would have locked you up. Ma-ria began to knock and ask for the door to be opened for her. "Who are you?" - the hundred asked. She left, then the guards, recognizing her, let her into the city, where she found all her loved ones and said, how Ma-ka-riy Zhel-to-vodsky saved her.

One day Ivan Vyrodkov was seriously wounded. Meanwhile, the prince ordered him to go against the ta-tar again. Despite the illness and the entreaties of loved ones, we have been co-operating to the fullest extent possible, and how to walk he couldn’t, so he had to carry himself in a cart. By the way, they brought him to the Ma-ka-ri-e-vu monastery. Here, in my mind, I prayed to the saint, asking for help. Having seen the court with water, Ivan asked for a drink and drank without stopping. To the amazement of the foreigners, he drank a lot of water, after which he felt completely healthy . The water came out of the well, you-pan-no-go with the great Ma-ka-ri-e, and it was unusually sweet -coy and delicious.

One resident of the city of Un-zhen-ska was very drunk and, when drunk, always beat his wife. I am not able to re-sit from de-va-tel-stva, but I decided to drown myself in a well. But how good she was, how she could help the poor and wretched and had faith in the great Thankfully, Ma-kariya, he didn’t let her beat his soul. When the woman got to the well, she suddenly noticed that an old man was standing near the frame, and in fear -five. The old man said: “Get away from the well and don’t do what you thought you’d do, otherwise terrible evils will befall you.” -ki in eternal life.”

The woman, in confusion, rushed to the feet of the old man, and when she stood up, he was no longer there. Then she returned to the house and since then she has never thought about killing herself. That’s when her husband left his drunken life and repented.

The local memory of the pre-additional Ma-kariya of Yellow-water began soon after it pre-sta-le-niya. In 1610, Pat-ri-arch Fila-ret set out to investigate cases of research according to prayers for you. -no-go Ma-ka-riya. There were more than five cases for evidence. Then, where was the name of the Most-excellent Ma-kariya Zhel-vod-sko-go-for-not-in-the-holy-tsy and on-the-name the local celebration of his memory is July 25/August 7.

The power of the pre-do-be-go-to-co-yat-sya in Ma-ka-ri-e-vo-Un-zhen-sky Tro-its-kom mo-na-sty-re near the city the birth of Ma-ka-rye-va near Ko-str-moy, in the Holy Trinity-its-kom so-bo-re, built in 1669 by hegu-men , who will be the holy Vo-ro-tender. In the same place there is a ke-ley-naya icon of the Smo-lenskaya God-mother Ma-te-ri, at mu Ma-ka-riu. Behind the mo-na-sta-rem, on the hill-side, there was a well-kept in the chapel, you-k-pan-ny with his hand.

Prayers

Troparion to St. Macarius of Zheltovodsk, Unzhensk

Today your city of Galich boasts of you, / in the end, because it was brightened, / like the great sun, you shone / and with your miracles, the Venerable Macarius, you illuminated everything. / And now the Lord prays clothe/ deliver our souls from the charms of the enemy// and save the city to yours from the filthy influx.

Translation: Today your city Galich is proud of you, for within its borders you shone brightly, like a great sun, and with your miracles, Macarius, illuminated everything. And now pray to the Lord for the deliverance of our souls from the deception of the enemy and for the salvation of your city from the pagan invasion.

Troparion to St. Macarius of Zheltovodsk, Unzhensk

God-wise of the Zheltovodsk monastery to the primordial,/ God placed in the pillar of the monastic life,/ painted in a miraculous image of fasting,/ God-created vessel of the Holy Spirit,/ golden-colored Russian land All-bright luminary, / we pray to you, Father Macarius, / / ​​with the radiant rays of your prayers, resolve the dark passions of our clouds.

Translation: God-wise founder of Zheltovodsk, a God-placed pillar of monastic life, a beautifully written image of admirable fasting, a God-created vessel of the Holy Spirit, a bright shining light shining like the gold of the Russian land, we pray to you, Father Macarius, with the radiant rays of your prayers, dispel the cloud of our dark ones.

Kontakion to St. Macarius of Zheltovodsk, Unzhensk

The second Moses appeared to you, O venerable one:/ he divided the sea with a rod,/ you, like Amalek, conquered the passions/ and you passed through the impassable desert with a calm mind,/ in the midst of prayer You have performed a great miracle with your people:/ You have fed hungry people to abundance ./ And now I pray to the Lord/ to grant consolation to all the sad,/ Macarius, Father of everlasting memory,/ to the Galician country and to the entire Russian land// praise and affirmation.

Translation: You became like the second Moses, venerable one, for he divided the sea with his rod, but you conquered the passions, like , and crossed the impassable desert with a serene mind, and in it, with your prayers, you performed a great miracle: you fed hungry people until they were full. And now pray to the Lord to give consolation to everyone in sorrow, Macarius, Father always remembered, glory and strength to the Galich region and the entire Russian land.

Prayer to St. Macarius of Zheltovodsk, Unzhensky

Oh, our reverend and God-bearing Father Macarius! We believe that you stand before the Throne of the Most Holy Trinity, great and bold in your prayers to the All-Merciful Lord God, who will always listen to you, His faithful servant and saint. For this reason, with tenderness, we humbly fall to you, Holy One of God, do not keep silent for us, pray to the Lord God, worshiped and glorified in the Trinity, may He mercifully look upon us and not allow us to perish be in our sins, but may he raise us up who have fallen, may he bring us correction admiring our evil and damned life from the coming falls, and may we ask for everything, whether by ourselves or through others, to sin in thought, word and deed, from birth to this hour. You are an ascetic of virtues, our Father Macarius, weigh the weakness of our nature and the heaviness and sorrow of the present times, pray to the Lord God, that His ineffable mercy may leave us , but may he keep us from worldly temptations, from the devil’s snares and from carnal lusts, yes Let us receive from the Lord God by you all that is necessary for this time of life, liberation from troubles and misfortunes, and among them, unflagging patience to the end. Ask the Lord God for us to end our lives in peace and repentance and to pass from earth to Heaven without restraint, so that you will be freed from the ordeal and demons of the air and eternal torment and will be considered worthy of the Kingdom of Heaven Go, with you and with all the saints who pleased the Lord God and our Savior Jesus Christ , To Him is due all glory, honor and worship, with His Eternal Father and with His Most Holy and Good and Life-giving Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Second prayer to St. Macarius of Zheltovodsk, Unzhensk

Our Reverend and Blessed Father Macarius! Universal lamp, fertilizer for monks and ascetics, intercessor of the Galich countries and all Russian lands! Indefatigable and warm for us, sinners, prayer book to our All-Merciful Savior and God Jesus Christ and to the Most Holy and Most Pure Mother of His Lady, Our Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary! We pray to your all-honorable shrine, your unworthy disciples, do not forget us, your humble children, but like a loving father, visit with your spirit the infirmity of our souls. And ask with your prayers from Christ our God, that he may sanctify our souls and bodies, and enlighten our mind and understanding, and cleanse our conscience from all filth, and from unclean thoughts, and onions new thoughts, and harmful understandings, and destructive despondency, and He will deliver us from all demonic incessant slander and bitterness day and night. Grant us sincere repentance, contrition of heart, tears and tenderness, abstinence and sobriety, humility, meekness and silence, and purity of soul and body, poverty and love of strangers, and lack of personhood Loyal love and mercy for each other, and all monastic reverence. Oh, our all-blessed father Macarius, grant us to follow, according to our strength, your holy and equal life! For by the all-merciful representation of the Most Blessed and Ever-Virgin Mary the Mother of God, Heavenly Queen, Christian intercessor and patroness, and by your holy prayers, the Most Blessed Christ Our God will show us, His sinful servants, His grace and mercy, and will free us from present evils and future eternal torments, and He will grant us heirs to be the heirs of His Heavenly Kingdom, glorifying and magnifying Him together with His Beginning Father and the Most Holy and Good and His Life-giving Spirit, now and ever and ever eki centuries. Amen.

Canons and Akathists

Akathist to St. Macarius of Zheltovodsk, Wonderworker of Unzhensk

Kontakion 1

Chosen by the Governor of the heavenly powers and the Lord Jesus Christ, our reverend father Macarius, as having great boldness towards God, I pray for the salvation of our souls and deliver us from all troubles and misfortunes, so we call to you: Rejoice, Macarius, wonderful miracle worker.

Ikos 1

The Creator of heaven and earth appeared as an angel on earth, for you counted everything on earth for your skills, so that you might acquire one Christ; Likewise, all of you, beholding your Christ-like life on earth, cry out to you: Rejoice, prepared from the womb for the pure and immaculate dwelling of the Most Holy Trinity; Rejoice, chosen by God the Father. Rejoice, redeemed by God the Son; Rejoice, sanctified by God by the Holy Spirit. Rejoice, loving the Lord above all else; Rejoice, having left your father and mother for Christ’s sake. Rejoice, thou who obeyed the calling of the spirit of grace; Rejoice, you who denied yourself for the sake of Christ Jesus. Rejoice, you who took up the cross of Christ on yourself; Rejoice, you who followed Christ. Rejoice, until the end of your life you continued in patience and asceticism unflaggingly; Rejoice, for while you bravely endured the temporary and present, you rejoiced in the future and eternal. Rejoice, Macarius, wonderful miracle worker.

Kontakion 2

Reverend Father Macarius, you, still a baby, when the church bell rang, crying and screaming childishly, as if you understood, you expressed a desire to be carried to church. You rejoiced and rejoiced at the church singing that took place in the temple of God. For this reason, your faithful parents burden you with every church singing and glorify the Lord God for you, crying out: Alleluia.

Ikos 2

You have gained the mind, unrealized by carnal wisdom, and you have fixed your whole heart on the heavenly, for this reason we cry out to you: Rejoice, for you went to the church of God all your days; Rejoice, for you listened to the sweetness of church reading and singing. Rejoice, thou who from youth acquired the habit of godly good behavior; Rejoice, who loved the beauty of the house of God and the dwelling place of the glory of the Lord. Rejoice, you who are willing to sneak into the house of God rather than live in the villages of sinners; Rejoice, you who continually offer prayers to God day and night. Rejoice, you who offered not just your body, but also your entire soul, as a pure sacrifice to God; Rejoice, having devoted everything to the service of God. Rejoice, for your peers are superior in understanding the word of God to your mouth; Rejoice, as an olive tree is planted in the house of God. Rejoice, blessed one, for you have become like a tree planted by the flowing waters, bearing fruit; Rejoice, Macarius, wonderful miracle worker.

Kontakion 3

Warming your heart with the Holy Spirit, like a father, you desired the great monastic rank, having loved the Heavenly Father more than your earthly parents, and you left your parents’ house for a monastic monastery; On the way, when he came across a beggar wearing poor clothing, he asked for that for himself, giving him your good robe for the sake of the Lord God Jesus Christ, for our sake who was poor, that we might be rich through His poverty and cry out to Him: Alleluia.

Ikos 3

Having come to the holy monastery, our venerable father Macarius, you prayed to Saint Dionysius Archimandrite, that you would be accepted into the rank of monks, saying to yourself that you are rootless, orphaned, poor, desiring to work for God. The Archimandrite foresaw in you to be the chosen vessel of the Holy Spirit, receiving and clothing you in an angelic image. You fulfilled all the virtues befitting a monk and in everything you pleased God and your mentor, like Christ himself, as well as the brethren, and in your new beginning you appeared to be a perfect monk and a good ascetic. With the same dignity we cry out to you: Rejoice, having kindly received monasticism from the hands of Saint Dionysius; Rejoice, you who have chosen cohabitation and conversation with the monks. Rejoice, you who loved the monastic life’s sorrow and hardship more than the consolations and sweets of the world; Rejoice, jealous of the lives and feats of the ancients reverend father. Rejoice, having shown an example of true obedience to the superior and all the brethren in Christ; Rejoice, having accomplished all obedience with humility and meekness. Rejoice, strong zealot and guardian of spiritual and physical purity; Rejoice, having mortified your flesh by vigil, fasting and kneeling. Rejoice, having learned silence and the thought of God from youth; Rejoice, I have kept silence with kindness. Rejoice, having conquered the opposing forces with the word of God, like a sword; Rejoice, having surpassed the monks who were with you in fasting and virtues. Rejoice, Macarius, wonderful miracle worker.

Kontakion 4

A storm of thoughts confused your parents, our Father Macarius, when you suddenly left their house; three years later, having found you holy monastery, I rejoice and glorify God, crying out to Him: Alleluia.

Ikos 4

Hearing, Reverend Father Macarius, near and far, even about your fasting life, I was amazed and glorified you everywhere, but you, as one seeking the glory of the one God, fled from the glory of man, hiding in the deserts. Build everything for your benefit; God will glorify you, His servant, not just among the Christians, but also among the Hagarites. In the same way we cry to you: Rejoice, standing on top of the city, which cannot hide itself; Rejoice, lamp, illuminating everyone with your miracles and deeds. Rejoice, star showing the sun of righteousness; Rejoice, dawn of the Divine Light. Rejoice, through your good deeds all who behold you strive to glorify the Father who is in heaven; Rejoice, for you tried first to do the Will of God yourself and then to teach others. Rejoice, solid pillar of monasticism; Rejoice, for you are a wise leader who has led many to eternal salvation. Rejoice, wonderful image of fasting, patience, thirst and hunger, and nakedness; Rejoice, thou who loved the good yoke and light burden of Christ from his youth. Rejoice, thou living angel on earth; Rejoice, earthly Angel and heavenly man. Rejoice, Macarius, wonderful miracle worker.

Kontakion 5

The God-bearing star of the whole country appeared, O Reverend Father Macarius, becoming an image to all in word, life, love, spirit, faith, purity, singing to the Lord God: Alleluia.

Ikos 5

Lord God, cleanse your chosen ones with sorrows and misfortunes, like gold and silver, allow the monastery you created to be ruined, suddenly attacking the land, the Hagarians cut everyone who was in it with a sword, like the grain in the field, devouring you, Reverend Our Father, brought her alive to her commander. This same one, seeing your angel-like face and realizing that you have done evil to no one, but have done good to everyone. I will soften his hard heart to God, to give freedom to you and also to you for the sake of freedom of other captives, up to forty husbands, perhaps wives and children. In the same way, we cry out to you: Rejoice, having conquered the infidels with the meekness and goodness of your hearts; Rejoice, having turned malice into pity. Rejoice, pious people freed from Hagaryan captivity; Rejoice, having delivered many from grave misfortunes and sorrows. Rejoice, for you gave an honorable burial to the brethren of the monastery, who were beaten by the slaughter, like those ancient fathers in Sinai and Raifa; Rejoice, for the only one who died in the world grieved not for himself, but for his neighbors. Rejoice, for you carefully guarded the people who were released from captivity with you, so that they would not fall into the hands of the Hagarians again; Rejoice, for you taught the people you led to place all their hope in one God. Rejoice, for you were their leader, teacher, and comforter along the way; Rejoice, for you went with prayer to the country of Galicia. Rejoice, for as you walked along the path, you laid the foundation of the Sviyazhsk monastery; Rejoice, for you were zealous for the salvation of souls redeemed by Jesus Christ. Rejoice, Macarius, wonderful miracle worker.

Kontakion 6

Your whole life, Reverend Father Macarius, is a silent preaching of faith, hope and love, even for God and for your neighbors, influenced into your soul by the Holy Spirit, to whom we cry: Alleluia.

Ikos 6

Showing the new Moses, O Reverend Father Macarius, Lord God, when people, freed from captivity, you comfortably led them through impenetrable forests and thieves, and you wonderfully nourished those exhausted from hunger. For this reason we cry out to you: Rejoice, for you forbade the poor people from breaking the fast established by the Holy Church; Rejoice, for you have consoled these words with divine inspiration, strengthening you in patience. Rejoice, for having been accustomed to fasting from your youth, you have neglected yourself; Rejoice, for for the sake of the hungry people, the sadness melting away, with your words and prayers you strengthened them in exhaustion from lack of eating. Rejoice, for we feed people with spiritual food, like bread, strengthening us with courage; Rejoice, for you have asked God for livestock so that you can provide sufficient food for the hungry. Rejoice, for you brought all the people comfortably into the borders of the Galician country, into the city of Unzha; Rejoice, for the faithful people met you with honor and kindness, like an Angel of God. Rejoice, for the people you know have confessed the mercy of God to everyone; Rejoice, for you who have heard how the Lord God freed faithful people from captivity and famine, glorifying God and you, His saint. Rejoice, for you have illuminated the land of Galicia with your wonders; Rejoice, for you have appeared as a burning and shining lamp. Rejoice, Macarius, wonderful miracle worker.

Kontakion 7

Reverence and glory, even from man, in the city, not tolerating, you again desired the deserted silence, reverend father, and, having found a deserted place, you loved it, erected a cross, settled in the cell you created, so that you could sing to God: Alleluia.

Ikos 7

In the desert, in the wilderness, you settled, Reverend Father Macarius, for a short time you established a monastery as a monk in the presence of God by the will of God, and as you were wont to do, you worked in reverence and in truth, day and night, for God. We, glorifying the Lord God for you, cry out to you: Rejoice, you who have always sought the only thing needed; Rejoice, thou who hast become like the one who seeks good beads, and for this sake has left all earthly things. Rejoice, eyes of your mind and heart gazing at the heights of heaven; Rejoice, you have astonished angels and men with your works and exploits. Rejoice, having gained the Kingdom of God through physical and spiritual poverty; Rejoice, tenderness and contrition with tears in heaven eternal consolation friendly Rejoice, for for the sake of hunger and thirst on earth you are satisfied with bliss in heaven; Rejoice, for through your meekness and kindness you have inherited the eternal land. Rejoice, for you yourself strove to have the peace of God with everyone, and established it among those at war, and for this reason you were made one of the sons of God; Rejoice, for the sake of Christ you have suffered many sorrows, illnesses, all-night vigils, genuflections, deeds and labors. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is many in heaven; Rejoice, Macarius, wonderful miracle worker.

Kontakion 8

The Lord God, marvelous in the saints, is marvelously glorified in you, Reverend Father Macarius; having clothed you with power from above to heal ailments and illnesses of soul and body, and to give useful gifts to all who cry out to Him with faith and love for you: Alleluia.

Ikos 8

The grace of God existing in you, Reverend Father Macarius, generously giving to those in need, you healed a certain young woman who was demonic and blind with the sign of the cross with prayer. Marveling at the power of God dwelling in you, we cry to you: Rejoice, gracious source of healings; Rejoice, thou who hast received grace from the Lord God, and bestowed it. Rejoice, having great boldness towards the Lord God; Rejoice, for no one with faith asks for something to leave you. Rejoice, for through all-night prayers you have put to shame all demonic deception; Rejoice, grant sight to the blind and grant healing to all who are sick. Rejoice, treasure of divine gifts; Rejoice, for through your intercession we have been granted the gifts of the Holy Spirit, strengthening us in battle against the enemies of salvation. Rejoice, as an unfading creature, you appeared in the desert; Rejoice, color, fill everything with your fragrance. Rejoice, rivers of living water flowing forth; Rejoice, you who have chosen the good portion of the Lord’s faithful servants. Rejoice, Macarius, wonderful miracle worker.

Kontakion 9

When you reposed from earth to the heavenly abode, the faces of the Angels and God's chosen ones joyfully met you, and with them you cried out to God: Alleluia.

Ikos 9

When the time of your repose approached, according to God's will, you, reverend, came to the city of Unzhesk, where, filled with days and pleasing God, you gave up your holy soul in the hand of God. Aby, the whole city was filled with a wonderful fragrance, and the people around them smelled a wonderful fragrance, like emanating from incense and myrrh. Everyone is amazed that if the Lord God honored the repose of you, His saint, I glorified the Lord God. A multitude of people flocked to your incorruptible and fragrant body, and carried it with candles and psalms to the desert monastery, where they buried it honestly and cried out to you: Rejoice, having served the Lord to the end; Rejoice, you who foresaw your death. Rejoice, thou who art numbered among the host of God's chosen ones; Rejoice, having received reward from God for your righteous deeds. Rejoice, thou art present with the prophets; Rejoice, you who dwell with the apostles. Rejoice, thou crowned with an imperishable crown; Rejoice, for you pray to the Lord God with all the saints for us sinners. Rejoice, thou who art worthy to appear as the brother of the Heavenly Bridegroom; Rejoice, you who exchanged perishable life for incorruptible life. Rejoice, saint of Christ, named after blessedness; Rejoice, thou who has entered into the joy of thy Lord. Rejoice, Macarius, wonderful miracle worker.

Kontakion 10

Although we may save everything, the Lord God fills His chosen servants with His great gifts, and by their miracles, prayers and equal-angelic life we ​​are awakened from a life of sin to a life of saints, singing out loud to Him: Alleluia.

Ikos 10

You have appeared as a wall and helper, blessed Macarius, to all who come running to you; Likewise, for us who call upon you, be an intercessor, delivering us from temptations, sorrows and misfortunes, and let us praise you, calling: Rejoice, for through your prayers you raise us sinners from sins, falls, passions and evil customs; Rejoice, for you continually excite us to imitate your holy life. Rejoice, teacher of true repentance; Rejoice, silent accuser of those who are careless about eternal salvation. Rejoice, for all the faithful who flow to you, the representative; Rejoice, champion of the invisible and visible enemies. Rejoice, in troubles, misfortunes and needs of soul and body, give comfort and help; Rejoice, deliver us from the deadly plague. Rejoice, you drove away the invasion of the opposing forces; Rejoice, extinguish the flame that destroys the hail. Rejoice, darkening the mind and meaning of your enemies; Rejoice, you who love the Fatherland and make pious kings wise for victory. Rejoice, Macarius, wonderful miracle worker.

Kontakion 11

Singing thanksgiving to the Lord We offer to God, worshiped and glorified in the Trinity, for you have given us, the Reverend Father Macarius, a warm man of prayer, a quick helper and a wondrous miracle worker, chanting to Him: Alleluia.

Ikos 11

The light-receiving lamp of the Lord God revealed you, Venerable Macarius, when your venerable relics were found, blessed by incorruption, releasing a fragrance and illuminating the surrounding countries with miracles; In the same way, everyone rejoices and cries out to you: Rejoice, for you remained alive even after death, demonstrating in yourself the powers of the Divine; Rejoice, filling the earth with your miracles. Rejoice, for you freed a pious wife from the captivity of the Hagarians; Rejoice, for you have opened the mouth of the dumb. Rejoice, for you have restored sight to those who have repented of their sins; Rejoice, for you have given health to the weakened. Rejoice, for you have healed many blind and sick people; Rejoice, for you delivered faithful people from the attack of the Poles. Rejoice, for with your prayers you defeated those who attacked your monastery with weapons, with blindness of defeat and fear of confusion, and many in the river of the flood; Rejoice, protect your abode from troubles and evil. Rejoice, desperate hope and help; Rejoice, you receive what you ask from God. Rejoice, Macarius, wonderful miracle worker.

Kontakion 12

After the captivity and devastation of the Zheltovodsk monastery from the Hagarians in the summer, you appeared to a certain godly monk Abramiya, commanding him to go to the Zheltovodsk desert and settle in the place where the monastery was. Monk Abramy settled there and went to the Unzhe monastery, where he copied your icon, brought it for blessing, and miracles began to happen from this honest icon. Moreover, we cry out to God who glorified you: Alleluia.

Ikos 12

Singing the signs and wonders that you have done through the grace of God that lives in you, blessed Macarius, we praise you: Rejoice, for even after your repose you restored your desolate abode; Rejoice, for you have once again gathered those seeking salvation and renewed divine praise. Rejoice, for Holy place, which you have kindly chosen, you commanded Abramia not to abandon; Rejoice, for through you many monks receive strength in their labors and sorrows. Rejoice, for the abodes you created are covered with your prayers, like a covering; Rejoice, decoration for this country and our Fatherland. Rejoice, hope and refuge in the sea of ​​this life of those floating; Rejoice, firm protection of those who work diligently for the Lord God. Rejoice, help to the pious king; Rejoice, consolation of the patriarchs and saints. Rejoice, all who diligently flock to you will soon be delivered from temptations and troubles; Rejoice, for through your faithful intercession they receive eternal life. Rejoice, Macarius, wonderful miracle worker.

Kontakion 13

O venerable and God-bearing Father Macarius! Accept this small prayer offering from us and Most Holy Lady With the Mother of God and all the saints, bring a prayer to the Lord God, that He may deliver us from enemies visible and invisible, from all sorrows and troubles, from vain death and from future torments, and grant us His Heavenly Kingdom, where all, ever rejoicing and triumphant, silently cry out to To God: Alleluia.

(This kontakion is read three times, then ikos 1 and kontakion 1)