The Venerable Saint Macarius the Great of Egypt

St. Macarius of Egypt (331-391) as !no n as "the chil# el#er" at a young age$ for his is#o% an# ascetic lifestyle. &hile his parents ere li'ing$ he use# all he ha# to ta!e care of the%. (fter ar#s$ he ga'e all his %oney to the poor$ an# ca%e un#er the tutelage of a #esert %on! ho taught hi% to fast an# pray. The #e'il struggle# greatly ith this Saint$ but Macarius #efeate# the #e'il ith prayer$ fasting$ the sign of the )ross$ an# his e*tre%e hu%ility.

St. Macarius sought out St. (nthony an# beca%e his #isciple. (fter so%e years$ St. (nthony sent hi% to the S!ete %onastery$ here he soon beca%e (bba. +e beca%e so popular$ an# so %any people ca%e to hi% for his prayers an# a#'ice$ St. Macarius #ug a #eep ca'e un#er his cell to hi#e in for pri'ate prayer an# %e#itation. St. Macarius as a great healer$ an# e'en raise# the #ea# bac! to life through prayer. ,ne ti%e$ hen he as passing by a s!ull$ the s!ull crie# out for his prayers.

(t one ti%e$ the (rian heretics$ E%peror Valens an# -ishop .ucius$ e*ile# St. Macarius to an islan# of pagans$ in the /ile. St. Macarius$ along ith another Saint fro% (le*an#ria$ also na%e# Macarius con'erte# the hole population of the islan#$ an# bapti0e# the% all. 1earing an uprising$ the bishop .ucius returne# the %on!s to their respecti'e %onasteries. (fter 23 years in the as a %on!$ at about 93 years of age$ St. Marcarius as %iraculously 'isite# by the #eparte# Sts. (nthony an# 4acho%ius$ ho ca%e to infor% hi% that he oul# soon be ith the% in eternity. St. Marcarius5 final acts ere to bless the %on!s of his %onastery$ an# to e*hort the% to al ays preser'e the %onastic rule an# the tra#itions of the 1athers. +e then fell asleep in the .or#.

Apolytikion

Thou #i#st pro'e to be a citi0en of the #esert$ an angel in the flesh$ an# a on#er or!er$ , Ma!arios$ our Go#-bearing 1ather. -y fasting$ 'igil$ an# prayer thou #i#st obtain hea'enly gifts$ an# thou healest the sic! an# the souls of the% that ha'e recourse to thee ith faith. Glory to +i% that hath gi'en thee strength. Glory to hi% that hath cro ne# thee. Glory to +i% that or!eth healings for all through thee.

Kontakion The .or# Go# establishe# thee$ , great ascetic$ in the house of abstinence$ li!e an unerring star that lit the farthest regions ith gui#ing light$ 1ather of 1athers$ , righteous Macarius.

1 Peter 1:1-2, 10-12; 2:6-10 4eter$ an apostle of 6esus )hrist$ To the pilgri%s of the 7ispersion in 4ontus$ Galatia$ )appa#ocia$ (sia$ an# -ithynia$ elect accor#ing to the fore!no le#ge of Go# the 1ather$ in sanctification of the Spirit$ for obe#ience an# sprin!ling of the bloo# of 6esus )hrist8 Grace to you an# peace be %ultiplie#. ,f this sal'ation the prophets ha'e in9uire# an# searche# carefully$ ho prophesie# of the grace that oul# co%e to you$ 11 searching hat$ or hat %anner of ti%e$ the Spirit of )hrist ho as in the% as in#icating hen +e testifie# beforehan# the sufferings of )hrist an# the glories that oul# follo . 1: To the% it as re'eale# that$ not to the%sel'es$ but to us they ere %inistering the things hich no ha'e been reporte# to you through those ho ha'e preache# the gospel to you by the +oly Spirit sent fro% hea'en;things hich angels #esire to loo! into. Therefore it is also containe# in the Scripture$ < -ehol#$ = lay in >ion ( chief cornerstone$ elect$ precious$ (n# he ho belie'es on +i% ill by no %eans be put to sha%e.? Therefore$ to you ho belie'e$ +e is precious@ but to those ho are #isobe#ient$ < The stone hich the buil#ers reAecte# +as beco%e the chief cornerstone$? an# < ( stone of stu%bling (n# a roc! of offense.? They stu%ble$ being #isobe#ient to the or#$ to hich they also ere appointe#. -ut you are a chosen generation$ a royal priesthoo#$ a holy nation$ +is o n special people$

that you %ay proclai% the praises of +i% ho calle# you out of #ar!ness into +is %ar'elous light@ ho once ere not a people but are no the people of Go#$ ho ha# not obtaine# %ercy but no ha'e obtaine# %ercy.

Mark 12:1-12 Then +e began to spea! to the% in parables8 <( %an plante# a 'ineyar# an# set a he#ge aroun# it$ #ug a place for the ine 'at an# built a to er. (n# he lease# it to 'ine#ressers an# ent into a far country. /o at 'intage-ti%e he sent a ser'ant to the 'ine#ressers$ that he %ight recei'e so%e of the fruit of the 'ineyar# fro% the 'ine#ressers. (n# they too! hi% an# beat hi% an# sent hi% a ay e%pty-han#e#. (gain he sent the% another ser'ant$ an# at hi% they thre stones$ oun#e# hi% in the hea#$ an# sent hi% a ay sha%efully treate#. (n# again he sent another$ an# hi% they !ille#@ an# %any others$ beating so%e an# !illing so%e. Therefore still ha'ing one son$ his belo'e#$ he also sent hi% to the% last$ saying$ BThey ill respect %y son.C -ut those 'ine#ressers sai# a%ong the%sel'es$ BThis is the heir. )o%e$ let us !ill hi%$ an# the inheritance ill be ours.C So they too! hi% an# !ille# hi% an# cast hi% out of the 'ineyar#. <Therefore hat ill the o ner of the 'ineyar# #oD +e ill co%e an# #estroy the 'ine#ressers$ an# gi'e the 'ineyar# to others. +a'e you not e'en rea# this Scripture8 B The stone hich the buil#ers reAecte# +as beco%e the chief cornerstone. This as the .,E7Cs #oing$ (n# it is %ar'elous in our eyesCD? (n# they sought to lay han#s on +i%$ but feare# the %ultitu#e$ for they !ne +e ha# spo!en the parable against the%. So they left +i% an# ent a ay.