SerbianOrthodoxChurch.net
Born in Alexandria, he was at first a fruit-vendor. He was only bap-tised at the age of forty, and immediately went off to seek the ascetic life. He was a disciple of St Antony, together with Macarius the Great, and abbot of the monastery of the Cells beyond Nitria. Somewhat younger than the other Macarius, he also died later. He was tormented by diabolical temptations, particularly the tempta-tion to lust for power, but, humbling himself by the most rigorous of labours and by unceasing prayer, he lifted his mind up constantly to God. One of the brethren once saw him carrying a full basket of sand uphill and emptying it. The astonished brother asked him why he was doing that. Macarius replied: `I am wearing out him who wears me out' (that is, the devil).He entered into rest in the year 393, being nearly a hundred years old.
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SerbianOrthodoxChurch.net * From "The Prologue from Ochrid", by Bishop Nikolai Velimirovic - Lazarica Press - Birmingham 1985 Four Book Edition - Translated by Mother Maria - Dates based on old church calendar. Please see our calendar for conversion between old and new calendar dates. |