Venerable Makarios the Hermit of Mesopotamia

Saint Makarios of Mesopotamia

The twenty-third of October is the day on which we venerate Saint Makarios of Mesopotamia, a Roman by birth who ran away from his father’s house and became a hermit in the deserts of what is now northern Iraq. There are two sources that allude to Makarios, a short Life and a long Life. Saint Nikodēmos of the Holy Mountain recommends that Orthodox Christians only read the shorter of the two Lives, as the longer one has spurious Gnostic and occult interpolations, and may be spiritually harmful to readers.

Three monks from the Monastery of Saint Asklēpios, who were named Sergios, Hyginos and Theophilos, went out into the world in order to seek a sign from God that would be of benefit to their salvation. They found a cave, deep in the deserts of Mesopotamia, from which wafted a heavenly sweet scent. The three men approached the cave and saw a queer old hermit, his face and body covered entirely by hair and a long beard that reached his knees, and wearing no other clothing. As he saw the approach of the three young monks, the hermit fell on his face on the ground in prayer, and remained there until he was sure that the monks were flesh-and-blood rather than images presented to him by the Evil One. Then the hermit brought them into the cave, which he shared with two wild lions. Sergios, Hyginos and Theophilos asked the hermit to tell them his story, and he did so.

His name, it turned out, was Makarios. His father John had been a senator in Rome, and he had been brought up in great wealth and luxury. When he had reached adulthood, his parents had him betrothed to a bride against his will. On the night of his wedding, even on the threshold of the bridal chamber in the midst of the festivities, John fled his father’s house and took refuge with a certain widow. For a full week he entreated the Lord with fervent prayers and with tears to save him. When the time came for him to leave the widow’s house, he met in the street an old man, dressed in noble robes and of a winsome demeanour. The man bade him follow. Makarios instantly trusted the man, and went with him, following him out along the road to the east. The two travelled together for three years, until one day they came to the mouth of the cave where Makarios dwelt thereafter. In a vision the hermit had sometime afterward, the old man appeared to Makarios and told him that he was the Archangel Raphael, who had once guided Tobias in his travels. The archangel then entrusted him to God’s care, along with two lion cubs, which had lately lost their mother.

Soon after he had first moved into the cave, he beheld an astonishing beauty visiting at the mouth of the cave. Makarios began to speak with the girl, and as he told her his story, she related to him that she also had fled from a forced marriage in Rome. Makarios, being young and inexperienced, lacked the discernment he needed to escape the snares of the Evil One, and he welcomed her into his cave to spend the night. For the first time in his life, the fiery darts of lust assailed him, and he slept with the girl. As soon as this was done she vanished, for she had been an apparition. The Evil One exulted because he had succeeded in tempting the ascetic to sin in thought and deed.

Makarios understood at once, how seriously he had fallen. He fell upon his face and wept bitter tears. He resolved to quit his cave and find another place where he might repent and atone for his sin. But as he was leaving the cave, he saw the same old man greeting him again – the Archangel Raphael. The archangel gently urged him not to seek out a new place but to return to his own cave, because if he stayed in his cave God would hear his prayers. Makarios redoubled his ascetic efforts and kept to a strict regimen of fasting and vigils, mortifying his will absolutely, and attempted to recover the purity of his soul. This he had done for many long years until the three monastic brethren had come upon him.

After they had heard this story to the benefit of their souls, Saint Makarios entertained the monks, and then sent them on their way with his blessing. The three of them departed, and left Makarios to his solitary struggle. So he continued, until at last he fell asleep in the Lord. No earthly man attended him; but he was welcomed into the presence of the angels and of the company of saints. Holy ascetic Makarios, who showed the way of repentance and struggle to the monks, pray unto Christ our God that our souls may be saved!

Apolytikion for Saint Makarios of Mesopotamia, Tone 8:

By a flood of tears you made the desert fertile,
And your longing for God brought forth fruits in abundance.
By the radiance of miracles you illumined the whole universe!
O our holy father Makarios, pray to Christ our God to save our souls!