✞But as his food was heavenly; he did not touch any of it. And 5 years later, all that food was found miraculously still hot and steam coming from it. And he was released from prison.✞God then judged the heretical Emperor and [his son] Fasil (Fasilides) was enthroned. And the [upright] faith was brought back. And the Saint found his Psalmodia which he put in the River of Abay without being drenched.
✞And when he reached Gojjam, he found Satan deceiving people looking like him, thus he cast him to hell. Abune Zera Biruk lived the rest of his life with much strife (fighting the good fight) and passed away on Tir 13 (January 21). And his birthday is commemorated on this day, Tahisas 13 (December 22).
✞As he is a wonderworking father, many miracles are done to this today at Geshe.
✞✞✞Abba Macarius the Ascetic✞✞✞
=>The name Macarius is Greek and it means, “Blessed”. Many saints including St. Macarius the Chief of the Monks were called by this name. And when learning about the saints, the famed father we commemorate today is known as “The one who eats partridges”.
✞And we will see the reason for it [as we go on]. St. Macarius was a fruit of the Era of the Righteous that lived in the 5th century in the Land of Egypt. Because before him came fathers like Macarius the Great, Macarius the Priest and Macarius of Qaw (Tkow/Qaw al - Kabir), it is accustomed to call him as Macarius the 4th.
✞In his youth, the Saint left the world and entered a monastery. Then, he became a monk. And because he completely shunned chatter, gossip and pride; he went out of the monastery and departed to a desert which was void of people.
✞But he was not able to find anything to eat, a fruit of a tree nor a grass of any type, in the surrounding. And after he fasted when he became hungry, he prayed, “O Lord Who sustains the creation! Feed me my dinner?”
✞Then he ate as God had brought him one partridge. And after that, partridges became his only meal. He was able to catch a partridge each night and ate after praising for years.
✞Because God wanted to reveal the accounts of this ascetic, one Constantinopolitan monk came to the desert from his city. And while he searched for a place to take shelter in, he saw one elder hermit catching a partridge and was shocked.
✞Saying, “How could he eat meat while being a monk?” he was angered. And wanting to tell the matter to the Archbishop, he went back hastily via the way he came. Then, he said to the Patriarch of the nation, “Our father, one hermit to make a mockery out of our faith did such and such”. Thence, the Patriarch to make sure of the matter added one more person with the monk and sent both.
✞On that day, for the first time, St. Macarius caught 3 partridges in a trap. Then as he asked, “My Lord! What shall I do with the 2?” the monks reached him. Delighted and praising God, he prepared and presented to them [to eat].
✞But they despised the Saint and said, “We won’t eat.” Immediately, Abba Macarius breathed upon the roasted partridges, they gained their lives, and he made them fly. And the monks, who were shocked, prostrated before him and returned running to their country.
✞And with their tongues that they had used to slander him, they preached saying, “A great man has been found, may his blessing not pass you.” And when this was heard, the Patriarch with his people and the King with his soldiers went to the desert to be blessed. However, they reached when a holy angel carried the Saint up to the Realm of the Living.
✞And aloud they asked him, “Father! [Give us] your blessing, [what’s] your council for [our] salvation?” And he replied, “May your mouths fast from gossip and deceit. Priests do not have excess education nor do monks amplify austerity. Let not your heart be proud. And peace be with you!” and he disappeared before their eyes and entered the Realm of the Living.
✞And when he reached Gojjam, he found Satan deceiving people looking like him, thus he cast him to hell. Abune Zera Biruk lived the rest of his life with much strife (fighting the good fight) and passed away on Tir 13 (January 21). And his birthday is commemorated on this day, Tahisas 13 (December 22).
✞As he is a wonderworking father, many miracles are done to this today at Geshe.
✞✞✞Abba Macarius the Ascetic✞✞✞
=>The name Macarius is Greek and it means, “Blessed”. Many saints including St. Macarius the Chief of the Monks were called by this name. And when learning about the saints, the famed father we commemorate today is known as “The one who eats partridges”.
✞And we will see the reason for it [as we go on]. St. Macarius was a fruit of the Era of the Righteous that lived in the 5th century in the Land of Egypt. Because before him came fathers like Macarius the Great, Macarius the Priest and Macarius of Qaw (Tkow/Qaw al - Kabir), it is accustomed to call him as Macarius the 4th.
✞In his youth, the Saint left the world and entered a monastery. Then, he became a monk. And because he completely shunned chatter, gossip and pride; he went out of the monastery and departed to a desert which was void of people.
✞But he was not able to find anything to eat, a fruit of a tree nor a grass of any type, in the surrounding. And after he fasted when he became hungry, he prayed, “O Lord Who sustains the creation! Feed me my dinner?”
✞Then he ate as God had brought him one partridge. And after that, partridges became his only meal. He was able to catch a partridge each night and ate after praising for years.
✞Because God wanted to reveal the accounts of this ascetic, one Constantinopolitan monk came to the desert from his city. And while he searched for a place to take shelter in, he saw one elder hermit catching a partridge and was shocked.
✞Saying, “How could he eat meat while being a monk?” he was angered. And wanting to tell the matter to the Archbishop, he went back hastily via the way he came. Then, he said to the Patriarch of the nation, “Our father, one hermit to make a mockery out of our faith did such and such”. Thence, the Patriarch to make sure of the matter added one more person with the monk and sent both.
✞On that day, for the first time, St. Macarius caught 3 partridges in a trap. Then as he asked, “My Lord! What shall I do with the 2?” the monks reached him. Delighted and praising God, he prepared and presented to them [to eat].
✞But they despised the Saint and said, “We won’t eat.” Immediately, Abba Macarius breathed upon the roasted partridges, they gained their lives, and he made them fly. And the monks, who were shocked, prostrated before him and returned running to their country.
✞And with their tongues that they had used to slander him, they preached saying, “A great man has been found, may his blessing not pass you.” And when this was heard, the Patriarch with his people and the King with his soldiers went to the desert to be blessed. However, they reached when a holy angel carried the Saint up to the Realm of the Living.
✞And aloud they asked him, “Father! [Give us] your blessing, [what’s] your council for [our] salvation?” And he replied, “May your mouths fast from gossip and deceit. Priests do not have excess education nor do monks amplify austerity. Let not your heart be proud. And peace be with you!” and he disappeared before their eyes and entered the Realm of the Living.