Macarius of Egypt (c.300–391,) also known as Macarius the Elder or Macarius the Great, was a Christian monk and ascetic, among the Desert Fathers who shaped early Egyptian monasticism.
Born in Lower Egypt, he worked as a cattle herder before embracing solitude and prayer. He built a small cell near his home for spiritual contemplation. After his wife and parents died, he gave away his wealth and sought guidance from an elder hermit.
A disciple of Saint Anthony the Great, Macarius learned monastic principles before settling in the Scetes Desert, where he attracted followers and established a semi-eremitical community. His wisdom earned him the title “the aged youth,” reflecting his spiritual maturity.
In 374, Bishop Lucius of Alexandria exiled him to a Nile island for opposing Arianism, but he later returned to Scetes, where he remained until his death.
His only known work, To the Friends of God, is a letter offering spiritual guidance to younger monks. The 50 Spiritual Homilies, attributed to Macarius, explore mystical theology and asceticism, though authorship is debated.
Notable biographies include John B. Smith’s Macarius the Egyptian: His Life and Legacy (1995,) examining his monastic influence, and George A. Maloney’s The Spiritual Homilies of Macarius the Great (2003,) analyzing his mystical teachings.
More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by Macarius of Egypt
Love is inseparable from knowledge.
—Macarius of Egypt
Topics: Love
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