Saint Macarius the Spiritbearer: Coptic Texts Relating to Saint Macarius the Great

Popular Patristics Series #28

by Macarius the Great, Tim Vivian (Translator)

This important work features three seminal texts which provide insight into one of the most venerated saints of the Coptic Church and into the life of the Egyptian monastic communities of the fourth century: The Sayings of Saint Macarius, The Virtues of Saint Macarius, and The Life of Saint Macarius of Scetis.

Macarius the Great (also referred to as Macarius of Egypt or Macarius the Egyptian) presided over a loosely knit scattering of ascetic monastic communities in the fourth century Egyptian desert. He enjoyed great respect during his lifetime and his fame was further spread after appearing in Palladius' Lausiac History. This work is a companion volume to Four Desert Fathers, also published by SVS Press, which features the lives of Macarius the Spiritbearer, Macarius of Alexandria, Pambo and Evagrius. The two volumes together, introducing the thought and practice of these desert dwellers through their Sayings, Virtues and Lives, offer the best access to their world.

Genres: Christian, Spirituality, Religion, Theology, Christianity

216 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

Reviews

[Mark Rizk Farag · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful, short thoughts to follow inshallah

[Ted · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rating books has more to do with where I am in life than the book itself. I'm coming to the end of my life as a priest and I didn't find this work "useful" nor did it give me any new insight since I've read versions of the stories and quotes elsewhere. There is something childlike in some of the desert fathers stories, they are simple, can be read literally, though that may never have been their purpose. I am not inspired by stories of demons who throw rocks at the saint or the fact that in his life though he constantly defeats the demons, the life never allows him to be completely victorious and it shows an ambivalent attitude toward victory. For partly he is so admired as a saint because he suffers so, and if he triumphs over demons than he is not suffering, so it is a dilemma for his biographer. He wants him victorious since he is a saint, but he can only be a saint if he is constantly suffering and struggling so he can never triumph once and for all. It makes me wonder what role the Cross or Resurrection of Christ plays in the life, for we sing constantly that demons have been utterly defeated and overthrown, and in baptism demons are exorcised forever. And yet in these monastic stories demons ride roughshod over everyone and seem totally unaffected by Christ or baptism or the Cross. They have free reign not only to spiritually torment but to physically torment as well thought they are bodiless beings. One wonders where the angels are and where God is. After Macarius' life time of torment by demons, God finally protects him from the rocks being thrown by demons. One has to wonder why didn't God do that all along?

[Aaron Schuschu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty interesting, too interesting to put down.

[mRizk · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolute favorite! Everything about the set-up of the book is helpful and edifying— from the order of events to references, citations, and insights. To think that this is only a glimpse of St. Macarius’ life is awe-filling and humbling.

[Mina · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very simple and deep spiritual piece of work. It includes three manuscripts and they all are about the life and sayings of St Macarius the Egyptian (The great). St. Macaruis is a revered patron of an area in Egypt called Scetis (a Coptic term, weighing the heart). A region in the northwest of the Nile Delta in Egypt. In our day, the region has 4 monasteries, One of them named after St. Macarius. I have been so many times to the desert of Scetis; on day trips or stayed in retreats. I experienced and lived with monks who practised asceticism in that book. Being a descendant of the Coptic Christians, I felt so connected to this book.
I think it is an easy-to-follow guide for Christian life and particularly monastic life. Abba Macarius gives accurate advice on how to do Christ's commandments in a simple writing style. There are many stories about his fight with the demons. I think it is a good read for Christian people.

[Kirolos Shahat · Rating 4 out of 5]

The content itself is amazing but I wasn't a huge fan of the translation

[cadfael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Prone to re-reading. Daily inspiration.

[Meredith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ah, the Desert Fathers, holy men who essentially spend decades out in the desert thinking up wise things to tell struggling pilgrims, they are fascinating lot.

My favorite bit of wisdom from this book is: “If you rebuke someone and do it with anger, you have allowed a passion to control you. You have not saved anyone and have destroyed yourself.” It's a reminder not to lash out even in righteous anger.

[Sevan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pretty awesome! It gives you a glimpse into the time when people left the world and lived in the desert, giving their thoughts and works to God, their Life. And still people follow the example of Abba Macarius, to this day!