Biography of the Optina Elder Hieroschemamonk Macarius

In the preface of the first edition of the biography of the Optina Elder Hieroschemamonk Macarius (†1860), who reposed in the Lord, its most venerable author, Hieromonk (later Archimandrite) Leonid Kavelin, by the way, wrote the following: “Having taken upon myself the work, at the common request of numerous disciples and persons who benefited from the spiritual instructions of the elder, to compile an outline of his godly life - of which the Lord vouchsafed me, a great sinner, to be a close witness - I dared to do this only in the hope that the elder’s letters, filled with spiritual wisdom, placed in the collection prepared for publication, would complement the spiritual poverty of my story. I think it is not superfluous to note that all the information I have collected here about the late elder has been verified by the testimony of close disciples of our common father, mentor and benefactor.” Thus, the main source for compiling the biography of Elder Macarius again is 1) this, published in 1861, with the following table of contents: “The Legend of the Life and Deeds of the Elder of Optina Hermitage, Hieroschemamonk Macarius, of blessed memory,” in its entirety without changes. Further, the proposed biography was supplemented by: 2) long-printed letters of Elder Macarius, 3) the Skete Chronicle, 4) handwritten notes of the late monastery leader, Hieroschemamonk Anatoly Zertsalov, the former closest student of Elder Macarius, 5) notes of nuns of some women’s monasteries, and mainly Belevsky, and 6) finally, oral stories of the old-time Optina monks, who have now all passed on to eternal life. All-merciful Lord! Help, through the prayers of the deceased elder, the ever-remembered Hieroschemamonk Macarius, who labored for You for the sake of this temporary life, to accomplish the work undertaken to glorify Your most holy name and Your faithful servant described here!