Message of Abba Macarius the Great to his children and to all believers in our Lord Jesus Christ, which he heard from the angel of God

Contents Ethiopian ascetic letter attributed to St. Macarius of Egypt Message from Abba Macarius the Great to his children and to all who believe in our Lord Jesus Christ, which he heard from the angel of God - blessed is his name - to whom man is entrusted Ethiopian ascetic letter attributed to St. Macarius of Egypt In the meeting of N.P. Likhachev has an Ethiopian handwritten collection of exceptional diversity and interest, containing, among other rare and even unknown articles, “The Epistle of Abba Macarius the Great to his children..., which he heard from the Angel of God” 1 . I did not find the original of this text among the works of St. Macarius of Egypt and Macarius of Alexandria; Maybe someone more well-read in patristic writing will find it known among, if not published, then handwritten patristic material. The literary form of the “Epistle” is peculiar: the author, on behalf of St. Macarius, conveys the admonitions of the Guardian Angel to the careless soul of a man in the 22nd year of the latter’s life. Whether this has any connection with the biography of the reverend is unknown 2. As for the possibility that the “Epistle” belongs to St. Macarius, then I will allow myself to quote the opinion of Prof. A.A. Bronzov, to whom I reported it in translation: “thoughts, even a lot of expressions, are present in the works of St. Macarius... The whole spirit is of St. Macarius... It is possible that the message was hitherto unknown to the publishers. It is possible that it belongs to Macarius. And if there is support, it will be very skillful: in the spirit of Macarius’s view of repentance, humility, faith, love, etc.” – the everyday features of the accusations in the text also seem to suit the era. – The text was obviously translated into Ethiopian from Arabic, not always smoothly enough. The manuscript is not in good order (ሰ and ስ, ት and ተ, etc. are especially often confused); some errors, especially omissions, were corrected by the copyist himself; often letters and entire words are written again on the scraped out places 3 . The message of Abba Macarius the Great to his children and to all who believe in our Lord Jesus Christ, which he heard from the angel of God - blessed is his name 4 - to whom man is entrusted My beloved, believers in the Son of God, may peace be with every person who remains, listening to the word of the angel of God, who is united with him, to the human soul, let us leave evil deeds while we have day and the light is stretched out before our face, and before our day is darkened, and our tongue and our hands are tied, and we do not bear our deeds, we do not bend under our sins in a terrible abiding, where there is trembling, and horror and crying. Alas for us from the fasting that will be useless, and from the sadness that depresses the heart, from the weeping that comes from the heart! Alas for us from the flames of the unquenchable fire of Gehenna! Woe to us for hell and darkness, which we fear! My children and my beloved! I, sinful Macarius, will tell you what I heard in this message and from the word of the angel of God for the soul of the person entrusted to him. I cried tears of many, and I knew that a person would not be saved without diligence, and diligent search, and care, and charity towards all people, especially without love for the poor and giving everything that we have, may all our thoughts be gathered together towards him in work and prayer, sorrow and crying, and may we abandon all our desires and our passions. The angel of God said, blessed be his kingdom 5 - “Wretched soul, how long are you negligent about your salvation and do not turn to God, your Creator? How long will you be insatiable in fornication and entanglements of flesh and sin, in pride, exaltation and envy, in the accumulation of evil, robbery and satiety, in murder and quarrel, in love of glory and vanity and in a false oath in the name of God your Creator, in anger and rage from morning to evening, in the uncleanness of the night and insulting the poor. Poor soul, didn’t God create you pure, bright, alien to sin and lawlessness? And he put me to you. And I am a holy soul, and you never obeyed me until you were 22 years old. You have not missed a single day without angering God and His angels with your evil deeds. And you also say to other people today: “When we reach the end of life, God will have mercy on us and show mercy.” Damned soul, why will He have mercy or mercy on you? For your humility? Or for your vigil? For your efforts? Or for an enhanced fast? For alms? Or for respect for the church? I will enter the church with my brother angel, and will not find you there. I grieve for you. And I will see angels, who are above people, greeting those who are with them, and they will rejoice together in their hearts, listening to the liturgy, but I will grieve for you. And then you will go to receive the holy and pure body and blood of our Lord for the remission of sins, being removed from this grace. My sadness for you is deep, and I have no peace because of you. Get up now, resort to repentance, and do not put it off from day to day, for the days pass, and you will (still) repent (?) And there is no mercy in hell, and there is no repentance there, and you will not be cast out here. Remember the angels of darkness who will delight you and punish you for your deeds, and you will not take with you either gold or silver. Remember the weight of your sins and evil deeds over your head when you go to stand before the face of our Lord Jesus Christ. And what are your excuses and sins that are witnesses to you, and what will you say in your shame, wretched, before people and angels? And what will you say when a terrible voice comes to you, saying: “Send this soul into condemnation and total darkness”? Woe to you, wretched one! Precede mercy now before darkness comes. Turn to the One who turned graciously to you, and put on the robe of repentance, hurry and do not delay from today until tomorrow, for the day you are waiting for will pass. Get away from sin and give (?) me peace in these few days. My brother angels at the hour of sunset will offer everyone the fruits of his labors: prayer, alms or fasting; I will weep among them and will be alien to the sweetness of their incense before God. And they will glorify with the whole council of saints, but I will say in weeping and trembling: “O soul, I am constantly afraid of your evil deeds. Would it be better for you if God sends me cessation (?) or migration, and I am not united with you? Remember the day of death and trembling that will come upon you, confusion and misfortune that will come upon you. Watch now and do not delay in your salvation, turn to my advice and leave unrighteousness and anger, for the fire burns forever and ever. How long will arrogance and vanity bring you back to your enemies, like the ground that you trample underfoot? How long will envy and deceit be on your tongue and subsequently the leaders of condemnation? How long will you anger your brothers and be at enmity with them, and not know what your end will be? How long will you harm your brother and kill a soul like yourself? How long will your evil thoughts and arrogance remain in your heart? Retribution for this awaits you. How long will you swear falsely by the name of Boa - and to Him is your return, and He will take vengeance on you - and, leaving your brothers hungry at your gates, will you be lazy in praying to Your God? How long will you need to cleanse your body with perfumes and aromas from vanity, and not leave the stench of your sins? Woe to me from you, soul, for my grief is great because of you, and I cannot find any means to escape from you. I do not want to come close to you and look at you because of the stench of your deeds and the shame of the wickedness of your sins, the wickedness of your ways. I have no peace in being with you, because you have no good. Poor soul, watch now until your days pass away and receive grace from the sweetness of His mercy. Hurry to the purity of your prayers, I am crying. Rise now in the fear of God. Remember your departure from the body: you will bear all your deeds. Know your house: dust you are and to dust you will be thrown. Know that your eyes will be closed to the light, remember that your ears will be deaf and will not hear. Know that your tongue will not speak 6 or converse. Remember that your larynx will be closed and will not open. Remember that your hands will dry up, they will neither take nor give. Remember that your legs will weaken and will not walk forever. Woe to you, soul, that you do not resort to repentance! Poor and fallen soul, in misfortune in every idle deed, where are your possessions, collected by untruth and sin? Where are the sweet dishes and the drinking wine? Where is the fun, rejoicing and pleasure with children and family? Where is the taking of food and incense and purification by ablutions? Where are the decorations of your home with gold and precious stones? Where is the luxurious, decaying and joyful excursion through the vineyards? Soul, little remains of your days - hasten quickly to repentance, put on the robe of goodwill while there is day! Your sins are great and God will not have mercy on you without repentance, as He promised in His true word: “there is joy in heaven for the sake of one sinner who has repented and confessed his sin” 7 . Hurry now, for I tell you truly, before sorrow comes and repentance will be useless, for there is no mercy there, and the one who did not do here will not receive mercy there. Remember the coming of the angels of death with different faces and hard hearts, when they will appear and terrify you and send you away according to your deeds. Remember your migration to the sea of ​​fire, the flame of which does not subside. Remember the gnawing worm. Remember your dwelling in hell and darkness and gnashing of teeth. I am the angel to whom you are entrusted, a careless and lazy soul. Remember the word of God, which says: “flesh and blood will not lead you into the kingdom of heaven, but they enter into it through virtue.” And so I awaken you to your good and guide you to your life, for I suffer for you, knowing the great condemnation of those who act like you. Repent and turn to the fear of the Lord your God. Strengthen your fasting and prayer, supplication and weeping, give me rest, so that I may praise you and exalt to my God the beauty of your deeds and the good will of your fasting and your mercy, and your prayer, and mercy for the poor, so that my face may rejoice with my brothers the angels and the Holy Spirit may descend on you, and you will be numbered among the righteous and chosen, who will hear the voice of joy on the day of reward. I tell you and warn you about the judgment to which you are subject. Prefer (yourself) love for the poor, for it is more pleasing to God than an ascending sacrifice, consider them as your soul, flee from pleasing yourself and move away from the pleasures of the flesh, make your soul worthy, cleanse your vices, so that you will know the sweetness of God, and His light will come to you, and you will be delivered from the advice of the enemy, for God promised that He will accept those who come to Him and He will bring His mercy closer to them. Run now, before your death, listen to my advice, leave behind covetousness, untruth and false oaths, usury, and bribery, which are useless to you, but come, leaving behind what will not give you mercy, for I have aggravated the admonitions to you. Turn, soul, to God in repentance, for it is close to Him and pleasing to Him. What is repentance? Removal from sin, from passions, from previous deeds. Clothe yourself with edification, deepening your fasting, intensifying your prayer and work without laziness, with weeping at night. And tell him who sees the Lord (?) that I may rejoice in you and glorify God with your blessing. And I will be with you, comforting you, and I will fight your enemy. Drive away your evil thoughts and you will be with those who listen to the voice of joy when you appear before your Lord - this is your virtue and your salvation. Take heed and understand, leave the acquisitions of this world and the increase in eating and drinking, so that you do not remain outside of what God has promised to the good and righteous. Understand that all acquisition will be a witness against you about the sin of your acquisition; think, where are the rich and noble who collected their property after they went to their graves, and their relatives received freedom to share their wealth? And now, soul, by your alms your abode will be created and by the oil of mercy your lamp will shine in the kingdom of heaven, for our Lord came down from heaven and became like a man and humbled himself […], and suffered passions and endured the cross, nailed with his hands and feet and pierced in the side with a spear; His blood was shed, and He died, being the author of death. And He descended into hell and brought out the good, and again opened heaven for us, and gave us the Holy Spirit in baptism. And He fasted and prayed, served His disciples, and gave us His body and blood for the remission of our sins, and gave us His true promise that we would be His brothers, and He would be our father. And if God the Creator (did) this, then how long will I be ashamed because of you, poor soul? Your nature and habitation is the house of dust, and tomorrow you will be transported, being raptured, and you will see your deeds and return to reward and judgment, unless you become like your God, whose name is blessed, if you do not follow His footsteps. Believe in His word, spoken by our Lord in the Holy Gospel: “I am meek and humble, and My burden is light 8 . Come to me, you who are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” 9 Poor soul, your sins are many, but His mercy is greater than the sins of the whole world. Draw close to His forgiveness and mercy, and He will let His spirit shine upon you. Wash away your sins with your tears, and the spirit of goodness will come upon you. Now I show you everything and give you the path of life - fasting, which will bring you closer to God and delight you with the food of heaven. Dress the poor in your clothes and cover them from the winter cold, fill their bellies with food and deepen their fast. Poor soul, your day has come and your hour has come, your days have come while I told you day and night: “forsake the wickedness of your deeds and resort to your salvation.” Renew your dwelling by building (it) of stone on the rock, for this house of yours is sand that is being destroyed - quickly leave it, lest it fall on you and your fall be great, and the door of your house will not be shut, and your age will not be darkened, and trembling and gnashing of teeth, and weeping, and fear, and confusion will not come upon you on the way that you do not know. Where is the burden of sins and iniquities and fornications? Where are the sent angels of death and their coming to you, for you were exalted in your age? Where is the presence of the face of Jesus Christ, the God of judgment and retribution? Where is the voice saying: “Take them away with all their deeds.” Soul, think that they will carry your flesh on planks into the desert and throw you into the dust quickly and lead you into hell and hell, I tell you, if you do not repent and receive the Holy Spirit before the sun of righteousness has set. I tell you the truth, I do not know a single day on which I offered fragrant incense or good fruits from your deeds. And when I ascended to God and saw my angelic brothers offering their gifts and sweet sacrifices in praise and honor, I was removed, and sorrowful, and poor among them and said: “My brothers, weep for me and weep with me, for I am united with a soul that has no joy and peace, and I would like to be sent away and not united with it.” Poor soul, as long as you remain drunk, which is cursed, you will not turn away and turn away from all evil, for Gehenna is prepared for the sins of the world. Repent and turn to the Lord, draw closer to His mercy, for He promised mercy to those who call on Him. Pray to Him, for our Lord fasted in the desert and stood before Pontius Pilate and was judged for the sake of our salvation and the forgiveness of our sins. Soul, accept the body of your Lord and His blood, and do not make it difficult to receive you. Soul, leave laziness and excess in sleep, stay vigil in singing and prayer to your Lord. Soul, as long as you anger me with the wickedness of your deeds and the rest of your body and excess of food and drink - this is your enemy. And I am the Holy Spirit, and I am united with you, soul, for God said: “no one knows his hour.” Run quickly, seeking salvation, bring your gifts, work in patience, humility, silence, purity, love for the poor, coexisting with justice. If you do this, good things will come closer to you. To our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, be greatness and glory to the ages of ages. Amen. See B. Turaev, Ethiopian manuscripts in St. Petersburg. ZVO. XVII. 235. The monk withdrew into the desert for 30 years, but until that time he labored in his cell. Is it possible, in connection with this form of “message,” to cite the fact that the prayer to the Guardian Angel “Holy Angel, standing before my soul…” is sometimes attributed to St. Macarius? As is known, St. Macarius of Alexandria is credited with a word composed in the form of an “Angelic Revelation” about the exodus of the soul from the body and its state after death. It has nothing in common with our text. For Ethiopian text, see original. – Editorial of the ABC of Faith. Increase in Arabic translation? Arabic translation correction again? Orig.: sin. It is also possible that d.b. "will dry up."