Sainte
Macrine la Jeune
Ainée
d'une famille de saints! ( 379)
Macrine est la fille ainée d'une étonnante famille de saints qui donna à l'Église saint Basile de Césarée, saint Grégoire de Nysse et saint Pierre de Sébaste. Bien éduquée par une mère qui refuse de la laisser à une nourrice, malgré les usages de l'époque, Macrine apprend à lire dans le psautier qui accompagne tous les moments de sa vie quotidienne, tandis que sa main tient le fuseau. A douze ans, elle est l'objet de nombreuses demandes en mariage. Mais l'enfant choisit de se consacrer à Dieu et de vivre auprès de sa mère devenue veuve. La mort prématurée du fiancé choisi par son père évite à Macrine bien des problèmes de conscience. Macrine devient l'âme du foyer. Sa mère se repose entièrement sur elle. La maison familiale se transforme en petit monastère mêlant contemplation, hospitalité et bienfaisance. Basile et Grégoire reconnaîtront que l'influence de leur grande sœur fut pour beaucoup dans leur vocation au service de l'Église. Grégoire assista aux derniers instants de sa sœur, terrassée par la maladie mais pas anéantie. Ses derniers instants furent en effet une méditation sur la résurrection ce qui nous a valu de la part de l'évêque de Nysse, outre la vie de sainte Macrine, le grand dialogue "sur l'âme et la résurrection."
À Annésis, sur les bords de l'Iris dans
le Pont, en 379, sainte Macrine, vierge, sœur des saints évêques Basile le
Grand, Grégoire de Nysse et Pierre de Sébaste. Formée par la connaissance des
saintes Écritures, elle se consacra à la vie solitaire, donnant ainsi un
exemple admirable du désir de Dieu et de l'abandon des vanités du monde.
Martyrologe
romain
Tu nous as délivrés,
Seigneur, de la crainte de la mort. Tu as fait du terme de notre vie le
commencement de la vie véritable...fais-moi remise de ma sentence afin que je
prenne haleine et qu'une fois dépouillée de mon corps, je sois trouvée devant
toi sans tache ni ride sur le visage de mon âme.
Prière de sainte Macrine
mourante
SOURCE : https://nominis.cef.fr/contenus/saint/7643/Sainte-Macrine-la-Jeune.html
Voici une Prière d’une
profonde humilité et d’une grande foi en la Miséricorde du Tout-Puissant et en
l'assistance des anges et notamment en celle de l'Ange gardien au moment de la
mort « Ô Seigneur, envoie-moi ton Ange de lumière pour me conduire au
lieu de rafraîchissement » de Sainte Macrine la Jeune (324-379), sœur
aînée de Saint Grégoire
de Nysse, Saint Basile
le Grand et Saint et Pierre de Sébaste.
La Prière de Sainte
Macrine « Ô Seigneur, envoie-moi ton Ange de lumière pour me conduire
au lieu de rafraîchissement » :
« Seigneur, Tu nous as affranchis de la crainte de la mort. C’est Toi qui
as fait que la fin de cette vie fût pour nous le vrai commencement de la vie. Ô
Toi à qui j'ai été consacrée dès le sein de ma mère, Toi que j'ai aimé de tout
mon cœur et à qui j’ai consacré ma chair et mon âme dès ma jeunesse, envoie-moi
ton Ange de lumière pour me conduire au lieu de rafraîchissement, là où coule
l’eau de la paix éternelle près des saints Pères qui nous ont devancés ;
fais-moi remise de ma sentence afin que je prenne haleine et qu’une fois
dépouillée de mon corps, je sois trouvée devant Toi sans tache ni ride sur le
visage de mon âme. Ainsi soit-il. »
Le
19 juillet, mémoire de notre vénérable Mère MACRINE et de ses quatre compagnes
dans la vie ascétique
Soeur de Saint
Basile (1er janv.) et de Saint
Grégoire de Nysse (10 janv.)(1), Sainte Macrine était l'aînée des dix
enfants de cette famille de Saints. Au moment de sa naissance (327), un
mystérieux personnage était apparu à sa mère à trois reprises, lui ordonnant de
donner à l'enfant le nom de Sainte
Thècle, première-Martyre et modèle des vierges chrétiennes (cf. 24 sept.).
Elle garda toutefois ce nom secret, et l'enfant reçut le nom de sa grand-mère,
Macrine l'Ancienne, qui avait été disciple de Saint
Grégoire le Thaumaturge (cf. 17 nov.), et avait vécu dans les forêts
du Pont au temps de la Grande Persécution.
Sa mère se préoccupa de
l'instruire, non dans la culture profane et les choses frivoles communes aux
gens de sa condition, mais dans tout ce qui, dans l'Écriture inspirée,
convenait à son âge et à sa formation morale, en particulier le livre de la
Sagesse et les Proverbes. Les Psaumes de David l'accompagnaient dans toutes ses
activités: en se levant, en se mettant au travail, en le terminant, au début et
à la fin du repas, avant de se coucher et en se levant la nuit pour prier.
Lorsqu'elle eut douze ans, sa beauté ne pouvant rester cachée, son père la
fiança à un jeune homme de qualité et de bonne réputation, qui venait de
terminer ses études, et qui avait promis d'attendre que Macrine eût atteint
l'âge convenable pour l'épouser. Cependant celui-ci fut bientôt emporté par
Dieu avant l'union, ce qui permit à la Sainte de réaliser son désir secret:
vivre dans la virginité pour chercher Dieu. De nombreux prétendants se
présentèrent, mais Macrine préférait se considérer comme veuve, sans même avoir
goûté aux joies et plaisirs de la vie conjugale. A cause de son espérance en la
résurrection, elle estimait en effet que son époux était parti en voyage. Se
séparant donc de tout lien avec le monde, elle demeura avec sa mère, se mettant
à son service pour toutes les tâches domestiques, mêmes celles qui étaient
alors réservées aux esclaves, et l'assistant également dans l'éducation de ses
frères et soeurs. Après la mort de son père (341), elle assuma elle-même la
gestion de leurs grands domaines, situés dans le Pont, en Cappadoce et en
Arménie, et, par son exemple, elle invita sa mère à se tourner vers les biens
incorruptibles: la contemplation de Dieu et la vraie philosophie. Elles
menaient ensemble la vie ascétique, s'adonnaient à la lecture et à la
méditation des Écritures, et Macrine était pour tous à la fois protectrice,
pédagogue et modèle de vertu. Une fois libérée de l'éducation de ses enfants,
Emmélie répartit entre eux ses biens et transforma la demeure familiale
d'Annisa(2) en Monastère. Elles firent de leurs servantes des compagnes
d'ascèse, et Macrine réussit à convaincre Basile, qui rentrait d'Athènes après
de brillantes études, de renoncer à une carrière prometteuse de rhéteur pour
embrasser la vie évangélique. À côté du Monastère de femmes, qui grandissait
par l'addition de veuves de nobles familles, se forma une communauté masculine,
dirigée par le plus jeune frère de Macrine, Pierre, futur Evêque de Sébaste.
Saint Naucrace (cf. 8 juin) s'était retiré dans un ermitage - qu'occupera
ensuite Saint Basile - sur la rive opposée de l'Iris, et subvenait aux besoins
de pauvres vieillards par les produits de sa chasse.
Délivrées de
l'enchaînement aux nécessités du corps et des préoccupations de cette vie,
Macrine et ses compagnes menaient dans leur retraite une vie aux confins de la
nature humaine et de la nature angélique. On ne voyait chez elles ni colère, ni
envie, ni haine, ni arrogance, ni rien de semblable; tout désir d'honneur ou de
gloire était banni. Leur plaisir était la tempérance; leur gloire, de n'être
connues de personne; leur fortune, de ne rien posséder. Elles vivaient du
travail de leurs mains, mais restaient exemptes de préoccupations, car leur
travail véritable consistait en la méditation des réalités divines, la prière
incessante et le chant ininterrompu des hymnes. Il n'y avait pour elles aucune
différence entre la nuit et le jour: car la nuit elles se montraient actives
dans les oeuvres de lumière, alors que leur journée imitait le repos nocturne
par l'absence de trouble de leur vie. Affiné par lascèse, le corps de Sainte
Macrine était tel qu'il le sera lors de la résurrection. Elle versait des
larmes à la mesure de sa boisson et tous ses sens étaient consacrés aux choses
de Dieu, de sorte que, légère, elle cheminait dans les hauteurs avec les
Puissances célestes. L'application à la vraie Philosophie selon le Christ, par
la crucifixion de toutes les convoitises de la chair, lui permit de croître
sans cesse en vertu jusqu'au sommet de la perfection.
Un jour une tumeur
s'attaqua au sein de Macrine. Malgré les supplications de sa mère, elle refusa
de recevoir les soins d'un médecin, jugeant que dévoiler aux yeux d'un homme
une partie de son corps serait plus fâcheux encore que ce mal. Elle passa la
nuit en prière dans l'église et oignit sa plaie de la boue faite par ses
larmes. Au matin, elle demanda à Emmélie de tracer le signe de croix sur son
sein, et l'abcès disparut, ne laissant qu'une petite cicatrice.
Elle avait atteint une
telle impassibilité par son application aux choses de Dieu, qu'à la mort de
Naucrace, survenue au cours d'un accident de chasse, elle fut pour sa mère et
tout le reste de la famille un modèle de maîtrise de soi et de foi en la vie
éternelle. Dans les deuils successifs qui frappèrent la communauté, elle montra
une même grandeur d'âme, inébranlable comme un athlète exposé aux coups, tant
devant la couche funèbre d'Emmélie, que lorsque Saint Basile, le soleil de
l'Orthodoxie, s'endormit (379). Et, si elle fut alors affligée, ce fut moins
pour la perte d'un frère, que de voir l'Église privée de son maître et de son
soutien. Pendant la famine qui frappa la Cappadoce, en 368, le monastère
d'Annisa devint une véritable ville, refuge et consolation de toute la
population d'alentour, et par la prière de la Sainte les réserves de grain,
qu'on distribuait à tous les nécessiteux, se renouvelèrent miraculeusement.
Peu de temps après le
décès de Saint Basile, Saint Grégoire de Nysse apprit que sa soeur était tombée
gravement malade et il lui rendit visite au Monastère après neuf ans d'absence.
Il la trouva étendue sur une planche, abattue par la fièvre, mais gardant son
esprit libre dans la contemplation des biens célestes, de telle sorte qu'il en
rafraîchissait son corps comme par une rosée. Alors qu'ils se rappelaient le
souvenir du grand Basile, au lieu de se lamenter, la Sainte profita de cette
occasion pour disserter longuement sur la nature de l'homme, le sens de la
création, l'âme et la résurrection des corps(3). Sur tous ces sujets, son
discours s'écoulait comme l'eau d'une source, facilement et sans obstacle.
Jusqu'au dernier instant, elle ne cessa de deviser en philosophe sur ce qui
avait fait l'objet de son choix: l'amour de l'Époux invisible, qu'elle se
hâtait de rejoindre, sans qu'aucun attachement à cette vie ne puisse la
retenir. Quand elle sentit la fin approcher, elle cessa de s'adresser à ceux
qui se tenaient près d'elle et, les yeux tournés vers l'Orient, étendant les
mains vers Dieu, elle murmura cette prière: « Seigneur, c'est Toi qui as fait
disparaître pour nous la crainte de la mort. C'est Toi qui as fait pour nous du
terme de la vie d'ici-bas, le commencement de la vie véritable. C'est Toi qui
donnes à nos corps le repos pour quelque temps et qui nous réveilleras à
nouveau au son de la trompette dernière. C'est Toi qui laisses à la terre en
dépôt le limon que Tes mains ont façonné, pour venir reprendre ce que Tu as
donné, en transformant par l'immortalité et la beauté ce qui en nous est mortel
et difforme. C'est Toi qui nous as délivrés de la malédiction et du péché, en
devenant pour nous l'un et l'autre. C'est Toi qui as brisé la tête du dragon
qui précipita l'homme dans l'abîme de la désobéissance, en le saisissant par le
cou. C'est Toi qui nous as ouvert la route de la résurrection après avoir
fracassé les portes de l'enfer et as réduit à l'impuissance celui qui régnait
sur la mort. C'est Toi qui as donné à tous ceux qui Te craignent le signe de la
Sainte Croix, pour anéantir l'Adversaire et donner la sécurité à notre vie. Ô
Dieu éternel! Vers qui je me suis élancée dès le sein de ma mère, Toi que mon
âme a aimé de toute sa force, Toi à qui j'ai consacré ma chair et mon âme
depuis ma jeunesse et jusqu'à cet instant, place auprès de moi un Ange de
lumière qui me conduise par la main au lieu du rafraîchissement, là où se
trouve l'eau du repos, dans le Sein des Saints Pères. Toi qui as brisé la
flamme de l'épée de feu et rendu au Paradis le Larron qui était crucifié avec
Toi et qui s'en était remis à Ta miséricorde, souviens-Toi aussi de moi dans
Ton Royaume, car moi aussi j'ai été crucifiée avec Toi, j'ai cloué ma chair par
Ta crainte et j'ai été saisie de crainte à cause de Tes préceptes. Ne me sépare
pas de Tes élus par un abîme infranchissable. Que le Jaloux ne se dresse pas
contre moi sur mon chemin, et que mon péché ne soit pas placé devant Tes yeux
si, à cause de la faiblesse de notre nature, je suis tombée dans le péché par
pensée, par parole ou par action. Toi qui as sur la terre le pouvoir de
remettre les péchés, remets-les moi, afin que je reprenne haleine et qu'une
fois séparée de ce corps je paraisse devant Toi, l'âme irréprochable et
immaculée, comme l'encens devant ta Face. »
A ces mots, la Sainte
traça le signe de croix sur ses yeux, sa bouche et son coeur. Elle assista en
silence à l'Office du soir, puis cessa dans un grand soupir tout à la fois sa
prière et sa vie. Au cours des funérailles, présidées par Saint Grégoire,
auxquelles assistait une foule immense, la beauté spirituelle de Sainte Macrine
rejaillissait de manière éclatante sur son corps, qui avait été paré comme
celui d'une fiancée. Accompagnée du chant des hymnes, comme pour les fêtes des
Martyrs, elle fut ensevelie à Ibora, dans le tombeau où reposaient ses parents,
en l'église des Quarante-Martyrs.
1). C'est St Grégoire qui
a rédigé sa biographie, que nous résumons ici (SC 173).
2). Ou Annésis, près de
Néocésarée dans l'Hélénopont.
3). Ce dialogue,
largement amplifié, fut l'objet du traité de St Grégoire de Nysse, Sur l'âme et
la Résurrection (PG 46, 11).
SOURCE : http://calendrier.egliseorthodoxe.com/sts/stsjuillet/juillet19.html
Sainte
Macrine la jeune, Fresque de la cathédrale Sainte Sophie de Kiev.
Sainte
Macrine naquit vers 327, l’aînée de dix enfants d’une
vieille famille chrétienne de Cappadoce dont la foi fut mise à l’épreuve
pendant la grande persécution de Dioclétien (284-305) – un de ses aïeux
maternels avait gagné la palme du martyre – et également sous Maximin (306-310,
dont la persécution obligea ses grands-parents maternels de se réfugier dans
les montagnes du Pont pendant sept ans. Sa grand-mère paternelle fut sainte
Macrine l’Ancienne, disciple de saint Grégoire le Thaumaturge, évêque de
Néo-Césarée dans le Pont, élève d’Origène à Césarée de Palestine. Ses parents,
Basile l’Ancien et Émélie, bien que non mentionnées dans les synaxaires
byzantins, sont célébrés en Occident le 30 mai. Parmi les frères de Macrine
figurent quatre saints de l’Église : Basile le Grand et Grégoire de Nysse
(deux des trois grands théologiens cappadociens) ; ainsi que Pierre,
évêque de Sébaste (Synaxaire, 9 janvier), et saint Naucrace (8
juin). Moins connue que ses illustres frères, sainte Macrine est néanmoins
considérée le « véritable chef spirituel de la famille » (Synaxaire, 1er janvier) : c’est
elle qui, après le décès du père, convainquit sa mère de renoncer à la
jouissance de la fortune familiale, de libérer leurs esclaves et servantes, et
de transformer la maison familiale en monastère. Macrine dirigeait le monastère
des femmes et son frère Pierre, celui des hommes.
En 379, après le décès de
la mère, de Naucrace et de Basile (fin 378), et après de longues années de
persécution et de division à l’intérieur de l’Église dues à l’hérésie arienne,
Grégoire de Nysse, de retour d’un synode à Antioche, rend visite à sa sœur,
malade et mourante. Après son décès, Grégoire écrit la Vie de sainte
Macrine, qui passe en revue l’histoire de la famille et le rôle de
Macrine ; il y décrit en particulier ses entretiens avec Macrine, son
dernier jour et son ensevelissement. Les extraits de la Vie de sainte
Macrine qui suivent portent sur la fondation du monastère, la vie de la
communauté et les entretiens de Grégoire et Macrine.
Vie
et mort de sainte Macrine
par saint Grégoire de
Nysse
Transformation de
la maison familiale en monastère
7. Comme tout prétexte de
vie trop matérielle leur avait déjà été enlevé, Macrine persuade sa mère de
renoncer à son mode de vie accoutumé et à ses manières de grande dame, ainsi
qu’aux services qu’elle avait jusqu’alors l’habitude de recevoir de ses
servantes, pour prendre les sentiments du commun et partager le mode de vie des
vierges qu’elle avait auprès d’elle, après en avoir fait, d’esclaves et de
servantes qu’elles étaient, des sœurs et des égales. […]
11. Quand donc la mère
eut été libérée du souci de l’éducation de ses enfants, ainsi que de la charge
de leur instruction et de leur établissement, et qu’on eut procédé au partage
entre les enfants de la plus grande part des ressources pour la vie matérielle,
alors, comme on l’a déjà dit, la vie de cette vierge [Macrine] devient pour sa
mère un guide vers ce genre de vie philosophique et immatériel [c’est-à-dire la
vie spirituelle ou évangélique]. Elle, qui avait renoncé à toutes ses habitudes,
amena sa mère à son propre degré d’humilité, l’ayant disposée à se mettre au
même niveau que le groupe des vierges pour partager avec elles, comme une
égale, même table, même couche et mêmes moyens d’existence, toute différence de
rang étant supprimée de leur vie. Et telle était l’ordonnance de leur vie,
telle l’élévation de leur philosophie et la noblesse de leur mode de vie, dans
leur conduite de jour comme de nuit, qu’elles dépassent toute description. De
même que les âmes délivrées de leur corps par la mort sont du même coup
affranchies des préoccupations de cette vie, de même leur existence se
tenait-elle à l’écart de celles-ci, loin de toute vanité mondaine, cependant
qu’elle était réglée de manière à imiter le mode de vie angélique.
On ne voyait chez ces
personnes ni colère, ni envie, ni haine, ni arrogance, ni rien de semblable ;
tout désir de vanités – d’honneur ou de gloire, d’ambition ou d’orgueil et de
tout ce qui leur ressemble – était banni. Leur plaisir, c’était la continence ;
leur gloire, de n’être connues de personne ; leur fortune, de ne rien posséder,
d’avoir secoué de leur corps, comme poussière, toute richesse matérielle. Leur
travail, ce n’était aucune de ces tâches dont on se préoccupe dans cette vie,
sinon accessoirement, mais seulement la méditation des réalités divines, la
prière incessante, le chant ininterrompu des hymnes réparti également pendant
tout le temps, de jour comme de nuit, si bien que ces occupations étaient à la
fois leur travail et leur repos après le travail. Quelles paroles humaines
pourraient mettre sous les yeux le tableau de ce mode de vie, chez ceux pour
qui l’existence se trouvait aux confins de la nature humaine et de la nature
incorporelle ? […]
Après
de longues années de séparation, Grégoire rend visite à sa sœur malade
17. Lorsqu’elle [Macrine]
me vit près de la porte, elle se souleva sur un coude, incapable d’accourir
vers moi, car la fièvre avait déjà consumé ses forces. Cependant, prenant appui
de ses mains sur le sol et se soulevant de son grabat autant qu’elle le
pouvait, elle s’efforçait de me faire l’honneur de venir à ma rencontre. Pour
moi, j’accourus auprès d’elle et, prenant dans mes mains son visage incliné à
terre, je la redressai et lui fis reprendre la position allongée qu’elle avait
auparavant. Et celle-ci de tendre la main vers Dieu et de dire
: " Tu m’as encore enrichie de cette grâce, ô Dieu, et tu ne
m’as pas privée de ce que je désirais, puisque tu as poussé ton serviteur à
faire une visite à ta servante. " Et pour ne pas m’affliger
davantage, elle essayait d’adoucir ses gémissements, elle s’efforçait comme
elle le pouvait de cacher l’oppression de sa respiration, elle cherchait par
tous les moyens à créer un climat plus joyeux, commençant à tenir elle-même de
plaisants propos et nous en fournissant l’occasion par les questions qu’elle
nous posait. Mais dans la suite de notre entretien fut évoqué le souvenir du
grand Basile ; mon âme alors perdit courage et, dans ma tristesse, j’inclinai à
terre mon visage, cependant que les larmes jaillissaient de mes yeux. Mais
elle, loin de se laisser aller à partager notre douleur, fit de cette mention
du saint le point de départ d’une plus haute philosophie, et elle se mit à
développer de si grands sujets – dissertant sur la nature humaine, découvrant
la divine providence cachée dans les épreuves et exposant ce qui a trait à la
vie future comme si elle était inspirée par le Saint-Esprit – que mon âme se
croyait dégagée, ou presque, de la nature humaine, soulevée qu’elle était par
ses paroles et prenant place, sous la conduite de son discours, à l’intérieur
des sanctuaires célestes.
18. Nous entendons
raconter, dans l’histoire de Job que cet homme consumé en tout son corps par
les abcès purulents des plaies qui le couvraient de toutes parts, ne permettait
pas à sa sensibilité, grâce à ses réflexions, de tomber dans la douleur, mais,
tout en souffrant dans son corps, il ne laissait pas faiblir son activité
propre, ni n’interrompait son discours, qui touchait aux sujets les plus
élevés. Je voyais un même comportement chez cette grande Macrine. La fièvre
consumait toute sa force et l’entraînait vers la mort, mais elle,
rafraîchissant son corps comme par une rosée, gardait, à l’exemple de Job, son
esprit libre dans la contemplation des réalités d’en-haut, sans le laisser
affecté par une telle faiblesse. Et si je ne craignais d’étendre mon récit à
l’infini, je rapporterais en bon ordre toutes ses paroles, et comment elle
s’était élevée par ses discours jusqu’à philosopher pour nous sur l’âme,
jusqu’à nous exposer la cause de notre vie dans la chair, pourquoi l’homme
existe, comment il se fait qu’il soit mortel et d’où vient la mort, quelle est
enfin la libération qui nous fait passer de celle-ci à une vie nouvelle. Sur
tous ces sujets, elle parlait comme si l’inspirait la puissance du
Saint-Esprit, en exposant tous les points avec clarté et logique, mais aussi en
toute facilité de parole, son discours s’écoulant comme l’eau d’une source
lorsqu’elle ruisselle sans obstacle sur un terrain en pente [voir saint
Grégoire de Nysse, Sur l’âme et la résurrection (Cerf, 1995), qui
prend la forme d’un dialogue entre Grégoire et Macrine.]
Le
repos de Grégoire
19. Lorsqu’elle eut
achevé de parler : " Il est temps pour toi, frère, dit-elle, de
prendre un peu de repos, car le voyage doit t’avoir beaucoup
fatigué. " Pour moi, c’était une grande et véritable détente que de
la voir et d’écouter ses nobles paroles, mais puisque ce lui était agréable,
et pour montrer en toutes choses mon obéissance à celle dont je recevais
l’enseignement, trouvant dans un des jardinets proches un lieu de repos
agréable que l’on m’avait préparé, je pris un peu de repos à l’ombre des
treilles. Mais il ne m’était pas possible d’en goûter l’agrément, car mon âme
était bouleversée par la perspective de tristes événements. Ce que j’avais vu
semblait en effet me révéler le sens de la vision de mon rêve : le spectacle
que j’avais eu sous les yeux offrait bien en vérité les restes d’un saint
martyr, restes " morts au péché " et resplendissants " de
la grâce de l’Esprit-Saint présente en eux ". J’expliquai cela à l’un
de ceux qui m’avaient entendu auparavant raconter mon rêve. Mais alors que nous
nous tenions, plus affligés encore – c’était bien naturel –, dans l’attente de
tristes événements, elle devina, je ne sais comment, notre état d’esprit, et
nous fit annoncer des nouvelles plus réconfortantes, nous encourageant à
reprendre confiance et à concevoir à son endroit de meilleures espérances :
elle avait en effet le sentiment d’une amélioration. Ce n’est pas pour nous
abuser qu’elle nous faisait dire cela, et son affirmation était véridique, même
si sur le moment nous n’en comprîmes pas le sens. De même en effet qu’un
coureur, lorsqu’il a dépassé son adversaire et qu’il arrive près de la borne du
stade, lorsqu’il est tout proche du prix de la course et voit la couronne du
vainqueur, se réjouit en lui-même, comme s’il avait déjà obtenu le prix, et
annonce sa victoire à ceux des spectateurs qui lui sont favorables, de même
celle-ci, animée de pareils sentiments, nous donnait-elle à espérer à son sujet
un sort plus favorable, elle qui déjà dirigeait son regard vers " le
prix de l’élection d’en haut " et s’appliquait en quelque sorte la
parole de l’Apôtre : " Voici qu’est préparée pour moi la couronne de
justice, que me donnera en retour le juste juge ", puisque
" j’ai combattu le bon combat, j’ai achevé la course, j’ai gardé la
foi ". Pour nous donc, rassurés par ces bonnes nouvelles, nous
commençâmes à goûter ce que l’on nous avait préparé : le menu en était varié et
plein d’agrément, la grande Macrine ayant étendu jusque-là sa sollicitude.
Nouvelle rencontre
20. Lorsque nous fûmes à
nouveau en sa présence – car elle ne nous laissa pas passer notre temps livré à
nous-même –, elle entreprit de raconter ce qu’avait été sa vie depuis sa
jeunesse, en exposant dans l’ordre tous les faits, comme dans un récit
historique. Elle racontait aussi les événements de la vie de nos parents dont
elle avait souvenance, tant ceux d’avant ma naissance que ceux des années qui
suivirent. Le but de son récit, c’était l’action de grâces envers Dieu : c’est
ainsi que, touchant la vie de nos parents, elle mettait en relief, non pas tant
qu’elle ait été illustre et célèbre aux yeux de leurs contemporains de par leur
richesse, mais plutôt qu’elle ait été mise à l’honneur grâce à la philanthropie
divine. Les parents de notre père avaient été dépouillés de leurs biens pour
avoir confessé le Christ ; l’aïeul du côté maternel avait été mis à mort pour
avoir provoqué la colère de l’empereur, et toutes ses propriétés avaient été
distribuées à d’autres maîtres. Malgré cela, les ressources de la famille
avaient, grâce à leur foi, augmenté de telle manière que l’on ne pouvait citer
personne, à cette époque, qui les dépassât. Par la suite, lorsque leur fortune
fut partagée en neuf, selon le nombre des enfants, la part de chacun s’était,
de par la bénédiction divine, à ce point accrue que la richesse de chacun des
enfants surpassa la prospérité des parents. Macrine cependant ne garda à sa
disposition aucun des biens qui lui avaient été attribués lors du partage entre
frères et sœurs, mais, conformément au commandement divin, tout fut administré
par les mains du prêtre. Par la grâce de Dieu, sa vie fut telle que jamais elle
ne cessa d’exercer ses mains à la pratique des commandements, jamais elle ne
compta sur un homme, jamais les ressources pour une vie honorable ne lui
vinrent de quelque service ou don des hommes. Mais, tout en ne renvoyant pas
les quémandeurs, elle ne se mit pas en quête de bienfaiteurs, car Dieu, par ses
bénédictions, faisait croître secrètement, comme des semences, les maigres
ressources qui lui venaient de ses travaux et les transformait en fruits
abondants.
Macrine
reprend son frère
21, Pour ma part, je lui
racontai les difficultés dans lesquelles je m’étais trouvé, d’abord lorsque
l’empereur Valens me fit exiler à cause de la foi, ensuite lorsque la confusion
qui régnait dans les Églises m’entraîna dans des controverses et des luttes.
" Ne cesseras-tu pas, me dit-elle alors, de méconnaître les dons de
Dieu ? Ne porteras-tu pas remède à l’ingratitude de ton âme ? Ne compareras-tu
pas ton sort à celui de tes parents, bien qu’en vérité, aux yeux de ce monde,
nous puissions tirer fierté d’apparaître comme bien nés et issus de bonne
famille. Notre père, dit-elle, jouissait en son temps d’une grande
considération pour sa culture, mais sa réputation ne s’étendait qu’aux
tribunaux de la région ; par la suite, bien qu’il l’emportât sur les autres par
sa maîtrise de la sophistique, sa renommée ne franchit pas les limites du Pont,
mais il lui suffisait d’être connu dans sa patrie. Et toi, dit-elle, qui es
célèbre par les villes, les peuples, les provinces, toi que des Églises
délèguent et que d’autres appellent pour apporter de l’aide ou remettre de
l’ordre, ne vois-tu pas la grâce qui t’est faite ? Ne comprends-tu pas d’où te
viennent de si grands biens, et que ce sont les prières de tes parents qui te
font accéder à cette élévation, alors que de toi-même tu n’as pas de
dispositions pour cela, ou si peu ? "
Dispositions
de Macrine à son dernier jour
22. Pour moi, pendant
qu’elle exposait cela, j’aurais voulu que s’allonge le jour, pour qu’elle ne
cesse de nous faire entendre ces douces paroles. Mais le chant du chœur
appelait à l’office du soir, et la grande Macrine, après m’avoir envoyé à
l’église, se réfugiait à nouveau auprès de Dieu par la prière. La nuit survint
sur ces entrefaites. Lorsque vint le jour, il m’apparut clairement, à la voir,
que cette journée qui commençait serait la dernière de sa vie dans la chair,
car la fièvre avait totalement consumé ses forces naturelles. Celle-ci, voyant
la faiblesse de nos pensées, s’efforçait de nous distraire de cette désolante
perspective, en dissipant à nouveau par ces belles paroles le chagrin de notre
âme, mais maintenant avec un souffle court et oppressé. C’est alors surtout que
ce que je voyais affectait mon âme de sentiments très partagés : d’une part la
nature en moi était accablée de tristesse, comme on peut le comprendre, car je
prévoyais que je n’entendrais plus désormais une telle voix, et je m’attendais
à ce que la gloire commune de notre famille quitte bientôt la vie humaine ;
mais d’autre part mon âme, comme transportée d’enthousiasme à ce spectacle,
estimait qu’elle avait transcendé la nature commune. Ne ressentir, en ses
derniers instants, aucun sentiment d’étrangeté à la perspective de la mort et
ne pas craindre de quitter cette vie, mais méditer jusqu’à son dernier souffle,
avec une sublime intelligence, sur ce qui dès le début avait fait l’objet de son
choix touchant la vie d’ici-bas, cela me paraissait ne plus faire partie des
réalités humaines. C’était plutôt comme si un ange avait pris
providentiellement une forme humaine, un ange sans aucune attache avec la vie
dans la chair, aucune affinité avec elle, dont il n’était pas surprenant que la
pensée demeurât dans l’impassibilité, puisque la chair ne l’entraînait pas vers
ses passions propres. Aussi elle me semblait manifester avec évidence, aux yeux
de tous ceux qui étaient alors présents, ce divin et pur amour de l’époux
invisible qu’elle nourrissait secrètement au plus intime de son âme et publier
le désir qui animait son cœur de se hâter vers son bien-aimé, pour être au plus
tôt avec lui, une fois libérée des liens de son corps. En vérité, c’est vers
son amant que se dirigeait sa course, sans qu’aucun des plaisirs de la vie ne
détourne à son profit son attention.
La
dernière prière de Macrine
23. Du jour déjà s’était
écoulée la plus grande part, et le soleil s’inclinait vers le couchant. Sa
ferveur pourtant ne fléchissait pas, mais plus elle approchait du départ, plus
violente était sa hâte d’aller vers son bien-aimé, comme si elle contemplait
davantage la beauté de l’époux. Elle ne s’adressait plus à nous qui étions
présents, mais à celui-là seul vers lequel elle tenait les yeux incessamment
fixés. On avait en effet tourné sa couche vers l’Orient, et elle avait cessé de
nous parler pour ne plus converser qu’avec Dieu dans la prière ; elle tendait
vers lui ses mains suppliantes et murmurait d’une voix faible, en sorte que
nous pouvions à peine entendre ses paroles. Je cite ici sa prière, pour que
l’on ne puisse pas même douter qu’elle se trouvait auprès de Dieu et était
entendue de lui. Elle disait :
24. " C’est
toi, Seigneur, qui as abrogé pour nous la crainte de la mort. C’est toi qui as
fait pour nous, du terme de la vie d’ici-bas, le commencement de la vie
véritable.
C’est toi qui pour un
temps laisses se reposer nos corps par une dormition, et qui les réveilles à
nouveau ‘au son de la dernière trompette’.
C’est toi qui à la terre
donnes en dépôt notre terre, celle que tu as façonnée de tes mains, et qui fais
revivre à nouveau ce que tu lui as donné, en transformant par l’immortalité et
la beauté ce qui en nous est mortel et difforme.
C’est toi qui nous as
arrachés à la malédiction et au péché, en devenant pour nous l’un et l’autre.
C’est toi qui as brisé
les têtes du dragon, lui qui avait saisi l’homme dans sa gueule en l’entraînant
au travers du gouffre de la désobéissance.
C’est toi qui nous as
ouvert la route de la résurrection, après avoir brisé les portes de l’enfer,
et, ‘réduit à l’impuissance celui qui régnait sur la mort’.
‘C’est toi qui à ceux qui
te craignent as donné pour emblème’ le signe de la sainte Croix, pour anéantir
l’Adversaire et donner la sécurité à nos vies.
Dieu éternel, ‘vers qui
je me suis élancée dès le sein de ma mère’, ‘toi que mon âme a aimé’ de toute
sa force, à qui j’ai consacré ma chair et mon âme depuis ma jeunesse et
jusqu’en cet instant, mets auprès de moi un ange lumineux qui me conduise par
la main au lieu du rafraîchissement, là où se trouve ‘l’eau du repos’, dans le
sein des saints patriarches.
Toi qui as brisé la
flamme de l’épée de feu et rendu au paradis l’homme crucifié avec toi et qui
s’était confié à ta miséricorde, de moi aussi ‘souviens-toi dans ton royaume’
car moi aussi j’ai été crucifiée avec toi, moi ‘qui ai cloué ma chair par ta
crainte et qui ai craint tes jugements’.
Que l’abîme effrayant ne
me sépare pas de tes élus.
Que le Jaloux ne se
dresse pas contre moi sur mon chemin, et que mon péché ne soit pas découvert
devant tes yeux si, pour avoir été trompée par la faiblesse de notre nature, ai
péché en parole, en acte ou en pensée.
Toi qui as sur la terre
le pouvoir de remettre les péchés, ‘fais m’en remise, afin que je reprenne
haleine’, et ‘qu’une fois dépouillée de mon corps’, je sois trouvée devant ta
face ‘sans tache et sans ride’ dans la figure de mon âme, mais que mon âme
entre tes mains soit accueillie, irréprochable et immaculée, ‘comme un encens devant
ta face’. "
Sainte Grégoire de
Nysse, Vie de sainte Macrine, Cerf,
1995.
Le texte complet est
disponible au site www.jesusmarie.com.
Tropaire
de sainte Macrine (ton 8)
L’amour de la sagesse
ayant donné des ailes à ton esprit, sagement tu t’élevas au-dessus des
mondaines voluptés et tu fus la charmante demeure du savoir divin ; toi
qui, par l’ascèse et la perfection des vertus, devins une illustre épouse du
Sauveur, prie-le pour qui te chante : Réjouis-toi, Macrine, sainte
porteuse du Seigneur notre Dieu.
Kondakion
de sainte Macrine (ton 4)
Tu as aimé de tout ton
cœur, vénérable Macrine, le Dieu de bonté et, prenant sur tes épaules sa croix,
avec amour tu l’as suivi pour trouver la rémission des péchés.
SOURCE : https://www.pagesorthodoxes.net/saints/meres-spirituelles/sainte-macrine.htm
Profile
Daughter of Saint Emmelia and Saint Basil
the Elder; sister of Saint Basil
the Great, Saint Gregory
of Nyssa, and Saint Peter
of Sebastea; granddaughter of Saint Macrina
the Elder, and called the Younger to distinguish between the
two. Educated by
her mother,
she could read from an early age. Betrothed at
age twelve to a young lawyer who died before
the wedding. She refused other offers of marriage,
and devoted herself to her family, then to a religious life. Nun.
Succeeded her mother as
head of a small community of women in
Pontus (part of modern Turkey). Her biography and reminicenses of her
were written by
her brother Saint Gregory.
Born
c.327 at Caesarea, Cappadocia (in
modern Turkey)
379 at
Pontus (in modern Turkey) of natural causes
Additional
Information
Book
of Saints, by the Monks of
Ramsgate
Life
of Saint Macrina, by Saint Gregory of Nyssa
Lives
of the Saints, by Father Alban
Butler
Saints
of the Day, by Katherine Rabenstein
Virgin
Saints and Martyrs, by Sabine Baring-Gould
books
Our Sunday Visitor’s Encyclopedia of Saints
other
sites in english
audio
The Life of Saint Macrina, by Saint Gregory of Nyssa –
audiobook
video
Life of Saint Macrina, by Saint Gregory
of Nyssa (audiobook, read by Maria Lectrix)
sitios
en español
Martirologio Romano, 2001 edición
fonti
in italiano
MLA
Citation
“Saint Macrina the
Younger“. CatholicSaints.Info. 3 July 2021. Web. 14 January 2022.
<https://catholicsaints.info/saint-macrina-the-younger/>
SOURCE : https://catholicsaints.info/saint-macrina-the-younger/
St.
Macrina the Younger
Born about 330; died 379.
She was the eldest child of Basil and Elder Emmelia, the granddaughter of St.
Macrina the Elder, and the sister of the Cappadocian Fathers, Sts. Basil
and Gregory
of Nyssa. The last-mentioned has left us a biography of his sister in the
form of a panegyric ("Vita Macrinae Junioris" in PG XLVI, 960 sq.).
She received an excellent intellectual training,
though one based more on the study of the Holy
Bible than on that of profane literature. When she was but twelve
years old, her father had already arranged a marriage for her with a young
advocate of excellent family.
Soon afterwards, however, her affianced husband
died suddenly, and Macrina resolved to devote herself to a life of
perpetual virginity and
the pursuit of Christian
perfection. She exercised great influence over the religious training of
her younger brothers, especially St.
Peter, afterwards Bishop of Sebaste,
and through her St.
Gregory received the greatest intellectual stimulation.
On the death of their father, Basil took her, with their mother, to a family estate
on the River Iris, in Pontus.
Here, with their servants and other companions, they led a life of
retirement, consecrating themselves
to God.
Strict asceticism, zealous meditation
on the truths of
Christanity, and prayer were
the chief concerns of this community. Not only the brothers of St. Macrina but
also St.
Gregory of Nazianzus and Eustathius
of Sebaste were associated with this pious circle
and were there stimulated to make still further advances towards Christian
perfection. After the death her mother Emmelia, Macrina became the head of
this community, in which the fruit of the earnest christian life
matured so gloriously.
On his return from a synod of
Antioch, towards the end of 379, Gregory
of Nyssa visited his deeply venerated sister,
and found her grievously ill. In pious discourse
the brother and sister spoke of the life beyond and of the meeting in heaven.
Soon afterwards Macrina passed blissfully to her reward. Gregory composed
a "Dialogue on the Soul and Resurrection" (peri psyches kai
anastaseos), treating of his pious discourse
with his dying sister. In this, Macrina appears as teacher, and treats of
the soul,
death, the resurrection,
and the restoration of all things. Hence the title of the work, ta Makrinia (P.G.
XLVI, 12 sq.). Her feast is
celebrated on 19 July.
Kirsch, Johann
Peter. "St. Macrina the Younger." The Catholic
Encyclopedia. Vol. 9. New York: Robert Appleton
Company, 1910. 28 Jul.
2020 <http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09508c.htm>.
Transcription. This
article was transcribed for New Advent by Joseph P. Thomas. Dedicated to
Sylvia Genereux.
Ecclesiastical
approbation. Nihil Obstat. October 1, 1910. Remy Lafort,
Censor. Imprimatur. +John M. Farley, Archbishop of New York.
Copyright © 2020 by Kevin
Knight. Dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
SOURCE : https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09508c.htm
July
19
St.
Macrina, Virgin
SHE was the eldest
of all the ten children of St. Basil the elder, and St. Emmelia; and being
trained up in excellent sentiments of piety, after the death of her father,
consecrated her virginity by vow to God, and was a great assistant to her
mother in educating her younger brothers and sisters. St. Basil the Great, St.
Peter of Sebaste, St. Gregory of Nyssa, and the rest, learned from her their
early contempt of the world, dread of its dangers, and application to prayer
and the word of God. When they were sent abroad for their improvement, Macrina
induced her mother to concur with her in founding two monasteries, one for men,
the other for women, at a little distance from each other, on their own estate,
near Ibora in Pontus. That of men was first governed by St. Basil, afterwards
by St. Peter. Macrina drew up the rules for the nunnery with admirable prudence
and piety, and established in it the love and spirit of the most universal
poverty, and disengagement from the world, mortification, humility, assiduous prayer,
and singing of psalms. God was pleased to afflict her with a most painful
cancer: which at length her mother cured by making, at her request, the sign of
the cross upon the sore; only a black spot remained ever after upon the part
that had been affected.
After the death of St.
Emmelia, Macrina disposed of all that was left of their estate in favour of the
poor, and lived herself, like the rest of the nuns, on what she earned by the
labour of her hands. Her brother Basil died in the beginning of the year 379,
and she herself fell ill eleven months after. St. Gregory of Nyssa making her a
visit, after eight years’ absence, found her sick of a raging fever, lying on
two boards, one of which served for her bed, and the other for her pillow. He
was exceedingly comforted by her pious discourses, and animated by the fervour
and ardent sighs of divine love and penance, by which she prepared herself for
her last hour. She calmly expired, after having armed herself with the sign of
the cross. Such was the poverty of the house that nothing was found to cover
her corpse when it was carried to the grave, but her old hood and coarse veil;
but St. Gregory threw over it his episcopal cloak. She had worn about her neck
a fillet, on which hung an iron cross and a ring. St. Gregory gave the cross to
a nun named Vestiana, but kept himself the ring, in which the metal was hollow,
and contained in it a particle of the true cross. Araxus, bishop of the place,
and St. Gregory led up the funeral procession, which consisted of the clergy,
the monks, and nuns, in two separate choirs. The whole company walked singing
psalms, with torches in their hands. The holy remains were conveyed to the
church of the Forty Martyrs, a mile distant from the monastery, and were
deposited in the same vault with the saint’s mother. Prayers were offered up
for them both. St. Macrina died in December, 379; but is commemorated by the
Latins and Greeks on the 19th of July. This account is given us by St. Gregory
of Nyssa, in the funeral discourse he made upon her, t. 2, p. 149; add the
remarks of F. Bosch, the Bollandist, t. 4, Julij, p. 589.
Rev. Alban Butler (1711–73). Volume
VII: July.The Lives of the Saints. 1866.
SOURCE : https://www.bartleby.com/210/7/194.html
The Life and Influence of
our Holy Mother Macrina
Mother Valentina
Hadarau, OSBM
The Historical Context
Speaking today about St.
Macrina is like searching through the expanses of history in order to discover
the beauty of a vocation, the holiness of a woman and the wisdom of a virgin.
In general, women carry
within themselves a measure of eternity, the capacity to be with God and to be
like God through their being and actions. They always carry within
themselves—in their souls and bodies—the principle of love, i.e., an openness
to others.
During St. Macrina’s era
women constituted for Christianity a great problem in need of resolution, since
many women—especially many of the great female figures within paganism—were
examples of corrupt behavior in the eyes of the faithful.[1] In
the worldviews of the Jews, Romans and Greeks, women were considered to be less
than men. Thus, at this particular point in history, it was necessary to
redefine a woman’s dignity and determine her role in society and the Church. It
is at this moment, the great personage of St. Macrina appears, a woman of
excellence, who stood above the rest.[2]
The historical period in
which St. Macrina lived was simultaneously marked by various controversies and
by the spread of monasticism, which was a visible sign of the Christian
religion and a witness to God.
Therefore, it is
interesting to penetrate her world, its culture and daily life, searching for
its deeper meaning and nuances in order to draw closer to the great
spirituality of her time.
Biography
The Life of St. Macrina was
the first ever biography written about a woman. Her brother, St. Gregory of
Nyssa, narrated his sister’s life and gave important testimony to the existence
of female monasticism.[3]
Macrina (the Younger) was
the eldest child of Emmelia and Basil (the Elder). She was born c. 329 and died
in 380.
Her mother chose the name
Macrina, despite the fact that “when the due time came for her pangs to be
ended by delivery, she fell asleep and seemed to be carrying in her hands that
which was still in her womb. And someone in form and raiment more splendid than
a human being appeared and addressed the child she was carrying by the name of
Thecla, that Thecla, I mean, who is so famous among the virgins.”[4] St.
Thecla was a model of virginity and was held in high repute among female
monastics.
Little Macrina grew up in
her mother’s protective embrace. As she grew, her natural talents became ever
more evident. She developed them according to the will of her parents, clearly
demonstrating a close relationship between mother and daughter, which carried
into their shared view of religious life.
Her mother’s effort to
educate her was not according to the secular curriculum of the then pagan
culture, but rather based upon Scripture passages easily comprehensible to a
young girl. Many times a day she prayed the psalms.
As the eldest daughter,
Macrina helped her mother raise her younger brothers and sisters, spin wool and
bake bread. By the time Macrina reached the age of twelve—the age of maturity
in the East—she was so beautiful that even a painter’s hands could not do
justice to her comeliness. [5]
The fame of her beauty
spread throughout the land and a great number of suitors seeking her hand in
marriage crowded round her parents. Macrina’s father chose for her a young man
of good birth and remarkable steadiness, and decided to betroth his daughter to
him.[6]
The man, however,
suddenly died. This reinforced Macrina’s decision to remain a virgin for the
rest of her life. Her parents sought to convince her to marry, but she remained
steadfast in her conviction. She continued to care for her soul. Her main
occupations were religious duties and prayer.
When St. Basil and his
brother St. Gregory began their ascetic experience near the river Iris, they
often spoke on the theological themes. St. Macrina also took part in these
discussions.
Macrina converted her
house into a place of prayer and asceticism. She gathered round herself other
devout woman and even servants, treating them as sisters, who belonged to the
same rank. Later, her mother joined them. It was the first community. In their
communal life, they held all things in common: the conditions of life, food,
clothing and dignity.
During the famine, which
effected Cappadocia during this period, Macrina fed the poor with
extraordinary generosity and love.
An incurable disease
affected Macrina’s fragile body. Not wanting to see a doctor, Macrina came to
the church and spent the night in prayer and tears, imploring the Lord for
healing. After praying with great faith, she took clay, formed by a mixture of
dust and tears, and smearing the sore spot on her chest—she was healed.
The community formed by
St. Macrina in Anessi consisted mainly of virgins and widows. They had no
specific rule to guide them in their chosen life. So Macrina, who was a wise
woman, followed the inspiration of the Rules of St. Pachomius and St. Basil.
The sisters of the community loved Macrina very much and held her to be an
example of perfection.
The basic rule of life
was prayer and communal labour. The nuns meditated on Scripture, from
which they drew immense joy.
The life of these pious
virgins was incessant prayer. Prayer accompanied every labour. It was a
community that understood its identity and lived coherently the life to which
they were consecrated. These women took pride in their temperance; their
glory was a hidden life; and their wealth, poverty.
The life of St. Macrina
was conducted in silence and prayer, in work and charity, constantly
growing in the way of perfection.
Her illness and death was
made known to her brother Gregory in a dream. He decided to visit his
sister and during the long journey, she appeared to him in a vision, which
repeated itself three times that the night. Gregory dreamed that he was
carrying relics of the martyrs. Arriving at the monastery, Gregory found his
sister very ill. She was lying on the floor, a sack had been spread on a board,
and another board propped up her head, acting as a pillow
Macrina asked her brother
to rest after the toil of his journey, but he said that for him great and
genuine rest was to see her and hear her noble words.[7]
Thus Gregory received the
interpretation of his vision: “For the image I had seen was indeed true –the
relics of a holy martyr which had been dead in sin, but now were resplendent
with the indwelling power of the Spirit.”[8]
When they, in a dejected
state, were expecting sad tidings, Macrina encouraged them to be of good cheer
and to cherish better hopes, for she was already looking “to the prize of her
heavenly calling.”
The Influence of St.
Macrina on Her Brother Basil and Mother Emmelia
After Basil the Great
returned from his long period of university studies, Macrina saw that he
had become puffed up beyond measure in his capacity as a rhetorician.
Macrina —with much
wisdom— soon drew Basil to the ideal of a Christian life. He renounced the
glories of this world and despised all fame gained through rhetoric. He chose a
life of labouring with one’s own hands, in a spirit of poverty.[9]
Macrina acted as a
spiritual guide to Basil, aiding in his conversion.
Macrina persuaded her
mother also to leave her familiar life and the services of domestics, to which
she had been accustomed, and embrace a life in conformity with that of the
virgins.[10]
After Emmelia renounced
her old ways, Macrina lead her mother to share in a life of humility, treating
all her slave girls and menials as sisters, belonging to the same order of
virgins.
In her hour of death,
Emmelia blessed her children, touching them with her hands and uttering
prayers.[11] She
ended her life in prayer together with them.
The Virtues of
St.Macrina
Saint Macrina was a
companion in life, work, communion, charity and responsibility.
In her likeness to God,
Macrina became a sign of God’s love for man, a sign of the wholeness found in
the mystery of communion. Her natural disposition to be open and give herself
to others helped in her walk towards the perfection of Christian charity and
the total donation of herself to God.
Her moral and spiritual
powers were united to a keen awareness that God gives Himself to man in a
special way. She became strong in the knowledge of her mission —to become an
indispensable support and a source of spiritual strength for others, who drew
from her great energies of spirit.
In God’s eternal
dispensation, St. Macrina is the one in whom the order of love of neighbour, in
the created world, found ground from which to send forth its rays so that the
love of God could reach the hearts of others.
On account of Macrina’s
strength of character, wisdom and love, she was able to re-evaluate and
stabilize the identity, capacities and virtues of the feminine world.
Macrina acquired virtues
deemed masculine [by Greek culture], such as patience and courage under the
guidance of reason, which prevailed in her. She was compared to the angels,
because she exceeded “common human nature.”
Macrina was called an
athlete of Christ. At the death of her brother Basil, she was invincible. This
was the test of her mettle. Through various accessions of suffering, her
magnanimous soul was put to the test, proving her sincerity and endurance.[12]
“And just as we learn in
the story of Job that the saint did not allow the pain of learning about the
death of his children to affect his reasoning power; likewise, the dying
Macrina was a model of patience, suffering great physical pain.”[13]
Another example given by
her brother Gregory is truly worthy of attention. At the death of her brother
Naucratius, Macrina remained strong and was her mother’s greatest support,
encouraging Emmelia towards heroic virtue. It is here the virtue of the great
Macrina was displayed, for she too felt deeply the pain of her brother’s death.
In all three trials —the
death of her mother and her two brothers, Naucratius and Basil—Macrina did not
break and she overcame her human weaknesses.
When it came to the
inheritance, Macrina kept nothing for herself. After the equal division between
brothers and sisters, her share was given over to a priest to be administered.
When Gregory spoke of his
own troubles to Macrina — his exile at the hands of the Emperor Valens on
account of the faith, she exhorted him to stop behaving in a way incongruent to
the divine mysteries.
Approaching her end, with
a fever consuming her forces and pushing her ever closer to death, Macrina
maintained her freedom of spirit, contemplating higher truths.
On her deathbed, she
spoke to those present —among whom was her brother Gregory— on the Christian
perspective of why man is born mortal, and from whence comes death and
liberation from death.
Gregory marvelled that
even in the final moments of her life, Macrina did not show any emotion in
anticipation of her death, nor was she afraid of the imminent separation from
this life, but philosophized to her last breath about every decision taken from
the beginning of her earthly life.
Gregory described her
behaviour as that of an angel, a human form penetrated by divine dispositions.
Conclusions
With such great wealth of
testimony on the life of St. Macrina, I would like to focus on today’s reality.
We live in a paradoxical situation. Millions of people are looking for the
deeper meaning of life and human existence, while —at the same time— the
dominant culture rejects faith as a source. The tendencies that place our
communities at risk are:
–
secularization
–
professionalism
–
living the consecrated life in a superficial manner
In order to resist these
temptations, we must deepen our vocation by going back to our sources – the
virtuous and holy lives of our father Basil and our mother St. Macrina, who in
their wisdom and open heartedness, and consciousness of their identity, knew
how to face the problems of the Church and contemporary society.
Following the example of
our mother Macrina, we are called to live in a community grounded in the
Fatherhood of God (Jn 20, 17). We are brothers and sisters, in as much as we
are children of the same Father, in the Son, through the Holy Spirit. We are a
community, where all members share an equal dignity (Matthew 23, 8) and where
authority is a ministry of service. We are a community of those who do the will
of the Father (Mk 3, 33-35) and where the words spoken by Mary are constantly
repeated, “Whatever he tells you – do!” (John 2, 5). We are an universal
community, open to God’s poor and small people, the anawim, following the
example of St. Macrina, since they are icons of Christ (Matt. 25. 40).
The life of the Church,
in general, and consecrated life, in particular, always faced major
challenges, which had no analogues in history. The post-Christian, post-modern
world does not understand the language we are speaking. A new generation is looking
for spiritual comfort. There is a need for a radical rethinking of our lives.
We must return to the profound traditions of our spiritual and moral lives. We
must return to the vertical dimension of the consecrated life, both
contemplative and eschatological, which is founded upon the Gospel. We must
recover a true monasticism within our communities and in the heart of our local
churches. Monasticism is an example of the true Church and Eucharistic life. A
return to monasticism will be possible only when we return to the authentic
sources of our theology and spirituality — as found in in God’s Word and the
Eucharist.
[1] Cf.
St. Gregory of Nyssa, Vita di s. Macrina (Life of St. Macrina), ed.
Paolina Milano, 1988, 14.
[2] Ibid.,
31.
[3] Ibid.,
26.
[4] Ibid.,
84-85.
[5] Ibid.,
88.
[6] Ibid.,
89.
[7] Ibid.,
117.
[8] Ibid.,
117.
[9] Ibid.,
94.
[10] Ibid.,
95.
[11] Ibid.,
126.
[12] Ibid.,
109.
[13] Ibid.,
46.
Gregory of Nyssa, Life of
St. Macrina
[TO THE MONK OLYMPIUS] [960A]
INTRODUCTION
THE form of this volume,
if one may judge from its heading, is apparently epistolary, but its bulk
exceeds that of a letter, extending as it does to the length of a book. My apology must be that the subject on which you bade
me write is greater than can be compressed within the limits of a letter.
I am sure you do not
forget our meeting, when, on my way to Jerusalem in pursuance of a vow, in
order to sec the relics of the Lord's sojourning in the flesh on the actual
spots,1 I
ran across you in the city of Antioch; and you must remember all the different
talks we enjoyed, for it was not likely that our meeting would be a silent one,
when your wit provided so many subjects for conversation. As often happens at
such times, the |18 [960B]
talk flowed on until we came to discuss the life of some famous person. In this
case it was a woman who provided us with our subject; if indeed she should be
styled woman, for I do not know whether it is fitting to designate her by her
sex, who so surpassed her sex. Our account of her was not based on the
narrative of others, but our talk was an accurate description of what we had
learned by personal experience, nor did it need to be authenticated by
strangers. Nor even was the virgin referred to unknown to our family circle, to
make it necessary to learn the wonders of her life through others, but she came
from the same parents as ourselves, being, so to speak, an offering of
first-fruits, since she was the earliest born of my mother's womb. As then you have decided that the story of her noble
career is worth telling, to prevent such a life being unknown to our time, and
the record of a woman who raised [960C] herself by "philosophy" 2 to the greatest |19 height of human virtue passing into the shades
of useless oblivion, I thought it well to obey you, and in a few words, as best
I can, to tell her story in unstudied and simple style.
MACRINA'S
PARENTS
The virgin's name was
Macrina; she was so called by her parents after a famous Macrina some time
before in the family, our father's mother, who had confessed Christ [962A] like
a good athlete in the time of the persecutions. This indeed was her name to the
outside world, the one used by her friends. But another name had been given her
privately, as the result of a vision before she was born into the world. For
indeed her mother was so virtuous that she was guided |20 on
all occasions by the divine will. In particular she loved the pure and
unstained mode of life so much that she was unwilling to be married. But since she had lost both her parents, and was in
the very flower of her youthful beauty, and the fame of her good looks was
attracting many suitors, and there was a danger that, if she were not mated to
some one willingly, she might suffer some [962B] unwished-for violent fate,
seeing that some men, inflamed by her beauty, were ready to abduct her----on
this account she chose for her husband a man who was known and approved for the
gravity of his conduct, and so gained a protector of her life.
THE
BIRTH OF MACRINA
At her first confinement
she became the mother of Macrina. When the due time came for her pangs to be
ended by delivery, she fell asleep and seemed to be carrying in her hands that
which was still in her womb. And some one in form and raiment more splendid
than a human being appeared and |21 addressed
the child she was carrying by the name of Thecla, that Thecla, I mean, who is
so famous among the virgins.3 After
doing this and testifying to it three times, he departed from her sight and
gave her easy delivery, so that at that moment she awoke from sleep and saw her
dream realised. Now this name was used only in secret. But it [962C] seems to me that the apparition spoke
not so much to guide the mother to a right choice of name, as to forecast the
life of the young child, and to indicate by the name that she would follow her
namesake's mode of life.
MACRINA'S
CHILDHOOD
Well, the child was
reared. Although she had her own nurse, yet as a rule her mother did the
nursing with her own hands. After passing the stage of infancy, she showed
herself apt in acquiring childish |22 accomplishments,
and her natural powers were shown in every study to which her parents' judgment
directed her. The education of the child was her mother's task; she did not,
however, employ the usual worldly method of education, which makes a practice
of using poetry as a [962D] means of training the early years of the child. For
she considered it disgraceful and quite unsuitable, that a tender and plastic
nature should be taught either those tragic passions of womanhood which
afforded poets their suggestions and plots, or the indecencies of comedy, to
be, so to speak, denied with unseemly tales of "the harem." But
such parts of inspired Scripture as you would think were incomprehensible to
young children were the subject of the girl's studies; in particular the Wisdom
of Solomon, and those parts of it especially which have an ethical bearing. Nor
was she ignorant of any part of the Psalter, but at stated times she recited
every part of it. When she rose
from bed, or engaged in household duties, or rested, [964A] or partook of food,
or retired from table, when |23 she went to bed or rose in the night for prayer,
the Psalter was her constant companion, like a good fellow-traveller that never
deserted her.
HER
BETROTHAL
Filling her time with
these and the like occupations, and attaining besides a considerable
proficiency in wool-work, the growing girl reached her twelfth year, the age
when the bloom of adolescence begins to appear. In which connection it is
noteworthy that the girl's beauty could not be concealed in spite of efforts to
hide it. Nor in all the countryside, so it seems, was there anything so
marvellous as her beauty in comparison with that of others. So fair was she
that even painters' hands could not do justice to her [964B] comeliness; the
art that contrives all things and essays the greatest tasks, so as even to
model in imitation the figures of the heavenly bodies, could not accurately
reproduce the loveliness of her form. In consequence a great swarm of suitors
seeking her in marriage crowded round her parents. But her father----|24 a
shrewd man with a reputation for forming right decisions----picked out from the
rest a young man related to the family, who was just leaving school, of good
birth and remarkable steadiness, and decided to betroth his daughter to him, as
soon as she was old enough. Meantime
he aroused great hopes, and he offered to his future father-in-law his fame in
public speaking, as it were one of the bridegroom's gifts; for he displayed the
[964C] power of his eloquence in forensic contests on behalf of the wronged.
DEATH
OF THE YOUNG MAN
But Envy cut off these
bright hopes by snatching away the poor lad from life. Now Macrina was not ignorant
of her "father's schemes. But when the plan formed for her was shattered
by the young man's death, she said her father's intention was equivalent to a
marriage, and resolved to remain single henceforward, just as if the intention
had become accomplished fact. And indeed her determination was more steadfast
than could |25 have
been expected from her age. For when her parents brought proposals of marriage
to her, as often happened owing to the number of suitors that came attracted by
the fame of her beauty, she would say that it was absurd and unlawful not to be
faithful to the marriage that had been arranged for her by her father, but to
be compelled to consider another; since in the nature of things there was but
one marriage, as there is one birth and one death. She persisted that the man who had been linked to her
by her [964D] parents' arrangement was not dead, but that she considered him
who lived to God, thanks to the hope of the resurrection, to be absent only,
not dead; it was wrong not to keep faith with the bridegroom who was away.
MACRINA RESOLVES NEVER TO
LEAVE HER MOTHER
With such words repelling
those who tried to talk her over, she settled on one safeguard of her good
resolution, in a resolve not to be separated from her mother even for a
moment |26 of
time. So that her mother would often say that she had carried the rest of her
children in her womb for a definite time, but that Macrina she bore always,
since in a sense she ever carried her about. But the daughter's companionship
was not a burden to her mother, nor profitless. For the attentions received
from her daughter were worth those [966A] of many maidservants, and the
benefits were mutual. For the mother looked after the girl's soul, and the girl
looked after her mother's body, and in all respects fulfilled the required
services, even going so far as to prepare meals for her mother with her own
hands. Not that she made this her chief business. But after she had anointed
her hands by the performance of religious duties---- for she deemed that zeal
for this was consistent with the principles of her life----in the time that was
left she prepared food for her mother by her own toil. And not only this, but
she helped her mother to bear her burden of responsibilities. For she had four
sons and five daughters, and paid taxes to three different governors, since her
property was |27 scattered
in as many districts. [966 B] In consequence her mother was distracted with
various anxieties, for her father had by this time departed this life. In all
these matters she shared her mother's toils, dividing her cares with her, and
lightening her heavy load of sorrows. At one and the same time, thanks to her mother's guardianship, she was
keeping her own life blameless, so that her mother's eye both directed and
witnessed all she did; and also by her own life she instructed her mother
greatly, leading her to the same mark, that of philosophy I mean, and gradually
drawing her on to the immaterial and more perfect life.
BASIL
RETURNS FROM THE UNIVERSITY
When the mother had
arranged excellent marriages for the other sisters, such as was best in each
case, Macrina's brother, the great Basil, returned after his long period of
[966C] education, already a practised rhetorician. He was puffed up beyond
measure with the pride of oratory and looked down on the |28 local
dignitaries, excelling in his own estimation all the men of leading and
position. Nevertheless Macrina took him in hand, and with such speed did she
draw him also toward the mark of philosophy that he forsook the glories of this
world and despised fame gained by speaking, and deserted it for this busy life
where one toils with one's hands. His renunciation of property was complete,
lest anything should impede the life of virtue. But, indeed, his life and the
subsequent acts, by which he became renowned throughout the world and put into
the shade all those who have won renown for their virtue, would [966D] need a
long description and much time. But
I must divert my tale to its appointed task.
Now that all the distractions of the material life had
been removed, Macrina persuaded her mother to give up her ordinary life and all
showy style of living and the services of domestics to which she had been
accustomed before, and bring her point of view down to that of the masses, and
to share the life of the maids, treating all her slave girls and menials |29 as if they were sisters and belonged to the same
rank as herself.
But at this point I should like to insert a short
parenthesis in my narrative and not to pass over unrelated such a matter as the
following, in which the lofty character of the maiden is displayed.
THE
STORY OF NAUCRATIUS
The second of the four
brothers, Naucratius by name, who came next after the great Basil, excelled the
rest in natural endowments and physical beauty, in strength, speed and ability
to turn his hand to anything. When [968A] he had reached his twenty-first year,
and had given such demonstration of his studies by speaking in public, that the
whole audience in the theatre was thrilled, he was led by a divine providence
to despise all that was already in his grasp, and drawn by an irresistible
impulse went off to a life of solitude and poverty. He took nothing with him
but himself, save that one of the servants named Chrysapius followed him,
because of the |30 affection
he had towards his master and the intention he had formed to lead the same
life. So he lived by himself, having found a solitary spot on the banks of the
Iris----a river flowing through the midst of Pontus. It rises actually in
Armenia, passes through our parts, and discharges its stream into the [968 B]
Black Sea. By it the young man found a place with a luxuriant growth of trees
and a hill nestling under the mass of the overhanging mountain. There he lived
far removed from the noises of the city and the distractions that surround the
lives both of the soldier and the pleader in the law courts. Having thus freed
himself from the din of cares that impedes man's higher life, with his own
hands he looked after some old people who were living in poverty and
feebleness, considering it appropriate to his mode of life to make such a work
his care. So the generous youth would go on fishing expeditions, and since he
was expert in every form of sport, he provided food to his grateful clients by
this means. And at the same time by such exercises he was taming his own
manhood. |31 Besides
this, he also gladly obeyed his mother's wishes whenever she issued a command. And so in these two ways he guided his life, [968 C]
subduing his youthful nature by toils and caring assiduously for his mother,
and thus keeping the divine commands he was travelling home to God.
In this manner he completed the fifth year of his life
as a philosopher, by which he made his mother happy, both by the way in which
he adorned his own life by continence, and by the devotion of all his powers to
do the will of her that bore him.
THE
TRAGIC DEATH OF NAUCRATIUS
Then there fell on the
mother a grievous and tragic affliction, contrived, I think, by the Adversary,
which brought trouble and mourning upon all the family. For he was snatched
suddenly away from life. No previous sickness had prepared them for the blow,
nor did any of the usual and well-known mischances bring death upon the young
man. [968D] Having started out on one of the expeditions, |32 by
which he provided necessaries for the old men under his care, he was brought
back home dead, together with Chrysapius who shared his life. His mother was
far away, three days distant from the scene of the tragedy. Some one came to
her telling the bad news. Perfect though she was in every department of virtue,
yet nature dominated her as it does others. For she collapsed, and in a moment lost both breath
and speech, since her reason failed her under the disaster, and she was thrown
to the ground by the assault of the evil tidings, like some noble athlete hit
by an unexpected blow.
MACRINA THE ONE SUPPORT OF HER
MOTHER
And now the virtue of the
great Macrina was displayed. Facing the disaster in a [970A] rational spirit,
she both preserved herself from collapse, and becoming the prop of her mother's
weakness, raised her up from the abyss of grief, and by her own steadfastness
and imperturbability taught her mother's soul to be brave. In consequence, her
mother |33 was
not overwhelmed by the affliction, nor did she behave in any ignoble and
womanish way, so as to cry out at the calamity, or tear her dress, or lament
over the trouble, or strike up funeral chants with mournful melodies. On the
contrary she resisted the impulses of nature, and quieted herself both by such
reflections as occurred to her spontaneously, and those that were applied by
her daughter to cure the ill. For then was the nobility of Macrina's soul most
of all conspicuous; since [970B] natural affection was making her suffer as
well. For it was a brother, and a favourite brother, who had been snatched away
by such a manner of death. Nevertheless, conquering nature, she so sustained
her mother by her arguments that she, too, rose superior to her sorrow. Besides
which, the moral elevation always maintained by Macrina's life gave her mother
the opportunity of rejoicing over the blessings she enjoyed rather than
grieving over those that were missing. |34
MOTHER
AND DAUGHTER MAKE FURTHER PROGRESS IN THE ASCETIC LIFE
When the cares of
bringing up a family and the anxieties of their education and settling in life
had come to an end, and the property----a frequent cause of worldliness---- had
been for the most part divided among the children, then, as I said above, the
life of the virgin became her mother's guide and led her on to this philosophic
and spiritual [970C] manner of life. And weaning her from all accustomed
luxuries, Macrina drew her on to adopt her own standard of humility. She
induced her to live on a footing of equality with the staff of maids, so as to
share with them in the same food, the same kind of bed, and in all the
necessaries of life, without any regard to differences of rank. Such was the
manner of their life, so great the height of their philosophy, and so holy
their conduct day and night, as to make verbal description inadequate. For just
as souls freed from the body by death are saved from the cares of this life, so
was their life far removed from |35 all
earthly follies and ordered with a view of imitating the angelic life. For no
anger or [970D] jealousy, no hatred or pride, was observed in their midst, nor
anything else of this nature, since they had cast away all vain desires for
honour and glory, all vanity, arrogance and the like. Continence was their
luxury, and obscurity their glory. Poverty, and the casting away of all
material superfluities like dust from their bodies, was their wealth. In fact,
of all the things after which men eagerly pursue in this life, there were none
with which they could not easily dispense.5 Nothing
was left but the care of divine things and the unceasing round of prayer and
endless hymnody, co-extensive with time itself, practised by night and day. So
that to them this meant work, and work so called was rest. What human words
could make you [972A] realise such a life as this, a life on the borderline
between human and spiritual nature? For that nature should be free from human
weaknesses is more than can be expected |36 from
mankind. But these women fell short of the angelic and immaterial nature only
in so far as they appeared in bodily form, and were contained within a human
frame, and were dependent upon the organs of sense. Perhaps some might even
dare to say that the difference was not to their disadvantage. Since living in the body and yet after the likeness of
the immaterial beings, they were not bowed down by the weight of the body, but
their life was exalted to the skies and [972B] they walked on high in company
with the powers of heaven.
The period covered by
this mode of life was no short one, and with the lapse of time their successes
increased, as their philosophy continually grew purer with the discovery of new
blessings.
PETER,
THE YOUNGEST BROTHER
Macrina was helped most
of all in achieving this great aim of her life by her own brother Peter. With
him the mother's pangs ceased, for he was the latest born of the family.
At |37 one
and the same time he received the names of son and orphan, for as he entered
this life his father passed away from it. But the eldest of the family, the
subject of our story, took him soon after birth from the nurse's breast and
reared him herself and educated [972C] him on a lofty system of training,
practising him from infancy in holy studies, so as not to give his soul leisure
to turn to vain things. Thus having become all things to the lad---- father,
teacher, tutor, mother, giver of all good advice----she produced such results
that before the age of boyhood had passed, when he was yet a stripling in the
first bloom of tender youth, he aspired to the high mark of philosophy. And,
thanks to his natural endowments, he was clever in every art that involves
hand-work, so that without any guidance he achieved a completely accurate
knowledge of everything that ordinary people learn by time and trouble.
Scorning to occupy [972D] his time with worldly studies, and having in nature a
sufficient instructor in all good knowledge, and always looking to his sister
as the model of all good, he advanced to such |38
a height of virtue that in his subsequent life he seemed in no whit inferior to
the great Basil. But at this time he was all in all to his sister and mother,
co-operating with them in the pursuit of the angelic life. Once when a severe
famine had occurred and crowds from all quarters were frequenting the retreat
where they lived, drawn by the fame of their benevolence, Peter's kindness
supplied such an abundance of food that the desert seemed a city by reason of
the number of visitors.
DEATH
OF THE MOTHER
[974A] It was about this
time that the mother died, honoured by all, and went to God, yielding up her
life in the arms of her two children. It is worth while to give the words of
blessing which she used over her children, mentioning each of the absent ones
in loving remembrance, so that no single one was deprived of the blessing, and
commending especially to God in her prayers those who were present with her.
For as these two sat by
her on each side of |39 the
bed, she touched them with her hands, and uttered these prayers to God with her
dying words----
"To Thee, O Lord, I
give the fruit of my womb as both first-fruits and tenths. For this my eldest
is the first-fruits and this my last-born is the tenth. Each is sanctified to
Thee by the Law, and they are votive offerings to Thee. Therefore let Thy
sanctification [974B] descend on this my first and this my tenth."
As she spoke she
indicated by gestures her daughter and son. Then, having ceased to bless, she
ceased to live, having first bidden her children lay her body in their father's
grave. But they, having fulfilled the command, clave to philosophy with still
loftier resolve, even striving against their own life and eclipsing their
previous record by their subsequent successes.
BASIL
DIES AFTER A NOBLE CAREER
Meanwhile Basil, the
famous saint, had been elected bishop 1 of the great church of
Caesarea. |40 He
advanced Peter to the sacred order of the priesthood, consecrating him in
person with mystic ceremonial. And in this way a further advance in the
direction of dignity [974C] and sanctity was made in their life, now that
philosophy was enriched by the priesthood.
Eight years after this,
the world-renowned Basil departed from men to live with God, to the common
grief of his native land and the whole world. Now when Macrina heard the news
of the calamity in her distant retreat, she was distressed indeed in soul at so
great a loss----for how could she not be distressed at a calamity, which was
felt even by the enemies of the truth?----but just as they say that the testing
of gold takes place in several furnaces, so that if any impurity escapes the
first furnace, it may be separated in the second, and again in the last one all
admixture of dross may be purged away----consequently it is the most accurate
testing of pure gold if having gone through every furnace it shows no refuse.
So it happened also in her case. When her noble character had been tested by
these different accessions of trouble, in every |41 respect
the metal of her soul was proved to be unadulterated and undefiled. The first
test was the loss of the one brother, the second the parting from her mother,
the third was when the common glory of the family, great Basil, was removed
from human life. So she remained, like an invincible athlete in no wise broken
by the assault of troubles.
GREGORY
RESOLVES TO VISIT HIS SISTER.
It was the ninth month or
a little longer after this disaster, and a synod of bishops was gathered at
Antioch, in which we also took part. And when we broke up, each to go home
before the year was over, then I, [976A] Gregory, felt a desire to visit
Macrina. For a long time had elapsed during which visits were prevented by the
distraction of the troubles which I underwent, being constantly driven out from
my own country by the leaders of heresy. And when I came to reckon the
intervening time during which the troubles had prevented us meeting face |42 to
face, no less than eight years, or very nearly that period, seemed to have
elapsed.
Now when I had
accomplished most of the journey and was one day's journey distant, a vision
appeared to me in a dream and filled me with anxious anticipations of the
future. I seemed to be carrying martyrs' relics in my hands; a light came from
them, such as [976B] comes from a clear mirror when it is put facing the sun,
so that my eyes were blinded by the brilliance of the rays. The same vision
recurred three times that night. I could not clearly understand the riddle of
the dream, but I saw trouble for my soul, and I watched carefully so as to
judge the vision by events.
When I approached the
retreat in which Macrina led her angelic and heavenly life, first of all I
asked one of the servants about my brother, whether he were at home. He told us
that he had gone out four days ago now, and I understood, which indeed was the case,
that he had gone to meet us by another way. Then I asked after the great lady.
He said she was very ill, and I was the more eager to hurry on and complete the
remainder |43 of
the journey, for a certain anxiety and premonitory fear of what was coining
stole [976C] in and disquieted me.
GREGORY
COMES TO THE MONASTERY AND FINDS MACRINA ON HER DEATH BED
But when I came to the
actual place, rumour had already announced my arrival to the brotherhood. Then
the whole company of the men came streaming out to meet us from their
apartments. For it was their custom to honour friends by meeting them. But the
band of virgins on the women's side modestly waited in the church for us to
arrive. But when the prayers and the blessing were over, and the women, after
reverently inclining their head for the blessing, retired to their own
apartments, none of them were left with us. I guessed the explanation, that the
abbess was not with them. A man led me to the house in which was my great
sister, and [976D] opened the door. Then I entered that holy dwelling. I found
her already terribly afflicted with weakness. She was lying not on a bed |44 or
couch, but on the floor; a sack had been spread on a board, and another board
propped up her head, so contrived as to act as a pillow, supporting the sinews
of the neck in slanting fashion, and holding up the neck comfortably. Now when
she saw me near the door she raised herself on her elbow but could not come to
meet me, her strength being already drained by fever. But by putting her hands
on the floor and leaning over from the pallet as far as she could, she showed
the respect [978A] due to my rank. I ran to her and embraced her prostrate
form, and raising her, again restored her to her usual position. Then she
lifted her hand to God and said----
"This favour also
Thou hast granted me, O God, and hast not deprived me of my desire, because
Thou hast stirred up Thy servant to visit Thy handmaid."
Lest she should vex my
soul she stilled her groans and made great efforts to hide, if possible, the
difficulty of her breathing. And in every way she tried to be cheerful, both
taking the lead herself in friendly talk, and giving us an opportunity by
asking |45 questions.
When in the course of conversation mention was made of the great Basil, my soul
was saddened and my face fell dejectedly. But so far was she from sharing in my
affliction [978B] that, treating the mention of the saint as an occasion for
yet loftier philosophy, she discussed various subjects, inquiring into human
affairs and revealing in her conversation the divine purpose concealed in
disasters. Besides this, she discussed the future life,6 as
if inspired by the Holy Spirit, so that it almost seemed as if my soul were
lifted by the help of her words away from mortal nature and placed within the
heavenly sanctuary. And just as we learn in the story of Job that the saint was
tormented in every part of his body with discharges owing to the corruption of
his wounds, yet did not allow the pain [978C] to affect his reasoning power,
but in spite of the pains in the body did not relax his activities nor
interrupt the lofty sentiments of his discourse----similarly did I see in the
case of this |46 great
woman. Fever was drying up her strength and driving her on to death, yet she
refreshed her body as it were with dew, and thus kept her mind unimpeded in the
contemplation of heavenly things, in no way injured by her terrible weakness.
And if my narrative were not extending to an unconscionable length I would tell
everything in order, how she was uplifted as she discoursed to us on the nature
of the soul and explained the reason of life in the flesh, and why man was
made, and how he was mortal, and the origin of death and the nature of the
journey from death to life again. In all of [978D] which she told her tale
clearly and consecutively as if inspired by the power of the Holy Spirit, and
the even flow of her language was like a fountain whose water streams down
uninterruptedly.
SHE
SENDS GREGORY AWAY TO REST HIMSELF
When our conversation was
finished, she said----
"It is time,
brother, for you to rest your |47 body
awhile, since it is wearied with the great toil of your journey."
And though I found it a
great and genuine rest to see her and hear her noble words, yet since she
wanted it so much, that I might in every particular seem to obey my mistress, I
found a pretty arbour prepared for me in one of the neighbouring gardens, and
rested under the shade of the trailing vines. But it was impossible to have any
feelings of [980A] enjoyment when my soul within me was constrained by gloomy
anticipations, for the secret of the vision of my dream seemed to be now
revealed to me by what I had seen. For the image I had seen was indeed true----
the relics of a holy martyr which had been dead in sin, but now were
resplendent with the indwelling power of the Spirit. I explained this to one of
those who had heard me tell the dream before.
We were, as one might
guess, in a dejected state, expecting sad tidings, when Macrina, somehow or
other divining our condition of mind, sent to us a messenger with more cheerful
news, and bade us be of good cheer |48 and
have better hope for her, for she was feeling a change for the better. Now this
was not said to deceive, but the message was [980B] actually true, though we
did not know it at the time. For in very truth, just as a runner who has passed
his adversary and already drawn near to the end of the stadium, as he
approaches the judge's seat and sees the crown of victory, rejoices inwardly as
if he had already attained his object and announces his victory to his
sympathisers among the spectators----in such a frame of mind did she, too, tell
us to cherish better hopes for her, for she was already looking to the prize of
her heavenly calling, and all but uttering the apostle's words:
"Henceforward is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the righteous
Judge shall give me," for "I have fought the good fight, I have
finished the course, I have kept the faith."
Accordingly, feeling
happy at the good [980C] news, we began to enjoy the sights that lay before us.
For they were very varied and the arrangements gave much pleasure, since |49 the
great lady was careful even of these trifles.
GREGORY
RETURNS TO MACRINA, WHO RECALLS THE EVENTS OF HER CHILDHOOD
But when we saw her
again, for she did not allow us to spend time by ourselves in idleness, she
began to recall her past life, beginning with childhood, and describing it all
in order as in a history. She recounted as much as she could remember of the life
of our parents, and the events that took place both before and after my birth.
But her aim throughout was gratitude towards God, for she described our
parents' life not so much from the point of view of the reputation they enjoyed
in the eyes of contemporaries on account of their riches, as an example of the
divine blessing. My father's parents had their goods confiscated for confessing
Christ. Our maternal [980D] grandfather was slain by the imperial wrath, and
all his possessions were transferred to other masters. Nevertheless their life
abounded so in faith that no one was named |50 above
them in those times. And moreover, after their substance had been divided into
nine parts according to the number of the children, the share of each was so
increased by God's blessing, that the income of each of the children exceeded
the prosperity of the parents. But when it came to Macrina herself she kept
nothing of the things assigned to her in the equal division between brothers
and sisters, but all her share was given into the priest's hands according to
the divine command. [982A] Moreover her life became such by God's help that her
hands never ceased to work according to the commandment. Never did she even
look for help to any human being, nor did human charity give her the
opportunity of a comfortable existence. Never were petitioners turned away, yet
never did she appeal for help, but God secretly blessed the little seeds of her
good works till they grew into a mighty fruit.
As I told my own trouble
and all that I had been through, first my exile at the hands of the Emperor
Valens on account of the faith, and then the confusion in the Church |51 that
summoned me to conflicts and trials, my great sister said----
"Will you not cease
to be insensible to the divine blessings? Will you not remedy the ingratitude
of your soul? Will you not compare your position with that of your [982B]
parents'? And yet, as regards worldly things, we make our boast of being well
born and thinking we come of a noble family. Our father was greatly esteemed as
a young man for his learning; in fact his fame was established throughout the
law courts of the province. Subsequently, though he excelled all others in
rhetoric, his reputation did not extend beyond Pontus. But he was satisfied
with fame in his own hand.
"But you," she
said, "are renowned in cities and peoples and nations. Churches summon you
as an ally and director, and do you not see the grace of God in it all? Do you
fail to recognise the cause of such great blessings, that it is your parents'
prayers that are lifting you up on high, you that have little or no equipment
within yourself for such success?" |52
[982C] Thus she spoke,
and I longed for the length of the day to be further extended, that she might
never cease delighting our cars with sweetness. But the voice of the choir was
summoning us to the evening service, and sending me to church, the great one
retired once more to God in prayer. And thus she spent the night.
THE
EVENTS OF THE NEXT DAY: MACRINA'S LAST HOURS
But when day came it was
clear to me from what I saw that the coming day was the utmost limit of her
life in the flesh, since the fever had consumed all her innate strength. But
she, considering the weakness of our minds, was contriving how to divert us
from our sorrowful anticipations, and once more with those beautiful words of
hers poured out what was left of her suffering soul with [982D] short and
difficult breathing. Many, indeed, and varied, were the emotions of my heart at
what I saw. For nature herself was afflicting me and making me sad; as was
only |53 to
be expected, since I could no longer hope ever to hear such a voice again. Nor
as yet was I reconciled to the thought of losing the common glory of our
family, but my mind, as it were inspired by the spectacle, supposed that she
would actually rise superior to the common lot. For that she did not even in
her last breath find anything strange in the hope of the Resurrection, nor even
shrink at the departure from this life, but with lofty mind continued to
discuss up to her last breath the convictions she had formed from the beginning
about this life----all this seemed to me more than human. Rather did it seem as
if some angel had taken human form with a sort of incarnation, to whom it was
nothing [984A] strange that the mind should remain undisturbed, since he had no
kinship or likeness with this life of flesh, and so the flesh did not draw the
mind to think on its afflictions. Therefore 7 I
think she revealed to the bystanders that divine and pure love of the invisible
bridegroom, which she kept hidden |54 and
nourished in the secret places of the soul, and she published abroad the secret
disposition of her heart----her hurrying towards Him Whom she desired, that she
might speedily be with Him, loosed from the chains of the body. For in very
truth her course was directed towards virtue, and nothing else could divert her
attention.
MACRINA'S
DYING PRAYER
[984B] Most of the day
had now passed, and the sun was declining towards the West. Her eagerness did
not diminish, but as she approached her end, as if she discerned the beauty of
the Bridegroom more clearly, she hastened towards the Beloved with the greater
eagerness. Such thoughts as these did she utter, no longer to us who were
present, but to Him in person on Whom she gazed fixedly. Her couch had been
turned towards the East; and, ceasing to converse with us, she spoke
henceforward to God in prayer, making supplication with her hands and
whispering with a low voice, so that we could |55 just
hear what was said. Such was the prayer; we need not doubt that it reached
[984C] God and that she, too, was hearing His voice.
"Thou, O Lord, hast
freed us from the fear of death. Thou hast made the end of this life the
beginning to us of true life. Thou for a season restest our bodies in sleep and
awakest them again at the last trump. Thou givest our earth, which Thou hast
fashioned with Thy hands, to the earth to keep in safety. One day Thou wilt
take again what Thou hast given, transfiguring with immortality and grace our
mortal and unsightly remains. Thou hast saved us from the curse and from sin,
having become both for our sakes. Thou hast broken the heads of the dragon who
had seized us with his jaws, in the yawning gulf of disobedience. Thou hast
shown us the way of resurrection, having broken the gates of .hell, and brought
to nought him who had the power of death----the devil. Thou hast given a sign
to those that fear Thee in the symbol of the Holy Cross, [984D] to destroy the
adversary and save our life. |56 O
God eternal, to Whom I have been attached from my mother's womb, Whom my soul
has loved with all its strength, to Whom I have dedicated both my flesh and my
soul from my youth up until now----do Thou give me an angel of light to conduct
me to the place of refreshment, where is the water of rest, in the bosom of the
holy Fathers. Thou that didst break the flaming sword and didst restore to
Paradise the man that was crucified with Thee and implored Thy mercies,
remember me, too, in Thy kingdom; because I, too, was crucified with Thee,
having nailed my flesh to the cross for fear of Thee, and of Thy judgments have
I been afraid. Let not the terrible chasm separate me from Thy elect. Nor let
[986A] the Slanderer stand against me in the way; nor let my sin be found
before Thy eyes, if in anything I have sinned in word or deed or thought, led
astray by the weakness of our nature. O Thou Who hast power on earth to forgive
sins, forgive me, that I may be refreshed and may be found before Thee when I
put off my body, without defilement on my soul. But may my soul be
received |57 into
Thy hands spotless and undefiled, as an offering before Thee."
As she said these words
she sealed her eyes and mouth and heart with the cross. And gradually her
tongue dried up with the fever, she could articulate her words no longer, and
her voice died away, and only by the trembling of her lips and the motion of
her hands did we recognise that she was praying.
Meanwhile evening had
come and a lamp [986B] was brought in. All at once she opened the orb of her
eyes and looked towards the light, clearly wanting to repeat the thanksgiving
sung at the Lighting of the Lamps. But her voice failed and she fulfilled her
intention in the heart and by moving her hands, while her lips stirred in
sympathy with her inward desire. But when she had finished the thanksgiving,
and her hand brought to her face to make the Sign had signified the end of the
prayer, she drew a great deep breath and closed her life and her prayer
together. |58
GREGORY
PERFORMS THE LAST OFFICES
And now that she was
breathless and still, remembering the command that she had given at our first
meeting, telling me she wished her hands laid on her eyes, and the accustomed
[986C] offices done for the body by me, I brought her hands, all numb with the
disease, on to her holy face, only that I might not seem to neglect her
bidding. For her eyes needed none to compose them, being covered gracefully by
the lids, just as happens in natural sleep; the lips were suitably closed and
the hands laid reverently on the breast, and the whole body had automatically
fallen into the right position, and in no way needed the help of the
layers-out.
THE
SISTERS' LAMENT FOR THEIR ABBESS
Now my mind was becoming
unnerved in two ways, from the sight that met my gaze, and the sad wailing of
the virgins that sounded in my ears. So far they had remained [986D] quiet and
suppressed their grief, restraining |59 their
impulse to mourn for fear of her, as if they dreaded her rebuke even when her
voice was silent, lest in any way a sound should break forth from them contrary
to her command and their mistress be grieved in consequence. But when they
could no longer subdue their anguish in silence, and grief like some inward
fire was smouldering in their hearts, all at once a bitter and irrepressible
cry broke out; so that my reason no longer remained calm, but a flood of
emotion, like a watercourse in spate, swept it away, and so, neglecting my
duties, I gave myself up to lamentation. Indeed, the cause for the maidens'
weeping seemed to me just and [988A] reasonable. For they were not bewailing
the loss of human companionship and guidance, nor any other such thing as men
grieve over when disaster comes. But it seemed as if they had been torn away
from their hope in God and the salvation of their souls, and so they cried and
bewailed in this manner----
"The light of our
eyes has gone out,
The light that guided our souls has been taken away. |60
The safety of our life is destroyed,
The seal of immortality is removed,
The bond of restraint has been taken away,
The support of the weak has been broken,
The healing of the sick removed.
In thy presence the night became to us as day,
Illumined with pure life,
But now even our day will be turned to gloom."
Saddest of all in their
grief were those who [988B] called on her as mother and nurse. These were they
whom she picked up, exposed by the roadside in the time of famine. She had
nursed and reared them, and led them to the pure and stainless life.
But when, as it were from
the sleep, I recovered my thoughts, I looked towards that holy face and it
seemed as if it rebuked me for the confusion of the noisy mourners. So I called
to the sisters with a loud voice----
"Look at her, and
remember her commands, by which she trained you to be orderly and decent in
everything. One occasion for |61 tears
did this divine soul ordain for us, recommending us to weep at the time of
prayer. Which now we may do, by turning the lamentations into psalmody in the
same strain."
VESTIANA
COMES TO HELP GREGORY [988C]
I had to shout in order
to be heard above the noise of the mourners. Then I besought them to go away
for awhile to the neighbouring house, but asked that some of those whose
services she used to welcome when she was alive should stay behind.
Among these was a lady of
gentle birth, who had been famous in youth for wealth, good family, physical
beauty and every other distinction. She had married a man of high rank and
lived with him a short time. Then, with her body still young, she was released
from marriage, and chose the great Macrina as protector and guardian of her
widowhood, and spent her time mostly with the virgins, learning from them the
life of virtue. |62
The lady's name was
Vestiana, and her [988D] father was one of those who composed the council of
senators. To her I said that there could be no objection now, at any rate, to
putting finer clothing on the body and adorning that pure and stainless form
with fair linen clothes. But she said one ought to learn what the saint had
thought proper in these matters. For it was not right that anything at all
should be done by us contrary to what she would have wished. But just what was
dear and pleasing to God, would be her desire also.
Now there was a lady
called Lampadia, leader of the band of sisters, a deaconess in rank. She
declared that she knew Macrina's [990A] wishes in the matter of burial exactly.
When I asked her about them (for she happened to be present at our
deliberations), she said with tears----
"The saint resolved
that a pure life should be her adornment, that this should deck her body in
life and her grave in death. But so far as clothes to adorn the body go, she
procured none when she was alive, nor did she |63 store
them for the present purpose. So that not even if we want it will there be
anything more than what we have here, since no preparation is made for this
need."
"Is it not
possible," said I, "to find in the store-cupboard anything to make a
fitting funeral?"
"Store-cupboard
indeed!" said she; "you have in front of you all her treasure. There
is the cloak, there is the head-covering, there the well-worn shoes on the
feet. This is all her wealth, these are her riches. There is nothing stored
away in secret places beyond what you see, or put away safely in boxes or
bedroom. She knew of one store-house [990B] alone for her wealth, the treasure
in heaven. There she had stored her all, nothing was left on earth."
"Suppose," said
I, "I were to bring some of the things I have got ready for the funeral, should
I be doing anything of which she would not have approved?"
"I do not
think," said she, "that this would be against her wish. For had she
been living, she would have accepted such honour from |64 you
on two grounds----your priesthood which she always prized so dear, and your
relationship, for she would not have repudiated what came to her from her
brother. This was why she gave commands that your hands were to prepare her
body for burial.
THEY
FIND ON THE BODY MAEKS OF MACRINA'S SANCTITY
When we had decided on
this, and it was necessary for that sacred body to be robed in linen, we
divided the work and applied ourselves to our different tasks. I ordered one of
my men to bring the robe. But Vestiana [990C] above-mentioned was decking that
holy head with her own hands, when she put her hand on the neck.
"See," she
said, looking at me, "what sort of an ornament has hung on the saint's
neck!"
As she spoke, she
loosened the fastener behind, then stretched out her hand and showed us the
representation of a cross of iron and a ring of the same material, both
of |65 which
were fastened by a slender thread and rested continually on the heart.
" Let us share the
treasure," I said. " You have the phylactery of the cross, I will be
content with inheriting the ring" ----for the cross had been traced on the
seal of this too. [990D] Looking at it, the lady said to me again---- "You
have made no mistake in choosing this treasure; for the ring is hollow in the
hoop, and in it has been hidden a particle of the Cross of Life,8 and
so the mark on the seal above shows what is hidden below."
But when it was time that
the pure body should be wrapped in its robes, the command of the great departed
one made it necessary for me to undertake the ministry; but the sister who
shared with me that great inheritance was present and joined in the work. |66
"Do not let the
great wonders accomplished by the saint pass by unnoticed,"she remarked,
laying bare part of the breast.
"What do you mean?
"I said.
[992A] "Do you
see,"she said, "this small faint mark below the neck? "It was
like a scar made by a small needle. As she spoke she brought the lamp near to
the place she was showing me.
"What is there
surprising," I said, "if the body has been branded with some faint
mark in this place?"
"This," she
replied, "has been left on the body as a token of God's powerful help. For
there grew once in this place a cruel disease, and there was a danger either
that the tumour should require an operation, or that the complaint should
become quite incurable, if it should spread to the neighbourhood of the heart.
Her mother implored her often and begged her to receive the attention of a
doctor, since the medical art, she [992B] said, was sent from God for the
saving of men. But she judged it worse than the pain, to uncover any part of
the body to a stranger's |67 eyes.
So when evening came, after waiting on her mother as usual with her own hands,
she went inside the sanctuary and besought the God of healing all night long. A
stream of tears fell from her eyes on to the ground, and she used the mud made
by the tears as a remedy for her ailment. Then when her mother felt despondent
and again urged her to allow the doctor to come, she said it would suffice for
the cure of her disease if her mother would make the holy seal on the place
with her own hand. But when the mother put her hand within her bosom, to make the
sign of the cross on the part, the sign worked and the tumour disappeared.
"But this,"
said she, "is the tiny trace of it; it appeared then in place of the
frightful [992C] sore and remained until the end, that it might be, as I
imagine, a memorial of the divine visitation, an occasion and reminder of
perpetual thanksgiving to God."
When our work came to an
end and the body had been decked with the best we had on the spot, the
deaconess spoke again, maintaining that it was not fitting that she should be
seen |68 by
the eyes of the virgins robed like a bride. "But I have,"she said,
"laid by one of your mother's dark-coloured robes which I think would do
well laid over her, that this holy beauty be not decked out with the
unnecessary splendour of clothing."
Her counsel prevailed,
and the robe was laid upon the body. But she was resplendent [992D] even in the
dark robe, divine power having added, as I think, this final grace to the body,
so that, as in the vision of my dream, rays actually seemed to shine forth from
her beauty.
THE
ALL-NIGHT VIGIL: A CROWD OF VISITORS ARRIVES
But while we were thus
employed and the virgins' voices singing psalms mingled with the lamentations
were filling the place, somehow the news had quickly spread throughout the
whole neighbourhood, and all the people that lived near were streaming towards
the place, so that the entrance hall could no longer hold the concourse.
When the all-night vigil
for her, accompanied |69 by
hymn-singing, as in the case of martyrs' festivals, was finished, and the dawn
came, the multitude of men and women that had flocked in from all the
neighbouring country were interrupting the psalms with wailings. But I, sick at
heart though I was owing to the calamity, was yet contriving, so far as was
possible with what we had, that no suitable [994A] accompaniment of such a
funeral should be omitted.
GREGORY
MAKES THE FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS
I divided the visitors
according to sex, and put the crowds of women with the band of virgins, while
the men folk I put in the ranks of the monks. I arranged that the psalms should
be sung by both sexes in rhythmical and harmonious fashion, as in chorus
singing, so that all the voices should blend suitably. But since the day was
progressing, and the entire space of the retreat was getting crowded with the
multitude of arrivals, the bishop of that district (Araxius by name, who
had |70 come
with the entire complement of his priests) ordered the funeral procession to
start slowly; [994B] for there was a long way to go, and the crowd seemed
likely to impede brisk movement. At the same time as he gave this order he
summoned to him all present who shared with him in the priesthood, that the
body might be borne by them.
When this had been
settled and his directions were being carried out, I got under the bed and
called Araxius to the other side; two other distinguished priests took the
hinder part of the bed. Then I went forward, slowly as was to be expected, our
progress being but gradual. For the people thronged round the bed and all were
insatiable to see that holy sight, so that it was not easy for us to complete
our journey. On either side we were flanked by a considerable number of [994C]
deacons and servants, escorting the bier in order, all holding wax tapers.
The whole thing resembled
a mystic procession, and from beginning to end the voices blended in singing
psalms, that, for example, that comes in the Hymn of the Three Children. |71
Seven or eight stades
intervened between the Retreat and the abode of the Holy Martyrs, in which also
the bodies of our parents were laid. With difficulty did we accomplish the
journey in the best part of a day, for the crowds that came with us and those
that were constantly joining us did not allow our progress to be what we
wished.
ARRIVAL
AT THE CHURCH: THE BURIAL. SERVICE
But when we got inside
the church we laid down the bed and turned first to prayer. But our prayer was
the signal for the people's lamentations to start again. For when the voice of
psalmody was still, and the virgins gazed on that holy face, and the grave of
our parents was already being opened, in which it had been decided that Macrina
should be [994D] laid, a woman cried out impulsively that after this hour we
should see that divine face no more. Then the rest of the virgins cried out the
same, and a disorderly confusion disturbed the orderly and solemn
chanting |72 of
psalms, all being upset at the wailing of the virgins. With difficulty did we
succeed in procuring silence by our gesture, and the precentor taking the lead
and intoning the accustomed prayers of the Church, the people composed
themselves at last to prayer.
[996A]
THE FAMILY GRAVE IS OPENED
When the prayer had come
to its due close, fear entered my mind of transgressing the divine command,
which forbids us to uncover the shame of father or mother. "And how,"
said I, "shall I escape such condemnation if I gaze at the common shame of
human nature made manifest in the bodies of my parents? Since they are all
decayed and dissolved, as must be expected, and turned into foul and repulsive
shapelessness."
As I thought of these
things and the anger of Noah against his son was striking fear into me, the
story of Noah advised me what was to be done. Before the lid of the grave was
lifted sufficiently to reveal the bodies to our gaze, they were covered by a
pure linen cloth |73 stretched
across from each end. And now that [996B] the bodies were hidden under the
cloth, we---- myself, that is, and the afore-mentioned bishop of the
district----took up that holy body from the bed and laid it down by the side of
the mother, thus fulfilling the common prayer of both. For both were with one
voice asking God for this boon all their lives long, that their bodies should
be mingled with one another after death, and that their comradeship in life
should not even in death be broken.
THE
FUNERAL OVER, GREGORY RETURNS HOME
But when we had completed
all the accustomed funeral rites, and it became necessary to return home, I
first threw myself on the grave and embraced the dust, and then I started on my
way back, downcast and tearful, pondering over the greatness of my loss.
On my way I met a
distinguished soldier who had a military command in a little city of Pontus
named Sebastopolis, and dwelt [996C] there with his subordinates. He met me in
friendly fashion when I reached the town, |74 and
was greatly disturbed to hear of the calamity, for he was linked to us by ties
both of relationship and friendship. He told me a story of a marvellous episode
in her life, which I shall incorporate into my history and then close my tale.
When we had ceased our tears and had entered into conversation, he said to
me----
"Learn what manner
of goodness has been taken away from human life."
With this prelude he
began his narrative.
THE
SOLDIER'S STORY
"My wife and I once
had an earnest desire to pay a visit to the school of virtue. For so I think
the place ought to be called, in which that blessed soul had her abode. Now
there [996D] lived with us also our little daughter, who had been left with an
affliction of the eye after an infectious illness. And her appearance was
hideous and pitiable, the membrane round the eye being enlarged and whitish
from the complaint. But when we came inside that divine abode, my wife and I
separated in our |75 visit
to those seekers after philosophy according to our sex. I went to the men's
department, presided over by Peter, your brother; while my wife went to the
women's side and conversed with the saint. And when a suitable interval had
elapsed, we considered it time to depart from the Retreat, and already our
preparations were being made for this, but kind protests were raised from both
sides equally. Your brother was urging me to stay [998A] and partake of the
philosophers' table; and the blessed lady would not let my wife go, but holding
our little girl in her bosom, said she would not give her up before she had
prepared a meal for them and had entertained them with the riches of
philosophy. And kissing the child, as was natural, and putting her lips to her
eyes, she saw the complaint of the pupil and said----
"'If you grant me
this favour and share our meal, I will give you in return a reward not unworthy
of such an honour.'
"'What is that? '
said the child's mother.
"'I have a drug,'
said the great lady, 'which is powerful to cure eye complaints.' |76
"And then news was
brought me from the women's apartments, telling me of this promise, and we
gladly remained, thinking little of the pressing necessity of starting on our
journey.
[998B] "But when the
feast came to an end and we had said the prayer, great Peter waiting on us with
his own hands and cheering us, and when holy Macrina had dismissed my wife with
all courtesy, then at last we went home together with glad and cheerful hearts,
telling one another as we journeyed what had befallen us. I described to her
what had happened in the men's room, both what I had heard and seen. She told
every detail as in a history, and thought nothing ought to be left out, even
the smallest points. She told everything in order, keeping the sequence of the
narrative. [998C] When she came to the point at which the promise was made to
cure the child's eyes, she broke off her tale.
"'Oh, what have we
done?' she cried.
'How could we have
neglected the promise, that salve-cure that the lady said she would
give?' |77
"I was vexed at the
carelessness, and bade some one run back quickly to fetch it. Just as this was
being done, the child, who was in her nurse's arms, looked at her mother, and the
mother looked at the child eyes.
"'Stop,' she said,
'being vexed at the carelessness,'----she cried aloud with joy and fright.
'For, see! Nothing of what was promised us is lacking! She has indeed given her
the true drug which cures disease; it is the healing that comes from prayer.
She has both given it and it has already proved efficacious, and nothing is
left of the affliction [998D] of the eye. It is all purged away by that divine
drug.'
"And as she said
this, she took up the child and laid her in my arms. And I understood the
marvels of the Gospel that hitherto had been incredible to me and said----
"'What is there
surprising in the blind recovering their sight by the hand of God, when now His
handmaiden, accomplishing those cures by faith in Him, has worked a thing not
much inferior to those miracles?'"
Such was his story; it
was interrupted by |78 sobs,
and tears choked his utterance, So much for the soldier and his tale.
CONCLUSION
I do not think it
advisable to add to my narrative all the similar things that we heard from
those who lived with her and knew her life accurately. For most men judge what
is [1000A] credible in the way of a tale by the measure of their own
experience. But what exceeds the capacity of the hearer, men receive with
insult and suspicion of falsehood, as remote from truth. Consequently I omit
that extraordinary agricultural operation in the famine time, how that the corn
for the relief of need, though constantly distributed, suffered no perceptible
diminution, remaining always in bulk the same as before it was distributed to
the needs of the suppliants. And after this there are happenings still more
surprising, of which I might tell. Healings of diseases, and castings out of
demons, and true predictions of the future. All are believed to be true,
even |79 though
apparently incredible, by those who have investigated them accurately.
But by the carnally
minded they are judged outside the possible. Those, I mean, who do not know
that according to the proportion of faith so is given the distribution of
spiritual gifts, little to those of little faith, much to those [1000B] who
have plenty of "sea-room" 9 in
their religion.
And so, lest the
unbeliever should be injured by being led to disbelieve the gifts of God, I
have abstained from a consecutive narrative of these sublime wonders, thinking
it sufficient to conclude my life of Macrina with what has been already said.
THE END
1. 1 Reading Migne." The intention was
not fulfilled until a year or two later, after his visit to the Church of
Babylon.
2. The use of the word "philosophy" to
designate Christianity is common in the writings of the fourth century, and may
perhaps be traced back to Origen's synthesis of the Gospel and philosophy. It
is employed in a twofold sense, of the Christian religion generally and of
asceticism in particular. Cf. Greg. Naz., Or., VII, 9 (describing the
asceticism of his brother Cresarius): "As philosophy is the greatest, so
is it the most difficult, of professions, which can be taken in hand by but
few, and only by those who have been called forth by the divine
magnanimity." See a careful note in Boulenger, Gregoire de
Nazianze, Discours funèbres (Paris,
1908), p. lvi.
3. Thecla was a contemporary of St. Paul,
according to the Acts of Paul and
Thecla, which may well have been founded on fact. See
article "Thecla" in Dictionary
of Christian Biography, and the chapter on Thecla in Sir W. M. Ramsay's Church in the Roman Empire.
5. 1 In the long dialogue, De Anima et Resurrectione (Migne,
XLVI, 11-160), Gregory purports to reproduce this conversation.
6. 1 In order to assure them that she was
really dying, she uttered aloud the prayer in the next paragraph.
7. 1 According to the well-known story, the
Cross was discovered by Helena, mother of Constantine the Great (c. 327). The
earliest mention of the wood of the Cross as a relic seems to be in Cyril of
Jerusalem's Catechetical Lectures, See
iv. 10, "The whole world has since been filled with pieces of the wood of
the Cross." Cf. x. 19, xiii. 4.
SOURCE : http://www.tertullian.org/fathers/gregory_macrina_1_life.htm
Santa
Macrina la Giovane Monaca
Prima di 10 fratelli, tra
i quali ben 4 sono santi (lei, Basilio di Cesarea, Gregorio di Nissa e Pietro
sacerdote e monaco), nacque in Ponto nel 327. Giovane e bella, era un partito
agognato, ma scelse presto di dedicarsi esclusivamente a Dio. Per diversi anni
rimase al fianco della madre per aiutarla nel governo della casa e
nell’educazione dei fratelli. Esercitò un’influenza decisiva sulle scelte dei
due fratelli più famosi, Basilio di Cesarea e Gregorio di Nissa. Quando gli
uomini ebbero trovata la loro strada, madre e figlia decisero di ritirarsi ad
Annesi sulle rive del fiume Iris. Qui Macrina divenne la superiora del
monastero doppio dove uomini e donne si sforzavano di vivere in pienezza il
Vangelo. Al ritorno dal concilio di Antiochia, Gregorio di Nissa si fermò
ad Annesi per salutare la sorella. Fu l’ultimo incontro tra i due dato che
Macrina morì nel 380 a soli 53 anni. Gregorio, tuttavia, fece a tempo a
sentire dalle sue labbra la grandiosa preghiera pronunciata prima di morire. La
sua spiritualità e la sua vita sono narrate dallo stesso Gregorio.
Martirologio
Romano: Nel monastero di Annesi lungo il fiume Iris nel Ponto ancora in
Turchia, santa Macrina, vergine, sorella dei santi Basilio Magno, Gregorio di
Nissa e Pietro di Sivas, che, versata nelle Sacre Scritture, si ritirò a vita
solitaria, mirabile esempio di desiderio di Dio e di distacco dalla vanità del
mondo.
Macrina era la
primogenita dei dieci figli di Basilio ed Emmelia, famiglia del Ponto in Grecia
e famiglia benedetta da Dio in quanto fra i suoi figli abbiamo oltre s. Macrina
anche s. Basilio Magno, vescovo di Cesarea, s. Gregorio vescovo di Nissa, e
Pietro sacerdote e monaco.
Macrina chiamata la
Giovane, perché portava il nome della nonna paterna anch’essa santa, Macrina
l’Anziana, fu educata fin dalla più tenera età nelle Sacre Scritture e sin
dall’adolescenza era dotata di una particolare bellezza, cosicché molti erano i
pretendenti alla sua mano; il padre come era costume, scelse per lei il più
adatto; ma questo fidanzato fu rapito all’affetto della ragazza da una morte
immatura.
Macrina allora finse di
considerare come un vero matrimonio il suo fidanzamento e giurò fedeltà al
defunto giovane, come sposa che attende il marito lontano per una lunga
assenza.
Rimasta in casa, aiutò
molto la madre nell’accudire ed educare tutti i fratelli, tanto più che era
rimasta vedova dopo la nascita del decimo figlio.
Quando sistemati
adeguatamente tutti i figli rimasero sole, Macrina convinse la madre a
ritirarsi con lei nella solitudine di Annesi presso Hore nel Ponto, sulle rive
del fiume Iris, per fondare un monastero in cui le avrebbero seguite le loro
domestiche.
Macrina fu molto
influente sul fratello Basilio, il quale lasciò la vita mondana di erudito per
abbracciare, verso il 356 la vita monastica, poi divenne vescovo di Cesarea nel
370, tornando a rivedere la sorella nel monastero nel 376; ordinò sacerdote il
fratello minore Pietro, che viveva in un monastero vicino a quello della
sorella; Basilio morì il 1° gennaio 379.
Alla morte della madre
avvenuta nel 373, Macrina divenne superiora del monastero; di ritorno dal
Concilio di Antiochia del 379, Gregorio divenuto vescovo di Nissa, volle
passare per Annesi per visitare la sorella, ma la trovò nei suoi ultimi momenti
di vita; poterono avere solo un ultimo colloquio di alto tenore spirituale e
dopo una magnifica preghiera elevata a Dio, Macrina morì (380).
La sua ‘Vita’ e la sua
spiritualità ci è stata narrata in importanti opere scritte dallo stesso s.
Gregorio di Nissa.
Il suo corpo fu sepolto
nella chiesa dei ‘40 martiri di Sebaste’, a poca distanza dal monastero, dove
già erano i corpi dei suoi genitori; ai funerali, presente il vescovo del
luogo, partecipò una gran folla di fedeli.
La sua memoria liturgica
compare in tutti i calendari e Martirologi Orientali al 19 luglio, mentre in
Occidente è menzionata in alcuni si e altri no, finché non fu inserita
definitivamente nel ‘Martirologio Romano’, sempre al 19 luglio con l’annuncio:
“In Cappadocia, s. Macrina vergine, sorella dei santi Basilio Magno e Gregorio
di Nissa”.
Autore: Antonio
Borrelli
SOURCE : http://www.santiebeati.it/dettaglio/63450
Voir
aussi : https://abbaye-veniere.fr/2c-macrine-01.php
https://digitalcommons.csbsju.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1210&context=obsculta
