Macarius of Glushitsa

Venerable Macarius of Glushitsa was a Russian monk, born at Rostov, a disciple of Saint Dionysius of Glushitsa, a hieromonk and abbot of the monastery which Dionysius had founded. He is remembered on 13 May, the day of his repose on the old calendar, and on 12 October, in the synaxis of the saints of Vologda. Our sources do not agree on the year of his death: one gives 1440, others say he died no earlier than 1462.

Life

Of his childhood and life in the world almost nothing survives, and the data afterwards are scanty and fragmentary. It is known only that he was from the city of Rostov. At about twelve he left his parents' house and came to Saint Dionysius, who was struggling on the river Glushitsa in the Vologda region and had founded there the Sosnovets monastery of the Forerunner. Brought up under the eye of the great elder, Macarius stood out, according to the chronicles, for a perfect purity of soul. In this monastery he received tonsure and was ordained hieromonk.

In 1437, on his deathbed, Dionysius entrusted the "eldership" of the monasteries of the Forerunner and of the Intercession to Father Amphilochius, but it is not certain whether the latter became abbot. The life says that abbot of the "great lavra", that is, of the Intercession monastery, became the monk Macarius, and according to Dionysius's testament, both monasteries were to have a single abbot. All sources agree, however, that Macarius was for a time abbot of the monastery.

The year of his death and veneration

The encyclopaedic dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron says that Macarius died in 1440, that is, twelve years before Amphilochius, who died on 15 October 1452, but other sources say that Father Macarius died no earlier than 1462. The error may come from confusing him with another abbot of the monastery, Tarasius of Glushitsa, who according to the chronicles died in 1440. Only the day on which the saint passed to the Lord is known with certainty, 13 May on the old calendar, since memorial services are held for him on that day. The saint is honoured also on 12 October, in the synaxis of the saints of Vologda.

The troparion of Saints Amphilochius, Macarius, Tarasius and Theodosius of Glushitsa praises them as bright lamps, who wisely left earthly beauty, went into the inner desert, learned humility and every virtue and found immortality, offering themselves to Christ by fasting, vigil and abstinence. The saints now stand in heaven before the throne of Christ, and are asked to pray for peace for the world and the salvation of the souls of those who sing to them, and forgiveness of sins for those who honour their memory.