Macarius the New

The Venerable Martyr Macarius the New was born in the village of Kios in Bithynia, in a poor peasant family, and at Baptism received the name Manuel. He learned tailoring from a pious master. When he was eighteen his father, lured by prosperity, renounced the faith and moved to Brusa (Bursa), and when Manuel came there on business dragged him to court and claimed that his son had promised to follow him. Manuel denied it, but was beaten and circumcised by force.

Repentance on Athos

He fled from Brusa and came to the Holy Mountain, to the skete of Saint Anne. There, under a skilful elder, he led a life of fasting and prayer and was tonsured a monk with the name Macarius. For twelve years he wept over a fall that had not been of his will, without finding peace. He came to see that peace of mind would be given him through martyrdom and asked a blessing to return to Brusa. The elder said that repentance has the power of a second Baptism; Macarius answered that his sin must be wiped out by torment and that he feared the Saviour's word about those who deny Him before men. The fathers of the skete, seeing him unshaken, let him go.

The confession at Brusa

Recognized by the Turks even in monastic dress, Macarius told them plainly that he had been drawn into Islam by deceit and force, had left it as a false faith and had returned to Christ. Brought before a judge, he was at first to be released, but the crowd threatened to denounce the judge, and he put the saint to torture: for forty days he hung by the armpits, beaten daily, then for ninety days he was lowered head down into a dry well. One night the well filled with light, fragrance and the singing of angels; his father, leaning over to look, went blind, and a Turk imprisoned there believed in Christ. The judge then ordered his head cut off, for fear that those listening might believe. The executioners took him to a ravine, struck him with stones and beheaded him.

For several days a light came down on the body at night. The Christians of Brusa buried it secretly and divided the relics: the head was sent to the skete of Saint Anne, a part was taken by his mother to her country, the rest stayed at Brusa. He suffered on 6 (19) October 1590 and is commemorated on the movable day around 4 July in the Synaxis of the Venerable Fathers of Athos.