Makarios of St Anne's Skete (d. 1918)

Makarios of St Anne's Skete (d. 1918), also called Makarios the Asia Minor ascetic, with the secular name Emmanuel, son of Eustratios, was from Tousla near Nicomedia. He came to the hut of the Dormition of the Theotokos in Saint Anne's Skete, under the obedience of the blessed Elder Makarios from Chios, with his compatriot Theoktistos. They were strict, fasting and traditional fathers: for forty years they had not eaten fish. When Elder Makarios was gravely ill, the confessor told him to eat fish; Theoktistos went to the sea and, without a hook, by the Elder's prayer, caught a large fish, which prolonged his life a little.

In this ascetic environment the younger Makarios came in 1866, with his cousin Philotheos (1828-1918), a graduate of the Evangelical School of Smyrna, learned and very industrious, who slept little in a cave, made most of the terraces of their hut and for years was secretary of their skete. Makarios became elder in 1889; he was also a good icon painter, a pupil of the Ioasaphaioi icon painters. In 1903 two brothers by blood from Constantinople came nearby: the hieromonk Neophytos (d. 1977), calligrapher and music teacher, and Agathangelos (d. 1970). The present Father Makarios, a disciple of Agathangelos, told all this on 9 June 2009, under the imposing photograph of Elder Makarios, not wishing to push his elders forward. Elder Makarios reposed in peace on 18 April 1918. He is venerated by the faithful, without synodal canonization.