| St. Macarius of Unzhensky. Fresco |
Macarius of Zheltovodsk, Unzhensky
(1349 - 1444), wonderworker, reverend Commemorated on July 25 and in the Cathedral of Nizhny Novgorod Saints [1]
Born in Nizhny Novgorod in 1349 into a family of pious parents.
At the age of 12, he secretly left home and, calling himself a rootless wanderer, took monastic vows in the Nizhny Novgorod Pechersk Monastery from Saint Dionysius of Suzdal. With all the fervor of his youthful soul, he devoted himself to the cause of salvation: the strictest fasting and exact fulfillment of monastic rules distinguished him before all his brethren.
Only three years later the saint’s parents found out where he had disappeared to. The father came to him and tearfully begged his son only to come out to see him. Macarius spoke to his father through the wall and said that he would see him in a future life. “At least give me your hand,” the father asked. The son fulfilled this request, and the father, kissing his son’s outstretched hand, returned home.
Weighed down by glory, the humble Macarius retired to the bank of the Volga River, where he labored in a cave near Lake Yellow Waters, overcoming the battle of the enemy of salvation with firm abstinence and patience. Lovers of silence gathered to the Monk Macarius, and in 1435 he established a monastery in the Name of the Most Holy Trinity. Here he began to preach Christianity to the surrounding Cheremis and Chuvash and baptized Mohammedans and pagans in the lake, which then became known as the Holy Lake.
When the Kazan Tatars destroyed the monastery in 1439, the Monk Macarius was taken prisoner. Out of respect for his piety and charitable love, the khan released the saint from captivity and together with him freed up to 400 Christians. But they took the word from the Monk Macarius not to settle near the Yellow Lake.
On the way back from Kazan, Macarius, according to legend, stopped near the place where the city of Sviyazhsk is now. Here he laid the foundation for another desert, which also began to bear his name - Makaryevskaya Sviyazhskaya Podgornaya.
The Monk Macarius buried those beaten with honor in his monastery and went 240 miles to the Galich region. During this relocation, all travelers, through the prayers of the monk, were fed miraculously. Having reached the city of Unzha, the Monk Macarius erected a cross 15 versts from it on the shore of Lake Unzha and built a cell. Here he founded a new monastery. The surrounding people revered him for the protection he always successfully gave to the poor against their oppressors.
On September 17, 1442, an icon of the Mother of God appeared to the saint, standing in the air. Since then, this image began to be called Makarievsky.
He died on July 25, 1444 at the age of 95, in the fifth year of his life in the Unzhensky Monastery. After the repose of the saint of God, a wonderful fragrance spread everywhere - not only in the city, but also in all the surrounding areas. The people cried inconsolably.
| St. Macarius Zheltovodsky. Icon |
During his lifetime, the Monk Macarius was endowed with a gift of grace: he healed a blind and demon-possessed girl.
After the death of the saint, many received healing from his relics. The monks erected a temple over his tomb and established a hostel in the monastery. In 1522, the Tatars attacked Unzha and wanted to rip off the silver shrine in the Makariev Hermitage, but they became blind and, distraught, ran away. Many of them drowned in the Unzha River. In 1532, through the prayers of St. Macarius, the city of Soligalich was saved from the Tatars, and grateful residents built a chapel in the cathedral church in honor of the saint. In 1610, Patriarch Philaret ordered the investigation of cases of healings through the prayers of St. Macarius. More than fifty cases have been witnessed. At the same time, the name of the Monk Macarius of Zheltovodsk was included in the calendar and a widespread celebration of his memory was appointed on July 25.
The relics of St. Macarius were found incorrupt in 1670. To this day, some of them are in the Unzhensk monastery, and the head of the monk is in the Zheltovodsk monastery.
Life of Saint Macarius of Zheltovodsk
Macarius was the only son of faithful parents. Place and time of birth: Nizhny Novgorod, 1349. From infancy, the child was different from ordinary children. The baby was attracted by the ringing of bells, calling him to worship. He began to worry and cry until his parents thought of taking him to the church service.
In the temple, Macarius stopped crying and began to smile at the sound of chants. The grown boy was sent to learn to read and write. Smart, serious and thoughtful beyond his years, the teenager avoided childish pranks. He preferred to read the Holy Scriptures, the Lives of the Saints, and attend church services daily.
Feeling drawn to monasticism, he did not share his dream with his parents. At the age of 12, Macarius secretly left his father's house and went to the Pechersky Monastery. On the way, he met a beggar, whom he persuaded to exchange clothes. Arriving at the monastery, the boy announced to the abbot that he was an orphan, without means of food or a place to live, and began to ask to be accepted as a monk.
Archimandrite Dionysius saw in the teenager a craving for God and foresaw in him a future great ascetic. Macarius was tonsured a monk and settled in the same cell with the abbot of the monastery. Dionysius became Macarius' spiritual mentor for several years.
The parents mourned their missing son until Father Macarius learned that at the same time as his son’s departure, a boy appeared in the monastery and remains in the monastery to this day. The father went to the monastery in the hope of making sure that his son was alive. Macarius did not want to meet with his parent, fearing to show cowardice from his complaints and tears and leave the monastic service.
The father persuaded him to show him his hand through the door, to which the son agreed. The parent returned to the mother with good news, and they thanked God that their son was alive and serving the Lord.
The virtues of the monk Macarius glorified him far beyond the monastery. Pilgrims from surrounding villages and towns began to come to the monastery to receive the instruction and blessing of the ascetic. The crowd of people distracted Macarius from communicating with the Lord; he did not want earthly glory.
One day, as in his youth, he secretly left the Pechersk monastery and went to look for a new place of serving God. Relying on his trade, Macarius went to the bank of the Lug River, where he built himself a dugout and began to lead a hermit’s lifestyle.
After some time, local residents learned about the hermit and his pious lifestyle. People again began to come to his cell and ask him to pray for them before the Lord or give instructions. Soon, other hermits settled next to Macarius’s hut, following his example. A monastery was formed, of which Macarius was elected abbot.
The crowds tired the saint and prevented him from indulging in prayers to God. Macarius again secretly left the monastery and went to look for another desert. The new place of service was the foothills of the Urals, the Zheltye Vody area. The Chuvash and Mordovians lived here, peoples who did not know Christianity and worshiped wooden idols.
Gentiles came to the hermit’s modest home, marveling at his way of life. Soon they began to come to Macarius with food gifts (honey, fish, grain). The monk won their hearts with his meekness and friendliness. He shared the supplies he received with everyone, without making differences in faith or nationality.
Near the hermit’s cell, a monastic monastery was again formed, in which Macarius became abbot. The monk lived in Zheltye Vody until 1439, when the monastery was attacked by the army of the Tatar Khan Uluakhmet. The Tatars burst into the monastery and killed almost all the monks. They captured Macarius and several monks and brought them to the khan.
Khan had heard a lot about the ascetic, since the fame of the abbot of the monastery in Zheltye Vody spread throughout Rus'. Uluakhmet ordered the release of the monk and his monks, as well as 400 prisoners captured in Russian lands. When releasing the monk, the khan ordered him not to settle in the lands that would be under his subordination.
Macarius led the freed prisoners through forests and swamps to the west, hundreds of kilometers from Zheltiye Vody. Supplies ran out on the road. People were exhausted from hunger. But the monk instilled in them confidence in a successful outcome, exhorting them to pray to the Lord and rely on God’s will.
At the end of Peter's Fast, after the prayer of the elder, an elk came out of the forest to meet people, which became a reinforcement for the exhausted forces of the refugees. Soon they reached the city of Unzhensk, where they decided to stop their flight from the Tatars.
The elder, desiring solitude and silence, withdrew from the city into the wilderness, where he founded a new cell on the shore of a lake. Soon a new monastery was formed. After 5 years, the date of his death was revealed to the monk. Macarius came from the monastery to Unzhensk and fell ill without strength. He bequeathed to be buried near the monastery from which he came, offered a prayer to the Lord, blessed the monks who were with him, and died quietly.
A wonderful aroma began to pour out from the sacred remains, which was felt throughout the city. Not only the townspeople, but also residents from the surrounding villages rushed to say goodbye to the holy elder. The sick who touched Macarius were healed. The saint was buried according to his will.
During his lifetime, Saint Macarius of Zheltovodsk, for his spiritual feat, was endowed by the Lord with the gift of healing and was an assistant in protection from enemies.
Venerable Macarius of Unzhensky. Icons
The Monk Macarius of Unzhensky is traditionally depicted on icons in full monastic vestments, with a blessing right hand and a scroll in his left hand.
Venerable Macarius of Unzhensky. Second quarter of the 17th century, comes from the St. Nicholas-Mozhaisk Church in Murom. Murom Historical and Art Museum
Venerable Macarius of Zheltovodsk, Unzhensk. 17th century icon
Venerable Macarius of Unzhensky in prayer to the Most Holy Trinity, with the Unzhensky Monastery. Moscow, late 1670s - early 1680s.
Venerable Macarius of Unzhensky. Moscow, second half of the 18th century. Palazzo Leoni Montanari, Vicenza, Italy
Venerable Macarius of Unzhensky. Moscow, beginning of the 20th century. Collection of V. A. Bondarenko
Images of St. Macarius in the Volga region appeared already in the 16th century; They became especially widespread after his canonization. The Yaroslavl icon of the 17th century is one of the earliest hagiographic icons of the saint that have come down to us.
Venerable Macarius of Unzhensky, with his life. Yaroslavl, XVII century. Yaroslavl Art Museum
Orthodox texts in Russian
Believers can address the saint in Russian and Church Slavonic, having learned the text by heart or on paper.
Troparion
Today your city of Galich is proud of you, for within its borders you shone brightly, like a great sun, and with your miracles, Saint Macarius, illuminated everything. And now pray to the Lord for the deliverance of our souls from the deception of the enemy and for the salvation of your city from the pagan invasion.
Troparion
God-wise founder of the Zheltovodsk monastery, God-placed pillar of monastic life, a beautifully written image of admirable fasting, a God-created vessel of the Holy Spirit, a bright light shining like the gold of the Russian land, we pray to you, Father Macarius, with the radiant rays of your prayers, dispel the cloud of our dark passions.
Akathist
Kontakion 1
Chosen by the Governor of the heavenly powers and the Lord Jesus Christ, the Venerable Father Macarius, as having boldness towards God, prayed for the salvation of our souls and deliverance of us from all troubles and misfortunes, so we call you:
Rejoice, Macarius, wonderful wonderworker.
Ikos 1
The Creator of heaven and earth showed you as an angel on earth, counting all earthly things for your knowledge, and having acquired one Christ; By the same token, all who see your Christ-like life on earth cry out to you:
Rejoice, prepared from your mother’s womb for the pure and immaculate dwelling of the Most Holy Trinity; Rejoice, chosen by God the Father.
Rejoice, redeemed by God the Son; Rejoice, sanctified by God by the Holy Spirit.
Rejoice, thou who loved the Lord most of all; Rejoice, you who left your father and mother for Christ’s sake.
Rejoice, thou who obeyest the calling of the spirit of grace; Rejoice, you who denied yourself for the sake of Christ Jesus.
Rejoice, you who bore the cross of Christ on yourself; Rejoice, you who followed Christ.
Rejoice, you who continued unflaggingly in patience and asceticism until the end of your life; Rejoice, as by courageously enduring the temporal and present, you rejoiced in the future and eternal.
Rejoice, Macarius, wonderful wonderworker.
Kontakion 2
Reverend Father Macarius, you were still a baby when, hearing the church bells, crying and screaming childishly, you meaningfully expressed a desire to be carried away to church. He rejoiced and rejoiced at the church singing taking place in the temple of God. For this reason, your faithful parents carried you to every church singing and glorified the Lord God about you, crying: Alleluia.
Ikos 2
The mind, which does not understand the wisdom of the flesh, has acquired and fixed its whole heart on the heavenly, for this reason we cry out to you:
Rejoice, as you went to the Church of God all the days; Rejoice, as you listened to the sweetness of church reading and singing.
Rejoice, thou who from youth acquired the habit of godly good behavior; Rejoice, thou who has loved the beauty of the house of God and the dwelling place of the glory of the Lord.
Rejoice, who deigned to cleave to the house of God rather than to live in the villages of sinners; Rejoice, you who continually offered prayers to God day and night.
Rejoice, you who offered not only your body, but also your entire soul as a pure sacrifice to God; Rejoice, you who have devoted everything to the service of God.
Rejoice, how above your peers your understanding of the word of God was more than honey and honeycomb to your lips; Rejoice, as an olive tree planted in the house of God.
Rejoice, blessed one, as you became like a tree planted by flowing waters, bearing fruit.
Rejoice, Macarius, wonderful wonderworker.
Kontakion 3
Warming his heart with the Holy Spirit, the prophetic father desired the monastic rank, loving the Heavenly Father more than your earthly parents, and secretly left the house of his parents for the monastic monastery; On the way he found a beggar who was wearing thin clothes, and asked for them for himself, giving him his good clothes for the sake of the Lord God Jesus Christ, for our sake who was poor, that we might be rich through His poverty and cry out to Him: Alleluia.
Ikos 3
Arriving at the holy monastery, our venerable father Macarius prayed to Saint Dionysius Archimandrite to accept him into the rank of monk, calling himself rootless, orphaned, poor, desiring to work for God. The Archimandrite recognized in you a vessel chosen by the Holy Spirit, who accepted and clothed you in an angelic image. You fulfilled the virtues befitting monks and pleased in everything God and your mentor, both Christ himself and the brethren, and in your new beginning you seemed to be a perfect monk and a good ascetic. With the same dignity we cry out to you:
Rejoice, you who received monasticism from the hands of Saint Dionysius; Rejoice, you who have chosen cohabitation and conversation with the monks.
Rejoice, you who loved the sorrow and hardship of the monastic life instead of the consolations and sweets of the world; Rejoice, jealous father of the life and feat of the ancient saints.
Rejoice, you who have shown the image of true obedience to the abbot and to all the brethren in Christ; Rejoice, having accomplished all obedience with humility and meekness.
Rejoice, strong zealot and guardian of spiritual and physical purity; Rejoice, having mortified your flesh by vigil, fasting and kneeling.
Rejoice, having learned silence and thought of God from youth; Rejoice, you who kept silence with kindness.
Rejoice, having conquered opposing forces with the word of God as with a sword; Rejoice, having surpassed the monks who were with you in fasting and virtues.
Rejoice, Macarius, wonderful wonderworker.
Kontakion 4
A storm of thoughts confused your parents, our father Macarius, when he suddenly left their father’s house; Three years later, having found you in the holy monastery, they rejoiced and glorified God, crying out to Him: Alleluia.
Ikos 4
Hearing, Reverend Father Macarius, those near and far about your fasting life, they were amazed and glorified you everywhere, but you, as one seeking the glory of the one God, fled from glory, from people, hiding in the deserts. All for the benefit of the building, God glorified you, His servant, not only among the Christians, but also among the Hagarites. In the same way we cry out to you:
Rejoice, standing on the top of the city, not wanting to hide; Rejoice, lamp that illuminates everything with your miracles and deeds.
Rejoice, star showing the sun of righteousness; Rejoice, dawn of the Divine Light.
Rejoice, for your good deeds to all who see you, striving to glorify the Father who is in heaven; Rejoice in how you first tried to do the Will of God yourself and then teach others.
Rejoice, solid pillar of monasticism; Rejoice as a wise leader who led many to eternal salvation.
Rejoice, thou of fasting, patience, thirst and hunger, and wonderful nakedness of the image; Rejoice, thou who loved the good yoke and light burden of Christ from a young age.
Rejoice, you who live on the earth of angels; Rejoice, earthly Angel and heavenly man.
Rejoice, Macarius, wonderful wonderworker.
Kontakion 5
The reverend Father Macarius appeared as a godly star throughout the country; he was an example to everyone: in word, in life, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity, singing to the Lord God: Alleluia.
Ikos 5
The Lord God, purifying His chosen one with sorrows and adversities, like gold and silver, do not let the monastery you created, which was suddenly attacked by the Hagarians, be destroyed with a sword, like ears of corn in a field during the harvest, the harvest, you, Reverend Our Father, who brought him alive to his commander. This same one, having seen your angel-like face and learned how you have not done evil to anyone, but have done good to everyone. God softened his cruel heart, gave you freedom and also for the sake of the freedom of other captives, up to forty husbands, perhaps wives and children. With the same cry we cry to you:
Rejoice, having conquered the infidels with the meekness and kindness of your heart; Rejoice, you who have transferred anger to pity.
Rejoice, you who freed pious people from Hagaryan captivity; Rejoice, having delivered many from grave misfortunes and sorrows.
Rejoice, how you gave an honorable burial to the brethren of the monastery, beaten by the Saracens, just like the ancient reverend fathers in Sinai and Raifa; Rejoice, as the only measure of the world was not sad about yourself, but about your neighbors.
Rejoice, as you carefully guarded the people who were released from captivity with you, so that they would not fall into the hands of the Hagarians; Rejoice in how you taught the people you led to place all their hope in one God.
Rejoice, how he was a leader, a teacher, and a comforter along the way; Rejoice, as you came to the country of Galicia with prayer.
Rejoice, how, walking along the path, you laid the foundation of the Sviyazhsk monastery; Rejoice, as you earnestly asked for the salvation of souls redeemed by Jesus Christ.
Rejoice, Macarius, wonderful wonderworker.
Kontakion 6
Your entire life, Rev. Father Macarius, is an incessant preaching of faith, hope and love, both for God and for your neighbors, nourished by your soul with the Holy Spirit, to whom we cry: Alleluia.
Ikos 6
Our Reverend Father Macarius, the Lord God, showed you the new Moses, when he comfortably led people freed from captivity through impenetrable forests and swamps and wonderfully fed those exhausted from hunger. For this reason we cry out to you:
Rejoice, as you forbade hungry people to stop fasting, ordained by the Holy Church; Rejoice, as you consoled them with God-inspired words, strengthening them in patience.
Rejoice, as from your youth, accustomed to fasting, you did not think about yourself; Rejoice, as you grieved for the people in hunger, and with your words and prayers strengthened them in their exhaustion from hunger.
Rejoice, how hungry people were strengthened by spiritual food, like bread, and bravely endured; Rejoice, as you asked God for cattle for food for the hungry.
Rejoice, how you brought all the people to the borders of the Galician country, to the city of Unzha; Rejoice at how faithful people honored you with honor and received you kindly as an Angel of God.
Rejoice how the people you led recognized the mercy of God; Rejoice as those who heard how the Lord God freed faithful people from captivity and fed the hungry, who glorified God and you, His saint.
Rejoice, how you illuminated the Galician country with your miracles; Rejoice, as a burning and luminous lamp has appeared. Rejoice, Macarius, wonderful wonderworker.
Kontakion 7
Reverend Father, having found a deserted place, he loved it, erected a cross, installed himself in the cell you created, and sing to God: Alleluia.
Ikos 7
In the desert, into which the Venerable Father Macarius moved in, for a short time the monastery was established as a monk by God’s will, working in holiness and truth day and night for God. We, who glorify the Lord God for you, cry out to you:
Rejoice, you who always seek the one thing you need; Rejoice, thou who hast become like the one who seeks good beads, and for this sake has left all earthly things.
Rejoice, you who raised the eyes of your mind and heart to the heights of heaven; Rejoice, you who astonished Angels and people with your works and exploits.
Rejoice, having gained the Kingdom of God through physical and spiritual poverty; Rejoice, you who received eternal consolation through the tears of tenderness and contrition in heaven.
Rejoice how, instead of greed and thirst on earth, you are satisfied with bliss in heaven; Rejoice, how through your meekness and kindness you inherited the eternal earth.
Rejoice, how you yourself tried to have the peace of God with everyone, and established it among those at war, and for this reason was brought into the ranks of the sons of God; Rejoice, for the sake of the name of Christ, through many sorrows, illnesses, all-night vigils, genuflections, deeds and daily labors.
Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is in heaven.
Rejoice, Macarius, wonderful wonderworker.
Kontakion 8
The Lord God, marvelous in the saints, is marvelously glorified in you, Rev. Father Macarius; endowed with the power from above to heal ailments and illnesses of soul and body and to give what is useful to all who cry out to Him with faith and love for you: Alleluia.
Ikos 8
The Rev. Father Macarius, generously giving the grace of God that is in you to those in need, healed a certain demon-possessed and blind girl with the sign of the cross and prayer. Marveling at the power of God dwelling in you, we cry to you:
Rejoice, blessed source of healings; Rejoice, you who have received grace from the Lord God and give it to others.
Rejoice, having great boldness towards the Lord God; Rejoice, as no one who asks in faith leaves you.
Rejoice, as through all-night prayers you put to shame all the demonic delusions; Rejoice, you who give sight to the blind and give healing to all who are sick.
Rejoice, treasure of divine gifts; Rejoice, how through your intercession we have been granted the gifts of the Holy Spirit, strengthening us in battle against the enemies of salvation.
Rejoice, as an unfading creature appeared in the desert; Rejoice, filling everything with flowers and your fragrance.
Rejoice, rivers flowing out living waters; Rejoice, thou who has chosen the good part of the servants faithful to the Lord.
Rejoice, Macarius, wonderful wonderworker.
Kontakion 9
When he departed from earth to the heavenly abodes, the faces of the Angels and God’s chosen ones joyfully met you, and with them you cried out to God: Alleluia.
Ikos 9
When the time of your repose approached, according to God’s will, you, reverend, came to the city of Unzhesk, where, in fulfillment of God-pleasing days, you gave your holy soul into the hands of God. And the whole city was filled with a wonderful fragrance, and the surrounding people smelled a wonderful fragrance, as if coming from incense and myrrh. All those who were surprised at how the Lord God honored the repose of you, His saint, glorified the Lord God. A multitude of people flocked to your incorruptible and fragrant body, and with gifts and psalms they carried you to the desert monastery, where they buried you honestly and called out to you:
Rejoice, you who served the Lord to the end; Rejoice, you who foresaw your death.
Rejoice, thou who art numbered among the host of God's chosen ones; Rejoice, having received reward from God for your righteous deeds.
Rejoice, you who met the prophets; Rejoice, you who rejoiced with the apostles.
Rejoice, thou crowned with an imperishable crown; Rejoice, as you prayed to the Lord God with all the saints for us sinners.
Rejoice, you who appeared worthy to appear at the marriage of the Heavenly Bridegroom; Rejoice, you who changed perishable life into imperishable life.
Rejoice, saint of Christ, named after blessedness; Rejoice, you who have entered into the joy of your Lord.
Rejoice, Macarius, wonderful wonderworker.
Kontakion 10
Desiring to save everyone, the Lord God fulfills His chosen servants with His great gifts, and through their miracles, prayers and equal-angelic life we are awakened from a sinful life to a holy life, singing to Him: Alleluia.
Ikos 10
The wall and the helper appeared, blessed Macarius, to all those who came running to you; The same for us who call you, be an intercessor, delivering us from temptations, sorrows and misfortunes, let us praise you, calling:
Rejoice, how through your prayers you raise us sinners from sins, falls, passions and evil customs; Rejoice as you excite us to imitate your holy life.
Rejoice, teacher of true repentance; Rejoice, silent accuser of those who are careless about eternal salvation.
Rejoice, O representative of all the faithful who flow to you; Rejoice, champion of invisible and visible enemies.
Rejoice, in giving comfort and help in troubles, misfortunes and needs of soul and body; Rejoice, deliver from the deadly plague.
Rejoice, driving away the invasion of the enemy; Rejoice, extinguish the flame that destroys the hail.
Rejoice, darkening the mind and meaning of your enemies; Rejoice, you who love the Fatherland and make pious kings wise for victory.
Rejoice, Macarius, wonderful wonderworker.
Kontakion 11
We offer a song of thanksgiving to the Lord God, worshiped and glorified in the Trinity, as He has given us in you, Rev. Father Macarius, a warm man of prayer, a quick helper and a wondrous miracle worker, chanting to Him: Alleluia.
Ikos 11
The Lord God, Venerable Macarius, revealed you as a light-receiving lamp, when your venerable relics were found, blessed with incorruption, releasing a fragrance and illuminating the surrounding countries with miracles; In the same way, all who rejoice, we cry out to you:
Rejoice, just as you remained alive after death, demonstrating divine powers in yourself; Rejoice, filling the earth with your miracles.
Rejoice, how you freed a pious wife from the captivity of the Hagarians; Rejoice, as you opened the mouth of the dumb.
Rejoice, as you restored sight to the one who repented of his sins; Rejoice, you have granted health to the paralytic.
Rejoice, as you healed many blind and weak people; Rejoice, how you saved faithful people from the attack of the Poles.
Rejoice, as struck down by your prayers, those who attacked your monastery with weapons were struck with blindness and fear of confusion, and many drowned in the river; Rejoice, protecting your abode from troubles and evil.
Rejoice, you who despair of hope and help; Rejoice, having received from God what you asked.
Rejoice, Macarius, wonderful wonderworker.
Kontakion 12
After the captivity and devastation of the Zheltovodsk monastery from the Hagarians in the summer, you appeared to a certain godly monk Abramiya, commanding him to go to the Zheltovodsk desert and settle in the place where the monastery was. Monk Abramy settled there and went to the Unzhe monastery, where he copied your icon, brought it for blessing, and miracles began to happen from this honest icon. Moreover, we cry out to God who glorified you: Alleluia.
Ikos 12
Singing the signs and wonders that are wrought by the grace of God living in you, blessed Macarius, we praise you:
Rejoice, just as after your repose you restored your desolate monastery; Rejoice how you gathered those seeking salvation and renewed divine praise.
Rejoice, as you commanded Abramia not to leave the holy place you have kindly chosen; Rejoice, how many monks receive strength through you in their labors and sorrows.
Rejoice, how the abodes you created are covered with your prayers like a covering; Rejoice, decoration of this country and our Fatherland.
Rejoice, hope and refuge in the sea of life for those who swim; Rejoice, firm protection of those who work diligently for the Lord God.
Rejoice, help to the pious king; Rejoice, consolation of the patriarchs and saints.
Rejoice, all who diligently flock to you will soon be delivered from temptations and troubles; Rejoice, as through your intercession the faithful receive eternal life.
Rejoice, Macarius, wonderful wonderworker.
Kontakion 13
O venerable and God-bearing Father Macarius! Accept this small prayer offering of ours and, together with the Most Holy Lady Theotokos and all the saints, bring a prayer to the Lord God, that He may deliver us from enemies visible and invisible, from all sorrows and troubles, from vain death and from future torments, and make us worthy of His Heavenly Kingdom, where everyone, ever rejoicing and triumphant, silently cries out to God: Alleluia.
(This kontakion is read three times, then ikos 1 and kontakion 1).
Prayer
O reverend and God-bearing Father Macarius! We believe that you, standing before the throne of the Most Holy Trinity, will have boldness in prayers to the All-Merciful Lord God, who always listens to you, His faithful servant and saint. For this reason, we humbly fall to you with tenderness, luminary of God, do not forget to pray for us to the Lord God, worshiped and glorified in the Trinity, may He mercifully look upon us and not allow us to perish in our sins, but may He raise up the fallen, may He bring correction to the evil one and our accursed life, delighting us from future falls, and may He forgive us everything, by ourselves or through others, who have sinned in thought, word and deed, from birth to this hour. You, ascetic of virtues, our Father Macarius, the weakness of our nature and the heaviness and sorrow of these times, pray to the Lord God, may His ineffable mercy never leave us, but may He protect us from worldly temptations, from the devil’s snares and from carnal lusts, yes Let us accept from the Lord God through you all that is necessary for temporary life, liberation from troubles and misfortunes, and among them, unremitting patience to the end. Ask the Lord God for us to end our lives in peace and repentance and to pass from earth to Heaven without restraint, to get rid of the ordeals and demons of air and eternal torment and to be considered worthy of the Kingdom of Heaven, with you and with all the saints who pleased the Lord God and our Savior Jesus Christ, To Him belongs all glory, honor and worship, with His Originless Father and with His Most Holy and Good and Life-Giving Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Temples in Rus' in the name of St. Macarius of Unzhensk
In the name of St. Macarius of Unzhensky, the chapel of the Church of the Nativity of John the Baptist of the Nikolo-Nadeinsky parish in Yaroslavl was consecrated. The warm church in honor of the Nativity of John the Baptist with a chapel in the name of Macarius of Unzhensky on the south side of the altar was built in the 17th century at the expense of the merchant Nikifor Petrovich Kholshchevnikov. In 1836, the domes above the church and the chapel were removed and replaced with a hemispherical dome, and the entrance to the church was rebuilt in a classical style and decorated with columns. The iconostasis in the temple was carved, two-tiered, gilded, with icons “mostly of a new brush.” The entire warm church was painted with wall writing. The builder of the temple, N.P., was buried under the chapel of St. Macarius. Kholshchevnikov. The warm temple was demolished after 1931.
Church of the Nativity of John the Baptist of the Nikolo-Nadeinsky parish in Yaroslavl
In the name of St. Macarius of Unzhensky, the chapel of the Church of the Transfiguration in the village was consecrated. Purekh, Chkalovsky district, Nizhny Novgorod region. The church was originally wooden and was built in 1613-1615 in honor of the liberation of Moscow. In 1864, after a fire, the church was rebuilt. In 1879, a new refectory and bell tower with seventeen bells were added to it. In 1934-1937, the Transfiguration Church was closed. Currently restored.
Church of the Transfiguration in the village. Purekh, Nizhny Novgorod region
