Venerable Moses the Black

Life

An Ethiopian by birth, and by occupation at first a robber and leader of a band of robbers, and afterward a penitent and great ascetic. As the slave of a certain master, Moses fled and joined a band of robbers. Because of his great physical strength and recklessness, the robbers chose him as their chief. Suddenly pangs of conscience and repentance for his evil deeds came upon him; he left the band, entered a monastery and gave himself over to complete obedience to his spiritual father and to the monastic rule. He greatly benefited from the teachings of Saints Macarius, Arsenius and Isidore. Later he withdrew to a solitary cell for the life of silence, where he gave himself entirely to bodily toil, prayer, vigil and meditation on God. Tormented by the demon of fornication, he confessed to his spiritual father Isidore, and from him received counsel to fast as much as possible and never to eat his fill. But when even that did not help, he, following the elder's advice, began to keep vigil and pray standing throughout the night; then he adopted the practice of carrying water to the elders throughout the whole night from a distant well. After six years of terrible toil, Saint Isidore miraculously healed him of impure thoughts, fantasies and dreams inflicted upon him by demons. In old age he was ordained a priest. He founded his own monastery with seventy-five disciples and lived seventy-five years in this life. He foresaw his death, and one day said to his disciples that they should flee, for barbarians would attack the monastery. When the disciples called on him also to flee, he said that he must perish by violence, for he himself had once committed violence, according to the word: All they that take the sword shall perish with the sword (Matthew 26:52). And he remained with six brethren; and the barbarians came and cut them down. One of the brotherhood, hidden nearby, watched and saw seven radiant crowns descending upon the seven martyrs.

From the Hymn of Praise

Blessed is he whom God shows mercy!The mercy of God is rejoicing,Rejoicing in both worlds.Moses the Black, like a prodigal son,