Venerable Zacharias

Life

Son of Carion the Egyptian, who left his wife and children and became a monk. His father took Zacharias to himself, since his mother was unable to feed him. Although younger than many elders in Scetis, he was deemed worthy of greater gifts of grace than many elders. By the grace of God he felt as if his entire interior were on fire. To the question of Saint Macarius, who is the true monk, Zacharias answered: "He who continuously compels himself to the commandments of God." And to the question of Abba Moses, what it means to be a monk, Zacharias took off his skufia and trampled it underfoot and said: "If a man is not thus crushed, he cannot be a monk!" He was a great luminary among the monks of the desert, and fell asleep in the Lord while still young.