Day of Remembrance of St. Macarius of Optina (20/09)

Makariy Optinsky (in the world — Mikhail Nikolaevich Ivanov), Venerable Optina elder (1788—1860).

Mikhail was born into a family of Oryol nobles and grew up as a quiet, sickly boy. Loved books, music, solitude. He lost his mother early, who loved him and set him apart from other children, saying: «My heart feels like something extraordinary will come out of this child».

Hieroschemamonk Macarius arrived in Optina Pustyn following St. Leo and entered under his spiritual guidance.

Previously, he met Elder Leo in the Ploshchanskaya Hermitage, where he was under the guidance of Elder Athanasius, the closest student of St. Paisius Velichkovsky. Elder Athanasius had a large number of translations of patristic creations made by St. Paisius, and introduced St. Macarius to research and literary activities.

Later, already in Optina, the Monk Macarius heads a group of scientists and writers — monks and worldly persons who translate, process and translate into the literary language the scriptures (mainly in translations of Elder Paisius) of the greatest ascetics of antiquity: Isaac the Syrian, Macarius the Great, John Climacus.

The Lord also granted St. Macarius the gift of spiritual reasoning. His humble word about the spiritual benefit of his neighbor was supported by true humility in appearance, in clothing, in his every movement. The saint's face was constantly bright, shining with spiritual joy and love for his neighbor, which manifested the visible effect of the Jesus Prayer he constantly performed.

784