Saint Moses the Black

SAINT MOSES THE BLACK, Priest and Martyr

FEAST DAY: August 28th

CANONIZED A SAINT: In 409 by Patriarch Theophilus of Alexandria

PATRONAGE: Those who struggle with lust and are in need of conversion

OUTLINE OF TEACHING Saint Moses, originally from Ethiopia was a slave of an Egyptian official. He was dismissed due to his immoral lifestyle, including thievery. On the run from the law, Moses happens upon a group of monks who take him in. Through a course of events, now lost in time, Moses is converted and becomes a monk. Eventually ordained to the priesthood by the patriarch who would, one day canonize him a saint, Moses would suffer martyrdom in the year 405. The life of Saint Moses is a study in the beauty of repentance and conversion as well as the power of God breaking through any level of sin.

SCRIPTURE READING A reading from the Holy Apostle Paul to the Romans There is no condemnation now for those who are in Christ Jesus. The law of the spirit, the spirit of life in Christ Jesus, has freed you from the law of sin and death. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. All who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. You did not receive a spirit of slavery, leading you back into fear, but a spirit of adoption through which we cry out, “Abba!” (that is, “Father”). ~Romans 8: 1- 2, 8, 14 – 15

PRAYER Lord God, you kept Saint Moses faithful to Christ’s pattern of poverty and humility. May his prayers help us to live in fidelity to our calling and bring us to the perfection you have shown us in your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

1 SAINT MOSES THE BLACK, Priest and Martyr

The white martyr By the fourth century, persecutions in the church, for the most part, began to die down considerably, with exceptions, here and there. To some extent, there was an element of the church which grew a little soft and lazy. Thus, a new Christian hero emerged in the men and women who abandoned the world in the same spirit of the Jewish monks, known as the Essenes, long before the time of Jesus. These new Christian heroes, the desert fathers and mothers, many of whom were found in the in Egypt rose up voluntarily to do battle. Saints, such as Anthony of Egypt, Athanasius, Pachomius, Basil, Mary (DTS website) and Thais (DTS website) are just a few of the many who became known as “white martyrs.” The “white martyr” chooses to die to the world, voluntarily, but never dies for the faith. Often, there is not always very much information available about their lives. Yet, what is available can be a powerful lesson of our own need for repentance and conversion. Saint Moses the Black, an Ethiopian and one of the rare examples of a “white” and “red” martyr has a great deal to teach us in terms of our own need for conversion. There is precious little information about his life, but what exists is powerful for us today.

A slave in many ways No information exists as to when Moses was born and how he was raised. Honestly, we don’t even know if Moses is his real or monastic name. Chances are it is his monastic name. What we do know is that Moses was either a servant or a slave of an Egyptian official. Moses led an immoral, violent life, including theft, lust and possibly, murder. He was lucky to be only dismissed and not put to death for his thievery. Moses was said to be a very large man who exhibited extraordinary physical strength. After his dismissal from the house of the Egyptian official, Moses gathered some thugs around him and formed a gang, which engaged in acts of violence and intimidation. On once occasion, a premeditated act of thievery was thwarted by the barking of a sheep dog. Moses swore to kill the shepherd who owned the dog. He swam across the Nile with a knife between his teeth in pursuit of the shepherd who owned the dog. Luckily for the shepherd, he was able to get away from Moses. Not being able to find the shepherd, he killed four rams, tied them up, towed them back across the Nile, slaughtered them and ate the choicest portions and sold the skins in order to buy a skin of wine.

Conversion Unfortunately, there is nothing recorded, recounting the conversion of Moses. It is speculated that he hid himself among desert monks, while possibly being a sought after person by the law. However his conversion took place, it was obvious that he was sincere in his desire to change.

2 Monastic life At some point along the journey of conversion, Moses became a monk at the desert monastery of Petra (Peter) Skete. It must be understood that a desert monastery often times consisted of a series of caves in a general location. While in his cave, Moses was attacked by four would be robbers. What he had that could be robbed would certainly be held up for question, thus it is safe to say these robbers were either very desperate or very stupid. At any rate, Moses was able to manhandle the fearsome foursome, bounding them up, not wanting to hurt them; further evidence of his conversion. He brought the bound attackers to the abbot stating; “I am not allowed to hurt anybody, so what do you want me to do with these?” There is a legend that the would be robbers were so taken by the example of Moses that they themselves became monks.

Struggles with passions As the saying goes, “you can the boy out of…, but you can’t necessarily take the… out of the boy.” This was certainly the case for Moses as he continually struggled with the passions of lust. As a good monk would be expected to do, Moses sought the advice and fatherly guidance of the abbot, Abba Isidore (who became a saint in his own rite). The abbot took Moses to the top of the Skete at dawn; “See, the light only gradually drives away the darkness. So it is with the soul.” Moses was eventually able to overcome such temptations through manual labor, severe mortification, service of his brothers at the Skete and a deep prayer life.

Ordained to the priesthood Patriarch Theophilus of Alexandria, Egypt heard of Moses and the many strides that he had made in the virtuous life and decided to ordain him to the priesthood, much to the protests of Moses, who did not feel himself worthy such a high calling. After the liturgy, the archbishop addressed Moses, newly anointed and wearing the white vestments of his ordination; “Now, Father Moses, the black man is made white.” It is recorded that Moses responded; “Only outside! God knows that inwardly I am yet dark.”

From white martyrdom to red martyrdom Moses and the monks under his charge came under attack by a band of Berbers. Moses refused to allow his monks to defend themselves, ordering them instead to run away. As he gave the order for their departure, Moses reminded the monks; “all that take up the sword shall perish with the sword.” Moses, along with seven other monks, stayed behind and was martyred in the year 405. It was believed that Moses was around the age of seventy-five when he was martyred. He was buried in the cemetery at the Dair al-Baramus monastery in Egypt.

3 Reading A Reading from the Ladder of Divine Ascent by Saint John Climacus, abbot

Do not be surprised that you fall everyday; do not give up, but stand your ground courageously. And assuredly, the angel who guards you will honor your patience. While a wound is still fresh and warm, it is easy to heal; but old, neglected and festering ones are hard to cure, and require for their care much treatment, cutting, plastering and cauterization. Many from long neglect become incurable, but with God all things are possible.

We must carefully consider whether our conscience has ceased to accuse us, not as a result of purity, but because it is immersed in evil. A sign of deliverance from our falls is the continual reckoning of ourselves as debtors.

Additional quotes for reflection “A horse when alone often imagines that it is galloping, but when it is with others it finds out how slow it is.” (Saint John Climacus)

“I have seen men who were going to steal and were not afraid of God, but hearing the barking of dogs, they at once turned back.” (Saint John Climacus)

Points to Ponder

1.) How God’s grace can bring about the most amazing conversions and transformations.

2.) We will never be totally free of temptation and spiritual struggle.

3.) Like Saint Moses, we must always be mindful of our inclinations to sinfulness and need for humility.

Sources Used