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E01645: A short anecdote from the Coptic Sayings of the Desert Fathers (Apophthegmata Patrum), presenting the monk Apa *Makarios ('the Egyptian', monastic founder in the Sketis, ob. 391, S00863) of the monastery in the Sketis (Wadi Natrun) as a miracle worker who raises a man from the dead to ask him a question, before he lets him go back to rest, 4th–6th century.
online resource
posted on 2016-06-20, 00:00 authored by gschenkeApophthegmata Patrum
This anecdote is recorded by the monk Apa Jijoi who went with other monks to help Apa Makarios in the Sketis
(ϣⲓⲏⲧ) with the harvest. There they encounter a distraught widow who receives help through a miracle performed by Apa Makarios.
Ed. Chaine, no. 225, p. 65:
ⲁϥϫⲟⲟⲥ ⲛϭⲓ ⲁⲡⲁ ϫⲓϫⲱⲓ ϫⲉ ⲙⲡⲉⲟⲩⲟⲉⲓϣ ⲉⲓϩⲛ ϣⲓⲏⲧ ⲙⲛ ⲁⲡⲁ ⲙⲁⲕⲁⲣⲓⲟⲥ ⲁⲛⲃⲱⲕ ⲉϩⲣⲁⲓ ⲛⲙⲙⲁϥ ⲁⲛⲱϩⲥ ⲉⲛⲟ ⲛⲥⲁϣϥ ⲛⲥⲟⲛ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲉⲓⲥ ⲟⲩⲭⲏⲣⲁ ⲉⲥⲥⲣⲓⲧ ϩⲓ ⲡⲁϩⲟⲩ ⲙⲙⲟⲛ ⲉⲥⲣⲓⲙⲉ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲙⲡⲉⲥⲕⲁ ⲧⲟⲟⲧⲥ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲉⲥⲣⲓⲙⲉ · ⲡϩⲗⲗⲟ ⲇⲉ ⲁϥⲙⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲉⲡϫⲟⲓⲥ ⲙⲡⲉⲕⲧⲏⲙⲁ
ⲡⲉϫⲁϥ ⲛⲁϥ ϫⲉ ⲁϩⲣⲟⲥ ⲧⲉⲓϩⲗⲗⲱ ⲉⲥⲣⲓⲙⲉ ⲛⲧⲉⲓϩⲉ ·
ⲡⲉϫⲁϥ ⲛⲁϥ ϫⲉ ⲉⲧⲓ ⲉⲣⲉⲡⲉⲥϩⲁⲓ ⲟⲛⲁϩ ⲉⲣⲉϩⲛⲛⲕⲁ ϭⲁⲗⲱⲟⲩ ⲉⲣⲟϥ ⲛⲧⲉ ⲟⲩⲣⲱⲙⲉ ⲁϥⲙⲟⲩ ⲇⲉ ϩⲛ ⲟⲩϣⲡⲉⲛϣⲱⲡ ⲛⲟⲩⲉϣⲛϣⲁϫⲉ
ⲙⲡⲉϥϫⲟⲟⲥ ϫⲉ ⲛⲧⲁϥⲕⲁⲁϥ ⲧⲱⲛ
ⲉⲣⲉⲡⲉⲛⲧⲁϥϭⲁⲗⲱⲟⲩ ⲇⲉ ⲟⲩⲱϣ ⲉϫⲓ ⲙⲡⲉⲧⲉ ⲡⲱϥ ⲡⲉ ⲙⲡⲉⲥϭⲛⲧϥ ⲉϥⲟⲩⲱϣ ⲉϫⲓⲧⲥ ⲙⲛ ⲛⲉⲥϣⲏⲣⲉ ⲉⲁⲁⲩ ⲛⲁϥ ⲛϩⲙϩⲁⲗ ·
ⲡϩⲗⲗⲟ ⲇⲉ ⲡⲉϫⲁϥ ⲛⲁϥ ϫⲉ ⲁϫⲓⲥ ⲛⲁⲥ ⲙⲉⲣⲉⲥⲉⲓ ⲉⲡⲙⲁ ⲉϣⲁⲛⲉⲙⲧⲟⲛ ⲛϩⲏⲧϥ ⲙⲡⲕⲁⲩⲙⲁ ·
ⲛⲧⲉⲣⲉⲥⲉⲓ ⲇⲉ ⲡⲉϫⲉ ⲡϩⲗⲗⲟ ⲛⲁⲥ ϫⲉ ⲉⲧⲃⲉ ⲟⲩ ⲧⲉⲣⲓⲙⲉ ⲛⲛⲁⲩ ⲛⲓⲙ ·
ⲡⲉϫⲁⲥ ⲛⲁϥ ϫⲉ ⲛⲧⲁⲡⲁϩⲁⲓ ⲙⲟⲩ ⲉⲁϥϫⲓ ⲛⲟⲩϭⲟⲓⲗⲉ ⲛⲧⲉ ⲟⲩⲁ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲙⲡⲉϥϫⲟⲟⲥ ⲉϥⲛⲁⲙⲟⲩ ϫⲉ ⲛⲧⲁϥⲕⲁⲁϥ ⲧⲱⲛ ·
ⲡⲉϫⲁϥ ⲇⲉ ⲛⲁⲥ ϫⲉ ⲁⲙⲏ ⲛⲧⲉⲧⲥⲁⲃⲟⲛ ϫⲉ ⲛⲧⲁⲣⲧⲟⲙⲥϥ ⲛⲧⲱⲛ ·
ⲁⲩⲱ ⲁϥϫⲓ ⲛⲛⲉⲥⲛⲏⲩ ⲁϥⲃⲱⲕ ⲛⲙⲙⲁⲥ ⲛⲧⲉⲣⲟⲩⲉⲓ ⲇⲉ ⲉϫⲙ ⲡⲙⲁ ⲡⲉϫⲉ ⲡϩⲗⲗⲟ ⲛⲁⲥ ϫⲉ ⲃⲱⲕ ⲛⲉ ⲉⲡⲟⲩⲏⲓ
ⲁⲩⲱ ⲁⲩϣⲗⲏⲗ · ⲁϥⲙⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲛϭⲓ ⲡϩⲗⲗⲟ ⲉⲡⲉⲧⲙⲟⲟⲩⲧ ⲉϥϫⲱ ⲙⲙⲟⲥ ϫⲉ ⲙⲉϣⲉ ⲛⲓⲙ ⲛⲧⲁⲕⲕⲁ ⲛⲉⲥⲕⲉⲩⲏ ⲙⲡⲣⲱⲙⲉ ϩⲛ ⲁϣ ⲙⲙⲁ ·
ⲛⲧⲟϥ ⲇⲉ ⲁϥⲟⲩⲱϣⲃ ϫⲉ ⲥⲉⲕⲏ ϩⲙ ⲡⲁⲏⲓ ϩⲁ ⲧⲟⲩⲉⲣⲏⲧⲉ ⲙⲡⲁϭⲗⲟϭ ·
ⲡⲉϫⲉ ⲡϩⲗⲗⲟ ⲛⲁϥ ϫⲉ ⟨ⲛ⟩ⲕⲟⲧⲕ ϭⲉ ϣⲁ ⲡⲉϩⲟⲟⲩ ⲛⲧⲁⲛⲁⲥⲧⲁⲥⲓⲥ ·
ⲁⲩⲛⲁⲩ ⲇⲉ ⲛϭⲓ ⲛⲉⲥⲛⲏⲩ ⲁⲩϩⲉ ϩⲁ ⲛⲉϥⲟⲩⲉⲣⲏⲧⲉ
ⲡⲉϫⲁϥ ⲛϭⲓ ⲡϩⲗⲗⲟ ϫⲉ ⲛⲧⲁⲡⲁⲓ ϣⲱⲡⲉ ⲁⲛ ⲉⲧⲃⲏⲏⲧ ⲁⲛⲟⲕ ⲅⲁⲣ ⲁⲛⲅ ⲟⲩⲗⲁⲁⲩ ⲁⲗⲗⲁ ⲉⲧⲃⲉ ⲧⲉⲭⲏⲣⲁ ⲙⲛ ⲛⲉⲓⲟⲣⲫⲁⲛⲟⲥ ⲁⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲉⲓⲣⲉ
ⲙⲡⲉⲓϩⲱⲃ · ⲡⲁⲓ ϭⲉ ⲡⲉ ⲡⲛⲟϭ ϫⲉ ⲉⲣⲉⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲟⲩⲉϣ ⲟⲩⲯⲩⲭⲏ ⲛⲁⲧⲛⲟⲃⲉ ⲁⲩⲱ ϩⲱⲃ ⲛⲓⲙ ⲉⲧⲉⲥ{ⲉ}ⲧⲓ ⲙⲙⲟⲟⲩ ⲥⲛⲁϫⲓⲧⲟⲩ ·
ⲁϥⲉⲓ ⲇⲉ ⲁϥϫⲟⲟⲥ ⲛⲧⲉⲭⲏⲣⲁ ϫⲉ ⲉⲣⲉⲡϭⲟⲓⲗⲉ ⲕⲏ ⲛⲧⲱⲛ ·
ⲛⲧⲟⲥ ⲇⲉ ⲁⲥϫⲓⲧϥ ⲁⲥⲧⲁⲁϥ ⲉⲡⲉϥϫⲟⲉⲓⲥ ⲁⲥϣⲱⲡⲉ ⲛⲣⲙϩⲉ ⲙⲛ ⲛⲉⲥϣⲏⲣⲉ ·
ⲁⲩⲱ ⲛⲉⲛⲧⲁⲩⲥⲱⲧⲙ ⲁⲩϯⲉⲟⲟⲩ ⲙⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ·
'Apa Jijoi told the following: At the time, I was in Sketis with Apa Makarios, we went with him. We harvested, being seven monks. And lo, a widow who was gleaning behind us crying, did not stop crying. The old man (Apa Makarios) called the owner of the grounds and said to him: "Why is this old woman crying so?"
He said to him: "While her husband was still alive, some belongings were being stored with him by a man. But he died suddenly without a word and he did not say where he had put it. The man who had stored them now wants to take back what belongs to him. She has not found it, so he wants to take her and her children to be slaves for him."
The old man (Apa Makarios) said to him: "Tell her she may come to the place where we normally rest at midday (in the heat)."
When she had come, the old man said to her: "Why are you crying every time?" She said to him: "My husband died, having taken a deposit from someone, and he did not say, as he was about to die, where he has put it."
He said to her: "Come and show us where you have buried him."
He took the brethren and went with her. When they arrived at the place (of the husband’s burial), the old man said to her: "Go back to your house!"
They prayed, and the old man called to the deceased, saying: "Whatever name, in what place have you put the belongings of the man?" And he answered: "They are stored in my house by the foot of my bed." The old man said to him: "Lie down again until the day of resurrection!"
But the brethren saw this and they fell to his feet. The old man said: "This did not happen because of me, for I am nobody! But because of the widow and these orphans, God did this thing. This then is the great thing, that God loves a sinless soul. Anything which it (the innocent soul) gives, it will receive."
He came and told the widow where the property was stored. She took it and gave it to its owner. She was free together with her children. They who heard (about this), praised God.'
Translation: Gesa Schenke.
This anecdote is recorded by the monk Apa Jijoi who went with other monks to help Apa Makarios in the Sketis
(ϣⲓⲏⲧ) with the harvest. There they encounter a distraught widow who receives help through a miracle performed by Apa Makarios.
Ed. Chaine, no. 225, p. 65:
ⲁϥϫⲟⲟⲥ ⲛϭⲓ ⲁⲡⲁ ϫⲓϫⲱⲓ ϫⲉ ⲙⲡⲉⲟⲩⲟⲉⲓϣ ⲉⲓϩⲛ ϣⲓⲏⲧ ⲙⲛ ⲁⲡⲁ ⲙⲁⲕⲁⲣⲓⲟⲥ ⲁⲛⲃⲱⲕ ⲉϩⲣⲁⲓ ⲛⲙⲙⲁϥ ⲁⲛⲱϩⲥ ⲉⲛⲟ ⲛⲥⲁϣϥ ⲛⲥⲟⲛ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲉⲓⲥ ⲟⲩⲭⲏⲣⲁ ⲉⲥⲥⲣⲓⲧ ϩⲓ ⲡⲁϩⲟⲩ ⲙⲙⲟⲛ ⲉⲥⲣⲓⲙⲉ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲙⲡⲉⲥⲕⲁ ⲧⲟⲟⲧⲥ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲉⲥⲣⲓⲙⲉ · ⲡϩⲗⲗⲟ ⲇⲉ ⲁϥⲙⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲉⲡϫⲟⲓⲥ ⲙⲡⲉⲕⲧⲏⲙⲁ
ⲡⲉϫⲁϥ ⲛⲁϥ ϫⲉ ⲁϩⲣⲟⲥ ⲧⲉⲓϩⲗⲗⲱ ⲉⲥⲣⲓⲙⲉ ⲛⲧⲉⲓϩⲉ ·
ⲡⲉϫⲁϥ ⲛⲁϥ ϫⲉ ⲉⲧⲓ ⲉⲣⲉⲡⲉⲥϩⲁⲓ ⲟⲛⲁϩ ⲉⲣⲉϩⲛⲛⲕⲁ ϭⲁⲗⲱⲟⲩ ⲉⲣⲟϥ ⲛⲧⲉ ⲟⲩⲣⲱⲙⲉ ⲁϥⲙⲟⲩ ⲇⲉ ϩⲛ ⲟⲩϣⲡⲉⲛϣⲱⲡ ⲛⲟⲩⲉϣⲛϣⲁϫⲉ
ⲙⲡⲉϥϫⲟⲟⲥ ϫⲉ ⲛⲧⲁϥⲕⲁⲁϥ ⲧⲱⲛ
ⲉⲣⲉⲡⲉⲛⲧⲁϥϭⲁⲗⲱⲟⲩ ⲇⲉ ⲟⲩⲱϣ ⲉϫⲓ ⲙⲡⲉⲧⲉ ⲡⲱϥ ⲡⲉ ⲙⲡⲉⲥϭⲛⲧϥ ⲉϥⲟⲩⲱϣ ⲉϫⲓⲧⲥ ⲙⲛ ⲛⲉⲥϣⲏⲣⲉ ⲉⲁⲁⲩ ⲛⲁϥ ⲛϩⲙϩⲁⲗ ·
ⲡϩⲗⲗⲟ ⲇⲉ ⲡⲉϫⲁϥ ⲛⲁϥ ϫⲉ ⲁϫⲓⲥ ⲛⲁⲥ ⲙⲉⲣⲉⲥⲉⲓ ⲉⲡⲙⲁ ⲉϣⲁⲛⲉⲙⲧⲟⲛ ⲛϩⲏⲧϥ ⲙⲡⲕⲁⲩⲙⲁ ·
ⲛⲧⲉⲣⲉⲥⲉⲓ ⲇⲉ ⲡⲉϫⲉ ⲡϩⲗⲗⲟ ⲛⲁⲥ ϫⲉ ⲉⲧⲃⲉ ⲟⲩ ⲧⲉⲣⲓⲙⲉ ⲛⲛⲁⲩ ⲛⲓⲙ ·
ⲡⲉϫⲁⲥ ⲛⲁϥ ϫⲉ ⲛⲧⲁⲡⲁϩⲁⲓ ⲙⲟⲩ ⲉⲁϥϫⲓ ⲛⲟⲩϭⲟⲓⲗⲉ ⲛⲧⲉ ⲟⲩⲁ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲙⲡⲉϥϫⲟⲟⲥ ⲉϥⲛⲁⲙⲟⲩ ϫⲉ ⲛⲧⲁϥⲕⲁⲁϥ ⲧⲱⲛ ·
ⲡⲉϫⲁϥ ⲇⲉ ⲛⲁⲥ ϫⲉ ⲁⲙⲏ ⲛⲧⲉⲧⲥⲁⲃⲟⲛ ϫⲉ ⲛⲧⲁⲣⲧⲟⲙⲥϥ ⲛⲧⲱⲛ ·
ⲁⲩⲱ ⲁϥϫⲓ ⲛⲛⲉⲥⲛⲏⲩ ⲁϥⲃⲱⲕ ⲛⲙⲙⲁⲥ ⲛⲧⲉⲣⲟⲩⲉⲓ ⲇⲉ ⲉϫⲙ ⲡⲙⲁ ⲡⲉϫⲉ ⲡϩⲗⲗⲟ ⲛⲁⲥ ϫⲉ ⲃⲱⲕ ⲛⲉ ⲉⲡⲟⲩⲏⲓ
ⲁⲩⲱ ⲁⲩϣⲗⲏⲗ · ⲁϥⲙⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲛϭⲓ ⲡϩⲗⲗⲟ ⲉⲡⲉⲧⲙⲟⲟⲩⲧ ⲉϥϫⲱ ⲙⲙⲟⲥ ϫⲉ ⲙⲉϣⲉ ⲛⲓⲙ ⲛⲧⲁⲕⲕⲁ ⲛⲉⲥⲕⲉⲩⲏ ⲙⲡⲣⲱⲙⲉ ϩⲛ ⲁϣ ⲙⲙⲁ ·
ⲛⲧⲟϥ ⲇⲉ ⲁϥⲟⲩⲱϣⲃ ϫⲉ ⲥⲉⲕⲏ ϩⲙ ⲡⲁⲏⲓ ϩⲁ ⲧⲟⲩⲉⲣⲏⲧⲉ ⲙⲡⲁϭⲗⲟϭ ·
ⲡⲉϫⲉ ⲡϩⲗⲗⲟ ⲛⲁϥ ϫⲉ ⟨ⲛ⟩ⲕⲟⲧⲕ ϭⲉ ϣⲁ ⲡⲉϩⲟⲟⲩ ⲛⲧⲁⲛⲁⲥⲧⲁⲥⲓⲥ ·
ⲁⲩⲛⲁⲩ ⲇⲉ ⲛϭⲓ ⲛⲉⲥⲛⲏⲩ ⲁⲩϩⲉ ϩⲁ ⲛⲉϥⲟⲩⲉⲣⲏⲧⲉ
ⲡⲉϫⲁϥ ⲛϭⲓ ⲡϩⲗⲗⲟ ϫⲉ ⲛⲧⲁⲡⲁⲓ ϣⲱⲡⲉ ⲁⲛ ⲉⲧⲃⲏⲏⲧ ⲁⲛⲟⲕ ⲅⲁⲣ ⲁⲛⲅ ⲟⲩⲗⲁⲁⲩ ⲁⲗⲗⲁ ⲉⲧⲃⲉ ⲧⲉⲭⲏⲣⲁ ⲙⲛ ⲛⲉⲓⲟⲣⲫⲁⲛⲟⲥ ⲁⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲉⲓⲣⲉ
ⲙⲡⲉⲓϩⲱⲃ · ⲡⲁⲓ ϭⲉ ⲡⲉ ⲡⲛⲟϭ ϫⲉ ⲉⲣⲉⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲟⲩⲉϣ ⲟⲩⲯⲩⲭⲏ ⲛⲁⲧⲛⲟⲃⲉ ⲁⲩⲱ ϩⲱⲃ ⲛⲓⲙ ⲉⲧⲉⲥ{ⲉ}ⲧⲓ ⲙⲙⲟⲟⲩ ⲥⲛⲁϫⲓⲧⲟⲩ ·
ⲁϥⲉⲓ ⲇⲉ ⲁϥϫⲟⲟⲥ ⲛⲧⲉⲭⲏⲣⲁ ϫⲉ ⲉⲣⲉⲡϭⲟⲓⲗⲉ ⲕⲏ ⲛⲧⲱⲛ ·
ⲛⲧⲟⲥ ⲇⲉ ⲁⲥϫⲓⲧϥ ⲁⲥⲧⲁⲁϥ ⲉⲡⲉϥϫⲟⲉⲓⲥ ⲁⲥϣⲱⲡⲉ ⲛⲣⲙϩⲉ ⲙⲛ ⲛⲉⲥϣⲏⲣⲉ ·
ⲁⲩⲱ ⲛⲉⲛⲧⲁⲩⲥⲱⲧⲙ ⲁⲩϯⲉⲟⲟⲩ ⲙⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ·
'Apa Jijoi told the following: At the time, I was in Sketis with Apa Makarios, we went with him. We harvested, being seven monks. And lo, a widow who was gleaning behind us crying, did not stop crying. The old man (Apa Makarios) called the owner of the grounds and said to him: "Why is this old woman crying so?"
He said to him: "While her husband was still alive, some belongings were being stored with him by a man. But he died suddenly without a word and he did not say where he had put it. The man who had stored them now wants to take back what belongs to him. She has not found it, so he wants to take her and her children to be slaves for him."
The old man (Apa Makarios) said to him: "Tell her she may come to the place where we normally rest at midday (in the heat)."
When she had come, the old man said to her: "Why are you crying every time?" She said to him: "My husband died, having taken a deposit from someone, and he did not say, as he was about to die, where he has put it."
He said to her: "Come and show us where you have buried him."
He took the brethren and went with her. When they arrived at the place (of the husband’s burial), the old man said to her: "Go back to your house!"
They prayed, and the old man called to the deceased, saying: "Whatever name, in what place have you put the belongings of the man?" And he answered: "They are stored in my house by the foot of my bed." The old man said to him: "Lie down again until the day of resurrection!"
But the brethren saw this and they fell to his feet. The old man said: "This did not happen because of me, for I am nobody! But because of the widow and these orphans, God did this thing. This then is the great thing, that God loves a sinless soul. Anything which it (the innocent soul) gives, it will receive."
He came and told the widow where the property was stored. She took it and gave it to its owner. She was free together with her children. They who heard (about this), praised God.'
Translation: Gesa Schenke.
History
Evidence ID
E01645Saint Name
Makarios of Scetis, monastic founder, 4th century monk : S00863Saint Name in Source
ⲁⲡⲁ ⲙⲁⲕⲁⲣⲓⲟⲥRelated Saint Records
Type of Evidence
Literary - Other narrative texts (including Histories)Language
- Coptic
Evidence not before
380Evidence not after
700Activity not before
380Activity not after
500Place of Evidence - Region
Egypt and CyrenaicaPlace of Evidence - City, village, etc
SketisPlace of evidence - City name in other Language(s)
Sketis Hermopolis ϣⲙⲟⲩⲛ Ashmunein HermopolisMajor author/Major anonymous work
Apophthegmata PatrumCult activities - Places
Cult building - monasticCult activities - Places Named after Saint
- Monastery