After his conversion, Macarius gave up his thriving business and became a monk and hermit in the Thebaid, which is located in Upper Egypt. During this period, he spent some time living near and befriending Saint Anthony the Abbot, a revered figure in early Christian monasticism. Macarius was not only a monk but also a gifted poet, a healer, and a friend to wild animals. However, Macarius's staunch orthodoxy drew the ire of the Arian heretics, who exiled him and other monks, including Saint Macarius the Elder, to an island in the Nile.
Despite the challenges faced during his exile, Macarius was eventually allowed to return. Later in his life, Macarius traveled to Lower Egypt and was ordained. He chose to live in a desert cell with other monks, aiming to distance himself further from the world and draw closer to God. As part of his ascetic practice, Macarius engaged in severe austerities that became the stuff of legend. For example, he lived on a diet of raw vegetables dipped in water with only a few crumbs of bread, moistened with drops of oil on feast days, for seven years. Macarius even went through a period of 20 days and 20 nights without sleep, enduring burning daylight and freezing desert nights. The extreme lack of sleep eventually took a toll on his mind, and he experienced delirium, leading him to return to his cell. In another instance, Macarius spent six months in the marshes, completely naked, as he tried to destroy his sensual desires. This harsh environment subjected him to constant attacks by vicious blood-sucking flies and mosquitoes, leaving him so deformed that his fellow monks could only recognize him by his voice upon his return.
Macarius's selflessness and dedication to others were also remarkable. On one occasion, a young brother offered him some fine grapes, but instead of indulging himself, Macarius sent them to a sick brother. This act of generosity continued until the grapes had made their way to all the cells and returned to Macarius himself.
Throughout his life, Macarius struggled with his love of travel. On one occasion, the devil appeared to him, suggesting that he should go to Rome to chase out demons. However, torn between fulfilling this noble cause and overcoming his vice, Macarius decided to punish himself. He filled a large basket with sand, placed it on his back, and set out, considering it a penance. Eventually, exhausted, he returned to his cell, having successfully fought his temptation. In his old age, Macarius journeyed to a monastery where 1,400 hermits lived under the strict rule of Saint Pachomius. Initially denied admittance due to his advanced age, he stood at the abbey gate for seven days and nights without sleep, food, or uttering a word.
The determination and endurance he displayed eventually prompted the monks to allow him entry. Upon entering the monastery, Macarius chose to stand in complete silence in a corner for the duration of Lent, subsisting on a meager diet of cabbage leaves each Sunday. The other monks became jealous of his extreme self-denial and reported it to Saint Pachomius. Seeking divine guidance, Pachomius discovered that the humble old man in question was Macarius himself. He approached Macarius, expressed gratitude for the lesson he had taught the younger monks, and asked him to return to his own monastery, where Macarius was encouraged to pray for them daily.
Saint Macarius The Younger died around the year 401 in Alexandria, Egypt, due to natural causes. Although the exact details of his canonization are unknown, he is venerated as a saint in the Catholic and Orthodox traditions. He is particularly revered as a patron of confectioners, cooks, and pastry chefs. His feast days are celebrated on January 2nd in the Roman Catholic Church, January 19th in the Orthodox and Armenian Churches, May 1st in the Coptic calendar, and July 13th in the Syrian Orthodox tradition.
