Moses Online

Welcome!

This site contains a tribute to the great Orthodox Saint, Moses the Ethiopian. It is curently under construction, and I hope to have resources for those suffering or recovering from alcoholism.

Saint Moses the Black

Moses was an Ethiopian by birth, In the world, his was a thief and the leader of a band of thieves, and yet he became a penitent and a great ascetic. Moses was once a slave, who escaped and joined the thieves. Because of his great physical strength and daring, the robbers chose him as their leader. Then one day he was suddenly overcome with pangs of conscience and repented for his misdeeds. He left the thieves, entered a monestary, and gave himself over completely to obeying his spiritual father and the monastic rule. He benefitted much from the teachings of Saint Macarius, Arsenius, and Isidore. Later he withdrew to solitude in a cell, where he dedicated himself completely to physical labour, prayers, vigils, and contemplating God. Tormented by the demon of lust, Moses confessed to Isidore, his spiritual father, who gave him councel to increase his fasting, and even when eating to avoid satisfying his appetite. When this regimen did not help, he was counseled to keep all-night vigil and to pray standing. Then he also began the practice of bringing water to the elderly monks fom a distant well, all night long. After six years of terrible struggles, St. Isidore miraculously healed him of lustful thoughts, fantasies, and dreams perpetrated on him by the demon. Moses was ordained a priest in old age. He founded a monestary, had seventy-five discipled, and lived to the age of seventy-five. He foresaw his death: one day he told his disciples to flee, for the barbarians were about to attack the monestary. When the disciples urged him to escape with them, Moses said that he had formerly been violent, and had to suffer violence himself, according to the words: For all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword (St. Matthew 26:52). He remained at the monestary with six brethren, and the barbarians slew them. One of the brethren, hiding nearby, saw seven shining wreaths descend from heaven upon the seven martyrs.

From The Prologue of Ohrid by St. Nikolai Velimirovic

Hymn of Praise - The Venerable Moses the Black

Blessed is he upon whom god shows mercy!

The mercy of God is joy,

Joy in both worlds.

Moses the black, like a prodigal son,

Repented and returned to God,

And redressed his many sins with tears.

He withered himself by much fasting-

Black of face, and radiant in soul.

Incessant night vigils tamed his passions,

And freed him from the demon's power.

His soul became like a mountaintop lake

Which gazes into the heavens,

In which heaven sees its face.

When others asked Moses:

"Do the sins of others not sadden you?

Do sinful people not concern you?"

St. Moses tearfully replied:

"Whoever has a corpse in his house

Does not weep over someone elses corpse,

But rather weeps over his own corpse."

The lion can often change into a lamb,

But only Christ performs such miracles.

Moses was a lion in the mountains,

Yet became a gentle lamb.

By his holy prayers,

May God grant salvation to us as well

Troparion (Tone 1)

You made the wilderness your dwelling, O our Father Moses, the Bearer of God; you became an angel in the flesh and a wonderworker. Through fasts, vigils, and prayers, you obtained from God special graces to heal the sick and sanctify the souls of those who come to you with trust. Glory to the one who gave you strength! Glory to the one who crowned you! Glory to the one who, through your intercession, grants healing to all!

Want to get in touch? You can send me e-mail at:

mosestheethiopian@yahoo.com