The Martyrdom of the Two Young Strangers

[Shin]

“Abba Bitimius related that Abba Macarius said this: ‘When I was living at Scetis, two young strangers came down there. One had a beard, the other was beginning to grow one. They came towards me saying: “Where is Abba Macarius’ cell?” I said to them: “What do you want with him?” They replied, “We have heard tell of him and of Scetis and we have come to see him.” I said to them, “I am he.” Then they bowed low to me and said, “We want to live here.”

Seeing that they were delicate and had been brought up in comfort, I said to them, “You cannot live here.” The elder said, “If we cannot live here, we will go somewhere else.” Then I said to myself, “Why chase them away and be a stumbling block to them? Suffering will make them go away of their own accord.” So I said to them, “Come and make yourselves a cell, if you can.” They said, “Show us a place, and we will make one.” The old man gave them an axe, a basket full of bread and salt, and showed them a lump of rock, saying, “Cut out some stones here, and bring wood from the marsh, make a roof, and live here.”

He added, “I thought they would choose to go away, because of the hardship. But they asked me what work they should do here.” I replied, “Rope-making.” And I took some leaves from the marsh and showed them the rudiments of weaving and how to handle the reeds. I said to them, “Make some baskets, give them to the keepers, and they will bring you bread.” Then I went away.

But they, with patience, did all that I had told them and for three years they did not come to see me. Now I wrestled with my thoughts, thinking, “What is their way of life? Why do they not come to ask me about their thoughts? Those who live far off come to see me, but those who live quite close do not come. They do not go to anyone else either; they only go to church, in silence, to receive the oblation.” I prayed to God, fasting the whole week, that He would show me their way of life. At the end of the week, I got up and went to visit them, to see how they were.

When I knocked, they opened the door and greeted me in silence. Having prayed, I sat down. The elder made a sign to the younger to go out and he sat plaiting the rope, without saying anything. At the ninth hour, he knocked, and the younger one returned and made a little soup and set the table at a sign of his elder brother. He put three small loaves on it and stood in silence. As for me, I said, “Rise, and let us eat.” We got up to eat and he brought a small water-bottle and we drank.

When the evening came, they said to me, “Are you going away?” I replied, “No, I will sleep here.” They spread a mat for me on one side, another for themselves in the opposite corner. They took off their girdles and cowls, and lay down together on the mat. When they were settled, I prayed God that He would show me their way of life. Then the roof opened and it became as light as day, but they did not see the light. When they thought I was asleep, the elder tapped the younger on the side and they got up, put on their girdles again and stretched their hands towards heaven. I could see them, but they could not see me. I saw the demons coming like flies upon the younger one, some sitting on his mouth and others on his eyes. I saw the angel of the Lord circling round about him with a fiery sword, chasing the demons far from him. But they could not come near to older one.

When early dawn came, they lay down and I made as though I had just woken up and they did the same. The elder simply said to me, “Shall we recite the twelve psalms?” and I said to him, “Yes.” The younger one chanted five psalms in groups of six verses and an alleluia and at each verse a tongue of flame came out of his mouth and ascended to heaven. Likewise with the elder, when he opened his mouth to chant it was like a column of fire which came forth and ascended up to heaven; in my turn, I recited a little by heart. As I went out, I said, “Pray for me.” But they bowed without saying a word. So I learned that the first was a perfect man, but the enemy was still fighting against the younger.

A few days later the elder brother fell asleep and three days afterwards, his younger brother died too.’ When the fathers came to see Saint Macarius, he used to take them to their cell, and say, ‘Come and see the place of martyrdom of the young strangers.’”

- The Sayings of the Desert Fathers

[Shin]

There are many significant events in this story that when you find them they're precious..

For example, it truly is stricking how Abba Macarius is the one who goes to visit the two strangers, rather than vice versa.. usually it is the new novices troubling the elders for teachings.. and so they keep moving further away because of too much of this.. but instead the saint goes to find.. two saints!

How he prudently hesitates and does not say more than he should, to drive them off.. and so does not lose something precious.. just by that small choice of prudence..

The vision of the angels and how one is troubled and tested still and one is perfect..

The Abba goes away in humility.. with deep awe and reverence..

When he did not expect any such thing..

And what does he say.. 'the martyrdom'..

[odhiambo]

It is worth noting that Abba Macarius was granted a vision of the spiritual war raging for the soul of the young man.
The vision of " the angel of the Lord circling round about him with a fiery sword, chasing the demons far from him"; this is helpful and comforting to hold on to at times of trial.