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Moses the Abyssinian (, ar, موسى, cop, Ⲙⲟⲥⲉⲥ; 330 – 405), also known as Abba Moses the Robber, the Ethiopian, and the Strong, was an
ascetic Asceticism (; from the el, ἄσκησις, áskesis, exercise', 'training) is a lifestyle characterized by abstinence from sensual pleasures, often for the purpose of pursuing spiritual goals. Ascetics may withdraw from the world for their p ...
monk and priest in Egypt in the fourth century AD, and a notable
Desert Father The Desert Fathers or Desert Monks were early Christian hermits and ascetics, who lived primarily in the Scetes desert of the Roman province of Egypt, beginning around the third century AD. The is a collection of the wisdom of some of the ear ...
. He is highly venerated in both the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Oriental Orthodox Church, making him amongst the most notable Desert Fathers. According to stories about him, he converted from a life of crime to one of asceticism. He is mentioned in
Sozomen Salamanes Hermias Sozomenos ( grc-gre, Σαλαμάνης Ἑρμείας Σωζομενός; la, Sozomenus; c. 400 – c. 450 AD), also known as Sozomen, was a Roman lawyer and historian of the Christian Church. Family and home He was born arou ...
's ''Ecclesiastical History'', written about 70 years after Moses's death.


Biography


Early life

Moses was a slave of a government official in Egypt until he was dismissed for theft and suspected murder. He then roamed the Nile Valley with an infamous and violent gang of robbers.


Conversion to Christianity

On one occasion, a barking dog prevented Moses from carrying out a robbery, so he swore vengeance on the owner. Weapons in his mouth, Moses swam the river toward the owner's hut. The owner, again alerted, hid, and the frustrated Moses took some of his sheep to slaughter. Attempting to hide from local authorities, he took shelter with some monks in a colony in the desert of Wadi El Natrun, then called Scetes, near
Alexandria Alexandria ( or ; ar, ٱلْإِسْكَنْدَرِيَّةُ ; grc-gre, Αλεξάνδρεια, Alexándria) is the second largest city in Egypt, and the largest city on the Mediterranean coast. Founded in by Alexander the Great, Alexandri ...
. The dedication of their lives, as well as their peace and contentment, influenced Moses deeply. He soon gave up his old way of life, became a Christian, was baptized and joined the monastic community at Scetes.


Monastic life

Moses had a rather difficult time adjusting to regular monastic discipline. His flair for adventure remained with him. Attacked by a group of robbers in his desert cell, Moses fought back, overpowered the intruders, and dragged them to the chapel where the other monks were at prayer. He told the brothers that he did not think it was Christian to hurt the robbers and asked what he should do with them. The robbers themselves repented and joined the community as brothers afterwards. Moses was zealous in all he did, but became discouraged when he concluded he was not perfect enough. Early one morning, Isidore, abbot of the monastery, took Moses to the roof and together they watched the first rays of dawn come over the horizon. Isidore said to Moses, "Only slowly do the rays of the sun drive away the night and usher in a new day, and thus, only slowly does one become a perfect contemplative." Moses proved to be effective as a prophetic spiritual leader. The abbot ordered the brothers to fast during a particular week. Some brothers came to Moses, and he prepared a meal for them. Neighboring monks reported to the abbot that Moses was breaking the fast. When they came to confront Moses, they changed their minds, saying, "You did not keep a human commandment, but it was so that you might keep the divine commandment of hospitality." Some see in this account one of the earliest allusions to the Paschal fast, which developed at this time. When a brother committed a fault and Moses was invited to a meeting to discuss an appropriate penance, Moses refused to attend. When he was again called to the meeting, Moses took a leaking jug filled with water and carried it on his shoulder. Another version of the story has him carrying a basket filled with sand. When he arrived at the meeting place, the others asked why he was carrying the jug. He replied, "My sins run out behind me and I do not see them, but today I am coming to judge the errors of another." On hearing this, the assembled brothers forgave the erring monk. Moses became the spiritual leader of a colony of
hermits A hermit, also known as an eremite (adjectival form: hermitic or eremitic) or solitary, is a person who lives in seclusion. Eremitism plays a role in a variety of religions. Description In Christianity, the term was originally applied to a Ch ...
in the Western Desert. Later, he was ordained a priest.


Death

At about age 75, about the year 405 AD, word came that the Mazices, a group of
Berbers , image = File:Berber_flag.svg , caption = The Berber ethnic flag , population = 36 million , region1 = Morocco , pop1 = 14 million to 18 million , region2 = Algeria , pop2 ...
, planned to attack the monastery. The brothers wanted to defend themselves, but Moses forbade it. He told them to retreat, rather than take up weapons. Citing that a violent death was the appropriate death for a former robber—"All who take the sword will perish by the sword"—he opted to remain behind. He was joined by seven others, and they were together martyred by the bandits on 24
Paoni Paoni ( cop, Ⲡⲁⲱⲛⲓ, ''Paōni''), also known as Payni ( grc-gre, Παϋνί, ''Paüní'') and Ba'unah. ( ar, بؤونه, ''Ba'una''), is the tenth month of the ancient Egyptian and Coptic calendars. It lasts between June 8 and July 7 of ...
(July 1). A different story of Abba Moses' death is related in ''The Paradise of the Holy Fathers'':
31. Abba Poemen said: Abba Moses asked Abba Zechariah a question when he was about to die, and said unto him, "Father, is it good that we should hold our peace?" And Zechariah said unto him, "Yea, my son, hold thy peace." And at the time of his death, whilst Abba Isidore was sitting with him, Abba Moses looked up to heaven, and said, "Rejoice and be glad, O my son Zechariah, for the gates of heaven have been opened."


Legacy

Moses was highly praised by his contemporaries. In his 5th century AD ''Ecclesiastical History'', written about 70 years after Moses's death, Hermias Sozomen sums up Moses's legacy as follows: A modern interpretation honors Moses the Ethiopian as an apostle of non-violence. His relics and major shrine are found today at the Church of the
Virgin Mary Mary; arc, ܡܪܝܡ, translit=Mariam; ar, مريم, translit=Maryam; grc, Μαρία, translit=María; la, Maria; cop, Ⲙⲁⲣⲓⲁ, translit=Maria was a first-century Jews, Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Saint Joseph, Jose ...
in the Paromeos Monastery, a Coptic Orthodox monastery located in Wadi El Natrun in Egypt.


See also

* Paromeos Monastery *
Or of Nitria Abba Or of Nitria (also ''Hor or Horus'') was an Egyptian Orthodox Christian ascetic who lived around the 4th century AD in Egypt in Dalga, Nitria (Lower Egypt), the Thebaid, and in the deserts around Shaina. He is one of the lesser-known ...
*
Scetes Wadi El Natrun (Arabic: "Valley of Natron"; Coptic: , "measure of the hearts") is a depression in northern Egypt that is located below sea level and below the Nile River level. The valley contains several alkaline lakes, natron-rich salt de ...
* Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria *
Coptic Catholic Church The Coptic Catholic Church ( ar, الكنيسة القبطية الكاثوليكية; la, Ecclesia Catholica Coptorum) is an Eastern Catholic particular church in full communion with the Catholic Church. Along with the Ethiopian Catholic Chu ...
*
Monastery of Saint Moses the Abyssinian Deir Mar Musa al-Habashi ( syr, ܕܝܪܐ ܪܡܪܝ ܡܘܫܐ ܟܘܫܝܐ ''deiro d-mor mūše kūšoyo''; ar, دير مار موسى الحبشي, ALA-LC: ''dayr mār Mūsá al-Ḥabashī''), literally the Monastery of Saint Moses the Abyssinian, ...
* Black people in ancient Roman history


Citations


Primary sources

* *


External links


St Mary of Egypt Orthodox Church - AboutBrotherhood of St Moses the BlackSt. Moses the Black PriorySt. Moses the Black, robber turned monkSantiebeati: Moses the Black
{{DEFAULTSORT:Moses the Black 330 births 405 deaths Saints from Roman Egypt Ethiopian saints Eastern Catholic saints Egyptian Christian monks 4th-century Byzantine monks 5th-century Byzantine monks 5th-century Christian saints Desert Fathers