St. Macrina the Younger

“I am Yahweh your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. “You shall have no other gods before me. “You shall not make for yourselves an idol, nor any image of anything that is in the heavens above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: you shall not bow yourself down to them, nor serve them, for I, Yahweh your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and on the fourth generation of those who hate me, and showing loving kindness to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments. “You shall not take the name of Yahweh your God in vain, for Yahweh will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain. “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. You shall labor six days, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to Yahweh your God. You shall not do any work in it, you, nor your son, nor your daughter, your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your livestock, nor your stranger who is within your gates; for in six days Yahweh made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day; therefore Yahweh blessed the Sabbath day, and made it holy. “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land which Yahweh your God gives you. “You shall not murder. “You shall not commit adultery. “You shall not steal. “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor. “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.”

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	St. Macrina the Younger

St. Macrina (c.327-79) was the oldest of ten children of St. Basil the Elder and St. Emmelia, and was born at Caesarea in Cappadocia. She was educated by her mother, who both taught her to read and exercised vigilance over how she used that accomplishment. At the age of twelve she was betrothed, but her fiancé died suddenly. After this, although very beautiful, she refused all other suitors and devoted herself to a Christian life. Initially she educated her brothers and sisters. St. Basil the Great, St. Peter of Sebastea, St. Gregory of Nyssa and the rest learned from her contempt of the world, dread of its dangers, and application to prayer and the word of God; St. Gregory relates how St. Basil returned from Athens University as a very conceited young man, and his sister taught him humility; while to St. Peter, the youngest, she was 'father, teacher, guide, mother, giver of good advice', for their father died just as he was born. St. Basil the Great then established his mother and St. Macrina on an estate by the river Iris in Pontus, and there they were joined by other women in an ascetic communal life.

After the death of St. Emmelia, St. Macrina disposed of all her property in favour of the poor, and lived on what she earned by the labour of her hands. St. Basil the Great died in the beginning of 379 AD, and she fell ill nine months later. St. Gregory of Nyssa, making her a visit after eight years absence, found her sick, lying on two boards for her bed. Although she found it difficult to talk, her discussion of the future life was recorded by St. Gregory in On the Soul and the Resurrection. Her poverty was absolute and her preparation was death was complete. She died at the time of Vespers after praying, 'You have made the end of this life the beginning of true life. One day you will take again what you have given, transfiguring with grace and immortality our mortal and unsightly remains. May my soul be received into your hands, spotless and undefiled, as an offering before you'. She was buried amid widespread lamentation.

Source: http://www.orthodoxchristian.info

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