A former Ethiopian slave who became a brigand leader, Moses converted radically and joined the monks of the Scetis desert. Having become a priest and a model of humility, he triumphed over demonic temptations through rigorous asceticism. He died at 75, leaving behind seventy-five disciples.
Guided reading
5 reading sections
MOSES, SOLITARY IN THE DESERT OF SCETIS, IN EGYPT (400).
Origins and life of brigandage
Born in Ethiopia and initially a slave, Moses became a feared leader of bandits after being driven out by his master.
Moses was born i n Ethiop Éthiopie Principal place of mission and martyrdom of the apostle. ia (modern-day Abyssinia), a vast region of East Africa. Black like the inhabitants of that scorched land, his conscience was even blacker than his body. Initially the slave of a wealthy citizen, he showed only an unfortunate inclination toward every kind of vice: soon his master, weary of being unable to gain anything from his unruly nature, drove him completely from his house. He then became the leader of a band of thieves and committed a thousand acts of brigandage: his crimes spread terror everywhere, along with hatred for his name.
Conversion and monastic life
Touched by grace, he confesses his crimes and joins a monastery where he distinguishes himself through extreme asceticism and great humility.
However, God touched this perverted heart with His grace and made Moses a perfect penitent. The notorious thief of yesterday, his heart now penetrated with compunction and his face bathed in tears, presented himself to the religious of a neighboring monastery and expressed deep regret for his crimes. After making a public confession of his sins to them, he urgently begged them to set him on the path of salvation and to grant him the precious pledge of it by clothing him in the monastic habit. After several days of trials, he was admitted into the community. You would have seen him then appear in a short time as well-formed in religious virtues as if he had practiced them for many long years. Exact in all duties, in fasts, in vigils, in prayers, he performed with joy everything he was commanded for the service of the monastery. He nourished himself only on bread and water, and spent entire nights without sleeping. He excelled in the virtues of humility and compunction, groaning incessantly and shedding torrents of tears.
Eremitic life and spiritual struggles
He retired to the deserts of Scetis and Calamus, victoriously confronting the temptations of the demon.
The deserts of Sceti Scété Egyptian desert famous for its monastic communities. s and C alamus Calame Episcopal see of Possidius in Numidia. were later the happy witnesses of his austerities. The demon waged fierce battles against him, but he overcame them with the help of heaven, and they served only to establish him firmly in the most sublime virtues.
Priesthood and end of life
Ordained a priest by Patriarch Theophilus of Alexandria, he died at the age of seventy-five, leaving behind many disciples.
The admirable progress he had made in religious virtues, joined to the extraordinary gifts with which God had favored him, earned him a rank among the most illustrious Fathers of the solitude. He was raised to the priesthood and made a priest of the solitarie s of Scété Egyptian desert famous for its monastic communities. Sceti s by Theophilus, Patriarch of Alex Théophile, patriarche d'Alexandrie Patriarch of Alexandria who ordained Moses as a priest. andria. It was in the midst of the incessant efforts he made to bring his conduct to the level of his dignity that he died in his desert of Scetis, aged seventy-five years and after having formed seventy-five disciples.
Hagiographic sources
References to the Acta Sanctorum and the writings of Michel-Ange Marin on the Desert Fathers.
Acta Sanctorum Acta Sanctorum Monumental hagiographic collection by the Bollandists. , August 25. — Cf. Les Pères des déserts d'Orient, by Michel-Ange Mari Michel-Ange Marin Author of a work on the Desert Fathers. n.
Annexes & related entities
Structured data for exploration: events, miracles, quotes, places, attributes, patronages, and important entities cited in the text.
Key Events
- Slavery in Ethiopia
- Leader of a band of thieves and brigands
- Conversion and public confession in a monastery
- Admission to the monastic community after trials
- Retreat in the deserts of Scetis and Calame
- Priestly ordination by Patriarch Theophilus of Alexandria
- Died at the age of 75, surrounded by 75 disciples
Miracles
- Sudden conversion of a perverted heart by grace