Miracle of the Moose
Encyclopedia
Venerable Macarius' Miracle of the Moose is a miracle
associated with the name of
Venerable Macarius of the Yellow Water Lake and the Unzha
(1349-1444),
a Saint
of the Russian Orthodox Church
. It is thought to have occurred in June 1439 in the
woodlands of what today is Semyonov
District of Nizhny Novgorod Oblast
.
by the Khan Olug Moxammat
of Kazan in 1439, Zheltovodsky (Yellow Lake) Monastery of Holy Trinity
was destroyed. Venerable Macarius , the founder of the monastery, was taken prisoner
along with a few other survivors. After meeting with Macarius, the khan was so
impressed by the nonagenarian abbot
's piety and love of his neighbor,
that he released him and his disciples, on the condition that they leave the Yellow Lake site.
The Yellow Lake (which was located at the fall of the Kerzhenets
into
the Volga) being too perilously close to the invasion route taken by the Kazan Khanate
armies invading Russian principalities and vice versa, the released survivors decided
to relocate a few hundred kilometers to the north, into the fastness of the Galich
forests,
which are located along the Unzha River
in what today is Kostroma Oblast
.
Taking the easy route along the Volga would not be a safe thing to do in this year of war; so
the Saint and his followers choose to travel through the dense woodlands and swamps of the
Kerzhenets
basin — the land which is even today is almost deserted by people.
After a few days of travel, the monks ran out of food. One day they somehow managed
to capture a moose
(some later sources say that the moose had been trapped "at a narrow place", perhaps between trees). The followers of Macarius wanted to slaughter and eat the animal. But as this was
the time of the Fast of the Holy Apostles
, Venerable Macarius prohibited
them to do that. Instead, he told them to cut off the moose's right ear
and to release
the animal. He told them that they only need to wait for three days, until the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul
, and the moose will be theirs. "Don't be aggrieved", said Macarius, " but pray to the Lord. He who fed the people
of Israel in the desert with manna
for 40 years, can also feed you these
days in a manner invisible. Have a strong faith in Him who fed five thousand
people
, not counting women and children, with five loaves and two fish!"
For the next three days of the fast the travelles marched along without fatigue. No one
died of starvation; no one even felt hunger or thought of food.
On the Feast day of Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, Venerable Macarius went away from his
companions and praised the Lord, praying to Him that His people may be fed as had been
the people of Israel in the desert or the five thousand people in the days of Apostles.
When Macarius returned to his brethren, they saw the moose with no right ear approaching
them. And this time, the animal was not wild: it behaved as if it was tame.
After the dinner of bonfire-roasted venison
, the travellers praised the Lord
for His great kindness. Venerable Macarius told his companions not to worry about food
anymore, but rely on God Who will give them food and everything else they need.
The Life of Venerable Macarius does not tell us whether everyone who had left
the Yellow Lake with him reached the Unzha alive. But it is said that God had protected
them from hunger and from wild beasts during their travel, delivering moose, deer, and other game
into their hands.
of the Hymn for the Feast of Venerable Macarius (July 25
Julian calendar
) refers to this miracle when it says of Macarius:
s of Venerable Macarius,
sometimes as the main topic of the icon, sometimes as one of the episodes.
It is also the topic of one of the new fresco
es
in the Refectory
section of the Ascension Cathedral of Pechersky Ascension Monastery
in Nizhny Novgorod
woodlands, where the Miracle of the Moose purportedly happened, became in the late 17th century one of the main areas of refuge for the Old Believers
. According to their legend, the main community of the Kerzhenets Old Believers, known as the Olenevsky Skete
had been originally founded soon after the Miracle of the Moose by some of the monks expelled from Venerable Macarius' Yellow Waters Monastery, at the site where the animal was captured by the Venerable's prayers. The skete's name comes from the Russian (olen), which means "deer", thus commemorating the miracle. It is said that during the Raskol
two hundred years later the Skete's hermits rejected Nikon
's reforms, thus making it the center of attraction for Old Believer refugees from other parts of the country, who then founded numerous other sketes in the area.
Olenevsky Skete was one of the centers of the so-called Beglopopovtsy
("those who accepted the fleeing priests"), the school of Old Believers who thought that, since the Old Believers had no bishops of their own who could ordain priest, it was acceptable for them to accept priests who had been ordained by the established church but later left it for the Old Believier sketes. It is reported that the Skete was mostly destroyed during one of the Old Believer suppression campaigns in 1737, but restored after Catherine II's "amnesty" of 1762. It was known as a women's skete, with 49 nuns reported as living there at the time of its official closre in 1854, pursuant to Nicholas II anti-skete executive order of 1853. A number of nuns in fact continued to live at the site long after the official disbandment.
The former skete is now known as the village of Bolshoye Olenevo, and is located 24 km south-east of the town of Semyonov
(Nizhny Novgorod Oblast
). It remains the site of pilgrimage for the Old Believers of the area.
Miracle
A miracle often denotes an event attributed to divine intervention. Alternatively, it may be an event attributed to a miracle worker, saint, or religious leader. A miracle is sometimes thought of as a perceptible interruption of the laws of nature. Others suggest that a god may work with the laws...
associated with the name of
Venerable Macarius of the Yellow Water Lake and the Unzha
Macarius of Unzha
Venerable Macarius of the Yellow Water Lake and the Unzha, the Miracle Worker is a Saint of Russian Orthodox Church.He is credited with the founding of four monasteries in the Middle and Upper Volga regions of Russia....
(1349-1444),
a Saint
Saint
A saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...
of the Russian Orthodox Church
Russian Orthodox Church
The Russian Orthodox Church or, alternatively, the Moscow Patriarchate The ROC is often said to be the largest of the Eastern Orthodox churches in the world; including all the autocephalous churches under its umbrella, its adherents number over 150 million worldwide—about half of the 300 million...
. It is thought to have occurred in June 1439 in the
woodlands of what today is Semyonov
Semyonov (town)
Semyonov is a town in Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, Russia, famous for being a major center for traditional handcrafts such as Khokhloma wood painting and matryoshkas. Population: -History:...
District of Nizhny Novgorod Oblast
Nizhny Novgorod Oblast
Nizhny Novgorod Oblast is a federal subject of Russia . Its administrative center is the city of Nizhny Novgorod. Population: The oblast is crossed by the Volga River. Apart from Nizhny Novgorod's metropolitan area, the biggest city is Arzamas...
.
The account of the miracle in the Life of Venerable Macarius
During the invasion of RussiaHistory of Russia
The history of Russia begins with that of the Eastern Slavs and the Finno-Ugric peoples. The state of Garðaríki , which was centered in Novgorod and included the entire areas inhabited by Ilmen Slavs, Veps and Votes, was established by the Varangian chieftain Rurik in 862...
by the Khan Olug Moxammat
Olug Moxammat of Kazan
Olugh Mokhammad , ), also known as Ulugh Muhammed and Ulanus, was twice Khan of the Golden Horde and founder of the Kazan Khanate.-Family:...
of Kazan in 1439, Zheltovodsky (Yellow Lake) Monastery of Holy Trinity
Makaryev Monastery
Zheltovodsky Makaryev Convent of the Holy Trinityis one of the convents of Russian Orthodox Church.It is located in the vicinity of the urban-type settlement of Makaryevo in Lyskovsky District of Nizhny Novgorod Oblast....
was destroyed. Venerable Macarius , the founder of the monastery, was taken prisoner
along with a few other survivors. After meeting with Macarius, the khan was so
impressed by the nonagenarian abbot
Abbot
The word abbot, meaning father, is a title given to the head of a monastery in various traditions, including Christianity. The office may also be given as an honorary title to a clergyman who is not actually the head of a monastery...
's piety and love of his neighbor,
that he released him and his disciples, on the condition that they leave the Yellow Lake site.
The Yellow Lake (which was located at the fall of the Kerzhenets
Kerzhenets River
Kerzhenets River is a river in the Nizhny Novgorod Oblast in Russia. It is a left tributary of the Volga, joining the Volga near Lyskovo, about 70 km east of Nizhny Novgorod.-History:...
into
the Volga) being too perilously close to the invasion route taken by the Kazan Khanate
armies invading Russian principalities and vice versa, the released survivors decided
to relocate a few hundred kilometers to the north, into the fastness of the Galich
Galich, Russia
Galich is a town in Kostroma Oblast, Russia, situated on the southern bank of Lake Galichskoye. It is also a minor railroad node of the Trans-Siberian railway. Population: -History:...
forests,
which are located along the Unzha River
Unzha River
Unzha River , a river in the Vologda Oblast and Kostroma Oblast in Russia, a tributary of the Volga River. Its length is 426 km. The area of the basin is 28,900 km². The Unzha River begins at the confluence of the Kema River and the Lundonga River. It flows into the Unzhensky Cove of the Gorkovsky...
in what today is Kostroma Oblast
Kostroma Oblast
Kostroma Oblast is a federal subject of Russia . Its administrative center is the city of Kostroma.Major historic towns include Kostroma, Sharya, Nerekhta, Galich, Soligalich, and Makaryev. Textile industries have been developed there since the early 18th century...
.
Taking the easy route along the Volga would not be a safe thing to do in this year of war; so
the Saint and his followers choose to travel through the dense woodlands and swamps of the
Kerzhenets
Kerzhenets River
Kerzhenets River is a river in the Nizhny Novgorod Oblast in Russia. It is a left tributary of the Volga, joining the Volga near Lyskovo, about 70 km east of Nizhny Novgorod.-History:...
basin — the land which is even today is almost deserted by people.
After a few days of travel, the monks ran out of food. One day they somehow managed
to capture a moose
Moose
The moose or Eurasian elk is the largest extant species in the deer family. Moose are distinguished by the palmate antlers of the males; other members of the family have antlers with a dendritic configuration...
(some later sources say that the moose had been trapped "at a narrow place", perhaps between trees). The followers of Macarius wanted to slaughter and eat the animal. But as this was
the time of the Fast of the Holy Apostles
Apostles' Fast
The Apostles' Fast, also called the Fast of the Holy Apostles, the Fast of Peter and Paul, or sometimes St. Peter's Fast, is a fast observed by Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Christians...
, Venerable Macarius prohibited
them to do that. Instead, he told them to cut off the moose's right ear
Ear
The ear is the organ that detects sound. It not only receives sound, but also aids in balance and body position. The ear is part of the auditory system....
and to release
the animal. He told them that they only need to wait for three days, until the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul
Feast of Saints Peter and Paul
The Feast of Saints Peter and Paul, or the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, is a liturgical feast in honour of the martyrdom in Rome of the apostles Saint Peter and Saint Paul, which is observed on 29 June...
, and the moose will be theirs. "Don't be aggrieved", said Macarius, " but pray to the Lord. He who fed the people
of Israel in the desert with manna
Manna
Manna or Manna wa Salwa , sometimes or archaically spelled mana, is the name of an edible substance that God provided for the Israelites during their travels in the desert according to the Bible.It was said to be sweet to the taste, like honey....
for 40 years, can also feed you these
days in a manner invisible. Have a strong faith in Him who fed five thousand
people
Feeding the multitude
Feeding the multitude is the combined term used to refer to two separate miracles of Jesus in the Gospels.The First Miracle, "The Feeding of the 5,000" is the only miracle which is present in all four canonical Gospels...
, not counting women and children, with five loaves and two fish!"
For the next three days of the fast the travelles marched along without fatigue. No one
died of starvation; no one even felt hunger or thought of food.
On the Feast day of Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, Venerable Macarius went away from his
companions and praised the Lord, praying to Him that His people may be fed as had been
the people of Israel in the desert or the five thousand people in the days of Apostles.
When Macarius returned to his brethren, they saw the moose with no right ear approaching
them. And this time, the animal was not wild: it behaved as if it was tame.
After the dinner of bonfire-roasted venison
Venison
Venison is the meat of a game animal, especially a deer but also other animals such as antelope, wild boar, etc.-Etymology:The word derives from the Latin vēnor...
, the travellers praised the Lord
for His great kindness. Venerable Macarius told his companions not to worry about food
anymore, but rely on God Who will give them food and everything else they need.
The Life of Venerable Macarius does not tell us whether everyone who had left
the Yellow Lake with him reached the Unzha alive. But it is said that God had protected
them from hunger and from wild beasts during their travel, delivering moose, deer, and other game
into their hands.
Liturgy
The KontakionKontakion
Kontakion is a form of hymn performed in the Eastern Orthodox Church. The word derives from the Greek word kontax , meaning pole, specifically the pole around which a scroll is wound. The term describes the way in which the words on a scroll unfurl as it is read...
of the Hymn for the Feast of Venerable Macarius (July 25
July 25 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
July 24 - Eastern Orthodox Church calendar - July 26-Fixed commemorations:All fixed commemorations below are observed on August 7 by Old Calendarists-Saints:*Repose of righteous Anna, mother of the Most Holy Theotokos...
Julian calendar
Julian calendar
The Julian calendar began in 45 BC as a reform of the Roman calendar by Julius Caesar. It was chosen after consultation with the astronomer Sosigenes of Alexandria and was probably designed to approximate the tropical year .The Julian calendar has a regular year of 365 days divided into 12 months...
) refers to this miracle when it says of Macarius:
- "You were revealed as the second Moses
MosesMoses was, according to the Hebrew Bible and Qur'an, a religious leader, lawgiver and prophet, to whom the authorship of the Torah is traditionally attributed...
, O Venerable One.- For he divided the sea with a staff,
- You have conquered the passions like Amalek
AmalekThe Amalekites are a people mentioned a number of times in the Hebrew Bible. They are considered to be descended from an ancestor Amalek....
,- And you passed through the impassable wilderness with an unwavering mind,
- And in it you performed great wonders through your prayers.
- You abundantly fed the hungry people."
Iconography
The Miracle of the Moose appears on some of the iconIcon
An icon is a religious work of art, most commonly a painting, from Eastern Christianity and in certain Eastern Catholic churches...
s of Venerable Macarius,
sometimes as the main topic of the icon, sometimes as one of the episodes.
It is also the topic of one of the new fresco
Fresco
Fresco is any of several related mural painting types, executed on plaster on walls or ceilings. The word fresco comes from the Greek word affresca which derives from the Latin word for "fresh". Frescoes first developed in the ancient world and continued to be popular through the Renaissance...
es
in the Refectory
Refectory
A refectory is a dining room, especially in monasteries, boarding schools and academic institutions. One of the places the term is most often used today is in graduate seminaries...
section of the Ascension Cathedral of Pechersky Ascension Monastery
Pechersky Ascension Monastery
Pechersky Ascension Monastery is a monastery in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia. It is the principal monastery of the Nizny Novgorod Eparchy and the seat of the Bishop of Nizhny Novgorod and Arzamas.- History :...
in Nizhny Novgorod
Nizhny Novgorod
Nizhny Novgorod , colloquially shortened to Nizhny, is, with the population of 1,250,615, the fifth largest city in Russia, ranking after Moscow, St. Petersburg, Novosibirsk, and Yekaterinburg...
Olenevsky Skete
The Kerzhenets RiverKerzhenets River
Kerzhenets River is a river in the Nizhny Novgorod Oblast in Russia. It is a left tributary of the Volga, joining the Volga near Lyskovo, about 70 km east of Nizhny Novgorod.-History:...
woodlands, where the Miracle of the Moose purportedly happened, became in the late 17th century one of the main areas of refuge for the Old Believers
Old Believers
In the context of Russian Orthodox church history, the Old Believers separated after 1666 from the official Russian Orthodox Church as a protest against church reforms introduced by Patriarch Nikon between 1652–66...
. According to their legend, the main community of the Kerzhenets Old Believers, known as the Olenevsky Skete
Skete
A Skete is a monastic style community that allows relative isolation for monks, but alsoallows for communal services and the safety of shared resources and protection...
had been originally founded soon after the Miracle of the Moose by some of the monks expelled from Venerable Macarius' Yellow Waters Monastery, at the site where the animal was captured by the Venerable's prayers. The skete's name comes from the Russian (olen), which means "deer", thus commemorating the miracle. It is said that during the Raskol
Raskol
Raskol |schism]]') was the event of splitting of the Russian Orthodox Church into an official church and the Old Believers movement in mid-17th century, triggered by the reforms of Patriarch Nikon in 1653, aiming to establish uniformity between the Greek and Russian church practices.-The Raskol:...
two hundred years later the Skete's hermits rejected Nikon
Patriarch Nikon
Nikon , born Nikita Minin , was the seventh patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church...
's reforms, thus making it the center of attraction for Old Believer refugees from other parts of the country, who then founded numerous other sketes in the area.
Olenevsky Skete was one of the centers of the so-called Beglopopovtsy
Beglopopovtsy
Beglopopovtsy was one of the denominations among the Popovtsy, who belonged to the Old Believers....
("those who accepted the fleeing priests"), the school of Old Believers who thought that, since the Old Believers had no bishops of their own who could ordain priest, it was acceptable for them to accept priests who had been ordained by the established church but later left it for the Old Believier sketes. It is reported that the Skete was mostly destroyed during one of the Old Believer suppression campaigns in 1737, but restored after Catherine II's "amnesty" of 1762. It was known as a women's skete, with 49 nuns reported as living there at the time of its official closre in 1854, pursuant to Nicholas II anti-skete executive order of 1853. A number of nuns in fact continued to live at the site long after the official disbandment.
The former skete is now known as the village of Bolshoye Olenevo, and is located 24 km south-east of the town of Semyonov
Semyonov (town)
Semyonov is a town in Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, Russia, famous for being a major center for traditional handcrafts such as Khokhloma wood painting and matryoshkas. Population: -History:...
(Nizhny Novgorod Oblast
Nizhny Novgorod Oblast
Nizhny Novgorod Oblast is a federal subject of Russia . Its administrative center is the city of Nizhny Novgorod. Population: The oblast is crossed by the Volga River. Apart from Nizhny Novgorod's metropolitan area, the biggest city is Arzamas...
). It remains the site of pilgrimage for the Old Believers of the area.