Saint Moses was known as Father Moses the Strong, Abba Moses the Robber, The Ethiopian, The Desert Father and Moses the Black.
Born: 332 AD in Ethiopia
Died: 405 AD in Egypt
Feast Day: July 1st and August 28th
Saint Moses the Strong was an apostle of non-violence. His relics and major shrine are found today at the Church of the Virgin Mary in Parameos Monastery. A Coptic Orthodox Monastery located in Wadi El Natrun in Egypt.
He was one of the early monks in the period of desert Christians.
Before beginning, I would like to thank Joel and Melvin for introducing Saint Moses to Rev. Fr. Moses and myself in 2021.
The body of St Moses the Black, Baramous Monastery, Scetis, Egypt.
Scetis, Egypt (The well where he was attacked by demons)
Newberry Springs, California
Scetis, Egypt
Saint Moses was born around 330 AD in Egypt. He was a dark-skinned Ethiopian. During his years as a youth he was a slave of a high-ranking Egyptian government official, until he was dismissed for theft and murder. He then joined a band of thieves who attacked, robbed and murdered travelers along the Nile River in the Egyptian desert. Eventually this group chose Moses as their leader because of his physical strength and readiness to sin.
He became the strongest leader of a gang of 70 robbers. Everyone in Egypt feared him.
It has been said a barking sheep dog prevented Moses from executing a planned robbery, so he swore vengeance on the owner. He saw the victims hut from opposite side of the Nile, placing his weapons between his teeth he swam the river. The owner heard him approaching a quickly hid to escape harm. Moses did not find the shepherd, so he took four rams from the flock and towed them back across the river. He sold the skins for wine and feasted on the meat.
The specific circumstances regarding Saint Moses conversion are not know. Some say while escaping local authorities he his in a monastery in the desert near Alexandria, where he witnessed the lives of monks. Others say he used to address the sun saying, “If you are God let me know and You the God who I know not, lead me to You,” bringing him to a local monastery.
This is where his conversion story begins…
When entering the monastery Saint Moses went through a series of tests, the Bishop told the clergy to insult and ridicule him as an unworthy Ethiopian, and to drive him out of the altar. The humble monk accepted the years of tests before the Monks believed he was sincere therefore accepted him as one of their own. He wept tears of repentance for his sinful life, and became very obedient to the Abba Isidore, his spiritual father and confessor. During his years of monastic service, Moses withdrew to a solitary cell, where he prayed, fasted and continued to struggle against the passions of the violent attacks of demons. Abba Isidore taught him how to pray all night and how to defeat the demons who were constantly attacking him. His long struggle with the passions and demons was necessary in order to become completely cleansed of his former sins. His Abba assured Moses that the angels would prevail. The conversion of Moses was not over night; he had a difficult time adjusting to regular monastic discipline. Once, while living in a small cell, he was attacked by four robbers. Having lost none of his great physical strength, Moses tied them up and threw them over his shoulder and brought them to the monastery where the elders said to release them. After learning that this was their former ringleader, they converted and became monks under the influence of Moses. When the rest of the band of thieves learned what happened, they too abandoned their life of sin and became devout Monks under Moses.
During his years of service he became discouraged when he felt he was not becoming a perfect monk advanced in all the degrees of spiritual perfection. Early one morning before dawn, St. Isadore took Brother Moses to the roof and together they watched the first rays of the dawn come over the horizon. They stayed there until the new day had begun. Then Isidore said, “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.”
In a documented instance one of the brothers committed a fault. The council met to begin judgment, however Saint Moses refused to attend. A member came to him to let him know the others were waiting. Saint Moses went to the meeting, he took a basket of sand with a hole in it and carried it on his shoulder, when he arrived, the others came out to meet him asking, “what is this?” Saint Moses replied, “my sins run out behind me and I do not see them, but today I am coming to judge the errors of another.” Hearing that, the council did not continue and everyone left.
In another documented instance, a certain wealthy, high-ranking official came to Sketis with a large caravan. He bestowed gifts upon the monks and inquired where he might locate the elder Moses. When the official arrived Saint Moses went out to meet him in disguise of a traveler. The official asked him if he knew the whereabouts of Moses. Saint Moses replied “what do you want with that troublemaker” Stay away from him. He will do you no good.” The official was shocked, he told the monks of his conversation. They could not believe that anyone would speak so about Saint Moses. When asked to describe the man, the official said he was a tall dark skinned man with white hair and worn out clothing. The monks informed the official that man was Moses himself. This was one of the instances that showed how Saint Moses wished to avoid the praises and recognition by men.
When the day came, Archbishop Theophilus of Alexandria ordained Moses as a priest and put the white priestly garment over his shoulders and said, “Now Father Moses, the black man is made white.” Abba Moses replied, “Only outside. God knows that inwardly I am still dark.”
While intensifying his spiritual effects, Moses started carrying water every night from the well (picture is shown above) to each of the brothers, especially for the elders who lived far from the well and for whom it was difficult to carry water. Once, while leaning over the well, the demons took revenge for Moses’ victory over them and delivered such a severe blow to Moses’ back that he fell unconscious and for an entire year he lay crippled in his cell. After this, he was healed and was freed from his passions and received from the Lord power over demons. About 75 disciples gathered around him because he was granted by the Lord the gifts of wisdom, foresight and power over demons.
Towards the end of his time he warned his monks that soon a gang would attack their small monastery and murder everyone. The brothers wished to defend themselves, but Moses forbid their wishes and begged them to leave. The Monks decided to stay with Moses, he told them he believed the time had come for the Lords words to be fulfilled; “All who take up the sword shall perish by the sword” (Matthew 26:25). Seven monks stayed with their Abba, one of whom hid when attacked and lived to tell how the robbers killed St. Moses and the other six monks.
A modern interpretation honors St. Moses the Strong as an apostle of nonviolence.
I have read about many saints, and to this day Saint Moses is the only saint I have come across that had very few words written about him. He wanted to remain unseen and humble. He believed in cleansing his own sins before judging others sins. He believed no matter how much he fasted and prayed he was not good enough to purify himself and be cleansed of his sins. He is and always will be our homes Patron Saint. What a blessing for Joel to have met Saint Moses in the Desert two years ago ♰.