St. Moses the Abbyssinian +395

St. Moses the Abbyssinian +395

June 18th is the commemoration of the dukhrono of St. Moses the Abbyssinian +405 according to the Liturgical Calendar of the Syriac Orthodox Church. Mor Mushe Kushoyo (Musa al-Habashi) or as he is known in the Coptic Church, abba Moses the Strong, was an ethnic Ethiopian who lived in Egypt. He was physically a towering figure. Once a slave of an Egyptian official, after committing murder he was thrown out. Moses later joined a band of robbers, becoming their leader due to his sheer physicality & frightening demeanor. He is known to have taken revenge on individuals for minor things such as disturbing his sleep, going as far as swimming across the Nile River to slaughter the herd of someone's who's dog spoiled one of their robbery plans. He lived a dreadfully sinful life. On the run from authorities, he took shelter amongst monks in the desert of Wadi El Natrun, where he was was so influenced by them that he sought to relinquish his evil past. By the great mercy of God, Moses repented & decided to live a solitary life of prayer & strict fasting. However, he still wrestled with his passions on a daily basis. He sought the advice of the elderly monk abba Isidore, who told him to fast regularly & to remain hungry so as to never give in to any form of profligacy. For six years St. Moses kept to himself in a solitary cell, every night after praying going to fill the water jugs of the sleeping monks around him, then returning to prayer, so as to keep his mind occupied from evil thoughts. Once a band of thieves attacked him in his cell, he tied them up & carried them on his shoulders to the Church saying it was unchristian to harm them, they repented & joined a monastery. The bishop wanted to test Moses, so after ordaining him a deacon he declared, "look now abba Moses is fully white!" later recanting & abusing Moses as an unworthy Ethiopian not fit for the Altar. Moses replied, "only outwardly am I white with these vestments, God knows I'm still dark within" & he left the Altar without succumbing to anger. Upon seeing this humility & piousness the bishop ordained him a priest. When he was 75, Moses learnt that the Monastery would be attacked by Berbers, & he told his fellow monks to leave, they asked him to escape as well but he replied, “For many years now, I have awaited the time when the words of my Master, the Lord Jesus Christ, should be fulfilled: ‘All who take up the sword, shall perish by the sword." The bandits came & killed all the remaining monks. Thus, St. Moses the Abbyssinian attained the crown of martyrdom. He was entombed in the Paromeos (Baramos) Monastery. There is a Syriac monastery called Dayro d-Mor Mushe Kushoyo dedicated in his honour in Syria, it is now administered by the Syrian Catholics. Oh Mor Mushe Kushoyo! Plead for us before God's throne of grace. Amen. Biography courtesy of, 'Martyrs, Saints and Prelates of the Syriac Orthodox Church'