Macarius, Metropolitan of Moscow facts for kids

Saint Macarius
Modern Icon of Saint Macarius of Moscow
Metropolitan of Moscow
Born	1482
Died	January 12, 1563
Venerated in	Eastern Orthodox Church
Canonized	1988, Moscow by Russian Orthodox Church
Attributes	Vested as a bishop, holding a Gospel Book
Patronage	Moscow

Macarius (Макарий in Russian) was an important Russian church leader, writer, and artist who painted icons. He was born in 1482 and passed away on January 12, 1563. From 1542 to 1563, he served as the Metropolitan of Moscow and all Russia, which means he was the head of the Russian Orthodox Church.

Early Life and Becoming a Monk

Macarius was born near Moscow, the capital city of Russia. His birth name is believed to have been Mikhail. We know his parents' names because he dedicated a very important book, the Great Menaion Reader, to them.

When he was young, Macarius became a monk at the St. Paphnutius Monastery in Borovsk. There, he learned many skills, including how to paint beautiful icons. He also became a strong supporter of Joseph Volotsky and his followers, who were important religious figures at the time.

Rising Through the Church Ranks

In 1523, Macarius was promoted to a higher position. He became an archmandrite (a type of abbot) at a monastery in Mozhaisk. This is where he met Grand Prince Vasili III of Moscow.

Macarius was one of the few church leaders who supported Vasili III's decision to end his first marriage. He also blessed the Grand Prince's second marriage to Elena Glinskaya.

Work as Archbishop of Novgorod

In 1526, Macarius was made the Archbishop of Novgorod. In this role, he worked to strengthen Moscow's influence in the region. He sent missionaries to teach Christianity to the Finno-Ugric peoples living near Lakes Ladoga and Onega.

Macarius and his team completed the first version of their major work, the Great Menaion Reader, in 1541. This huge collection contained the life stories of many Russian saints. It was organized into 12 volumes, one for each month of the year. He also helped start the Stepennaia Kniga (The Book of Degrees of Royal Genealogy). This book traced the family tree of Ivan the Terrible back to a fictional brother of Caesar Augustus. Macarius is also believed to have painted the icons in the small iconostasis (a wall of icons) of the Saint Sophia Cathedral in Novgorod.

Metropolitan of Russia

With the support of powerful Prince Andrey Shuisky, Macarius was chosen as the Metropolitan of Moscow and all Russia on March 16, 1542. During the early years of Ivan the Terrible's rule, when Ivan was still a child, Macarius often disagreed with the Boyar Duma. The Boyar Duma was a council of powerful nobles who helped govern the country. Macarius often spoke up for people who were being treated unfairly.

Because he was so independent, some people tried to remove him from his position. In 1544, Macarius narrowly escaped a fire in the Moscow Kremlin. Three years later, he helped remove Ivan's mother's relatives, the Glinskys, from the government.

Adviser to Ivan the Terrible

Macarius became one of Ivan the Terrible's closest advisers. He organized Ivan's coronation (when he officially became tsar) on January 16, 1547. That same year, he blessed Ivan's marriage to Anastasia Zakharyina-Yuriyeva.

Macarius played an active role in important meetings called zemsky sobors in 1547, 1549, and 1550. He worked to bring peace between different groups of nobles who were often fighting.

Church Councils and Saints

During a church meeting in 1542, Macarius helped to remove Isaac Sobaka, an associate of Maximus the Greek, from the church. Interestingly, Macarius later wrote to Maximus the Greek and included some of his writings in the Great Menaion Reader.

Macarius also led several church councils, which are sometimes called "Macarius's synods." During these meetings, he helped to officially recognize 39 new Russian saints. In 1551, Macarius and the tsar held a very important council known as the Stoglavi Sobor. He also blessed the Russian army before they went to fight in Kazan in 1552.

When Ivan the Terrible left Moscow for his Kazan campaign in 1559, he left Macarius in charge of the city. This made Macarius the temporary head of state. In 1552 and 1554, Macarius finished the second and third versions of the Grand Menaion.

During church councils from 1553 to 1555, Macarius supported accusations of heresy against certain individuals. However, he defended Silvester, a monk who had been accused of painting icons in an unusual way in the Cathedral of the Annunciation, Moscow.

Diplomacy and Art

When the tsar was away from Moscow, Macarius handled diplomatic talks. He also sent messengers abroad with important documents. He helped with the painting of the St. Basil's Cathedral and the Kremlin's Golden Chamber. Macarius also took part in creating official historical records of Ivan the Terrible's rule. These included the Chronicle of the Beginning of Tsardom and the Regal Book, which was an illustrated manuscript about Ivan's reign.

Later Years and Legacy

In his older years, Macarius became less involved in state affairs. He oversaw the creation of the Stepennaya kniga (Book of Generations). He also supported Ivan Fyodorov, who was one of Russia's first printers. Macarius also worked on restoring old icons.

Metropolitan Macarius died on January 12, 1563. He was buried in the Cathedral of the Dormition in the Moscow Kremlin. After his death, stories were written about his life and his final days.

Macarius was officially recognized as a saint by the Russian Orthodox Church in 1988. However, he had been listed as a saint in some records since the 18th century. Today, an icon of Macarius hangs in a special place at the entrance to the Russian State Archive of Ancient Documents in Moscow.

See also

In Spanish: Macario de Moscú para niños