Markian Kirsky

Markian ( dr. Greek Μαρκιανός ; Latin Marcianus ; 4th century) - Christian ascetic, Syrian hermit, reverend.

Information about the life of Markian is reported by Theodorite of Cyrus in the 3rd chapter of his book “ The History of God-Lovers ”. Marcian was born in the city of Cyrus , in Syria . Marcian was of noble birth; he lived with his noble parents; Theodorite of Cyrus writes that Markian lived in the palace. Marcian had a great and beautiful body. Having left his former residence, Marcian chose a desert for his living, in which he built a small hut, even disproportionate with his body; he surrounded her with a small fence, shut himself in it forever, interrupting all communication with people and having a soul adorned with a bright mind, he transferred all love to God, having desired only the Divine. Having said goodbye to all the former, he chose the very heart. In the hut, Markian spent time in fasting and prayers. The food of Markian was one bread, and moreover he ate it to a certain extent; he divided the pound of bread into four parts, appointed himself for four days, and every day there were still leftovers. He ate once a day in the evening, and never got enough. For fasting, he considered constant hunger. For some time, Markian lived alone, and later he took in his cell and lived with his two disciples, whose names are Eusebius and Agapit. Since Markian’s cell was very close for three, Markian allowed his students to build a cell next to him, in which both of his students lived together.

The disciple of Marcian - Agapit goes to Apamea , in the large and populous village of Nikerti ( dr. Greek Νικέρτη ); in it Agapitus built two monasteries, one of which is named after him, and the other - after the name of the wondrous Simeon, who for fifty years shone with his wisdom. In 440, more than 400 people lived in these monasteries. The disciple of Marcian - Agapit later became a bishop.

Students gather near Marcian and a monastery forms; these monks were governed by Eusebius; he took care of the teacher Marican; and he alone received the right to visit him sometimes. Marcian enjoyed tremendous respect among the bishops. Theodorite of Cyrus describes one incident to him for spiritual good once Flavian, the patriarch of Antioch , came together; Akaki, Bishop of Veroi ; Eusebius, Bishop of Chalcedon; Isidore, Bishop of Cyrus; Theodotus, Bishop of Hieropolis. After a conversation and joint prayer with Markian, the bishops wanted to ordain him to the priest, but did not dare to lay hands on him; everyone offered to do this to each other, but, nevertheless, each refused, and then they left. With the help of his sermons, Marcian turned people away from heresies, such as Apollinism , Arianism , Savelianism , Messalianism . Elder Abraham Marcian was able to convince to celebrate Easter according to the definition of the Council of Nicaea. Many people everywhere arranged tomb chapels for Markian (a place for his burial): in Cyrus - his nephew Alipius, in Chalcedon - a certain noble and rich Zinoviana; and many others did too, trying to attract the ascetic. Upon learning of this, Marcian called on Eusebius and swore an oath that he should put his body in a secret place and that no one but his two closest accomplices knew where he was buried until a significant number of years had passed.

Markian wore eighty pounds of vegi. The disciples imitated him. Agapit wore fifty pounds of vegi. Eusebius wore a veggie weighing one hundred and twenty pounds. After the death of Marcian and Agapit Eusebius, he took their chains and carried them with his own. Marcian raised a pupil of Vasily, who after a long time near the city of Seleucovil ( dr. Greek Σελευκόβηλος ) ( Seleucia ad Belum ) created a monastic monastery. Theodorite describes cases of the expulsion of demons by Marcian.