Venerable Moses the Ethiopian ("St. Moses the Black")

In his youth, St. Moses the Ethiopian was the slave of an important man, but after he committed a murder, his master banished him. Moses joined a band of robbers, and soon became their leader because of his great strength and wickedness. They committed many robberies and murders, and people were afraid at the mere mention of his name.

By the mercy of God Moses was brought to repentance for his evil deeds. He left his band of robbers and went to a desert monastery, where he begged to be admitted as a monk. Initially unconvinced of his sincerity, the brothers finally accepted him. Moses was obedient to the abbot and the brethren, and lived an austere life of prayer, fasting, and tears for his sinful life.

Once four robbers from his former band invaded the cell of St Moses, unaware of who he was. Moses, having lost none of his great strength, tied them up and carried them to the monastery on his shoulder, where he asked the Elders what to do with them. The astonished Elders ordered that they be set free. The robbers, amazed that their former leader was now a monk and had dealt mercifully with them, repented and became monks themselves. When the rest of his former band heard about this, they also gave up brigandry and became fervent monks.

Another time, having heard accounts of his exploits, the governor of the land wanted to see St. Moses. Hearing of this, St Moses decided to hide, but on his way he met servants of the governor, who asked him how to get to Moses' cell. The monk replied: "Go no farther to see this false and unworthy monk." The servants returned to the monastery where the governor was waiting, and reported these words. The brethren were initially indignant, but when they heard the servant's description of the monk's appearance, they told them that they had encountered St. Moses himself.

After many years, St. Moses was ordained a deacon and then a presbyter. He labored for fifteen years in this rank, and gathered around himself 75 disciples. At age 75, Moses foresaw that soon brigands would come and murder all in the skete, and he blessed his disciples to leave. They begged Moses to leave with them, but he replied that the words of Christ must be fulfilled in him, that "All who take up the sword, shall perish by the sword". The brigands killed St Moses and the six monks who stayed behind with him. This occurred in about 400AD.