Edina Hall
Siblings in Christ,
Today we celebrate the life of Saint Macrina the Younger (327-379).
She is often described as a “mother of the church,” but as I read more about her, I would describe her as the “first born daughter”—a different but equally meaningful and powerful role in the church.
Macrina was born into a large family that promoted intellectual and spiritual growth. John Henry Newman’s description of the family as “a nursery for bishops and saints” seems pretty accurate with a grandmother who was sainted (Macrina the Elder), parents who were saints (Basil the Elder and Emmelia of Caesarea) and five of the ten children becoming saints: Macrina the Younger, Basil the Great, Naucratius, Gregory of Nyssa and Peter of Sebeaste.
Macrina, the eldest child, was betrothed at twelve, but when her fiancé died, she rejected further marriage proposals and chose to dedicate her life to God. Upon her father’s death, she became devoted to and supportive of her mother by helping to manage the household and raise her younger siblings.
It was at this time that she and her mother converted the family estate into a monastery emphasizing communal living, sharing of resources and rigorous ascetic discipline.
She became a scholar, spiritual director, head of the family, and theologian—all without leaving her home.
Sadly, we do not have any original writings from her and need to look at the writings of her brother, Gregory, to understand her devotion and influence.
He penned The Life of Macrina and, at her deathbed their influential discussion of the nature of the soul and the resurrection—found here: On the Soul and the Resurrection.
Macrina the Younger is the patron saint of widows, but we see her eldest-sister influence echoed in the spiritual lives of her brothers.
She was a profound influence in the conversion of Peter who helped her manage the monastery. She re-centered Basil the Great to the study of divine wisdom upon his return from his studies abroad. It can be seen in her conversation with Gregory who made significant contributions to the Nicene Creed.
So, how can we honor the life Macrina the Younger as the “eldest daughter” of the church?
Read about her.
Find an eldest daughter and thank them for what they do.
And give them (or you, if you are one), the day off.
—Edina
