Hebrews
13:77 Remember them which have
the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith
follow, considering the end of their conversation
1-Who's Saint Karas the Anchorite ; Saint Karas the Anchorite, also known as Anbba Karas (الأنبا كاراس), was a saint of the Coptic Orthodox Church who lived during the late fifth and early sixth centuries.[1] Anbba Karas used to be a monk. According to his biographer, the Coptic monk Saint Pambo, he spent 57 years in isolation in the Scetis Desert in communion with God who visited him every day in his cave. After his death,God closed the cave on his body as the world doesn't deserve his footstep. The location of his cave is unknown. The vita of Saint Karas, told was written by the Egyptian monk, Saint Pambo (AKA St.Pemwah, Anbba Bemwah); it was translated from the Syrian Monastery (Dar es-Surian) manuscripts by Nashed and Archdeacon Aziz Nashed.
Did not mention anything about the life of Saint Karas the Anchorite or how life began unity and asceticism, but said that he was the
brother of King Theadhusius.
It has been shown to us that his departure was the year 451
AD. In the eighth month of Aviv, the second day of the departure of St. Shenouda the Archimandrite as mentioned in
Synaxarium. 3-The text of the manuscript : In the vita St. Bemwah wrote, "I'll let you know my brethren what happened one day. I heard a voice calling me three times. When I paid attention I realized the voice was a heavenly call, as I looked up and said, Speak, O Lord, for your servant is listening." The voice commanded me "get up Bemwah and hurry to the wilderness where you will meet Anbba Karas, so that you may take his blessing, as he is so precious to Me more than anyone else as He worked very hard to serve Me, and I will be with you". I left my church and walked alone into the wilderness with great happiness. I didn't know where to go, but I knew for sure that God, who ordered me, would get me there. After several days of walking, and after I met three other anchorites,
I finally reached my destination, I arrived at a cave. When I announced my arrival. a voice came from inside saying, "It is good that you came today Anbba Bemwah, God's saint, the one who was worthy to shroud the holy body of St. Hillaria the daughter of the great King Zenon".
Then he opened the door for me and I entered. We greeted each other with a holy kiss and then we sat talking together about God's glories and greatness. I asked him, My blessed father, is there any other saint who resembles you in this mountain? He looked at my face and sighed, then he said to me, My beloved father, there is in the inner wilderness a blessed Saint, and the world is not worthy of one of his footsteps. And he is... Anba Karras. Right then I got up and asked him, So who are you? I entered the cave and was staring at this person for a long while, as he was venerable and full of awe. His face was a very lighted; he had a long beard with only a few black strands and was wearing a poor dress. He was thin, with soft voice and had a walking staff. He answered me, My name is Simaan ElKallaa. For sixty years, and up until today, I have not seen a human face. Every Saturday, I eat one piece of bread, which I find out on the stone, the one that you saw outside the cave. After taking his blessing, I walked into the wilderness for three more days, all the while praying and praising until I reached another cave. I knocked on the door and said, Your blessings on me blessed father. He answered me, It is good that you came to us, oh you Saint of God, Anba Bimwa. The one who was worthy to shroud the holy body of St. Hillaria the daughter of King Zenon. Enter with peace. I entered and we sat talking, I asked him, I understood that there was another saintly blessed father who is like you. He paused and sighed saying, Woe to me, I'll let you know my father that in this wilderness there is a great saint whose prayer can even stop the heavenly anger. Truly he is a partner of the angels. I asked him, What is your name holy father? He answered, Abbamoud ElKallaa, and I have been in this wilderness for 99 years. I live off of those palm trees, the kind that have dates, and I thank the Lord Jesus. After he blessed me and I left with joy and peace. I walked for a while, and then I could not walk because I could not see my way. After a while I opened my eyes and found myself walking in front of a cave inside a rock on the mountain. I walked toward the door and I knocked and said, Aghabi. Right then a voice from inside spoke to me saying, It is good that you came today Anba Bimwa God's saint, the one who was worthy to shroud the holy body of St. Hillaria the daughter of the great King Zenon. I entered the cave and was staring at this person for a long while, as he was venerable and full of awe. His face was a very lighted; he had a long beard with only a few black strands and was wearing a poor dress. He was thin, with soft voice and had a walking staff. He said, "You came to me today and brought death with you, and I have been waiting for you for a long time my beloved one". When I asked him about his name and how long he had been in this wilderness?, he said, "my name is Karas, I haven't seen no one for 57 years, and I have been waiting for you anxiously and happily".
At the end of my first day Anbba Karas, became sick with a high fever and On the following day while he was lying down unable to move. A great light, brighter than the sunlight, was shining upon the cave entrance. A lighted figure wearing white cloth as bright as the sun entered holding a shiny cross on his right hand.
I was sitting by 'Anbba Karas' feet and was very scared. This person stepped forward toward Anbba Karas and touched his face with the cross. He spoke with Anbba Karas for a while, then blessed him and left. When I inquired about this glorified person?, he said, this is our Lord and master Jesus Christ, He comes to me everyday, talks to me, blesses me, and then He leaves. I then asked him if I can get blessed from my lord Jesus Christ as well..?. He said, "Before you leave this place, you will see the Lord Jesus in His glory and He will bless you and talk to you as well" . When we reached the seventh day of the month of Abeeb, I found Anba Karras raising his eyes that were full of tears up to heaven. He sighed deeply and said to me, There is a great pillar that fell in Upper Egypt and the earth lost a blessed Saint. The world was not worthy of one of his footsteps. He is Saint Anba Shenouda the Archimandrite. I saw his soul going up to heaven surrounded by angels' hymns and I heard crying and mourning rising from all of Upper Egypt's earth. The monks gathered around his holy body taking a blessing from him and his body was luminous. When I heard that, I memorized the date and kept it in mind; it was on the 7th of Abeeb that Anba Shenouda passed away.
On the 8th day of Epip, Anbba Karas health was deteriorating by the mid-day, a great light appeared and filled the cave. The Savior of the universe entered, preceded by the Archangels Michael and Gabriel, and many other angels with six wings seraphim accompanied by prayers, hymns and great smell of incense from everywhere. I was sitting by Anbba Karas feet while our Lord Jesus Christ in all His glory was at Anbba Karas's head, who held our Savior's right hand. Anbba Karas, asked Jesus Christ if He can bless me because he came from very far, for this day?. The Lord looked at me and said, "May My peace be with you Bemwah, what you saw and heard today, will be written in the books and preached by you.
God promises to Saint Karas the Anchorite : But for you, My beloved Karas, every human that knows your vita and mentions your name on earth, will have My peace on them and I will count them with the martyrs and the saints. Everyone that offer wine, bread, incense, oil or candles in your name, I will reward them twofold in the Kingdom of Heaven. Anyone who feeds the hungry or gives drink to the thirsty, or clothes to the needy or welcomes a stranger on your name, I will reward them double in My kingdom. And who writes your vita I will write their name in the Book of Life. Anyone who shows mercy on your anniversary, I will give them what no eye had ever seen and, what no ear had ever heard and what any heart ever felt. Now, my beloved Karas, I want you to ask Me for something that I can do for you before your departure.
Upon his request, David the Prophet came holding his harp in his hand and he was singing the psalm "This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 117:24. Anbba Karas then asked if he can do the ten cords together with the tune and melody. David moved his harp and start singing, "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints. Psalm 16:15". Anbba Karas soul departed from his blessed body to the bosom of our Good Savior, who took it and presented it to the Michael (archangel).
Then, I Bimwa, kissed the flesh of St. Anba Karras and buried him. The Glorious Lord pointed to me to leave the cave, which I did. Then the Lord Jesus Christ, surrounded by His angels, left in front of the soul, among songs and hymns. We left the body in the cave, and then the Glorious Lord put His hand on the cave and it became as if it had never had a door that could be opened.
All of them lifted up to heaven in happiness. I stayed standing alone in that place until that beautiful view vanished from my sight. Then I closed my eyes to contemplate the bright light and the beautiful view. When I opened my eyes, I found myself in front of the cave of Anba Abbamoud ElKallaa. I stayed three days and then I left him and I went to Anba Samaan ElKallaa. I stayed with him three days and then I left and returned to Shiheet Mountain, where my church is. There I met all the brethren and told them the life story of St. Anba Karras, the Great Anchorite, and his sayings about Anba Shenouda the Archimandrites departure. After five days, we got a message from Upper Egypt saying that St. Anba Shenouda the Archimandrite passed away on the same day that Anba Karras had seen. May the blessings of St. Mary the Mother of Light and St. Anba Shenouda the Archimandrite and Anba Karras the Anchorite be with us, all. x
In the vita St. Bemwah wrote, "I'll let you know my brethren what happened one day. I heard a voice calling me three times. When I paid attention I realized the voice was a heavenly call, as I looked up and said, Speak, O Lord, for your servant is listening."