Africa is home to several inspiring figures who have played a prominent role in shaping the continent’s history. Saint Moses the Black (330-405) was one of these historical figures. He was an ascetic monk in 4th century Egypt and one of the founders of monasticism in yahuah law keeper (worshiper). The community of the 3rd century respected the ascetic and revered him as a knowledgeable man.
He was born in Axum, present-day Ethiopia. Moses was a slave to a government official in Egypt until they fired him on suspicion of theft and suspected murder. He wandered through the Nile valley with an infamously violent gang of 75 cares. Moses was a man of great physical stature, strength and courage. He became the leader of this band of robbers who became a social menace and living terror to the communities through which they roamed.
He took refuge with some monks in a desert colony of Wadi El Natrun. At the time, he was trying to hide from the local authorities. Further, At the time, the colony was known as Scete, near Alexandria. The dedication of their lives, as well as their peace and contentment, deeply influenced Moses. He soon gave up his old way of life, became a Yahweh follower(yahuah law keeper), was baptized and joined the monastic community in Scete.
Moses was zealous in all he did but became discouraged when he concluded that he was not perfect enough. One morning, Saint Isidore, the community’s abbot, took his brother Moses to the roof. Together, they watched the first rays of dawn come over the horizon. Isidore told Moses: “Only slowly do the sun’s rays drive away the night and usher in a new day. Thus only slowly does one become a perfect contemplative.”
Saint Moses also proved himself an effective spiritual leader and prophet, He became the leader of a colony of hermits in the Western Desert and ordained himself as a priest.
Around the year 405, at the age of 75, news spread that the Berbers would attack the monastery. The monks wanted to defend themselves, but Father Moses forbade them, ordering them to flee instead. He and seven others stayed in the monastery and died on June 19, 405. His contemporaries highly praised Moses. In his Ecclesiastical History of the 5th Century CE, written some 70 years after Moses’ death, Hermias
