In a difficult era, Metropolitan Macarius had to live and lead the church. In those days, the Moscow principality was gaining strength and becoming a kingdom, and the Kiev lived out the last days. Officially, Kiev belonged to the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, but in fact was the center of the struggle for power between the Crimean Tatars, Lithuanians, Poles and Muscovites. The result is constant military conflicts and devastation. By the end of the 15th century, Kiev lay in ruins. Many churches were destroyed and looted. There was a lot of pressure from Catholics. Church life is dead.
At this difficult time, in 1495, Metropolitans of Kiev elected Makariy, the rector of the Holy Trinity Monastery, in Vilna. And the Lord placed it in the heart of Macarius to visit Kiev, his cathedral city. They talked him out of the world. The roads were turbulent, Tatar travels plundered and killed everyone indiscriminately, and even more so Orthodox priests. But Makariy considered it necessary to inspire the Orthodox population of Kiev and was going on the road.
On the first day of May 1497, on Sunday, the metropolitan was serving a liturgy in a small rural church when he was told that the Tatars were approaching. Macarius ordered everyone to hide, but he remained in the church and continued the service.
After the Tatars left, the residents and people accompanying the metropolitan found him at the altar, with his head cut off.
Metropolitan Makariy was buried in Kiev, where he so longed, in the Sophia Cathedral. I must say that the cathedral at that time did not work, it was in ruins. But after the Metropolitan’s burial there, passers-by often heard miraculous singing, as if an invisible choir were singing praises to the Lord. There were cases when the candles in the temple lit on their own, and from the tomb came a bright light. People frequented the grave, prayed and lit candles. Through prayer, miracles of healing were performed. In the 17th century, the metropolitan was canonized. Later, the relics of the Hieromartyr were transferred to the Vladimir Cathedral, and their part was transferred to the Church of St. Macarius in Kiev.
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