He was born in 295 in Alexandria. Until the age of forty, he engaged in trade, then accepted Holy Baptism and withdrew into the desert. Later, he was ordained a presbyter and appointed the head of the monastery "Kellia" in the Egyptian desert. He was a friend of St. Macarius of Egypt and, together with him, was exiled from his homeland.
Once, while crossing the Nile, they met two tribunes who praised their humble life. St. Macarius of Alexandria replied that they indeed despise the world, but the world laughs at them. One of the tribunes, hearing this, renounced his wealth and chose the life of a hermit.
St. Macarius, increasing his ascetic practices, ate neither bread nor porridge, except for hard millet or seeds soaked in water, and lived this way for seven years. Then, for three years, he ate a small piece of bread and drank water. He also struggled against sleep but acknowledged that human nature requires rest.
When he was tempted by the demon of lust, he sat naked in the marshes for six months, exposing himself to mosquito bites. Upon returning to his cell, his disciples did not immediately recognize him by his voice.
Concealing himself under worldly clothing, he did not taste bread or water throughout the Holy Forty Days, except for a small amount of dry cabbage leaves on Sundays, to avoid falling into the sin of pride. At night, he worked and prayed incessantly, not speaking with others.
St. Macarius acquired the gift of wonderworking and discernment, seeing how demons mocked some monks during church singing. He also recounted how one of the ascetics, St. Mark, received Holy Communion from the hands of Angels, while the negligent brothers received instead burning coals instead of the Body of Christ.
The saint became renowned for numerous miracles of healing the sick and those possessed by demons. After many labors and struggles, he departed to the Lord around 394–395, having lived for one hundred years. St. Macarius was also a church writer; his pen produced "The Word on the Departure of the Soul" and a monastic rule in 30 chapters.
