Madeha

O flock of Christ
Let us gather and glorify
The beloved-one of God
St. Karas the Anchorite

His story is wonderful
Blessed and sweet indeed
And this is how it goes
St. Karas the Anchorite

There was a holy father
Who lived on Mount Nitria
His name was Abba Bemwa
St. Karas the Anchorite

One day he heard a voice
Saying to him “O Bemwa
O Bemwa, O Bemwa”
St. Karas the Anchorite

He looked up to heaven
And he said “O Lord speak
For Your servant is listening”
St. Karas the Anchorite

“Rise quickly, O Bemwa
And go to the inner desert
And there you'll find My beloved”
St. Karas the Anchorite

“He is honored and blessed
Among all the people
Because he struggles without rest”
St. Karas the Anchorite

“Quickly go, I give you My peace”
So Bemwa walked with faith
In the desert alone
To St. Karas the Anchorite

He walked in the Spirit
On the way, he was praying
And praising joyfully
St. Karas the Anchorite

He recited the Psalms
Knew God would lead him
To the one whom he was sent
St. Karas the Anchorite

He walked for three whole days
And arrived at nothing
But continued to walk with faith
St. Karas the Anchorite

On the fourth day, he found a cave
That had a stone door; so, he knocked
And said “Agabi”
St. Karas the Anchorite

Then he heard a voice
Saying “It is good for you
To be here today, Bemwa”
St. Karas the Anchorite

O Bemwa the priest
Of the church on Mount Shiheet
You are worthy
St. Karas the Anchorite

You were worthy to bury
The body of St. Helaria
Daughter of King Zeno
The blessed St. Karas the Anchorite

So, the door opened
And a hermit embraced him
Then Abba Bemwa asked him
St. Karas the Anchorite

“Is there anyone
Like you, O my father,
Living on this mountain”
St. Karas the Anchorite

“The saint looked at him
And began to weep
And said “O my father”
St. Karas the Anchorite

“There is a great saint in the desert
Whom the earth is unworthy
To have his footsteps”
St. Karas the Anchorite

So, Abba Bemwa asked him
“What is his name”
So, the hermit said
“St. Karas the Anchorite”

Abba Bemwa stood up
And said “Who then are
How do you live, what do you eat?”
St. Karas the Anchorite

“I am Simon El Kalaa
And you are the first man
That I’ve seen in sixty years”
St. Karas the Anchorite

“I eat one loaf of bread
Which the Lord provides
For me every week”
St. Karas the Anchorite

So, Abba Bemwa
Received his blessing
And continued on his way
St. Karas the Anchorite

He praised God in His saints
Rejoiced in the Spirit and walked
Three days and three nights
For to St. Karas the Anchorite

He came to a cave
That had a stone door
So, he knocked and said “Agabi”
St. Karas the Anchorite

So, the saint inside the cave
Said “Blessed is your coming
To me today, Bemwa”
St. Karas the Anchorite

O who was worthy to bury
The body of St. Helaria
Daughter of King Zeno; come in
St. Karas the Anchorite

They embraced one another
Prayed and then sat down
Conversing about God
St. Karas the Anchorite

When Abba Bemwa asked him
If he was St. Karas
He said “I am poor; I don't compare”
To St. Karas the Anchorite

“The prayers of St. Karas
Lifts the wrath of God
The friend of the angels”
Is St. Karas the Anchorite

“My name is Bamoun
And I have been here
For seventy-nine years”
St. Karas the Anchorite

“God provides me with food
From the fruit of the palm tree
I eat and thank our Lord”
St. Karas the Anchorite

So, Abba Bemwa
Receive his blessing
And continued on his way
St. Karas the Anchorite

While he was walking
He heard a powerful voice
And he was lifted up high
St. Karas the Anchorite

For some time, he could not see
Then he found himself before a cave
That had a stone door
St. Karas the Anchorite

So, he knocked and said “Agabi
Bless me, my holy father”
Then he heard the tender voice
Of St. Karas the Anchorite

“O who was worthy to bury
The body of St. Helaria
The daughter King Zeno”
St. Karas the Anchorite

“Blessed is your coming today
To me O saint of Christ.
Peace be with you, please enter”
St. Karas the Anchorite

When he entered the cave
He saw a man, full of light
His beard, long and white
St. Karas the Anchorite

His eyes were compassionate
He was meek and simple
He was filled with the grace of Christ
St. Karas the Anchorite

Abba Bemwa asked him
For his name and he replied
“I am the sinner Karas”
St. Karas the Anchorite

“For fifty-seven years I’ve been here
You came and brought death
Many years have I been waiting”
St. Karas the Anchorite

In the evening, he was weak
With the disease of death
He had a fever and was in deep pain
St. Karas the Anchorite

In the morning, the divine light
Shown more dazzling than the sun
When the Lord appeared
To St. Karas the Anchorite

Abba Bemwa was amazed
And asked, “Who was this?”
“It was our Lord Jesus”
Said St. Karas the Anchorite

“He comes to me daily
With love and comfort
Power and majesty”
St. Karas the Anchorite

St. Karas promised the Saint
That the Lord will bless him
And they patiently waited
St. Karas the Anchorite

On the seventh of Abib
Our saint began to weep
He was troubled at what he saw
St. Karas the Anchorite

He told Abba Bemwa
That the world was at a loss
For St. Shenouda has reposed
St. Karas the Anchorite

St. Bemwa recorded
All that he saw and heard
For this reason, our Lord sent him
To St. Karas the Anchorite

On the eighth day of Abib
Our Lord appeared again
With the heavenly hosts with Him
St. Karas the Anchorite

Our Lord blessed St. Bemwa
And told him to record
This precious event
For St. Karas the Anchorite

“O My beloved saint
What can I do for you
Before I take you to Paradise”
St. Karas the Anchorite

“O my Lord Jesus Christ
I praised You throughout my life
With spiritual songs and Psalms”
St. Karas the Anchorite

“Would it be possible to hear
David chant Psalms with his
Spiritual stringed instrument”
St. Karas the Anchorite

So, the psalmist came
In the twinkling of an eye
And he had his harp
For St. Karas the Anchorite

He said “This the day
That the Lord had made”
Very joyful and satisfied
Was St. Karas the Anchorite

Precious in the sight of the Lord,
Is the death of His saints
So, our Savior received the soul
Of St. Karas the Anchorite

All the heavenly hosts rejoiced
On their way to Paradise
And our Lord touched the cave
Of St. Karas the Anchorite

When our Lord touched the cave
It became hidden
For it held the body
Of St. Karas the Anchorite

God said to St. Bemwa
“Go and spread the news
Of My beloved”
St. Karas the Anchorite

So, he told Abba Bamoun
Abba Simon and all his children
And the good has reached us
Of St. Karas the Anchorite

We thank you Lord Jesus
And we ask You to help us
Through the prayers of
St. Karas the Anchorite