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Saint / historical person
Saints & Martyrs
History & Councils

Macarius of Tkow

Macarius of Tkow is commemorated as a bishop and martyr associated with opposition to Chalcedon; his principal life is a hagiographical panegyric attributed to Dioscorus of Alexandria.[^1]

Also known as: Saint Macarius of Tkow · Macarius, Bishop of Tkow · Macarius of Tkou

Published 10/2/2026Updated 2 revisionsPage history

Identity and commemoration

Macarius of Tkow is commemorated as a saint, bishop, and martyr whose feast falls on 27 Babah; his death is dated to 451/452, and he was noted for poverty, sanctity, and healing powers.1

Sources for his life

The chief source is the Panegyric on Macarius, Bishop of Tkow, attributed to Dioscorus of Alexandria but identified in the dedicated article as the work of Pseudo-Dioscorus.1 That article dates its composition no earlier than the second quarter of the sixth century and suggests that it expanded episodes from the Life of Dioscorus by Pseudo-Theopistus with additional traditional stories.2 Internal evidence points to composition in Greek in or near Alexandria; Sahidic and Bohairic translations survive, together with Arabic manuscript versions.2

The narrative cannot generally be corroborated outside Egyptian Orthodox tradition and is a hagiographical romance shaped by anti-Chalcedonian controversy, intended to encourage imitation of the saint’s virtues.3

The narrative of the Panegyric

The Panegyric gives no account of Macarius’s early life or elevation to the episcopate.4 It portrays him as a poor, self-effacing bishop who speaks only Coptic and requires an interpreter to converse with Dioscorus.4

According to the narrative, Macarius accompanies Dioscorus to Constantinople, heals a blind man during the voyage, and vindicates a falsely accused Egyptian sailor.5 His companion Pinoution recounts further miracles and a vision in which Shenute recognizes Macarius as a future defender of orthodoxy.5

In Constantinople, Macarius initially encounters exclusion from the imperial presence because of his shabby clothing; after being admitted, he cannot participate in the doctrinal discussion because no interpreter is available.6 Dioscorus subsequently sends him back to Egypt after learning of a plot against his life, so the narrative appears to place him at a preliminary meeting rather than at the Council of Chalcedon itself.6

Following the council, Macarius refuses to subscribe to its decrees and the Tome of Leo because he considers them inconsistent with the Council of Nicaea.7 The Panegyric relates that an imperial courier kicks him to death, and that he is buried beside John the Baptist and the prophet Elisha amid accounts of miraculous healings.8

Veneration and literary legacy

Relics venerated at Dayr Anba Maqar as those of “Saint Macarius the bishop” are probably intended to be those of Macarius of Tkow, although the identification remains uncertain; the presence of relics of the three Macarii there is first attested in a list compiled by Mawhub ibn Mansur near the end of the eleventh century.9

Various Coptic liturgical texts commemorate an otherwise unspecified Saint Macarius the bishop, probably—but not demonstrably—Macarius of Tkow.10 The Exegesis on the Feast Day of Michael the Archangel, preserved in Pierpont Morgan Library Codex 592, is attributed to him.10

Differences among the supplied sources

The dedicated biography places Macarius’s death in 451/452 in connection with opposition to Chalcedon, whereas a separate discussion of miracles associates his martyrdom with Decius; these accounts disagree about its historical setting.111 The dedicated biography identifies Tkow with Antaiopolis or Qaw al-Kabir in Upper Egypt, while the calendar passage labels his see “Tkow (Idku).”412

References

Sources

  1. 1.The Coptic Encyclopedia, Volume 5 — Aziz S. Atiya (Editor in Chief) (p. 346)
    MACARIUS OF TKOW, SAINT (d. 451/452), bishop of Tkow noted for poverty, sanctity, and healing powers who was martyred for opposing the Council of CHALCEDON (feast day: 27 Babah). The chief source for his life is the Panegyric on Macarius, Bishop of Tkow by Pseudo-Dioscorus of Alexandria.
  2. 2.The Coptic Encyclopedia, Volume 5 — Aziz S. Atiya (Editor in Chief) (p. 346)
    This work cannot have been composed earlier than the second quarter of the sixth century. It appears to be based on episodes dealing with Macarius drawn from the Life of Dioscorus by Pseudo-Theopistus of Alexandria, which the author of the Panegyric amplified and to which he added other traditional stories. Internal evidence indicates that the Panegyric was composed in Greek in or around Alexandria. It survives in Sahidic and Bohairic translations, and several unedited manuscripts of Arabic versions are extant.
  3. 3.The Coptic Encyclopedia, Volume 5 — Aziz S. Atiya (Editor in Chief) (p. 348)
    That he existed at all and was bishop of Tkow, fought against paganism in his diocese, supported Dioscorus' stand against the Council of Chalcedon, and, perhaps, met a violent end because of his beliefs, are all possibilities, but they cannot be corroborated from sources outside the pool of Egyptian orthodox tradition. ... This work is characteristic of most early Christian hagiography in that it is less interested in historical accuracy and more intent on exhorting its audience to virtuous behavior through the example of the saint. The Panegyric can be best characterized as a hagiographical r
  4. 4.The Coptic Encyclopedia, Volume 5 — Aziz S. Atiya (Editor in Chief) (p. 346)
    The Panegyric tells nothing about Macarius' early life or how he came to be a bishop. His diocese of Tkow (Antaiopolis; Qaw al-Kabir) is located in Upper Egypt roughly halfway between ASYUT and AKHMIM. ... Macarius is portrayed as a self-effacing man who is poor, who is accompanied by a single companion, and who speaks and understands only Coptic. Dioscorus must converse with him through an interpreter.
  5. 5.The Coptic Encyclopedia, Volume 5 — Aziz S. Atiya (Editor in Chief) (p. 347)
    Because all the other bishops are able to escape the trip to Constantinople by bribing the imperial messenger, Dioscorus and Macarius embark without them. During the journey, Macarius heals a blind man and miraculously produces evidence that clears an Egyptian sailor who is falsely accused by his non-Egyptian shipmates. During the journey, Dioscorus compels the companion of Macarius, Pinoution, to recount for him some of the bishop's outstanding virtues and miracles, including his victory over demons who inhabited a pagan temple in his diocese. Pinoution also recounts the vision of Abbot SHENU
  6. 6.The Coptic Encyclopedia, Volume 5 — Aziz S. Atiya (Editor in Chief) (p. 347)
    When Dioscorus is summoned to the imperial presence, Macarius is denied entrance by a chamberlain because of his shabby attire, which he refuses to change for an earthly ruler. When he is finally admitted through the intervention of Dioscorus, he is unable to participate in the ensuing debate about doctrine because he can find no one to interpret for him. ... After this session, an informant tells Dioscorus that there is a plot to murder Macarius, and he reluctantly sends the bishop back to Egypt. Thus, it would seem that Macarius really never gets to attend the Council of Chalcedon but only s
  7. 7.The Coptic Encyclopedia, Volume 5 — Aziz S. Atiya (Editor in Chief) (p. 347)
    An imperial courier arrives at Alexandria and summons the bishops of Egypt to subscribe to the decrees of the council and to the Tome of Leo. When Macarius refuses to accept these documents because he does not judge them to be in conformity with the Council of
  8. 8.The Coptic Encyclopedia, Volume 5 — Aziz S. Atiya (Editor in Chief) (p. 348)
    NICAEA, the courier kicks him so savagely that he dies on the spot. His body is prepared for burial amidst a great outpouring of devotion on the part of the Alexandrian populace, and he is laid to rest next to the bodies of John the Baptist and Elisha, as had been prophesied. A cripple who touches his bier is healed, as is a deaf-mute child, who then recounts that he has seen a vision of John the Baptist and Elisha receiving the soul of Macarius.
  9. 9.The Coptic Encyclopedia, Volume 5 — Aziz S. Atiya (Editor in Chief) (p. 348)
    The relics of Saint Macarius the bishop, still venerated at DAYR ANBA MAQAR together with those of MACARIUS THE EGYPTIAN and MACARIUS ALEXANDRINUS, are probably meant to be those of Macarius of Tkow, but this is uncertain. ... The presence of the relics of the three Macarii at Dayr Anba Maqar is first attested in a list made by Mawhub ibn Mansur near the end of the eleventh century.
  10. 10.The Coptic Encyclopedia, Volume 5 — Aziz S. Atiya (Editor in Chief) (p. 349)
    A Saint Macarius the bishop (not otherwise specified) is commemorated in various liturgical texts of the Coptic church. It is not possible to confirm that this is Macarius of Tkow, but the identification seems probable. The Exegesis on the Feast Day of Michael the Archangel (Pierpont Morgan Library, Codex 592) is attributed to Macarius of Tkow.
  11. 11.The Coptic Encyclopedia, Volume 4 — Aziz S. Atiya (Editor in Chief) (p. 521)
    Most of the saints to whom these miracles are attributed suffered martyrdom, actual or legendary, under DIOCLETIAN, but we also find some who experienced it under DECIUS (Macarius of Tkow)
  12. 12.The Coptic Encyclopedia, Volume 7 — Aziz S. Atiya (Editor in Chief) (p. 359)
    27—24 Martyrdom of Saint Macarius, bishop of Tkow (Idku)

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