Macedonius lived as an anchorite (hermit) in Syria. Like many such religious figures, Macedonius ate most sparingly. In fact, Butler tells us that, for forty years, Macedonius ate only “barley moistened in water.” Perhaps not surprisingly, Macedonius eventually discovered that this diet could not sustain his health. He was confronted with the ethical dilemma of whether to continue his spiritual discipline of eating the sparest of diets (which was making him ill) or whether to set that practice aside in favor of his own bodily health.

Many of the celebrated saints were quite willing to suffer in their own bodies as a means of living out their dedication to God. Macedonius, however, saw it differently. He reasoned that “it was not lawful for him to shorten his life to shun labours and conflicts”–that is, that it was not ok to starve himself to death to show his commitment to God when he had work to do in this world. From that point on, he upped his diet to include bread (at least), and became an advocate for healthier eating, advising others that good food can be a “proper physic” for them.

Oh, and Macedonius lived to be 90. He is a saint on the strength of the many healings associated with him, all of which transpired after quitting his wet barley diet!