Abba Macarius of Alexandria heard...

…that the Tabennesiotes (disciples of St. Pachomius) had a great way of life, so he changed his clothes, assumed the appearance of a laborer, and traveled for fifteen days into the Thebaid, going into the desert. Arriving at the monastery of Tabennisi, he sought out their archimandrite Pachomius, a most worthy man who had the gift of prophecy. Pachomius did not know Macarius, who upon meeting him said, “I beg you, receive me into your hermitage that I may become a monk.”

Pachomius said to him, “You come here already an old man; you cannot practice the ascetic life. The brethren are ascetics and you cannot bear their labors. You will be embarrassed and leave, and will revile them.” Nor did he receive him on the first day or the second, but not until the seventh.
After he had stood his ground with perseverance and in fasting, he said, “Receive me, Father. If I do not fast and work along with them, order me to be expelled.”

He persuaded the brethren to admit him. The establishment at this time consisted of fourteen hundred men.

Shortly after he entered, Lent started, and Macarius saw each one practicing a different kind of asceticism. One ate only at evening, another only every other day, another only every five days — this one remained standing all night, but sat by day. Macarius moistened a great many palm leaves and he stood in a corner until the forty days were over and it was Pascha. He ate no bread and drank no water, nor did he bend his knee or lie down. He partook of nothing but a few cabbage leaves, and that on Sunday, so that he might at least give the appearance of eating.

And whenever he went out for his own need, he came back quickly and stood there, speaking to no one, not opening his mouth, but standing in silence. Except for the prayer in his heart and the palm leaves in his hands, he did nothing. All of them saw this and quarreled with Pachomius and said, “Where did you get this bodiless man for our condemnation? Either throw him out or know that we are all leaving!”

Having noticed his way of life, Pachomius prayed to God that it might be revealed to him who this might be.

Then it was revealed to him. Taking Macarius by the hand, he led him into the oratory where the altar was and said to him, “Come, venerable one, you are Macarius, and you have concealed this from me. I have desired for many years to meet you. I am grateful to you for having made my children knuckle down so that they might not become haughty about their own ascetic practices. Go away now to your own place, for you have stayed long enough with us. And pray for us too.” And Macarius left them as requested.

As for his appearance, he was slight and without a beard, having hair only about the lips and at the end of the chin, for the asceticism he practiced did not allow hair to sprout on him. I went to him once, bored with weariness, and said, “What shall I do, Father, since my thoughts prompt me to leave, seeing I have made no progress here?’ And he told me, “Tell them on Christ’s behalf, I am holding up the walls here.”

Palladius, Historia Lausica, 17-18

Macarius the Alexandrian, commemorated 19 January