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Moses: The Cross and the Gun — A Novel by Michael Elgamal

You've never read a saint story like this before.

MOSES

The Cross & The Gun

Inspired by the life of Saint Moses the Black, a contemporary novel of violence, grace, and the brutal cost of transformation. Retold in a gritty urban setting.

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Shadowed figure with shattered golden halo — Moses: The Cross and the Gun
Moses: The Cross and the Gun — Paperback book cover

The Story

Moe ruled the city with gun & muscle.

In a single night, he lost everything.

Hunted and out of options, he finds sanctuary at an Orthodox monastery, where an elder meets his violence with unyielding grace.

When his old life claws him back, Moe must choose:
Revenge or redemption. The cross, or the gun.

A gritty, fast-paced Orthodox Christian novel inspired by the life of Saint Moses the Black, one of the most beloved saints of the desert.

If you loved

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Christian Orthodox Spirituality Literary Fiction Novel Desert Fathers
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From the novel

Not a hagiography.
Not a sanitized saint story.

"If Moe believed God was there, he'd be praying. But he doesn't. Or maybe he does, and that's the problem. Because if He is, someone's keeping score.

The flickering red and blue lights on the horizon mark the end of the road for him.

'God, I hope you're not out there,' he mutters under his breath, 'and if you are... well, shit, I'm sorry.'"

Moses: The Cross and the Gun  ·  Chapter 3

What readers are saying

"

A remarkable modern rendition of an ancient and epic story of repentance, salvation, and human transfiguration. The author perfectly conveys both the scandal and the unimaginable beauty of the life of St Moses the Strong. May this novel, and the life of Abba Moses, inspire many to follow Christ.

Fr. Anthony Mourad

St. George & St. Anthony Coptic Orthodox Church

"

In imaginative, un-sanitized prose, Elgamal has captured the spirit of one of the greatest stories of repentance in the Orthodox tradition, bringing the tale of St. Moses to life without flinching away from the truth of either human brokenness or the often-harrowing path to healing. This novelization is a true gift.

Sherry Shenoda

Author of Mummy Eaters & The Lightkeeper

"

I loved this book. Even though I know the story of Saint Moses the Black, and I know the ending, somehow this book made me cry. It's amazing in the way he portrayed Saint Moses in a modern setting, and brings other desert fathers, and weave almost all the desert fathers sayings in a seamless way. It's another beautiful way of getting to know him.

Phoebe Farag Mikhail

Author of Putting Joy Into Practice and Hunger for Righteousness

Grounded in Tradition

Ancient Wisdom.
Modern framing.

Saint Moses the Strong — patristic references and sources

Moses: The Cross and the Gun is rooted in the official patristic manuscripts of Palladius and Sozomen. The theology is recognizably Orthodox throughout. This is not a modern reinterpretation of Saint Moses. It is a literary rendering of the same spiritual arc preserved in patristic and liturgical tradition.

Primary sources

Saint Anthony the Great, The Letters of Anthony
Saint Macarius the Great, Fifty Spiritual Homilies
John Cassian, Conferences
John Climacus, The Ladder of Divine Ascent
Evagrius of Pontus, Talking Back: A Monastic Handbook for Combating Demons
Saint Theophan the Recluse, The Path to Salvation

Ideal for Orthodox Christians · Catholics · Readers Drawn to Stories of Repentance

I'm Ready — Get the Book
Saint Moses the Strong — patristic references and sources

This book is for you if

You've ever felt too far gone for grace.

If you've ever struggled with anger, addiction, or feeling too broken for the tradition you love, this story was written for you. Not as a parable. As a reckoning with what repentance actually costs, and what it actually produces.

The real Moses the Black was a gang leader and a murderer. The Church calls him a saint. The distance between those two facts is what this novel lives in.

If Abba Moses can go from gang leader to one of the Church's greatest saints, then maybe I, too, can become a bit better than I was yesterday. Maybe all it takes is a small yearning, and a great deal of grace.

Michael Elgamal  ·  Author

Before you buy

Common questions.

The violence in this book is real, not glorified. Moe is a brutal man and the novel doesn't flinch from that, but the darkness always serves the story. It is never gratuitous. Several clergy reviewed the manuscript before publication to ensure the content remains faithful to Orthodoxy without turning sin into spectacle. Recommended for readers 18 and over.
Yes. The novel's portrayal of repentance, spiritual warfare, obedience, the passions, and transformation draws directly from patristic sources. The setting is urban and contemporary; the theology is recognizably Orthodox. The narrative focuses on nepsis (watchfulness), the warfare of thoughts (logismoi), obedience to a spiritual father, and gradual purification of the heart. The story of Moses himself is grounded in the official manuscripts of Palladius and Sozomen, and nearly all of his known sayings are woven into the text.
Recommended age is 18 and over. The book contains violence (not glorified), some strong language, and honest confrontation with sin, including references to drug trafficking and alcohol. There is no explicit sexual content. If you are considering it for a youth group or retreat, the servant guide covers this in detail and includes bulk pricing for parish orders.
The tradition is Orthodox; the story is human. The questions Moe wrestles with, whether change is possible, what it actually costs, whether grace can reach someone like him, are not Orthodox questions. They are everyone's questions. Readers with no background in the tradition have found the novel compelling on purely literary terms.
The novel is a contemporary retelling, not a historical novel. But Moses's spiritual arc, the elders he encounters, and nearly all of his known sayings are drawn directly from the patristic record. Isidore, Macarius, and Arsenius are all inspired by their historical counterparts as documented by Palladius and Sozomen.

About the Author

Seven years in the making.

Michael Elgamal is an Orthodox writer and illustrator, living in Ontario, Canada with his wife and children. This story started as a seed that wouldn't stop growing over 7 years time.

Creative Orthodox is a platform dedicated to finding virtue, fun and inspiration in ancient Christianity.

For Parishes & Readers

A Powerful Addition to Faith Libraries, Book Clubs & Parish Bookstores

Serious, uncompromising fiction grounded in the Church Fathers. For mature readers seeking a faith-rooted literary novel.

Parish Bookstores

A conversation-starting addition to your community's reading shelf.

Faith Libraries

Orthodox fiction grounded in patristic sources, not sanitized platitudes.

Book Clubs

Rich themes of repentance, grace, and transformation fuel deep discussion.

Parish orderDiscount
10+ copies20% off
25+ copies30% off
50+ copies40% off

For larger orders or custom parish support, reach out directly via creativeorthodox.com

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