Month of Saints - Day 17
Oh, so many Saints, so little time. Some days it is so hard to decide which Saint to feature in my post. Today I have decided to visit Africa, since we have not been there yet this month.
Today's Saint is St. Frumentius, called "Abuna" or "the father' of Ethiopia. He was born in Tyre, Lebanon in the early fourth century. As children, Frumentius and his brother were taken by their uncle on a voyage to Ethiopia. When their ship stopped at one of the harbors of the Red Sea, local people massacred the whole crew, sparing the two boys, who were taken as slaves to the King of Axum. The two boys soon gained the favour of the king, who raised them to positions of trust. The king freed them shortly before his death, but they stayed on at court to assist the widowed queen in the education of the heir. Frumentius used his influence to spread Christianity.
Frumentius traveled to Alexandria, where he requested Athanasius, Patriarch of Alexandria, to send a bishop and some priests as missionaries to Ethiopia. By Athanasius' own account, he believed Frumentius to be the most suitable person for the job and consecrated him as bishop, traditionally in the year 328, or according to others, between 340-346. Frumentius returned to Ethiopia, where he erected his episcopal see at Axum, then converted and baptized King Ezana, who built many churches and spread Christianity throughout Ethiopia. The people called Frumentius Kesate Birhan (Revealer of Light) and Abba Salama (Father of Peace).
The Coptic Orthodox Church celebrates the feast of Frumentius on December 18, the Eastern Orthodox on November 30, and the Roman Catholic on October 27. Saint Frumentius is venerated on August 1 in the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church.
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