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Saint Frumentius

Slave, and Confessor

The year in which Saint Frumentius was born is In 335 AD, while Frumentius was helping guide unknown, except that he would have been born sometime prince Ezana, Athanasius who become Bishop of in the early 300’s during the reign of the Roman Emperor since the Council of Nicea was deposed by Constantine, perhaps even after the Edict of Milan which Emperor Constantine after being falsely accused by legalized in the empire in 313 AD. Arians of trying to cut off grain supplies to Frumentius was a Greek born in the southwest Judean city Constantinople. Two years later however, Constantine of Tyre, one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in passed away and Athanasius was allowed to return to his the world. With the legalization of Christianity, see as Bishop. However, Constantius II assumed the Frumentius and his brother Edesius may have been throne of his father, and as an avid supporter of , Christians from their infancy. exiled Athanasius again in 338 AD. During their early years, the Arian Heresy was Around 339 AD, Prince Ezana became old growing throughout the empire, and its adherents had enough to reign as King of , and Edesius decided he been causing discord in the Church since the legalization would return to Tyre. Frumentius, determined to work for of Christianity. As a result, Emperor Constantine called the conversion of , planned to accompany the first Ecumenical Council of Nicea in 325 AD, to settle Edesius as far as Alexandria in order to petition the the dispute about the nature of Jesus Christ. The council patriarch for help. By the time Frumentius arrived in ultimately resulted in the condemnation of Arianism, Alexandria in 340 AD, a council of 100 had met however, its adherents would for a long time afterward in Alexandria, supporting Athanasius along with Pope continue to work for the promulgation of that belief. Julius I, urging the Arians to reinstate him. When that From the council, Saints such as Jerome and Athanasius failed, Pope Julius called a synod in Rome to address the began to become prominent figures in Church history, issue, and proclaimed Athanasius as the rightful bishop of with Saint Nicholas himself being supposed to have Alexandria. Frumentius met with the recently restored punched Arius, the leader of the Arian movement, in the Bishop Athanasius, asking him to send priests as face. to Ethiopia. After discussion, Athanasius Whether shortly before or after this council, it believed that Frumentius would be the man best suited for was that as children, Frumentius and Edesius the endeavor, and consecrated him a bishop. accompanied their uncle Meropius from Tyre on a By 346 AD, Frumentius returned to Axum as a journey to Ethiopia. When their ship stopped in a port on bishop, establishing his in that city. the Red Sea, the locals stormed the ship, killing the whole Thereafter, he converted and baptized his former pupil crew except for Frumentius and Edesius. The two were King Ezana. King Ezana for his part, began to build many captured and taken to the Kingdom of Axum, much of churches and spread the faith throughout Ethiopia. As which is in modern day Ethiopia. They were given as King Ezana built these churches, Frumentius established slaves to the King of Axum who was pleased by the boys the first monastery in Ethiopia called Dabba Selama. and eventually elevated them to trusted positions within Around 355 or 356 AD, Bishop Theophilos who his kingdom. When the King fell ill and sure of his own was an Arian, had returned from a mission to south Asia impending death, he freed Frumentius and Edesius. from which Emperor Constantius II had sent him. Pleased Free to do as they wishes, at the Queen’s request with the success of his mission, Constantius II wished to they remained at court to tutor the King’s heir Ezana, and use him to depose Bishop Frumentius who refused to to assist with the administrative duties of the kingdom recant the position promulgated at the Council of Nicea. until he came of age to do so himself. Constantius wrote to King Ezana requesting that Free to do as they wish, at the Queen’s request Frumentius be replaced as bishop with Theophilos, but they remained at court to tutor the heir to the kingdom, King Ezana refused the request. Constantius II ultimately Ezana, and to help with the administrative duties of the passed away in 361 AD, only to be replaced by his son kingdom until Ezana was older. They used their influence Julian who completely apostatized from the faith. to encourage Christian merchants to practice their faith Frumentius continued to serve as Bishop in Axum, seeing openly and helped them find places to pray according to three more emperors ascend to the throne while he worked the Roman Rite. Through this practice they were able to to convert the people of Ethiopia. Frumentius eventually encourage the , eventually passed away in 383 AD and his feast day is October 27th. beginning to convert the natives.