Not many people have heard of St Frumentius, unless they are
Christians in Ethiopia. However, 27th October is the day on which St
Frumentius should be remembered.
Frumentius and Aedesius were brothers and Christians who
lived in the early 4th Century in Tyre (modern Lebanon). As young
boys they were taken on a visit to Ethiopia by their uncle, but when the ship
docked at the Red Sea port of Adulis it was seized by local people who killed
everyone on board apart from the two boys, who were taken to the court of the
King of Aksum (northern Ethiopia) to serve as slaves.
They grew up in the royal court and eventually became
trusted with high office, Frumentius becoming the king’s chief secretary. They
were able to use their influence to open churches and begin the conversion of
Aksum to Christianity.
When the king died the brothers were given their freedom.
Aedesius returned to Tyre but Frumentius stayed behind to continue the work he
had started. When he asked the Patriarch of Alexandria to send a bishop to
Aksum, the Patriarch decided that Frumentius himself would be ideal for the job, so
that is what he became. The new king became a Christian, as did the whole of
his country.
Frumentius is also credited with making the first
translation of the New Testament into the local language.
© John Welford
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