Saint Frumentius

Frumentius was a Christian from Tyre, in present-day Lebanon. As a boy, in the early fourth century, he and his brother Aedesius sailed with their teacher on the Red Sea. When their ship stopped on the African coast, the local people killed the crew, but the two boys were spared and taken to the royal court of Aksum, in present-day Ethiopia and Eritrea.

They won the king's trust; Frumentius became his secretary and, after the king's death, helped the queen govern and educate the young prince Ezana. He encouraged Christian merchants to worship openly and built places of prayer. When the prince came of age, Frumentius went to Alexandria and asked Saint Athanasius to send a bishop to Aksum. Athanasius consecrated Frumentius himself, around 328 or a little later. Returning to Aksum, he baptized many, including, by tradition, King Ezana, and he died around 383.

Ethiopians call him Abba Salama, "Father of Peace," and Kesate Birhan, "Revealer of Light." The Ethiopian and Eritrean Orthodox and Catholic Churches honor him as the founder of their Church.

The Roman Martyrology commemorates him on October 27, and Ethiopian communities celebrate him with liturgies and hymns.