Saint Frumentius, the first Bishop of Ethiopia 13/12/2010
In the reign of the Emperor Constantine the Great, a philosopher from Tyre, called Meropius, set off for India. On his journey he was accompanied by the two Christian brothers Frumentius and Edesius. One day, their ship was wrecked in a storm on the shores of Ethiopia and the savage Ethiopians slaughtered all the members of the expedition with the exception of the two brothers Edesius and Frumentius. They lived in Ethiopia for several years and managed to enter into service at the court of the Ethiopian King. Fermentius started preaching the Christian faith with great caution, and soon was assured that the soil for sowing the seeds of the Gospel is very hospitable and fertile. Then the two brothers set sail: Edesius back to Tyre to his parents and Frumentius made his way to Saint Athanasius the Great who was the Patriarch of Alexandria. Frumentius disclosed to the Patriarch the situation in Ethiopia and asked him to appoint clergy for the newly converted Christians in Ethiopia. Saint Athanasius consecrated Frumentius as first Bishop of Ethiopia. He returned to Ethiopia, where with his zeal and the great many miracles he worked, he succeeded in converting the whole Ethiopia to Christianity. This great shepherd of the flock of Christ and the enlightener of Ethiopia fell asleep in peace in the year 370, when he inhabited the Kingdom of his Lord.
