Frumentius

Saint Frumentius (Ge'ez ፍሬምናጦስ frēmnāṭōs) (born at Tyre in the early fourth century, died ca. 383, Ethiopia) was the first Bishop of Aksum (or Axum), and he is credited with bringing Christianity to the Aksumite Kingdom.

He was a Syro-Phoenician Greek born in Tyre. Captured with his brother as a boy, they became slaves to the King of Axum. He freed them before his death, and they were invited to educate his young heir. They also began to teach Christianity. Later Frumentius traveled to Alexandria, Egypt, where he appealed to have a bishop appointed and missionary priests sent to Axum. He was appointed bishop and established the Church in Ethiopia, converting many.

Biography

According to the 4th-century historian Rufinus (x.9), who cites Frumentius' brother Edesius as his authority, as children (ca. 316) Frumentius and Edesius accompanied their uncle Meropius from their birthplace of Tyre (in present-day Lebanon) 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. Shortly before his death, the king freed them. The widowed queen, however, prevailed upon them to remain at the court and assist her in the education of the young heir, Ezana, and in the administration of the kingdom during the prince's minority. They remained and (especially Frumentius) used their influence to spread Christianity. First they encouraged the Christian merchants present in the country to practise their faith openly; later they converted some of the natives.