28 heudar 2016
The Ethiopian Synaxarium
IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER AND THE SON AND THE HOLY SPIRIT, ONE GOD. AMEN.
On this day Saint Sarapamon, Bishop of the city of Nakiyos (or Lukyos), became a martyr. This holy man was a kinsman of Stephen, of the tribe of Levi, from the city of Jerusalem. His father’s name was Abraham, and he was a son of Levi, the son of Joseph, brother of Simon, and brother of the mother of Stephen, and at the time of his birth he called his name Simon. When his father died he wished to become a Christian. And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him and commanded him go to Abba John, bishop of the city, and he went to him and the bishop revealed to him the mystery of Christ our God becoming man. And it is not said that he baptized him with Christian baptism in the city of Jerusalem, because of the fear of the Jews, his kinsmen. Now the bishop of the city was pondering what he should do about him, and our Lady Mary appeared unto him and told him to depart to the city of Alexandria, to the Archbishop Abba Theonas. And as he was going thither, the angel of the Lord was in the form of a prince, and he informed the archbishop about Sarapamon. When he had come to him the archbishop taught him the path of God, and he baptized him with holy Christian baptism. Then Sarapamon became a monk in the monastery of Abba Severus, which is outside the city of Alexandria. When the Archbishop Theonas died, and Abba Peter was appointed to succeed him, he sent and brought this holy man Sarapamon to him, to help him in the work of the archiepiscopate. After this he appointed him Bishop of the city of Nakyanos, and the churches rejoiced in him greatly, and God wrought very many signs and wonders by his hands. And nigh unto his city there were idols, which certain of the people therein used to worship, and he used to ask God to destroy them. And God accepted his petition, for the earth swallowed them
up and the waters of the sea rose up over them and covered them; and through his prayer God destroyed the idols that were in his diocese, and He crushed the blasphemy of Sibellius who made the Father and the Son, and the Holy Spirit one Person (or Substance). And when Diocletian denied Christ certain people told him, saying, “Sarapamon is destroying the worship of the idols which are the king’s gods”; and having heard very many complaints he commanded his soldiers to bring Sarapamon to him, and they did so. When Saint Sarapamon arrived in the city of Alexandria with the messengers of the emperor, Abba Peter the archbishop came to him, and there were many clergy with him, and embraced him, and he saw his face as it were the face of an angel of God. And when he came to the Emperor Diocletian had him tortured with various tortures, and our Lord Jesus Christ raised him up sound and whole, and uninjured and without suffering; and many people believed because of him. Now the emperor was afraid to add to his tortures lest the multitudes should believe through him. And he sent him away into Upper Egypt, to Arianus, the governor of Antinoe, so that he might torture him there and cut off his head with the sword. Now at that time Arianus was governor of the city of Alexandria. And Arianus took Saint Sarapamon with him in a ship to go to Upper Egypt, and when the ship reached Nakyos his city, it ran aground and it was impossible to remove it from where it stood. And Arianus had Saint Sarapamon brought up from inside the ship, and carried him to the north of the city, and they cut off his head with the sword, and he received the crown of martyrdom in the kingdom of the heavens. And the people took his body with great honor, and carried it to the church and laid it therein, and through it very many signs and miracles were wrought there. Salutation to Sarapamon before whom the lions bowed when they saw thy face, which was the image of that of the Creator.
And on this day is commemorated Abba Likanos the priest, who fought a spiritual fight in the monastery of Kuonasel, in the country of Ethiopia. Salutation to Abba Likanos, from whose fingers burning lamps shot forth.
Salutation to Abraham the faithful man, and to Isaac the offering, and to Jacob who anointed the stone with oil, in whose bosoms live the righteous, like dates on the palm tree and clusters of grapes on the vine.
Glory be to God Who is glorified in His Saints. Amen.
Amanuel
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