Memhir Esuendale:
#Feasts of #Tahisas_12
✞✞✞On this day we commemorate the Departure of the Great Saint Abune Samuel of Waldiba and the Martyrs Anicetus and Photinus✞✞✞
✞✞✞In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, one God. Amen!✞✞✞
✞✞✞ Abune Samuel of Waldiba ✞✞✞
=>Our country has bore myriads of saints. Not only in those past days that were blessed but today also we have many fathers and mothers that live in the deserts and caves who pray not only for the country but for the world.
✞And from the saints that rose in Ethiopia the “Samuels” have a unique place. In a time span of merely 20 years, the 6 Samuels came to be and showed the good path from a life of sanctity to evangelization, from the monastic life to asceticism. And these Saints were:
1. Samuel of Waldiba
2. Samuel of Tareta
3. Samuel of Qoyetsa
4. Samuel of Gish
5. Samuel of Hallelujah and
6. Samuel of Wegeg
✞Similarly, in Egypt, including the Star of Qalamun (the one who interceded for an angel named Qewestos before God) there have risen many Samuels. Our mothers, in the past, were proficient in giving names as Samuel means, “God has heard me”.
✞Coming back to what we have started, the Great Ethiopian Saint Abune Samuel was born in the 13th century (in 1295 E.C) in the city of Axum. His parents were called Estifanos (Stephen) and Amete Maryam.
✞Since the Saint’s lineage was from a priestly family, he studied the mysteries of the faith in his childhood. And it seems like that was the reason why he wanted to become an ascetic while he was just a teen.
✞Samuel, who obeyed and served his parents from his infancy, when he completed his education went to Debre Benkol. It is said that at the time, when he left for Debre Benkol, the Saint’s parents had departed. Debre Benkol is the monastery of Abune Medhanine Egzi the Great Star who was a father to the monks.
✞While Medhanine Egzi labored to become a luminary for the country; God gave him the 7 Stars. And from these, Abune Samuel takes precedence. And the rest included the fathers like Abune Yasay of Mandaba, Samuel of Tareta, Samuel of Qoyetsa and Yafekerene Egzi of Guguben.
✞Abune Samule with his 6 companions started his strife at Debre Benkol. He fetched water, grinded legumes, was obedient with his whole heart and side by side he studied patience, humility, austerity and the rites of a monastery from the Holy Abbot Abba Medhanine Egzi.
✞And because of his loved service, he pleased all. And at that moment, the Righteous Abbot brought forth Abune Samuel of Wali and the 6 Fathers to be tonsured as monks. And saying, “Axios - You deserve it!” he elevated them from being novices to monks.
✞And as light had descended and was seen when the 7 were being tonsured, they were called “Luminary Stars”. And they served there in the monastery for some time. However, because the relatives of Abune Samuel used to come and made things hard for the Righteous, all 7 Saints conversed and after being blessed by their father, Medhanine Egzi, left Debre Benkol.
✞Hence, all went to where the Holy Spirit guided them. The 3 (Samuel of Wali, Yasay of Mandaba and Yafekrene Egzi of Guguben) went to Lake Tana. And there, after staying together for some time, they separated for ministry. While Abune Yasay stayed at Mandaba and Abune Yafekrene Egzi at Guguben, islands in Lake Tana, Abba Samuel went to Waldiba.
✞Waldiba was established in the 5th century by the will of the Lord by 860 Saints. Nonetheless, because the founding Saints had become spirit-borne anchorites (sowah) the area was considered as a wilderness thus Abune Samuel re-established it.
✞The Saint, before he started his last austere strife, ministered the Gospel greatly. And after that, he made his dwelling with wild beasts. And as it can be seen in his icon, he rode a lion for years.
#Feasts of #Tahisas_12
✞✞✞On this day we commemorate the Departure of the Great Saint Abune Samuel of Waldiba and the Martyrs Anicetus and Photinus✞✞✞
✞✞✞In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, one God. Amen!✞✞✞
✞✞✞ Abune Samuel of Waldiba ✞✞✞
=>Our country has bore myriads of saints. Not only in those past days that were blessed but today also we have many fathers and mothers that live in the deserts and caves who pray not only for the country but for the world.
✞And from the saints that rose in Ethiopia the “Samuels” have a unique place. In a time span of merely 20 years, the 6 Samuels came to be and showed the good path from a life of sanctity to evangelization, from the monastic life to asceticism. And these Saints were:
1. Samuel of Waldiba
2. Samuel of Tareta
3. Samuel of Qoyetsa
4. Samuel of Gish
5. Samuel of Hallelujah and
6. Samuel of Wegeg
✞Similarly, in Egypt, including the Star of Qalamun (the one who interceded for an angel named Qewestos before God) there have risen many Samuels. Our mothers, in the past, were proficient in giving names as Samuel means, “God has heard me”.
✞Coming back to what we have started, the Great Ethiopian Saint Abune Samuel was born in the 13th century (in 1295 E.C) in the city of Axum. His parents were called Estifanos (Stephen) and Amete Maryam.
✞Since the Saint’s lineage was from a priestly family, he studied the mysteries of the faith in his childhood. And it seems like that was the reason why he wanted to become an ascetic while he was just a teen.
✞Samuel, who obeyed and served his parents from his infancy, when he completed his education went to Debre Benkol. It is said that at the time, when he left for Debre Benkol, the Saint’s parents had departed. Debre Benkol is the monastery of Abune Medhanine Egzi the Great Star who was a father to the monks.
✞While Medhanine Egzi labored to become a luminary for the country; God gave him the 7 Stars. And from these, Abune Samuel takes precedence. And the rest included the fathers like Abune Yasay of Mandaba, Samuel of Tareta, Samuel of Qoyetsa and Yafekerene Egzi of Guguben.
✞Abune Samule with his 6 companions started his strife at Debre Benkol. He fetched water, grinded legumes, was obedient with his whole heart and side by side he studied patience, humility, austerity and the rites of a monastery from the Holy Abbot Abba Medhanine Egzi.
✞And because of his loved service, he pleased all. And at that moment, the Righteous Abbot brought forth Abune Samuel of Wali and the 6 Fathers to be tonsured as monks. And saying, “Axios - You deserve it!” he elevated them from being novices to monks.
✞And as light had descended and was seen when the 7 were being tonsured, they were called “Luminary Stars”. And they served there in the monastery for some time. However, because the relatives of Abune Samuel used to come and made things hard for the Righteous, all 7 Saints conversed and after being blessed by their father, Medhanine Egzi, left Debre Benkol.
✞Hence, all went to where the Holy Spirit guided them. The 3 (Samuel of Wali, Yasay of Mandaba and Yafekrene Egzi of Guguben) went to Lake Tana. And there, after staying together for some time, they separated for ministry. While Abune Yasay stayed at Mandaba and Abune Yafekrene Egzi at Guguben, islands in Lake Tana, Abba Samuel went to Waldiba.
✞Waldiba was established in the 5th century by the will of the Lord by 860 Saints. Nonetheless, because the founding Saints had become spirit-borne anchorites (sowah) the area was considered as a wilderness thus Abune Samuel re-established it.
✞The Saint, before he started his last austere strife, ministered the Gospel greatly. And after that, he made his dwelling with wild beasts. And as it can be seen in his icon, he rode a lion for years.