Abba Pantelewon
Saint Pantelewon | |
|---|---|
Abba | |
| Born | 470 Byzantine Empire |
| Died | 522 Ethiopia |
Abba Pantelewon (also Pantalewon, Päntäléwon, Päntäléyon Zä-Soma’Et, Pentelewon, or Pantaleon) (c. 470 – 522) was a Christian monk who is traditionally credited with founding Pentalewon Monastery located on the top of Mai Qoho Hill[1] northwest of Axum in Tigray, Ethiopia. He is one of the members of the group known as the Nine Saints.
Abba Pantelewon was born in a noble Byzantine family.Dabra Damo.[4]
The bishop
Tigre, and each of them erected a Church of his own Name."[5] Bishop Mendez adds another tradition, which tells that when King Kaleb was asked to cross the Red Sea and overthrow the Jewish king Dhu Nuwas, who had slaughtered some 340 local Christians for their beliefs, his first step was to go to Pentelewon for his blessing on the adventure. Pentelewon was said to have shut himself in a tower for 45 years, which Mendez identifies with Pentalewon Monastery near Axum. Mendez also uses the information in this traditional story to date Pentelewon's arrival at the court of the king of Axum to "between 470 and 480."[6] Tradition also states that when Kaleb abdicated the throne to become a monk, it was Abba Pantelewon's monastery he retreated to.[7]
References
- ^ https://www.aluka.org/stable/10.5555/al.ch.document.uctaxm0000604
- ^ Irvine, A. K.; Metaferia, Seifu (2023). "Pantalewon". Dictionary of African Christian Biography. Retrieved 2024-02-01.
- ^ The Feast of Abba Gerima Retrieved on 6 Feb 2018
- ^ Ethiopian Orthodox Church History, Language Archived 2018-02-14 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved on 6 Feb 2018
- ^ Cited in Tellez, The Travels of the Jesuits in Ethiopia, 1710 (LaVergue: Kessinger, 2010), pp. 89f.
- ^ Cited in Tellez, Travels, pp. 92–94
- ^ David W. Phillipson, Ancient Churches of Ethiopia (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2009), p. 42
External links
- John Anthony McGuckin (ed.). The Encyclopedia of Eastern Orthodox Christianity, volume 1. Wiley-Blackwell. p. 1193.