ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN OCTOBER
Saints celebrated on the 29th of October
SAINT ABRAHAM KIDUNAIA
Saint Abraham was born in 296 at Chidana, in Mesopotamia, near Edessa, of wealthy and noble parents. In compliance with their inclinations, Abraham took to wife a pious and noble virgin: but earnestly desiring to live and die in the state of holy virginity, as soon as the marriage ceremony and feast were over, having made known his resolution to his new bride, he secretly withdrew to a cell two miles from the city Edessa. He spent his whole time in adoring and praising God, and imploring his mercy.
For fifty years he was never wearied with his austere penance and holy exercises, and seemed to draw from them every day fresh vigor. Ten years after he had left the world, by the demise of his parents, he inherited their great estates, but commissioned a virtuous friend to distribute the revenues in almsdeeds.
A large country town in the diocese of Edessa remained till that time addicted to idolatry. The bishop at length cast his eye on Abraham, ordained him priest, though much against his will, and sent him to preach the faith to those obstinate infidels.
At the sight of the town, reeking with she impious rites of idolatry, he found the citizens resolutely determined not to hear him speak. Nevertheless, he continued to pray and weep among them without intermission, and though he was often beaten and ill-treated, and thrice banished by them, he always returned with the same zeal. After three years the infidels were overcome by his meekness and patience, and being touched by an extraordinary grace, all demanded baptism. He stayed one year longer with them to instruct them in the faith; and on their being supplied with priests and other ministers, he went back to his cell.
When Abraham suffered his last sickness, almost the whole city and country flocked to receive his benediction. When he had expired [in the year of salvation 366], everyone strove to procure for themselves some part of his clothes, and Saint Ephrem, who was an eye-witness, relates, that many sick were cured by the touch of these relics. Saint Abraham is named in the Latin, Greek, and Coptic calendars.
Saint Abraham converted his desert into a paradise, because he found in it his God, whose presence makes Heaven. He wanted not the company of men, who enjoyed that of God and his angels; nor could he ever be at a loss for employment, to whom both the days and nights were too short for heavenly contemplation. Christians, who are placed in distracting stations, may also, if they accustom themselves to converse interiorly - with God in purity of heart, and in all their actions and desires have only his will in view. Such a life is a kind of imitation of the Seraphims, to whom to live and to love are one and the same thing. "The angels," says Saint Gregory the Great, "always carry their Heaven about with them wheresoever they are sent, because they never depart from God or cease to behold him; ever dwelling in the bosom of his immensity, living and moving in him, and exercising their ministry in the sanctuary of his divinity." This is the happiness of every Christian who makes a desert, by interior solitude, in his own heart.
From Fr Butler's Lives of the Saints
PRAYER:
Grant, we beseech you, almighty God, that the venerable feast of Saint Abraham may increase our devotion and promote our salvation. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.
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