Saint Abraham
(+ 370)
Il quitta sa riche
famille, renonça à un mariage prometteur et se fit ermite dans le désert, près
d'Edesse. Ordonné prêtre, il convertit au Christ tous les habitants païens de
Beth-Kiduna, la bourgade où il habitait.. Après ce succès apostolique, il se retire
au désert où il vit en ermite. Saint Ephrem, qui était son admirateur et son
ami personnel, a chanté ses louanges.
SOURCE : http://nominis.cef.fr/contenus/saint/6171/Saint-Abraham.html
.jpg)
Аврамий
Затворник, Хиданский, пресвитер, прп. Константинополь. 985 г. Миниатюра
Минология Василия II. Ватиканская библиотека. Рим.
Miniature
from the Menologion of Basil II
Prêtre, Solitaire
(+ 376)
Saint Abraham vint au monde à Chidame, près d'Édesse, en Mésopotamie, et
s'illustra par son innocence et sa haute vertu. Son père et sa mère, doués des
biens de la fortune, l'aimaient tendrement. Malgré son attrait pour la vie
solitaire, pour ne pas déplaire à ses parents, il consentit à s'engager dans
les liens du mariage. Dès que les noces furent terminées, il sortit furtivement
de la maison, et ayant trouvé une caverne à deux milles de la ville, il s'y
retira plein de joie, résolu d'y passer toute sa vie à servir Dieu seul.
Après dix-sept jours de recherches, ses parents le découvrirent dans sa
retraite, plongé dans la contemplation. Ils furent si touchés de ses
supplications, qu'ils firent le sacrifice de leur fils et le laissèrent suivre
sa vocation. Dès lors le nouvel ermite fit murer sa cellule, n'y laissant
qu'une étroite fenêtre pour recevoir la nourriture qu'on lui apportait chaque
jour.
Il fit de grands progrès dans la voie de la perfection. Il acquit surtout une
humilité extraordinaire et une charité extrême pour le prochain. Jamais il ne
réprimanda personne durement; sa parole était toujours assaisonnée
d'indulgence. Saint Éphrem nous dit qu'il ne se relâcha jamais en rien de sa
vie de pénitence, qu'il ne passa pas un seul jour sans verser des larmes, et
que, malgré ses austérités, il conserva toujours la fraîcheur de son visage et
la vigueur de son corps.
Il y avait dix-sept ans qu'il menait en ce lieu une vie tout angélique,
lorsqu'il apprit la mort de ses parents. Il pria un de ses amis de vendre tout
son héritage et d'en donner le prix aux pauvres, ne se réservant qu'un vêtement
de poil de chèvre, une natte et une écuelle de bois.
La renommée des vertus du saint solitaire se répandit de tous côtés. Dieu
permit qu'une si grande piété servit à Sa gloire. Il fit construire près de sa
maisonnette une cellule pour sa nièce, qui docile à ses leçons, fit de grands
progrès dans la vertu et la piété.
Près de la cellule était un gros village peuplé d'idolâtres, si attachés à
leurs superstitions qu'ils maltraitaient tous ceux qui cherchaient à les
instruire. L'évêque d'Édesse, affligé de l'aveuglement de ce peuple, résolut de
lui envoyer Abraham comme le plus capable de les convertir par sa charité et sa
patience.
Le Saint se défendit en vain. On le conduisit à Édesse, où l'évêque l'ordonna
prêtre et l'envoya travailler à l'oeuvre du Seigneur. Fort mal reçu des
habitants, frappé, menacé de mort, le Saint ne perdit point courage et
entreprit hardiment de bâtir une église. L'édifice achevé, Abraham pria le
Seigneur d'y rassembler les habitants infidèles en les convertissant à la foi; puis,
animé d'un nouveau zèle, il brisa leurs idoles, et renversa leurs autels.
Le peuple, dans sa colère, se rua sur lui, et, après l'avoir accablé de coups,
le chassa du village; mais le Saint revenu pendant la nuit dans son église y
demeura en prière. Le lendemain, le peuple, l'ayant aperçu, se jeta de nouveau
sur lui et le battit si cruellement que, le croyant près d'expirer, il le
traîna au loin par les pieds avec une corde; mais Dieu, qui est le Maître de la
vie et de la mort, lui rendit promptement la santé.
Abraham passa ainsi trois ans dans une continuité de souffrances et de
douleurs, sans que rien pût ralentir son zèle. Enfin Dieu exauça ses prières;
ces infidèles, touchés de la charité et de la patience d'Abraham, se rendirent
à l'église et demandèrent à être instruits. Le saint prêtre expliqua alors à ce
peuple les mystères de la religion et en baptisa un grand nombre. Il demeura
quelques temps encore avec ses néophytes pour les affermir dans la foi, puis se
retira dans sa première cellule.
Enfin le Seigneur appela à Lui Son fidèle serviteur, âgé de soixante-quinze
ans, pour le récompenser de ses travaux, ses prières et ses austérités. C'était
le 16 mars 376.
Frères des Écoles Chrétiennes, Vie des Saints, p. 117-118
SOURCE : http://magnificat.ca/cal/fr/saints/saint_abraham.html
Kupferstich
- der Heilige Abraham von Kiduna, circa 1600
Also
known as
Abraham the Great of
Kidunja
Abraham of Edessa
Abraham of Kidunja
Abrhahn of Kidunaja
Abraham the Hermit
29 October (Roman
Catholic and Eastern Orthodox calendars)
14
December (Syrian Church)
29 July (Coptic
Church)
24 October (Syriac
Orthodox Church)
16 March on
some calendars
Profile
Born to a wealthy family
near Edessa, Syria.
Forced into an arranged marriage at
an early age. During the wedding festivities,
Abraham fled. He walled himself up in a nearby building, leaving a small hole
through which his family could send in food and water, and by which he could
explain his desire for a religious
life. His family relented, the marriage was
called off, and he spent the next ten years in his cell.
After a decade of this
life, the bishop of
Edessa ordered Abraham from his cell.
Against Abraham’s wishes, the bishop ordained him,
and sent him as a missionary priest to
the intransigently pagan village
of Beth-Kiduna. He built a church, smashed idols,
suffered abuse and violence, set a good example, and succeeded in converting the
entire village. After a year, he prayed that God would
send the village a better pastor than he, and he returned to his cell. It is
from his success in Kiduna that he became known as Kidunaia.
He left the cell only
twice more. Once a niece, Saint Mary
of Edessa, was living a wild and misspent life. Abraham disguised himself
as a soldier,
which he knew would get her attention, and went to her home. Over supper he
convinced her of the error of her ways; she converted and
changed her life, and Abraham returned to his cell. His
final trip out was his funeral, attended by a large, loving throng of mourners.
His biography was written by
his friend Saint Ephrem
of Syria.
Born
c.296 at
Edessa, Osrhoene, Mesopotamia (in
modern Syria)
c.366 at
Edessa, Osrhoene, Mesopotamia (in
modern Syria) of natural causes
hermit wearing
animal skins
man with a long red beard
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MLA
Citation
“Saint Abraham
Kidunaia“. CatholicSaints.Info. 22 November 2023. Web. 27 August 2025.
<https://catholicsaints.info/saint-abraham-kidunaia/>
SOURCE : https://catholicsaints.info/saint-abraham-kidunaia/
Article
ABRAHAM (St.) Conf.
(March 16) (4th cent.) A hermit of Edessa and native of Chidana in Mesopotamia,
famous for his austerity of life, for his fruitful preaching and for the
miraculous conversion of his niece, venerated with him as St. Mary. His life
was written by St. Ephrem and he is honoured in all the Liturgies. He died
about A.D. 360.
MLA
Citation
Monks of Ramsgate.
“Abraham”. Book of Saints, 1921. CatholicSaints.Info. 29
April 2012.
Web. 27 August 2025.
<http://catholicsaints.info/book-of-saints-abraham-16-march/>
SOURCE : https://catholicsaints.info/book-of-saints-abraham-16-march/
St. Abraham Kidunaja
Feastday: October 29
Death: 366
Hermit and apostle who
faced the pagan priests
of Edessa in
Mesopotamia. Born in that city, Abraham refused
to enter into a marriage arranged by his prosperous parents and
went out into the nearby desert to
live in a sealed cabin. Food was provided for him through a single opening by
disciples, and his influence attracted other hermits to
the region. When Abraham's parents died,
he gave away his large inheritance. Soon after, he was asked by the bishop of Edessa to
start a hermitage at Beth-Kiduna, near the city. The pagans in the region
persecuted him after he destroyed their idols, but Abraham won
them over and claimed the area for the Church. He then returned to his
hermitage, where he is reported to have reached the age of seventy before
dying.
SOURCE : https://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=1561
St. Abraham Kidunaia
St. Abraham Kidunaia was
born to a wealthy family during the third century. After receiving an excellent
education, Abraham was encouraged to get married. He followed the wishes of his
parents, but after the wedding ceremony, he told his bride his desire to remain
a virgin and dedicate his life to God. His bride accepted this resolution and
Abraham retired to a hermitage near Edessa, a city near Mesopotamia.
Ten years after he
retreated from the world, his parents died and left a great amount of wealth to
Abraham. As soon as he was aware of this, he asked a friend to distribute the
sum to charitable causes. Through actions like this and his deep prayer life,
Abraham became known throughout the region as a holy man and many came to him
for guidance.
His reputation even came
to the ears of the bishop, and when Edessa became poisoned with sin and
idolatry, Abraham was ordained and asked to go to the city preaching reform.
Abraham was greatly distressed by this, but obeyed the wishes of the bishop.
When Abraham arrived in
Edessa, none of the residents would listen to his words. Eventually, through
constant prayer, Abraham converted them. Once the conversions took place,
Abraham returned to his hermitage to continue his life of solitary prayer.
Around the year 360
Abraham died after a life of faithful service to God.
SOURCE : https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-abraham-kidunaia-179
St. Abraham
St. Abraham (296-366)
was born to a wealthy family near Edessa, Syria. He was forced into an arranged
marriage at an early age but had no desire to marry. During the wedding
festivities, Abraham fled. He walled himself up in a nearby building, leaving a
small hole through which his family could send in food and water, and by which
he could explain his desire for a religious life. His family relented, the
marriage was called off, and he spent the next ten years in his cell.
After a decade of this
life, the bishop of Edessa ordered Abraham from his cell. Against Abraham’s
wishes, the bishop ordained him, and sent him as a missionary priest to the
intransigently pagan village of Beth-Kiduna. He built a church, smashed idols,
suffered abuse and violence, set a good example, and succeeded in converting
the entire village. After a year, he prayed that God would send the village a
better pastor than he, and he returned to his cell. It is from his success in
Kiduna that he became known as Kidunaia.
He left the cell only
twice more. Once a niece, Saint Mary of Edessa, was living a wild and misspent
life. Abraham disguised himself as a soldier, which he knew would get her
attention, and went to her home. Over supper he convinced her of the error of
her ways; she converted and changed her life, and Abraham returned to his cell.
His final trip out was his funeral, attended by a large, loving throng of
mourners. His biography was written by his friend the great Saint Ephrem of
Syria.
SOURCE : http://www.ucatholic.com/saints/saint-abraham-of-kidunaia/
Abraham Kidunia (RM)
(also known as Abraham Kidunaia)
Born near Edessa, Mesopotamia; died there, c. 366; feast day on the Byzantine
Calendar is October 29. Abraham's surnamed "Kidunaia" derives from
the name of his parish at Beth-Kiduna. He was born into a wealthy family near
Edessa. Although Saint Abraham felt called to the religious life, he bowed to
the wishes of his parents to marry. Immediately after the wedding feast, which
led up to the ceremony, he informed his bride of his vocation, and fled from a
life of privilege and a promising marriage to live as a hermit in the nearby
desert. His friends, who searched for him for 17 days, found him in his cell at
prayer. He begged them to leave him there. When they agreed, he walled up the
door to his cell, except for a small window through which he could receive the
food needed for sustenance.
He spent his whole time
in adoring and praising God, and tearfully imploring his mercy. He sole earthly
possessions consisted of a cloak, a piece of sackcloth which he wore, and a
little vessel out of which he both ate and drank. He lived alone in this
penitential state for fifty years, daily drawing renewed vigor from them and
growing in wisdom. Eventually he attracted many who sought his spiritual
guidance. Ten years after he had retired to the desert, his parents died
leaving him their great estates. Abraham commissioned a virtuous friend to
distribute the revenues to the poor.
At the entreaty of his
bishop, Abraham was ordained a priest and appointed as a missionary preacher to
Beth-Kiduna, a pagan hold- out. After enduring ill-treatment at the hands of
the towns inhabitants, he succeeded in completely converting them to
Christianity through his prayers, tears, and patient endurance after three
years. He was always afraid of getting too involved in the world, so after a
year of instructing the neophytes and ensuring they were supplied with priests
and other ministers, he went back to his cell.
A popular cultus sprang
up immediately upon his death. His life was written by Saint Ephrem, who was his
personal friend and admirer. The episodes connected with his niece Saint Mary
are now considered spurious (Attwater2, Benedictines, Encyclopedia, Farmer,
Husenbeth).
Saint Abraham is painted
as an old man with a flowing beard, clothed in skins. At times, he may be shown
in his cell with his niece, Saint Mary, in the adjoining cell (Roeder).
SOURCE : http://www.saintpatrickdc.org/ss/0316.shtml
Saint
for Today: St. Abraham Kidunaia
Abraham Kidunaia was born
in Mesopotamia sometime in the sixth century. His parents were very prominent
members of the city, and they were very wealthy.
Following a custom of the time, Abraham’s parents selected a young woman to be
his bride. Abraham did not want to offend his parents, but he had planned to
lead a life as a single man. On the day before his wedding, Abraham ran away
and hid in the desert. When he was finally found, he was kneeling in prayer.
His parents did not force him to marry, but Abraham lived for many years in a
very small cell as a hermit.
When his parents died, he gave their fortune away to people in need. He
eventually became a priest.
With his persistence and faith, he was able to convert an entire colony of
people who worshiped idols. We honor him on March 16.
SOURCE : https://catholiccourier.com/articles/jesus-brings-his-friend-lazarus-back-to-life/#saint
March 15
St. Abraham, Hermit
From his life written by
his friend, St. Ephrem, Op. t. 2. p. 1. Ed. nov. Vatic. See other acts of St.
Abraham, given in Latin by Lipoman, 29 Oct., and by Surius, 16 March, mentioned
in Greek by Lambecius, Bibl. Vind. t. 8. p. 255. 260. 266. and by Montfaucon,
Bibl. Coislin. p. 211. Two other kinds of Greek Acts are found among the MSS.
at the abbey of Saint Germain-des-Prez, at Paris, Bibl. Coisl. ib. See also
Jos. Assemani, Bibl. Orient. t. 1. p. 38 and 396, from the Chronicle of Edessa:
likewise Kohlius, Introductio in historiam et rem literariam Sclavorum, p. 316.
Altonaviæ, A.D. 1729.
About the Year 360
[And his niece, St. Mary,
a penitent.] ST. ABRAHAM was born at Chidana, in Mesopotamia, near
Edessa, of wealthy and noble parents, who, after giving him a most virtuous
education, were desirous of engaging him in the married state. 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;
where his friends found him at prayer after a search, of seventeen days. By earnest
entreaties he obtained their consent, and after their departure walled up the
door of his cell, leaving only a little window, through which he received what
was necessary for his subsistence. He spent his whole time in adoring and
praising God, and imploring his mercy. He every day wept abundantly. He was
possessed of no other earthly goods but a cloak and a piece of sackcloth which
he wore, and a little vessel out of which he both eat and drank. For fifty
years he was never wearied with his austere penance and holy exercises, and
seemed to draw from them every day fresh vigour. 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 alms-deeds. Many
resorted to him for spiritual advice, whom he exceedingly comforted and edified
by his holy discourses.
A large country town in
the diocess of Edessa, remained till that time addicted to idolatry, and its
inhabitants had loaded with injuries and outrages all the holy monks and others
who had attempted to preach the gospel to them. 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. He wept all the way as he
went, and with great earnestness repeated this prayer: “Most merciful God, look
down on my weakness: assist me with thy grace, that thy name may be glorified.
Despise not the works of thy own hands.” At the sight of the town, reeking with
the impious rites of idolatry, he redoubled the torrents of his tears: but
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 staid 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.
His brother dying soon
after his return thither, left an only daughter, called Mary, whom the saint
undertook to train up in a religious life. For this purpose he placed her in a
cell near his own, where, by the help of his instructions, she became eminent
for her piety and penance. At the end of twenty years she was unhappily seduced
by a wolf in sheep’s clothing, a wicked monk; who resorted often to the place
under colour of receiving advice from her uncle. Hereupon falling into despair,
she went to a distant town, where she gave herself up to the most criminal
disorders. The saint ceased not for two years to weep and pray for her
conversion. Being then informed where she dwelt, he dressed himself like a
citizen of that town, and going to the inn where she lived in the pursuit of
her evil courses desired her company with him at supper. When he saw her alone,
he took off his cap which disguised him, and with many tears said to her:
“Daughter Mary, don’t you know me? What is now become of your angelical habit,
of your tears and watchings in the divine praises?” &c
Seeing her struck and
filled with horror and confusion, he tenderly encouraged her and comforted her,
saying that he would take her sins upon himself if she would faithfully follow
his advice, and that his friend Ephrem also prayed and wept for her. She with
many tears returned him her most hearty thanks, and promised to obey in all things
his injunctions. He set her on his horse, and led the beast himself on foot. In
this manner he conducted her back to his desert, and shut her up in a cell
behind his own. There she spent the remaining fifteen years of her life in
continual tears, and the most perfect practices of penance and other virtues.
Almighty God was pleased within three years after her conversion, to favour her
with the gift of working miracles by her prayers. And as soon as she was dead,
“her countenance appeared to us,” says St. Ephrem, “so shining, that we
understood that choirs of angels had attended at her passage out of this life
into a better,” St. Abraham died five years before her: at the news of whose
sickness, almost the whole city and country flocked to receive his benediction.
When he had expired, every one strove to procure for themselves some part of
his clothes, and St. Ephrem, who was an eye-witness, relates, that many sick
were cured by the touch of these relics. SS. Abraham and Mary were both dead
when St. Ephrem wrote, who died himself in 378. 1 St.
Abraham is named in the Latin, Greek, and Coptic calendars, and also St. Mary
in those of the Greeks.
St. Abraham converted his
desart 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 two short for heavenly contemplation. “Whilst his body was employed in
penitential manual labour, his mind and heart were sweetly taken up in God, who
was to him All in All, and the centre of all his desires and affections. His
watchings were but an uninterrupted sacrifice of divine love, and by the ardour
of his desire, and the disposition of his soul and its virtual tendency to God,
his sleep itself was a continuation of his union with God, and exercise of
loving him. He could truly say with the spouse, I sleep, but my heart
watcheth. Thus Christians, who are placed in distracting stations, may
also, if they accustom themselves, 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 Seraphim, to whom to live and to love are
one and the same thing. “The angels,” says St. 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.
Note 1. Bollandus,
Papebroke, and Pagi pretend that St. Abraham the hermit lived near the
Hellespont, and long after St. Ephrem: but are clearly confuted by Jos.
Assemani, Bibl. Orient. t. 1. and Com. in Calend. Univ. t. 5. p. 324. ad 29
Oct. The Chronicle of Edessa assures us that he was a native of Chidana, and
was living in the year of the Greeks, 667; of Christ, 356. [back]
Rev. Alban Butler (1711–73). Volume III: March. The Lives of the Saints. 1866.
SOURCE : http://www.bartleby.com/210/3/151.html
Pictorial
Lives of the Saints – Saints Abraham and Mary
Article
Abraham was a rich
nobleman of Edessa. At his parents’ desire he married, but escaped to a cell
near the city as soon as the feast was over. He walled up the cell-door,
leaving only a small window through which he received his food. There for fifty
years he sang God’s praises and implored mercy for himself and for all men. The
wealth which fell to him on his parents’ death he gave to the poor. As many
sought him for advice and consolation, the Bishop of Edessa, in spite of his
humility, ordained him priest. Saint Abraham was sent, soon after his
ordination, to an idolatrous city which had hitherto been deaf to every
messenger. He was insulted, beaten, and three times banished, but he returned
each time with fresh zeal. For three years he pleaded with God for those souls,
and in the end prevailed. Every citizen came to him for baptism. After
providing for their spiritual needs, he went back to his cell more than ever
convinced of the power of prayer. His brother died, leaving an only daughter,
Mary, to the Saint’s care. He placed her in a cell near his own, and devoted
himself to training her in perfection. After twenty years of innocence she
fell, and fled in despair to a distant city, where she drowned the voice of
conscience in sin. The Saint and his friend Saint Ephrem prayed earnestly for
her during two years. Then he went disguised to seek the lost sheep, and had
the joy of bringing her back to the desert a true penitent. She received the
gift of miracles, and her countenance after death shone as the sun. Saint
Abraham died five years before her, about A.D. 360. All Edessa came for his
last blessing, and to secure his relics.
Reflection – Oh! that we
realized the omnipotence of prayer. Every soul was created to glorify God
eternally; and it is in the power of every one to add by the salvation of his
neighbor to the glory of God. Let us make good use of this talent of prayer,
lest our brother’s blood be required of us at the last.
MLA
Citation
John Dawson Gilmary Shea.
“Saints Abraham and Mary”. Pictorial Lives of the
Saints, 1889. CatholicSaints.Info.
2 February 2014. Web. 27 August 2025. <https://catholicsaints.info/pictorial-lives-of-the-saints-saints-abraham-and-mary/>
SOURCE : https://catholicsaints.info/pictorial-lives-of-the-saints-saints-abraham-and-mary/
The Life of Saint
Abraham, Hermit, [Celebrated in the Roman Martyrology on March 16]
by S. Ephraem the Deacon
translated into Latin from the Greek
by an anonymous author.
Prologue by S Ephraem
My brothers, I wish to
tell you about the way of life of that wonderfully perfect man Abraham, who
began his life and continued to the end in such a way that he has earned
perpetual glory. But when I think of his great virtue I am very hesitant about
trying to put together a worthwhile and enlightening tale. For he was an
outstanding man who had achieved perfection, whereas I am but weak and
unpolished. But although unskilled, I will do the best I can to write as much
as possible about this man, although I cannot claim to have a perfect
understanding of him. Anyone, indeed, who is deservedly called a second Abraham
cannot be easily described by human tongue. He was a man of our own time,
living an Angelic life while still on earth. He developed as much endurance as
the hardest of adamantine rock, which earned him celestial glory. From his
early youth he preserved the most spotless chastity, which made him a holy vessel,
fit to be a temple of the holy Spirit, and thus he opened himself up to the God
who came to dwell in the guesthouse of his mind.
The Life
Chapter I
This blessed Abraham had
wealthy parents who loved him tenderly beyond measure. They had such care for
him, beyond the usual limits of human affection, that they betrothed him to a
girl while he was still a child, hoping with a great longing that he would make
progress in some secular walk of life. But he had long thought otherwise, for
from the beginnings of his adolescence he began to frequent the regular
gatherings at the church, eagerly listening with enjoyment to whatever was read
from the holy Scriptures, which he would commit to memory and afterwards mull
them over intently in his heart. But then his parents set a date for the
approaching marriage ceremonies, which would oblige him to be bound by nuptial
vows. He had objected to this at first, but they berated him and brought such
pressure to bear on him that after a while he could no longer stand against
them and felt so ashamed that he was persuaded to agree. So the nuptials were
celebrated, but during the seven days of festivity divine grace suddenly
illuminated him like a lamp shining in his heart. He welcomed it as guiding him
to the fulfilment of his own desire. He leapt for joy and followed it as it led
him out of the city.
Chapter II
About two miles from his
home he found an empty cell which he occupied and made his home, glorifying God
with immense happiness. But it was a crushing blow to his parents and friends,
who went out searching everywhere for this man of God. He had been seventeen
days in his cell when they finally found him there praying, and the blessed man
then saw how distressed they were."Why should you be so upset at seeing me
in this situation?" he asked. "Rather give glory to the most merciful
God, who has rescued me from feasting at the table of my own sins, and pray for
me that I may in all things shape my life as may be most pleasing to his will,
and that I may be able to bear unto the end this most gentle yoke which the
Lord has laid upon me, unworthy though I am."All who heard him could not
but say Amen, and he asked them not to disturb him by dragging out this meeting
any longer. After they had gone he blocked up the entrance to his cell and shut
himself up inside, constructing a small window to the outside world through
which he might receive his usual daily bread. Divine grace began to light up
his mind, freed as it was from all turbulent distractions, and he advanced
daily in the way he governed his life. The foundation of his life was
continence, upon which he built his vigils and prayers, which he poured out
with humble tears and love. Gradually his reputation for holiness spread
everywhere around, and as people heard about him they hoped for inspiration
from him and came from all directions to visit him. God abundantly bestowed
upon him words of wisdom and knowledge and comfort, which lit up the minds of
his hearers as if by the most brilliant of lamps.
Chapter III
When he had been living
this life for twelve years, his parents died leaving him a great deal of money
and property. Lest this should distract him from his own prayers he asked a
close friend to take upon himself the godly task of overseeing the distribution
of it all to the poor and to orphans. His own soul and mind continued securely
in quietness, for it was the greatest wish of this good man to be completely
free from all earthly cares. He possessed nothing on this earth except a mantle
and a coarse tunic. He also had a little bowl from which he ate and drank, and
a rush mat on which he slept. Above all he had true humility, and showed the
same charitable respect to all. He did not put the rich before the poor, the
prince before the subject, or the aristocrats before the common people, but
gave the same consideration and honour to all, without any respect of persons.
He never scolded people rudely; his speech was always rooted in love and
gentleness. How could anyone possibly get too much of his eloquence, offered as
it was with such sweetness? Or how could anyone gazing at his face, the image
of holiness, fail to be filled with a desire to see him over and over again.
Once he had taken up his rules of abstinence he never relaxed them at any time.
He completed with all diligence fifty years of this chosen way of life, and for
the great love and longing he had for Christ, he reckoned that long stretch of
time as but a few days, and he thought of all the austerity of his rule as
nothing at all.
Chapter IV
There was quite a large
and important village not far from the city, where everyone from the greatest
to the least lived in a state of the most crude paganism. Nobody had succeeded
in converting them from the worship of idols. A number of presbyters and
deacons had been ordained by the bishop and sent there for that very purpose,
but had to withdraw without converting anyone. They laboured there in vain; the
people would not be persuaded. They were fierce in temperament and quite
inflexible about keeping to their own opinions. Not only that, but they also
stirred up anger and the most intense resentment against the preachers. There
were even a number of monks who had tried to approach them time and again, but
had not had the least success in converting any of them.Then, one day, as the
bishop was having a meeting with his clergy, he began to talk about this most
blessed man."In all my days I have never seen anyone like him," he
said. "He is perfect in every good work, adorned with all the virtues. God
is with him, which is why he is known as Abraham the most holy.""It
is perfectly true," came the reply from the clergy. "This servant of
God is the most perfect of monks.""I would like to ordain him
presbyter," said the bishop, "and send him into that village of
pagans. With his patience and love he would be able to convert them to
God."And he got up straight away and went to the holy man's cell along
with his clergy. After greeting him he immediately suggested that Abraham
should go to that village for the sake of their salvation. "I beg you,
most holy father," said Abraham, unhappy and agitated, "Let me just
go on weeping for my sins without placing this sort of burden on my weak and
insignificant existence.""But by the grace of God you can do it.
Surely you don't want to be found lacking in obedience in this
matter.""I beseech you, your holiness, let me just mourn my
misdeeds.""Look, you have renounced the world and everything in it,
you have embraced the life of the cross, and yet having done all that, you
should know that you have no idea of what obedience is, which is the greatest
of all virtues.""What am I but a dead dog (1 Samuel 24.14), and what is
my life that you have passed such a sentence on me, most holy
father!""Look, you are just sitting here taking thought for your own
salvation. There are multitudes more whom by the help of God's grace you could
save by turning them towards the Lord God. Just ask yourself which will bring
the greater reward, saving your own soul, or leading many others to salvation
with you..""Then the Lord's will be done," the blessed man of
God said in floods of tears. "In truth, obedience demands that I do whatever
you wish."
Chapter V
So he was taken from his
cell into the city, ordained presbyter by the laying of hands, and sent without
delay to that pagan village, praying as he went on his journey."O God most
clement, most bounteous," he prayed, "look upon my infirmity, and send
your heavenly grace down on my new status (praesidium) that your holy name may
be glorified."When he got to the village and saw how deeply they were all
immersed in the madness of idolatry, he groaned from the bottom of his heart
and wept in grief."You alone are without sin, O God," he cried,
lifting up his eyes to heaven. "Despise not the works of your own
hands."And he hastily arranged for a messenger to be sent to his dear
friend in the city, asking him to bring him what money was left of his inheritance.
Once he had got it, before long he had built a church and decorated it with
many wonderful ornaments as if it were a most beloved bride. While it was being
built, however, the man of God walked daily past the pagan statues, saying
nothing, but praying secretly in his heart, and sending up his tears and sighs
to the Lord. When the church was finished he offered it up with many tears as a
gift to God and on his knees poured forth prayer to God."Almighty Son of
the living God, you have trodden the whole world of error underfoot, and led it
by your presence into the knowledge of your light. Gather this scattered people
also into the bosom of your church, and enlighten the eyes of their minds, that
they may cast off the worship of idols and know you the only kind God and lover
of humankind."The prayer over, he went straight out of the church to the
pagan temple, overturned the altar and images and destroyed them with his own
hands. When the pagans realised what he had done an angry crowd of them gathered
around like a herd of wild beasts and beat him with many rods, making him run
for his life. At night time he came quietly back to his church, taking no
thought for his lacerations and wounds, but praying to the Lord with tears and
groans that they should be saved. In the morning the pagans came to the church
and found him praying, and they stood stock still in amazement. And they came
to the church for several days, not in order to pray, but to feast their eyes
on the beauty and ornaments of the church. A few days later the blessed man
Abraham began to urge them to know God. But this made them very angry, and they
fell upon him with clubs as if he were some lifeless stone, bound his feet with
ropes, dragged him out of the village, and stoned him till they thought he was
dead, although in fact he was still only half dead. In the middle of the night
he regained consciousness and began to weep bitterly."O Lord," he
prayed, "why have you despised my lowliness and turned your face away from
me? And why do you cast down my soul, and despise, O Lord, the work of your own
hands? Now, O Lord, look upon your servant and hear my prayer and give me
strength. Loosen your children from the chains of the devil, and enlighten them
that they may know you, for you alone are God, and beside you there is no
other."Rising from his prayer, he returned to the village and went in to
the church, singing psalms to the Lord. When it began to get light the
villagers came and were astonished to see him. Infuriated and maddened, they again
tormented him cruelly without mercy, bound him and carried him out of the
village.
Chapter VI
He went on suffering like
this for three years, but he endured as if he were an adamantine rock, and he
suffered a great many abusive torments without ceasing. But when he was knocked
over, when he was dragged about, persecuted and stoned, suffering from hunger
and thirst, no matter what happened he was never provoked to anger, never moved
by indignation, never fainthearted, never worn out and weary. The more he suffered
from them the more his love and charity increased towards them. He warned, he
cajoled, he showered them with entreaties of gentlest eloquence. He addressed
the older men as fathers, the younger as brothers, the youths as sons, but when
he was ridiculed by them in return he just laughed as he suffered a thousand
insults.
SOURCE : http://www.vitae-patrum.org.uk/page17.html
Sant' Abramo Anacoreta
Festa: 29 ottobre
† 366
Nato in una ricca
famiglia di Edessa in Siria, si fece eremita in una stretta cella. Ordinato
sacerdote, evangelizzò la regione di Beth Kiduna e, non appena poté, riprese la
sua vita di anacoreta.
Etimologia: Abramo =
grande padre, dall'ebraico
Martirologio
Romano: A Edessa nell’antica Siria, sant’Abramo, anacoreta, la cui vita fu
descritta dal diacono sant’Efrem.
Nacque da una ricca famiglia a Edessa, Siria. Gli fu imposto un matrimonio combinato in tenera età. Durante i festeggiamenti del matrimonio, Abraham fuggì. SI murò in una piccola cella poco lontano, lasciando un foro piccolo attraverso il quale la sua famiglia potè portargli cibo e acqua, e attraverso il quale potè spiegare il suo desiderio di una vita religiosa. La sua famiglia cedette, il matrimonio fu revocato, e così Abraham passò i successivi dieci anni rinchiuso nella sua cella.
Dopo un decennio di una vita da recluso, il vescovo di Edessa, contro i desideri stessi di Abraham, lo ordinò sacerdote e gli impose di partire missionario presso il villaggio intransigentemente pagano di Beth-Kiduna. Qui, Abraham riuscì a costruire una chiesa, a cancellare idoli, soffrì abusi e violenze, e col suo buon esempio riuscì a convertire il villaggio intero. Un anno dopo, dopo aver pregato ardentemente che Dio mandasse in quel posto in sua vece un pastore migliore di lui, fece ritorno alla sua cella. E' proprio dalla popolarità che conquistò in Kiduna che divenne famoso come Kidunaia (Qidonaya).
Lasciò la sua cella solamente altre due volte nella sua vita. Una volta una sua nipote, Santa Maria di Edessa, viveva una vita dissoluta. Abraham si travestì da soldato, seppe attirare l'attenzione di Maria e farsi accogliere in casa sua. Durante la cena riuscì a convincerla che viveva nel peccato e nell'errore, la convertì e da allora la vita di Maria cambiò. Dopo di che ritornò alla sua cella. La sua ultima uscita fu al suo funerale, al quale partecipò una gran folla di persone che lo amavano e piangevano per lui. La sua biografia fu scritta dal suo amico Sant'Ephrem.
Autore: Piero Stradella
SOURCE : https://www.santiebeati.it/dettaglio/75570
Abraham von Kiduna
auch: Abramius
syrischer Name: ܐܒܪܗܡ ܩܝܕܘܢܝܐ
Gedenktag katholisch: 29.
Oktober
Gedenktag orthodox: 29.
Oktober
Gedenktag armenisch: 28.
Oktober
Gedenktag
äthiopisch-orthodox: 29. Juli
Gedenktag
syrisch-orthodox: 20. Januar, Sonntag der ersten Woche der ungesäuerten Brote,
24. Oktober, 29. Oktober, 14. Dezember
Name bedeutet: Vater
der Menge (hebr.)
Einsiedler
* um 290
† um 360 nahe Kiduna bei Edessa, heute der Stadtteil
Kadin in Şanlıurfa in der Türkei
Abraham, Sohn
wohlhabender Eltern, heiratete auf deren Initiative, verließ seine Frau aber
schon nach einer Woche und zog sich zurück als Einsiedler. Nach zwölf Jahren
starben seine Eltern und er verteilte sein reiches Erbe an Bedürftige. Nachdem
der Bischof seinen heiligmäßigen Lebenswandel erkannt hatte, weihte er ihn zum
Priester. Abraham bekämpfte nun die heidnischen Bräuche, zerstörte heidnische
Altäre und Götzenbilder, deshalb wurde er drei Jahre lang gefangen gehalten mit
Qualen und Folter; schlussendlich aber konnte er die ob seiner Standhaftigkeit
zum Christentum bekehrten Menschen alle taufen. Auch vielen Versuchungen böser
Geister widerstand er. So lebte er rund fünfzig Jahre lang in seiner Hütte und
bekehrte auch seine Kusine Maria die
Büßerin.
Hrotsvitha
von Gandersheim erzählte die Geschichte der Bekehrung Marias durch
Abraham in einem ihrer Dramen.
Attribute: langer
roter Bart
Ephraem
der Syrer verfasste eine längere Lebensgeschichte, die in deutscher
Übersetzung in Leben
der Väter, Seite 173 - 185 zu finden ist.
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Quellen:
• Vera Schauber, Hanns Michael Schindler: Heilige und Patrone im Jahreslauf. Pattloch, München, 2001
• Erhard Gorys: Lexikon der Heiligen. dtv, München, 1997
• Otto Wimmer, Hartmann Melzer: Lexikon der Namen und Heiligen, bearb. u. erg. von Josef Gelmi. Tyrolia, Innsbruck, 1988
• http://home.t-online.de/home/Bad-Gandersheim/history.htm nicht mehr erreichbar
• Heribert Rosweyde: Leben der Väter, oder, Lehren und Thaten der
vorzüglichsten Heiligen aus den ersten Zeiten des Ordensstandes in der
katholischen Kirche, Band 1. Karl Kollmann'sche Buchhandlung, Augsburg 1840, S.
173 - 185
korrekt zitieren: Joachim Schäfer: Artikel Abraham von Kiduna, aus dem Ökumenischen Heiligenlexikon - https://www.heiligenlexikon.de/BiographienA/Abraham_von_Kiduna.htm, abgerufen am 27. 8. 2025
Die Deutsche Nationalbibliothek verzeichnet das Ökumenische Heiligenlexikon in
der Deutschen Nationalbibliografie; detaillierte bibliografische Daten sind im
Internet über https://d-nb.info/1175439177 und https://d-nb.info/969828497 abrufbar.
SOURCE : https://www.heiligenlexikon.de/BiographienA/Abraham_von_Kiduna.htm
Vollständiges Heiligen-Lexikon
Stichwörter | Faksimiles | Zufälliger
Artikel
Abramius, SS. (2)
[10] 2SS.
Abramius (Abrahamius), Erem. et Maria. (16. März, al. 29. Okt.)
Der hl. Abramius wurde zu Chidane in Mesopotamien, bei Edessa, von
begüterten Eltern geboren. Nach Bollandus, Papebroch und Pazi soll
er am Hellespont und lange nach dem hl. Ephräm, nämlich um die Mitte des 6.
Jahrhunderts, gelebt haben; allein J. Assemani hat sie gründlich
widerlegt, indem er auf eine Chronik von Edessa hinwies, wornach unser Heiliger
zu Chidan (Chidane) in Mesopotamien geboren wurde und um das Jahr 356, also
gleichzeitig mit dem hl. Ephräm († 378) noch gelebt hat. Wider Willen mit einer
Jungfrau von den seltensten Eigenschaften verlobt, ging er am Hochzeittage
heimlich davon und verschloß sich in einer einsamen Zelle, 2 Stunden von
Edessa. Hier fanden ihn nach 17 Tagen seine Verwandten und boten Alles auf, ihn
in die Welt zurückzubringen; allein er blieb unbeugsam und betheuerte, nie mehr
in Gemeinschaft mit der Welt leben zu wollen. Nach ihrer Entfernung ließ er
seine Zelle gänzlich vermauern, bis auf ein kleines Fenster, durch welches er
die nöthigen Lebensmittel bezog, und lebte daselbst 12 Jahre lang in gänzlicher
Abgeschlossenheit. Indeß breitete sich der Ruf von seiner Heiligkeit immer mehr
aus, und Viele kamen herbei, seine Reden zu hören und an seinem Beispiele sich
zu erbauen. Bei der Stadt Edessa war ein Marktflecken, dessen Bewohner
hartnäckig am Götzendienste hingen. Dahin ward er vom Bischof der Stadt, der
ihn zum Priester geweiht hatte, gesendet, das Evangelium zu predigen. Drei
Jahre wirkte hier Abramius unter vielen Mühen und Leiden, ohne
besondern Erfolg, bis sie sich endlich bekehrten und zum Christenthum wandten.
Die hl. Maria, welche am nämlichen Tage mit ihm verehrt wird und eine Tochter
seines Bruders war, nahm er in ihrem 7. Jahre zu sich und erzog sie in der
Furcht und Ermahnung des Herrn. Allein der Satan bediente sich eines schlechten
Menschen, sie zum Falle zu bringen, worauf sie die Flucht ergriff und einem
liederlichen Lebenswandel nachging. Zwei Jahre darauf fand sie der hl. Abramius in
einem Schandhause zu Asso in Troas und ruhte nicht eher, bis sie sich zur
Rückkehr entschloß. Zur Zelle ihres Oheims zurückgekehrt, verbrachte sie 15
Jahre in Buße und gottseligen Uebungen, und starb endlich den Tod der
Gerechten. Der hl. Ephräm, der sie vor ihrer Beerdigung noch sah, sagt,
ihr Angesicht habe in Herrlichkeit zu strahlen geschienen, und eine Schaar
himmlischer Geister habe ohne Zweifel ihre Seele in die seligen Wohnungen
hinübergetragen. Abramius überlebte seine Nichte nur noch 5 Jahre und
starb im 70. Jahre um 360 n. Chr. Der Name der hl. Maria steht in den
griechischen, jener des hl. Abramius aber nicht nur in den
griechischen, sondern auch in den lateinischen und koptischen Kalendern. Bei
den Griechen werden Beide am 29. Okt. verehrt. Der hl. Abramius wird
dargestellt in der Kleidung und Umgebung eines Einsiedlers, in Felle gekleidet.
Quelle:
Vollständiges
Heiligen-Lexikon, Band 1. Augsburg 1858, S. 10.
Permalink:
http://www.zeno.org/nid/2000284396X
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Ähnliche Einträge in
anderen Lexika
Heiligenlexikon-1858: Abramius, S.
(3) · Abramius, S.
(1)
SOURCE : http://www.zeno.org/Heiligenlexikon-1858/A/Abramius,+SS.+(2)
Voir aussi : http://www.traditioninaction.org/SOD/j213sd_AbrahamKiduna_03_16.html
