Abraham the Great of Kidunja
Encyclopedia
Saint Abraham the Great of Kidunja (or Kidunaja) (died c. 366) was a Hermit
and Priest
of the Christian Church
.
. After having spent twelve years there in a hut he had walled up, he was ordained to the priesthood and appointed the pastor of a village in Mesopotamia
with a largely pagan population. Within three years, he had converted the population of his village to Christianity. Thereafter, he left to return to the desert. He only returned later to convert his niece Mary, who had become a prostitute, to Christianity. He died at Assos
in the Troad, Asia Minor
(now modern-day Turkey
) around 366 AD.
and in the Roman Catholic Church
. The Syrian Church
commemorates him on December 14, the Coptic Church on July 29, the Syriac Orthodox Church
on October 24.
Hermit
A hermit is a person who lives, to some degree, in seclusion from society.In Christianity, the term was originally applied to a Christian who lives the eremitic life out of a religious conviction, namely the Desert Theology of the Old Testament .In the...
and Priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
of the Christian Church
Christian Church
The Christian Church is the assembly or association of followers of Jesus Christ. The Greek term ἐκκλησία that in its appearances in the New Testament is usually translated as "church" basically means "assembly"...
.
Biography
He left his young wife on his wedding day and settled in the desert of SyriaSyria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
. After having spent twelve years there in a hut he had walled up, he was ordained to the priesthood and appointed the pastor of a village in Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia is a toponym for the area of the Tigris–Euphrates river system, largely corresponding to modern-day Iraq, northeastern Syria, southeastern Turkey and southwestern Iran.Widely considered to be the cradle of civilization, Bronze Age Mesopotamia included Sumer and the...
with a largely pagan population. Within three years, he had converted the population of his village to Christianity. Thereafter, he left to return to the desert. He only returned later to convert his niece Mary, who had become a prostitute, to Christianity. He died at Assos
Assos
Assos , also known as Behramkale or for short Behram, is a small historically rich town in the Ayvacık district of the Çanakkale Province, Turkey....
in the Troad, Asia Minor
Asia Minor
Asia Minor is a geographical location at the westernmost protrusion of Asia, also called Anatolia, and corresponds to the western two thirds of the Asian part of Turkey...
(now modern-day Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
) around 366 AD.
Veneration
The feast day of Saint Abraham is October 29 in the Eastern Orthodox ChurchEastern Orthodox Church
The Orthodox Church, officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the second largest Christian denomination in the world, with an estimated 300 million adherents mainly in the countries of Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece,...
and in the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
. The Syrian Church
Syrian Church
Syrian Church may refer to:*Syriac Orthodox Church*Syriac Catholic Church...
commemorates him on December 14, the Coptic Church on July 29, the Syriac Orthodox Church
Syriac Orthodox Church
The Syriac Orthodox Church; is an autocephalous Oriental Orthodox church based in the Eastern Mediterranean, with members spread throughout the world. The Syriac Orthodox Church claims to derive its origin from one of the first Christian communities, established in Antioch by the Apostle St....
on October 24.
External links
- Holweck, F. G. A Biographical Dictionary of the Saints. St. Louis, MO: B. Herder Book Co. 1924.