Saint Abraham of Carrhae
Bishop of Carrhae
A hermit who became Bishop of Carrhae in the 5th century, Saint Abraham evangelized Mount Lebanon through his gentleness and charity, even paying the taxes of the villagers. He died in Constantinople in 422, where Emperor Theodosius the Younger honored his memory before returning his body to his diocese.
Guided reading
5 reading sections
SAINT ABRAHAM, BISHOP OF CARRHAE, IN MESOPOTAMIA (422).
Mission to Mount Lebanon
Abraham, a zealous hermit, attempts to evangelize an idolatrous village in Mount Lebanon where he is nearly killed before touching the inhabitants with his gentleness.
He was a ho ly solitary who saint solitaire Hermit who became bishop of Carrhae in the 5th century. , full of zeal for the growth of the empire of Jesus Christ, went to preach the Gospel in a village of Mount Leba non. The i Mont-Liban Place of the saint's eremitic retreat. nhabitants of this village, still idolaters, had no sooner heard him speak against their gods than they resolved upon his death; but they were so touched by his gentleness and the patience with which he suffered the harshest treatment that they spared his life.
Charity and conversion of the villagers
The saint pays the tax debts of the villagers threatened with prison, thus gaining their trust and allowing for their conversion to Christianity.
The officers charged with collecting public funds, having arrived shortly after, found that most of the village inhabitants were unable to pay. They were already preparing to drag them to prison. The Saint, moved by the plight of these wretches, took out a loan and paid for them.
Such generous conduct won the hearts of all these poor people; they became attached to their benefactor, who took advantage of their trust to instruct them in the Christian religion. Abraham remained with them f Abraham Hermit who became bishop of Carrhae in the 5th century. or three years, then returned to his solitude, after having entrusted the care of their souls to a virtuous priest; but he did not long enjoy the rest he had gone to seek in retirement; for he was raised to the episcopal see of the city of Carrhae, in Mesopotamia.
Bishop of Carrhae
After his return to solitude, Abraham was appointed bishop of Carrhae in Mesopotamia, where he continued a life of austerity and struggle against idolatry.
Despite his change in status, he lived no less in recollection and the austerities of penance. He worked with tireless ardor for the ruin of idolatry and the destruction of the vices that follow in its wake. He died in 422 in Constantinople, whe re the Emperor Constantinople City where the saint exercised his ministry and patriarchate. Theodosius the Younger had summo Théodore le Jeune Eastern Roman Emperor, brother of Pulcheria. ned him. This prince kept one of the Saint's garments, which he wore on certain days out of respect for his memory, and returned his mortal remains to the inhabitants of Carrhae, so that the shepherd would not be separated from his flock.
Death in Constantinople and legacy
Summoned by Emperor Theodosius the Younger, he died in Constantinople in 422; his remains were returned to his diocese while the emperor kept a garment as a relic.
Historical sources
Reference to the writings of Theodoret of Cyrus in his Religious History.
See Theodoret, Philoth., vol. III, ch. 17, p. 847.
Annexes & related entities
Structured data for exploration: events, miracles, quotes, places, attributes, patronages, and important entities cited in the text.
Key Events
- Solitary life
- Preaching to idolaters on Mount Lebanon
- Paid the villagers' public debts to save them from prison
- Elevation to the episcopal see of Carrhae
- Died in Constantinople in 422