Welcome to this new week of grace and peace!
As we begin this Monday, the Church invites us to open our hearts to God’s Word and renew our faith through prayer and reflection.
Today, we remember Saint Frumentius, a missionary bishop who brought the light of Christ to the land of Ethiopia, becoming one of the earliest apostles of Africa. His zeal, courage, and faith remind us that one person’s “yes” to God can transform a nation.
Prayer of the Day
O God,
You sent Saint Frumentius to bring the light of faith to the people of Ethiopia.
Grant that, through his intercession, we may be filled with the same missionary spirit and bring Your love to all we meet.
May our lives bear witness to the Gospel, and may we always seek to draw others closer to Your Son, Jesus Christ.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Supporting Scripture:
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”
— Matthew 28:19
Mass Reading of the Day
First Reading: Romans 8:12–17
Brothers and sisters: We are not debtors to the flesh, to live according to the flesh; for if you live according to the flesh, you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 68:2, 4, 6–7, 20–21
Our God is a God who saves; the Lord, the Lord, rescues us from death.
Gospel: Luke 13:10–17
Jesus heals a crippled woman on the Sabbath, revealing God’s compassion that transcends all laws.
Saint of the Day — Saint Frumentius (c. 300–383)
Saint Frumentius, known as “Apostle of Ethiopia,” was born in Tyre (modern-day Lebanon). As a young boy, he traveled with his uncle, a philosopher named Meropius, on a voyage to India. Their ship was attacked off the coast of the Red Sea, and Frumentius and his brother Aedesius were taken as slaves to the royal court of Axum in Ethiopia.
The young men gained favor with the king, who freed them and entrusted them with positions of responsibility. When the king died, they remained to serve the queen and young prince, using their influence to spread Christianity quietly among the people.
After the prince became king, Frumentius traveled to Alexandria to ask St. Athanasius for a bishop to be sent to Ethiopia. Athanasius, inspired by the Holy Spirit, consecrated Frumentius himself as bishop — making him the first bishop of Axum and the founder of the Ethiopian Church.
Under his leadership, Ethiopia became one of the first Christian nations in the world. Frumentius preached the Gospel, built churches, and baptized thousands. His faith, humility, and missionary spirit continue to inspire the Church today.
10 Facts About Saint Frumentius
- He was born around the year 300 in Tyre, Lebanon.
- Captured as a youth and sold into slavery in Ethiopia.
- Served as a tutor to the young prince of Axum.
- Converted many in the royal court to Christianity.
- Went to Alexandria to seek a bishop for Ethiopia.
- Consecrated bishop by St. Athanasius of Alexandria.
- Known as Abba Salama (“Father of Peace”) by Ethiopians.
- Played a vital role in establishing the Ethiopian Orthodox Church.
- Remembered for blending faith with cultural respect and diplomacy.
- His missionary work laid the foundation for centuries of Christianity in Africa.
