Venerable Abraham, Bishop of Carrhae (V)

Saint Abraham, Bishop of Carrhae, lived in the fourth and fifth centuries. He was born in the city of Cyrrhus and was quite young when he went to a monastery. Afterwards the saint chose the mountains of Lebanon as the place of his labours and lived there the life of a hermit monk. The Venerable Abraham often had to endure attacks from the pagans. The godless tried to drive the blessed monk off their lands; his quiet was also often disturbed by the poor inhabitants of a nearby village, who came up to him to ask for alms; but the Lord’s chosen one bore their visits patiently and gave away unstintingly everything that was offered to him. When the Christian inhabitants of this village built a church, they earnestly asked Saint Abraham to receive ordination to the priesthood and become their pastor. The venerable father yielded to the wish of those who asked him, strengthened the flock spiritually, and then appointed another pastor for them in his place and himself returned to the monastery. The ascetic, distinguished by piety, was appointed Bishop of Carrhae. The saint diligently taught his flock a God-pleasing life and himself gave an example of abstinence. The Emperor Theodosius the Younger wished to meet the bishop and summoned him to court. Having come to Constantinople, Saint Abraham soon died. His remains were carried with honour to the city of Carrhae and buried there.