Blessed Elesbaan, King of Ethiopia (+c. 553–555)

The blessed Elesbaan, king of Ethiopia, lived in the reign of the Jew Dunaan, persecutor of the Christians in Arabia. The devout ruler, greatly grieved by the endless slaughter of the Orthodox, declared war on the godless Dunaan, but his campaign ended in defeat. Elesbaan wished to learn the cause of the defeat, and by inspiration from on high turned to a monk living in seclusion. The monk told the saint that he had acted wrongly when he resolved to take vengeance on Dunaan trusting only in his own strength, for the Lord says: “Vengeance belongeth unto Me, I will recompense” (Heb. 10:30). The hermit advised the blessed Elesbaan to wage war on Dunaan hoping not in his own strength but in the mercy of God, and that the aim of the war should be only the defence of Christianity and love for the holy Church. At the same time he advised him to devote the last days of his life to God for the salvation of his own soul. Saint Elesbaan made a vow to the Lord, after which he defeated the enemy, granted the Christians of the land freedom of worship and opened the churches. After this the saint left the royal throne and went away to a house, where he lived fifteen years in seclusion. The blessed Elesbaan died around 553–555.