Page 94 - LD215 History of the Church in Africa A4 final

A History of the Church in Africa

full authority. According to tradition, Frumentius and Aedesius became
Ezana’s regents and assumed the responsibility of government. The
record indicates they taught Ezana about Christianity and he converted
to the faith progressively, as Isichei notes:

Ezana’s monuments and coins provide a fascinating mirror of
his gradual adoption of Christianity. His earliest inscriptions are
dedicated to the South Arabian gods, Astar, Baher and Meder;
later, they invoke “The Lord of Heaven,” and, finally, the Trinity.
Ezana’s conversion has been explained in different ways, most
cynically by suggestions that he knew of Constantine and had
come to consider Christianity an appropriate ideology for great
kings. (33)

As a committed Christian, Frumentius was a faithful witness.
Eventually he was awarded his freedom. Sometime later he left Axum
to return to Syria. As he passed through Alexandria, he reported to the
Patriarch Athanasius and others about the progress of Christianity in
Axum. Sanneh gives details of this meeting:

Seeing the enthusiasm of the young Syrian the Patriarch had
him ordained and consecrated bishop for service in the Axumite
kingdom. The date for this is not fixed with any precision, but
Frumentius is said to have visited Athanasius during the latter’s
reign from 346 to 357. Frumentius is rightly regarded by the
Ethiopian Orthodox Church as “Abba Salama,” “father of peace.”
(1983, 5–6)

For the century following Ezana’s death (A.D. 400), Christianity
spread along the trade routes. Kaleb and Gabre Maskal were kings who
attempted to persuade the masses to become Christians.

Toward the end of the fifth century (approximately A.D. 480),
additional Syrian missionaries visited Ethiopia. Ethiopian Orthodox
Church tradition identifies these missionaries as the Tesseatou Kidoussan
or Nine Saints. Of them, Shaw writes:

These nine monks (Abba Aregawi, Abba Guerima, Abba Aftse,
Penteleon, Likanos, Alef, Tsihma, Ym’ata, and Gouba) learned

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