Story
Lives of the Saints and Martyrs in the Coptic Orthodox Church
The Martyr Abaskhiron al-Qualini | Saint Abaskhiron
His upbringing:
The word "Abaskhiron" or "Absakhiron" is derived from two words: "Aba," which means "father," and "skhiron" ("escheiros" or "eskaros"), which means "the strong."
He was born at Qallin in the governorate of Kafr al-Shaykh. He was a brave and beloved soldier, of wide renown and high standing among his comrades and his superiors, one of the soldiers of the legion that was stationed at Athrib (Banha).
His stance toward the edict of Diocletian:
When Diocletian issued an edict commanding sacrifice to the idols throughout the empire, and when the edict was proclaimed among the soldiers, Abaskhiron refused to worship the idols. So the governor rose up and struck him and began to rebuke him; but he cast down his soldier's belt before him, and at once the governor ordered him imprisoned.
Saint Abaskhiron had two brothers who came to him weeping and entreating him to offer incense to the idols. When he did not heed their tears, they began to disown him; but he kept speaking to them about faith in the Lord Christ. Then he began to pray, and an angel appeared to him, supporting him and encouraging him.
He was brought forth the next morning for trial. The governor at one moment threatened him and at another spoke gently to him; and when he found him steadfast in his faith, he decided to transfer him to Arianus, the governor of Ansina (the village of Shaykh Ibada opposite Mallawi, east of the Nile).
Abaskhiron was bound and removed, together with four soldiers, aboard a boat heading toward Upper Egypt. The Lord Christ appeared to him while he was in the ship and loosed his bonds; but when the soldiers begged him, he allowed them to bind him, lest they be put to death.
In Asyut:
They did not find the governor at Ansina, for they learned that he had gone to Asyut; so they set off toward him. There Abaskhiron became acquainted with a company of believers from Aswan and Esna who had been brought to Arianus to be tortured, and they all consoled one another together.
The saint cast out an evil spirit that had been tormenting Maximus, the governor's counselor (most likely the governor of Asyut, who was in the company of Arianus, governor of Ansina). At this the governor was enraged and ordered the saint to be tied to horses and paraded through the streets of the city, with some crying out before him, saying: "This is the reward of one who does not submit to the commands of the kings and offer incense to the gods."
He was subjected to many torments, and the Lord upheld and strengthened him. Arianus accused him of sorcery, so he summoned a sorcerer named Alexandros, who offered him a cup containing poison. The saint made the sign of the cross over it, and no harm came to him; so the sorcerer believed in the Lord Christ, and Arianus struck off his head.
Arianus pressed hard in his torture of the saint, and at last he struck off his head on the 7th of Baounah, together with five soldiers: Alphius, Armanius, Arkias, Peter, and Quiraion.
The Church of Saint Abaskhiron at al-Bayhu:
This is the church of Saint Abaskhiron that was at Qallin (in the governorate of Kafr al-Shaykh), which the saint transferred to al-Bayhu in the governorate of al-Minya in Upper Egypt, and it still stands to this day.
It is said that the people of Qallin were accustomed to appoint a set night for the holding of a number of weddings together — perhaps because of the difficulty of travel at that time, and because it coincided with the harvest season. At one of these celebrations, while about a hundred persons were gathered in the church, the enemy of good had stirred up the persecutors against them. The believers of that town always sought the intercession of Saint Abaskhiron, who was from their town. And in the course of the night, before the persecutors could carry out what they intended, the church was transferred, with all who were in it, to al-Bayhu in Upper Egypt. In the morning the people came out of the church to find themselves in a land other than their own.
The saint appeared to them without their recognizing him, and walked with them as far as the bank of the Nile; and when they boarded a ship, they arrived at Qallin in a single day instead of three days. The owner of the ship marveled and believed in Christianity. At Qallin they did not find the church; in its place there remains to this day a pool of water called the Lake of al-Qulayni