Synaxarium

On this day, the pure father Saint Abanoub the Confessor departed. This saint was a virtuous monk in one of the monasteries of Upper Egypt during the time of Diocletian, who greatly tortured the martyrs and shed their blood, even shedding the blood of eighty martyrs in one day. One day, someone mentioned the name of Saint Abanoub, so Arianna, the governor of Ansena, summoned him and asked him to worship the idols. The saint replied: "How can I leave my Lord Jesus Christ and worship idols made of stone?" He was greatly tortured and then exiled to the Pentapolis (the five western cities), where he was imprisoned for seven years until the Lord destroyed Diocletian. Then the righteous Constantine became king and issued an order to release all prisoners and bring them to him to be blessed, especially the virtuous among them: Zacharias of Hermopolis, Maximianus of Fayoum, Agapius of Dihni, and Abanoub of Balous. The king's messenger went out to release the saints from prison, and they came out singing and praising God. Saint Abanoub had returned from the Pentapolis and was staying at Mount Bishla (in the manuscript of Shebin El-Kom it is "Sibla") near his village. The king's messenger met him and took him by boat to Ansena, where they met the Christians and bishops and ordained Saint Abanoub a priest. While he was celebrating the liturgy and at the words: "This is the sanctification of the saints; let him who is pure come forward," he saw the Lord Jesus Christ glorified in the sanctuary in His highest glory, forgiving the sins of the repentant people. The messenger traveled to the king with the saints, numbering seventy-two. They rode two by two in carts. When they passed by a region with monasteries of virgins, seven hundred virgins came out to meet them, singing and chanting before them until they disappeared from sight. When they arrived and entered the king's presence, he asked them to change their clothes to new ones, but they refused. He blessed them, accepted their wounds, honored them, and offered them money, which they refused. They took what the churches needed of curtains and vessels. Then the king bid them farewell, and they returned to their lands. Saint Abanoub returned to his monastery, and when he completed his course, he departed in peace. May his prayers be with us, and to our Lord be glory forever. Amen.