ST. ABE-FAME THE SOLDIER

Synaxarium

Coptic Date: 27 Tobe 

Resources: 

https://www.suscopts.org/mightyarrows/vol7_no3/stabe-famthesoldier.pdf 

http://www.copticchurch.net/synaxarium/10_1.html 

https://st-takla.org/Saints/Coptic-Orthodox-Saints-Biography/Coptic-Saints-Story_1275.html 

Story

 

On this day also, St. Abe-Fame, the Soldier, was martyred (Bifam or Phoebammon). He was born in Oseem (Awsim) to a wealthy father whose name was Anastasius, and a righteous mother whose name was Susanna. They brought him up in the Christian faith. He grew up in the fear of God, merciful to the poor, and steadfast in prayer and fasting.
As he worshiped God with piety and faithfulness, the Lord Christ appeared to him, along with the Saint Mary, the Mother of God and the Archangel Gabriel, and the Lord Christ had foretold him that he would receive the crown of martyrdom. 
On the feast of the Virgin Mary, his parents held a feast for the poor as they used to, and after the feast they approached him about his marriage, and he answered them: “I want to be a virgin until I stand before Christ my God.” So the parents were silent. Days later, his father departed, and he began to practice the acts of mercy that he inherited from his father.
When the persecution of christians began during the reign of Emperor Maximian, Arianus was arrested, the governor of the Church of St. Abi Fam, and on the night that he was arrested, Archangel Michael appeared to him, strengthened him and encouraged him to endure pain. 
In the morning St. Abe-Fame bid farewell to his mother and friends, put on a gorgeous robe, and went to meet the governor. And he confided himself with a region of gold and rode a horse, and he used to say: "This is the day of my true wedding, this is a day of my joy and pleasure in meeting my King and my God, my Lord Jesus Christ."
When Emperor Diocletian reigned and knew that this saint did not raise incense to the gods, the Emperor sent to the governor Arianus to torture St. Abe-Fam if he did not offer incense to the idols. Arianus went to Oseem and when he saw the saint he said, 'Peace be with you,' and the saint replied, 'Why do you speak the word of peace? Did you not know that peace is only for the righteous?' and 'there is no peace for the wicked, says the Lord.' (Isaiah 48:22) 
The governor tried with him to offer incense to the gods  Apollon and Artemis, and the saint answered: "I will not worship your gods because they were made by hands. I will not leave my God, the Lord of heaven and earth who loved me, Jesus Christ, who died for me." When Arianus heard this, he began to severely torture him, then ordered his soldiers to tie the saint to the tail of a horse and drag him through the streets of Oseem. And when his mother Susanna saw him, she was crying, but he told her: “Do not cry, my mother, do not be sad, but be happy, for this is the day of my wedding to be a friend of the Heavenly Bridegroom, sharing in His glory and kingdom. This is the hour in which the purification of faith from the filth of doubts is done. It is the hour in which our bodies offer a sacrifice acceptable to God. " When his mother heard his words, she testified to the Lord Christ with the multitudes of those surrounding her, so the governor made a furnace of fire, and she received the crown of martyrdom in 28 Thout.
Arianus sent him to Emperor Maximian in Antioch, who ordered his soldiers to drown him in the sea, but the Lord sent a dolphin carrying the saint to the land before the large standing crowd. They returned the saint to Alexandria with a letter from Emperor Maximian to the governor, Armanius, ordering him to torture Abe-Fame with all kinds of torment until he returns and incenses to the idols, so the governor tried with him all kinds of torment. In the midst of his suffering, the Archangel Michael appeared to him, healed him, and comforted him with kind words, and when Armanius saw his helplessness, he sent the saint again to Arianus to kill him.
Arianus tortured him severely, every time Christ would appear to him and heal his wounds. The governor ordered that he be dragged on the roads of the city and burned outside. It happened that a blind man heard what was happening and took blood from the ground and stained his eyes, and he saw the glory of God. Arianus ordered the soldiers to behead him.
On this day also, St. Abe-Fam, the Soldier, was martyred (Bifam or Phoebammon). He was born in Oseem (Awsim) to a wealthy father whose name was Anastasius, and a righteous mother whose name was Susanna. They brought him up in the Christian faith. He grew up in the fear of God, merciful to the poor, and steadfast in prayer and fasting. His parents wanted him to get married, but he declined. When Emperor Diocletian reigned and knew that this saint did not raise incense to the gods, the Emperor sent to the governor Arianus to torture St. Abe-Fam if he did not offer incense to the idols. Arianus went to Oseem and when he saw the saint he said, 'Peace be with you,' and the saint replied, 'Why do you speak the word of peace? Did you not know that peace is only for the righteous?' and 'there is no peace for the wicked, says the Lord.' (Isaiah 48:22) The Governor became extremely angry and took the Saint to Qaw where he tortured him severely, then beheaded him. The Angel of the Lord appeared to St. Abe-Fame lifted his eyes up toward heaven and was mercilessly beheaded. The Saint received the crown of martyrdom. The believers then took his body and buried him with revered veneration in a hill of sand west of Tema (Souhag). God honored this saint by performing many miracles through his body. 
May his prayers be with us and Glory be to our God forever. Amen.