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| Some Indian Nations received Christianity at that Time through the Instrumentality of Two Captives, Frumentius and Edesius.
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Chapter XXIV.—Some Indian Nations received
Christianity at that Time through the Instrumentality of Two Captives,
Frumentius and Edesius.
We have heard that about this
period some of the most distant of the nations that we call Indians, to
whom the preaching of Bartholomew was unknown, shared in our doctrine,
through Frumentius,1185
| 1185Ruf. i. 9, who gathered the facts from Edesius
himself. Cf. Soc. i. 19. Soz. substitutes the scientific order of
Plato, Empedocles, and Democritus for that of Metrodorus. The story is
briefly reported by Theodoret, H. E. i. 23.
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who became a priest and teacher of the sacred learning among them. But
in order that we may know, even by the marvel of what happened in
India, that the doctrine of the Christians ought to be received as a
system not from man, as it seems a tissue of miracles to some, it is
necessary to relate the reason for the ordination of Frumentius. It was
as follows: The most celebrated philosophers among the Greeks explored
unknown cities and regions. Plato, the friend of Socrates, dwelt for a
time among the Egyptians, in order to acquaint himself with their
manners and customs. He likewise sailed to Sicily for the sight of its
craters, whence, as from a fountain, spontaneously issued streams of
fire, which frequently overflowing, rushed like a river and consumed
the neighboring regions, so that even yet many fields appear burnt and
cannot be sown or planted with trees, just as they narrate about the
land of Sodom. These craters were likewise explored by Empedocles, a
man highly celebrated for philosophy among the Greeks, and who has
expounded his knowledge in heroic verse. He set out to investigate this
fiery eruption, when either because he thought such a mode of death
preferable to any other, or because, to speak more truthfully, he
perhaps knew not wherefore he should seek to terminate his life in this
manner, he leaped into the fire and perished. Democritus of Coös
explored many cities and climates and nations, and he says concerning
himself that eighty years of his life were spent in traveling through
foreign lands. Besides these philosophers, thousands of wise men among
the Greeks, ancient and modern, devoted themselves to this travel. In
emulation, Meropius, a philosopher of Tyre in Phœnicia, journeyed
as far as India. They say he was accompanied by two youths, named
Frumentius and Edesius; they were his relatives; he conducted their
rhetorical training, and educated them liberally. After exploring India
as much as possible, he set out for home, and embarked in a vessel
which was on the point of sailing for Egypt. It happened that, from
want of water or some other necessary, the vessel was obliged to stop
at some port, and the Indians rushed upon it and murdered all, Meropius
included. These Indians had just thrown off their alliance with the
Romans; they took the boys as living captives, because they pitied
their youth, and conducted them to their king. He appointed the younger
one his cup-bearer; the older, Frumentius, he put over his house and
made him administrator of his treasures; for he perceived that he was
intelligent and very capable in business. These youths served the king
usefully and faithfully during a long course of years, and when he felt
his end approaching, his son and wife surviving, he rewarded the
good-will of the servants with liberty, and permitted them to go where
they pleased. They were anxious to return to Tyre, where their
relatives resided; but the king’s son being a minor, his mother
besought them to remain for a little while and take charge of public
affairs, until her son reached the years of manhood. They yielded to
her entreaties, and directed the affairs of the kingdom and of the
government of the Indies. Frumentius, by some Divine impulse, perhaps
because God moved him spontaneously, inquired whether there were any
Christians in India, or Romans among the merchants, who had sailed
thither. Having succeeded in finding the objects of his inquiry, he
summoned them into his presence, treated them with love and
friendliness, and convened them for prayer, and the assembly was
conducted after the Roman usage; and when he had built houses of
prayer, he encouraged them to honor God continually.
When the king’s son attained the age of manhood,
Frumentius and Edesius besought him and the queen, and not without
difficulty persuaded the rulers to be separated from themselves, and
having parted as friends, they went back as Roman subjects. Edesius
went to Tyre to see his relatives, and was soon after advanced to the
dignity of presbyter. Frumentius, however, instead of returning to
Phœnicia, repaired to Alexandria; for with him patriotism and
filial piety were subordinate to religious zeal. He conferred with
Athanasius, the head of the Alexandrian Church, described to him the
state of affairs in India, and the necessity of appointing a bishop
over the Christians located in that country. Athanasius assembled the
endemic priests, and consulted with them on the subject; and he
ordained Frumentius bishop of India, since he was peculiarly qualified
and apt to do much service among those among whom he was the first to
manifest the name of Christian, and the seed of the participation in
the doctrine was sown.1186
| 1186Athan. Apol. ad Const. 29–31.
Frumentius was called the Abba Salama of Αὐξούμις (Axum).
Cf. Historia Ethiopica, Ludolf; Nic. Call. repeats this story of
Rufinus in his H. E. i. 37, with which compare the narrative in
xvii. 32.
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Frumentius, therefore, returned to India, and, it is said, discharged
the priestly functions so admirably that he became an object of
universal admiration, and was
revered as no less than an apostle. God highly honored him, enabling
him to perform many wonderful cures, and to work signs and wonders.
Such was the origin of the Indian priesthood.
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