Frumentius.

Frumentius. ST, apostle of Ethiopia and the Abyssinians, born in Phoenicia towards the beginning of the 4th century. At a very early age he and another youth, named Ædesius, accompanied their uncle Meropius on a voyage undertaken for mercantile purposes, and they landed on the coast of Abyssinia or Ethiopia to procure fresh water; but the savage inhabitants made an onslaught upon them, and murdered Meropius and the whole crew, sparing only the two boys. They were taken as slaves into the service of the king, and made themselves so beloved that Ædesius was soon raised to the office of cupbearer, while Frumentius became the king's private secretary and instructor to the young prince, obtaining great influence in the administration of the state affairs. He aided the Christian merchants who sought these parts in founding a church, and gradually paved the way for the formal introduction of the new creed. In 326 he went to Alexandria, and was by Athanasius consecrated Bishop of Axum. The new bishop repaired to Abyssinia, and succeeded in proselytising large numbers. He is also supposed to have translated the Bible into Ethiopian (see ETHIOPIA). Frumentius died about 360.