In the 13th
century, a Christian family lived in Ethiopia; the husband who was a
priest and loved Jesus very much was called "Sagaz Ab" (=the gift of
faith), and the wife who was very rich and loved the poor was called
"Sarah".
Their patron saint
was the Archangel "Michael", and they used to make a feast for him
on the 12th of every Coptic month by having a mass and
after that a banquet for the poor.
The wife was
sterile and that was why she always prayed to God for a child.
"Sarah" used to spend her time in church, busy reading the bible and
the psalms. She did her best with the poor and they called her
"Agzaharia" (=the choice of God).
One day "Sarah"
thought of giving their money to the poor and liberating their
slaves, and she told "Sagaz Ab" this, hence they did that.
ARCHANGEL
MICHAEL THE PATRON SAINT
After many years
of peace, a pagan called "Motmely" ruled the land of "Damoot" and
"Shawa". He closed many churches and tried to revive the worship of
idols.
One day "Talanece"
(the place where "Sagaz Ab" and "Sarah" lived) was attacked. When
the soldiers entered the country, "Sarah" was frightened and the
people ran away from place to another.
"Sagaz Ab" took a
route to hide and was followed by a soldier who wanted to kill him,
until they reached a nearby lake, so "Sagaz Ab" threw himself in the
lake to hide from the soldier asking the Archangel Michael to help
him through this. At once he felt the water over him as if it’s a
tent sheltering him, and the Archangel appeared to strengthen him.
And when "Sagaz Ab" did not show up for a long time, the soldier
thought he was drowned and went back.
The Archangel told
"Sagaz Ab" that the soldier went away and hence he got out of the
lake. At that time the Archangel Michael told "Sagaz Ab" that he was
saved because of his child to be. He told him of great secrets about
the child and carried him back to the town, and this was on 12th
of Baramhat.
In the 13th
century, a Christian family lived in Ethiopia; the husband who was a
priest and loved Jesus very much was called "Sagaz Ab" (=the gift of
faith), and the wife who was very rich and loved the poor was called
"Sarah".
Their patron saint
was the Archangel "Michael", and they used to make a feast for him
on the 12th of every Coptic month by having a mass and
after that a banquet for the poor.
The wife was
sterile and that was why she always prayed to God for a child.
"Sarah" used to spend her time in church, busy reading the bible and
the psalms. She did her best with the poor and they called her
"Agzaharia" (=the choice of God).
One day "Sarah"
thought of giving their money to the poor and liberating their
slaves, and she told "Sagaz Ab" this, hence they did that.
ARCHANGEL
MICHAEL THE PATRON SAINT
After many years
of peace, a pagan called "Motmely" ruled the land of "Damoot" and
"Shawa". He closed many churches and tried to revive the worship of
idols.
One day "Talanece"
(the place where "Sagaz Ab" and "Sarah" lived) was attacked. When
the soldiers entered the country, "Sarah" was frightened and the
people ran away from place to another.
"Sagaz Ab" took a
route to hide and was followed by a soldier who wanted to kill him,
until they reached a nearby lake, so "Sagaz Ab" threw himself in the
lake to hide from the soldier asking the Archangel Michael to help
him through this. At once he felt the water over him as if it’s a
tent sheltering him, and the Archangel appeared to strengthen him.
And when "Sagaz Ab" did not show up for a long time, the soldier
thought he was drowned and went back.
The Archangel told
"Sagaz Ab" that the soldier went away and hence he got out of the
lake. At that time the Archangel Michael told "Sagaz Ab" that he was
saved because of his child to be. He told him of great secrets about
the child and carried him back to the town, and this was on 12th
of Baramhat.
When the priest
went back, he found that all the houses had been stolen either of
money or of people. Among the latter was his wife "Sarah" who was
kidnapped by the soldiers who wanted to give her as a present
to their king "Montemely".
When the king saw
the face of the saint "Agzaharia", he ordered for the richest
clothes and precious jewels for her, and to be kept in the city of
gods until their wedding.
"Sagaz Ab" was in
great misery and sadness for what happened to his wife whom he loved
very much, and was afraid of the evil king, but he went to the house
of God at once. He went into the church and kneeled before the Holy
Alter and cried and sobbed a lot while he prayed to God to save his
wife.
"SARAH" AND
THE ANGEL
On the 22nd
of Baramhat, "Sagaz Ab" was having a mass and he put his wife's name
"Sarah" forward to God, and all the congregation prayed for her.
While he was moving around the church he saw a woman in precious
clothes praying in great fear and awe to God.
When he finished
he went to talk to all the new faces that came to the church, and
among them this woman. He asked her where she was from, she told him
that she had heard of a man called "Sagaz Ab" whose wife was taken
and kidnapped and hence she came to be his wife! Then the priest
crossed and told her that priests do not remarry, and that God would
protect his wife and would return her safely to him.
"Sarah" smiled
happily for her husband's faith and told him she was his wife and
took off the veil that covered his face. Her husband was surprised
and asked her how she had come. She told him that the Angel had
saved her and got her to the church. The two kneeled before God in
the church and thanked Him for his protection. In the evening all
the congregation came when they heard of the return of "Sarah" and
they all prayed glorifying God for his great love. Then she told him
that she prayed for her safety, and Michael, the Archangel came to
her to tell her that she would return for the sake of her son. When
the wedding ceremony started and finished, and the people
congratulated the king, there was lightening and thunder. The king
got mad and the angel saved her and got her to the church.
At night "Sagaz
Ab" had a dream where he saw the sun and a lot of stars in their
bedroom and the next day the Archangel told them of the coming of
their son.
In the morning
they gave most of all they had to the poor and they used to make a
feast for the archangel every month on the 12th of Kiahk.
