Born near Rome in the 4th century, as a boy he and his brother, Edesius, were traveling with their uncle in Ethiopia when the boys were kidnapped and made slaves of an Ethiopian King. 

On his deathbed, the King freed them both, but the Queen asked them to educate his heir. 

They did this and, they also proceeded to teach Christianity, to everyone in the region. 

Frumentius became a priest, but eventually, the Christian community he served grew to a point where official Church leadership was needed, so he traveled to Alexandria to ask for a Bishop and more priests. 

The Patriarch of Alexandria appointed Frumentius as the Bishop of Ethiopia. 

When he returned, Frumentius converted another King, Ezana, who commissioned the construction of several Churches. 

When Roman Emperor Constantius II wanted Frumentius removed and replaced by a Bishop who supported the Arian heresy, King Ezan refused and Frumentius remained Bishop, growing the Ethiopian Christian community. 

He died in 383.

St. Frumentius, please pray for us.