suitable person for the job and consecrated him as bishop, traditionally in the year 328, or according to others, between 340 and 346. Frumentius returned to Ethiopia, where he erected his episcopal see at Axum, then converted and baptized King Ezana, who built many churches and spread Christianity throughout Ethiopia. Frumentius established the first monastery of Ethiopia, called Dabba Selama in Dogu'a Tembien. The people called Frumentius Kesate Birhan (Revealer of Light) and Abba Salama (Father of Peace). He became the first Abune, a title given to the head of the Ethiopian Church. In about 356, the Emperor Constantius II wrote to King Ezana and his brother Saizana, requesting them to replace Frumentius as bishop with Theophilos the Indian, who supported the Arian position, as did the emperor. Frumentius had been appointed by Athanasius, a leading opponent of Arianism. The king refused the request. Ethiopian traditions credit him with the first Ge'ez translation of the New Testament, and being involved in the development of Ge'ez script from an abjad (consonantal-only) into an abugida (syllabic). Feast date The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church and Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church celebrate the feast of Abba Salama's consecration on Taḫśaś (the 4th month of Ethiopian or Coptic calendar) 18 and departure Hamle (the 11th month of Ethiopian or Coptic calendar) 26. The Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria celebrates the feast of Frumentius on 18 December, the Eastern Orthodox Church on 30 November and the Catholic Church on 20 July. Patronage Frumentius is regarded as the patron saint of the former Kingdom of Aksum, and its contemporary territories. He is the patron saint of St Frumentius Theological College, the Anglican seminary in Ethiopia. See also 4th century in Lebanon Saint Frumentius, patron saint archive References Martyrologium Romanum, Editio Altera, (Citta del Vaticano: Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 2004), p. 401 External links "San Frumenzio", Santi e Beati Catholic News Agency: Frumentius of Ethiopia Saints.SQPN: Frumentius Catholic Online: Frumentius 380s deaths Aksumite Empire people History of Ethiopia Lebanese saints Bishops of Axum Syrian Christian saints Ethiopian saints 4th-century bishops 4th-century Christian saints Creators of writing systems People from Tyre, Lebanon Year of birth unknown 4th-century births Christian missionaries in Ethiopia Missionary linguists 4th-century Phoenician people