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Ababius (Saint)
13th Century
Coptic Church
Egypt

hayyā Ď
l-carabiyya
alī
battūta

ā Ă
ă Ą
ą Ć
ć Ĉ
ĉ Ċ
ċ Č
č Ď
ď Đ
đ Ē
ē Ĕ
ĕ Ė
ė Ę
ę Ě
ě Ĝ
ĝ Ğ
ğ Ġ
ġ Ģ
ģ Ĥ
ĥ Ħ
ħ Ĩ
ĩ Ī
ī Ĭ
ĭ Į
į İ
ı IJ

ij Ĵ
ĵ Ķ
ķ ĸ
Ĺ ĺ
Ļ ļ
Ľ ľ
Ŀ ŀ
Ł ł
Ń ń
Ņ ņ
Ň ň
ʼn Ŋ
ŋ Ō
ō Ŏ
ŏ Ő
ő Œ
œ Ŕ
ŕ Ŗ
ŗ Ř
ř Ś
ś Ŝ
ŝ Ş
ş Š
š Ţ
ţ Ť
ť Ŧ
ŧ Ũ
ũ Ū
ū Ŭ
ŭ Ů
ů Ű
ű Ų
ų Ŵ
ŵ Ŷ
ŷ Ÿ
Ź ź
Ż ż
Ž ž


Ababius was a monk of Scetis. The Copto-Arabic SYNAXARION by MIKHA'IL, bishop of Atrib and Malij (about 1240), makes no mention of Saint Ababius. However, a fourteenth-century Arabic manuscript, copied in Syria, gives a long life of this saint. The manuscript attributes this life to JOHN COLOBOS (National Library, Paris, Arabe 259, fols. 57r-104v; Graf, 1947, p. 504). This text is unique and as yet not translated. A translation of the incipit may be instructive: "O my brothers and you who love the living God, I now commence describing the virtues and the life of our father. The parents of this saint, Father Ababiyus, were just and pious."

Khalil Samir, S.J.



Bibliography:

Troupeau, G. Catalogue des manuscrits arabes [National Library], Manuscrits chretiens, Vol. 1, no. 259, pp. 222-23. Paris, 1972.


This article, received in (year), was researched and written by (author's name with titles, position, institution) under the supervision of (DACB liaison coordinator) at (DACB participating institution).