Feast of Abune Gebre Menfes Qidus
Abune Gebre Menfes Qidus was born Tahesas 29, 829 E.C. He was an Egyptian Christian saint, and the fifth day of every month in the Ethiopian calendar is dedicated to him.
His father and mother was called Simeon and ‘Aklesya who were righteous before God. They had no children and lived in sorrow and prayer for thirty years. Then, God answered their prayer and gave them a blessed child. On the day of his birth, Abune Gebre Menfes Qidus rose up, came down from his mother’s arm, thanked God standing up and bowing three times to the “Father the Son, and the Holy Spirit, saying, “Glory be to the Father, Glory be to the Son, Glory be to the Holy Spirit, who has brought me out of the darkness into the light.”
Our righteous father lived his entire life in the dessert. He remarkably prayed for the Ethiopians of the era for hundred years’ upside down inside the sea of Zuqualla, where the entire generation was saved.
In commemoration of this, we celebrate his monthly and annual feasts in our country. Tough he was born on Tahesas 29, due to the birth day of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Patristic Fathers ordered for the feast to be on Tir 5.
May our righteous Father Abune Gebre Menfese Qidus Intercession, Mediation and benevolence be with us, Amen!