Anba Rewes
Friday, November 17, 2006
St.
Freig“Abba
Roweiss”
21 Babah / 31 October
On this day in the
year 1405 A.D. (1121 of martyrs) St. Freig, who is
known as Abba Roweiss, departed.
This saint was
from a village called Miniet-Yamin (about 130 kilometers north of Cairo). His father's name was Isaac and
his mother's name was Sarah. When he was born, they called him Freig. He worked with his father in farming and he had a
small camel on which he carried salt and sold it. He called the camel 'Roweiss' (i.e. small head). The camel used to put his head
against his cheek as if he was kissing him. Because of his humility, he called
himself after his camel.
Persecutions
befell the Christians, so he came to Cairo and not having a house or shelter,
he went from one place to another. He spent most of his nights in prayers and
wailing. He did not own a coat or any clothes or a cover for his head. He was
naked except for that with which he covered his loins, and his head was
uncovered. He looked like the hermits of the desert; his eyes were red because
of much weeping and he never cut the hair of his head.
He was a man of
few words -once an evil man smote him severely but he did not open his mouth.
St. Marcus El-Antoni was present at that time and he
rebuked the evil man. During the later part of his life, he used to say, 'O
Virgin, take me because my burden is heavy.' He meant the burden of carrying
the sin of the people for which he often rebuked them though they did not
listen to him.
He lived in the days of the holy
father Pope Mattheos, 87th Patriarch, and St.
Marcus El-Antoni, in the days of the Sultan El-Zaher Barkuk. He shut himself up
in a small storeroom at the place of his disciple Michael the builder, in Meniet Syreg. He stayed in that
place for 9 years until his departure on the twenty-first of Babah of the year 1121 of the martyrs.
He was buried in
the church of the Virgin, in Deir El-Khandaq. He performed many wonders such as healing the
sick, prophesying and saving many from their troubles.
May the blessings of this Saint be with us all. Amen
