St Abraham was a hermit who narrowly escaped being married and only reluctantly became a priest. He was born in Mesopotamia in the 4th century. His doting, wealthy parents arranged a marriage for him. But when the day arrived, Abraham felt a sudden illumination. According to his friend and biographer St Ephrem, Abraham “welcomed it as guiding him to the fulfilment of his own desire. He leapt for joy and followed it as it led him out of the city.”
Abraham went to the desert, where he built a cell with a blocked-up entrance and only a small aperture through which he could receive food and drink. After 12 years, during which Abraham acquired a reputation for wisdom and holiness, his parents died, leaving a large inheritance. He asked a close friend to take charge of distributing the money to the poor. Abraham was asked by his bishop to preach the Gospel to a nearby village. Though unwilling to give up his hermetic life, Abraham agreed to be ordained a priest.
On arrival in the town, he spent the remainder of his inheritance on a beautiful church and began preaching. The villagers were highly impressed by the church, but annoyed by Abraham, and repeatedly tried to lynch him.
Abraham survived and continued his work. Finally, amazed by his perseverance and patience, the villagers were converted. Abraham appointed successors, returned to the desert and lived the rest of his life in prayer and spiritual combat with the Devil. Even when he died, says Ephrem, he was beautiful: “He appeared as a flower forever in bloom; his face mirrored the purity of his soul.”
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