View source for Gregentios of Himyaritia

[[File:St Gregentios of Himyaritia.jpg|right|thumb|Saint Gregentios of [[w:Himyarite Kingdom|Himyaritia]].]]
Our father among the [[Saint|saints]] '''Gregentios of Himyaritia''',<ref name=SYNAX>Great [[Synaxarion|Synaxaristes]] {{el icon}}: ''[http://www.synaxarion.gr/gr/sid/1489/sxsaintinfo.aspx Ὁ Ὅσιος Γρηγέντιος Ἐπίσκοπος Αἰθιοπίας].'' 19 Δεκεμβρίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.</ref><ref name=MOSPAT>''[http://www.holytrinityorthodox.com/calendar/los/December/19-05.htm Sainted Gregory, Bishop of Omiritia (Himyaritia)].'' HOLY TRINITY RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH (A parish of the Patriarchate of Moscow).</ref> also ''Gregentios of [[w:Zafar, Yemen|Taphar]]'',<ref>Albrecht Berger (Ed.). ''[http://www.amazon.com/Gregentios-Archbishop-Taphar-Millennium-Studies/dp/3110184451 Life And Works of Saint Gregentios, Archbishop of Taphar].'' Millennium Studies 7. Walter de Gruyter, Tra edition, October 30, 2006. 915 pp. ISBN 9783110184457</ref> ''Gregentios of Ethiopia'',<ref name=SYNAX/> ''Gregentius of Himyar'',<ref>''[http://www.mpc.org.mk/english/Calendar/prologue.asp?id=2177 Saint Gregentius, Bishop of Himyar].'' Macedonian Orthodox Church - Archdiocese of Ohrid.</ref> ''Gregentius [[w:Zafar, Yemen|Tephrensis]]'',<ref>Gregentius Tephrensis. ''[http://books.google.ca/books?id=SBNuYgEACAAJ&dq=inauthor:%22Gregentius+Tephrensis%22&hl=en&sa=X&ei=3b6SUITTKYfC0AGMjYCYBA&ved=0CDIQ6AEwAQ Disputatio cum Herbano Judaeo, Graece edita, cum Interpretatione ... N.K. Nic. Gulonij ...].'' 1603.</ref> ''Grigentius of Omir'',<ref name=PROLOGUE>Bishop [[Nikolai Velimirovic]]. ''[http://www.westsrbdio.org/prolog/prolog.htm Saint Gregory (Grigentius), Bishop of Omir].''  The Prologue from Ohrid. Serbian Orthodox Church Diocese of Western America.</ref> ''Gregory of Omiritia'',<ref name=MOSPAT/> or ''Gregory of Omirits'',<ref name=OCA>''[http://oca.org/FeastSaintsViewer.asp?SID=4&ID=1&FSID=103592 St Gregory the Archbishop of Omirits].'' OCA - Feasts and Saints.</ref> was the [[missionary]] Bishop of [[w:Himyarite Kingdom|Himyaritia]] (''Homer, Omirits'', in [[w:Arabia Felix|Sourthern Arabia]]) for over thirty years in the sixth century, when the area was under [[w:Kingdom of Aksum|Aksumite]] control, playing an important role in the restoration of [[Orthodox Christianity]] there after the persecution of [[w:Dhu Nuwas|Dunaan]] (''Dhû Nuwâs'').<ref>Sergew Hable-Selassie. ''[http://www.dacb.org/stories/ethiopia/gregentius_.html Gregentius, fl. 6th century, Orthodox].'' Dictionary of African Christian Biography.</ref> 

Saint Gregentios  was filled with the grace of [[God]] and possessed the gifts of healing and [[wonderworker|wonderworking]] even in his youth.<ref name=OCA/> By the [[grace]] of [[God]], he accomplished his [[missionary|mission]] with much zeal and great fruition, bringing into bosom of the Church a great number of the Jews of that area.<ref name=SYNAX/> He reposed peacefully in the year 552 AD, and his feast day is celebrated annually on [[December 19]].

==Biography==
===Early Life===
St. Gregentios lived in the sixth century AD and came from [[w:Mediolanum|Mediolanum]] (Milan). His parents were called Agapios and Theodotia, and were very devout. From a very early age Gregentios was distinguished for his eloquence and for his great [[virtues]],<ref name=SYNAX/> and the Providence of [[God]] led him to [[Major orders|hierarchical service]]. 

While still a [[Deacon]] at Mediolanum, he heard the foretelling of his destiny from a [[hermit]], and then he received confirmation of these words from another spirit-bearing [[Elder]], who lived an [[ascetic]] life in the mountains.<ref name=OCA/>

When Gregentios went to this holy [[Schemamonk]] for guidance, a [[miracle]] occurred. As he approached the mountain, he saw a fiery column in the air. He soon realized that the fiery column was actually the man of God coming toward him. That night he saw the [[Elder]] standing in the air above the ground. The Elder revealed to St. Gregentios that he must go to Rome to pray in the church of Saints [[w:Boniface of Tarsus|Boniface]] and Aglaida ([[December 19]]); then he would go to [[Church of Alexandria|Alexandria]] to become a [[Bishop]]; and finally he would arrive in the city of [[w:Najran|Negran]] (''Najran'') in the land of [[w:Himyarite Kingdom|Himyaritia]] (''Homer, Omer'', in [[w:Arabia Felix|Southern Arabia]]) to proclaim the [[Gospel]].<ref name=OCA/>

St. Gregentios felt himself unworthy of this, and wished to remain with the ascetic as his disciple. So that Gregentios should have no doubts of the veracity of his words, the Elder revealed that he knew a secret about him. In a vision, Gregentios had seen the First-Ranked Apostles [[Apostle Peter|Peter]] and [[Apostle Paul|Paul]], and they had placed a Bishop's [[Omophorion]] upon him.<ref name=OCA/>

St. Gregentios stayed a short time in Carthage (''North Africa'') serving as a [[Deacon]], and then arrived in Rome. He went to the church of Saints [[w:Boniface of Tarsus|Boniface]] and Aglaida, then to the tomb of St. [[Apostle Peter|Peter]]. There he was granted a vision of the holy Apostle, who told him to walk the path of [[virtue]] and to live according to God's will. That night he saw also the Apostle [[Apostle Paul|Paul]] in a dream bringing to him a cup filled with [[Chrism|oil]], foretelling that he should receive the [[grace]] of the [[Presbyter|priesthood]] and the [[Bishop|episcopacy]].<ref name=OCA/>

===In Alexandria===
[[File:Blessed Elesbaan - King of Axum (Ethiopia), Ascetic.jpg|left|thumb|120px|Blessed Elesbaan, King of [[w:Kingdom of Aksum|Axum]] (Ethiopia), and Ascetic ([[October 24]]).]]
After going to [[Church of Constantinople|Constantinople]] and becoming known to Emperor [[Justin I]] (518-527) and to the Patriarch, he subsequently visited [[Church of Alexandria|Alexandria]].<ref name=SYNAX/>

During this time the armies of the Ethiopian Emperor [[Elesbaan of Axum|Elesbaan]] ([[October 24]])<ref>''[http://www.holytrinityorthodox.com/calendar/los/October/24-04.htm Blessed Elezboi, Emperor of Ethiopia].'' HOLY TRINITY RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH (A parish of the Patriarchate of Moscow).</ref><ref>''[http://oca.org/FeastSaintsViewer.asp?FSID=103048 Blessed Elesbaan the King of Ethiopia].'' OCA - Feasts and Saints.</ref> vanquished the [[w:Himyarite Kingdom|Himyarite]] king [[w:Dhu Nuwas|Dunaan]] (''Dhu Nuwas''), who was of Jewish background and had been persecuting the Christians there and cruelly exterminating all the [[clergy]].<ref group="note">According to the contemporary sources, after seizing the throne of the Himyarites, in ca. 518 or 523 [[w:Dhu Nuwas|Dhū Nuwas]] attacked the [[w:Kingdom of Aksum|Aksumite]] (mainly Christian Ethiopians) garrison at [[w:Zafar, Yemen|Zafar, Yemen]], capturing them and burning their churches. He then moved against [[w:Najran|Najran]], a Christian and Aksumite stronghold. After accepting the city's capitulation, he massacred those inhabitants who would not renounce Christianity. Estimates of the death toll from this event range up to 20,000 in some sources. (''[[w:Dhu Nuwas|Dhu Nuwas]]. Wikipedia.'')</ref> Thus the Himyaritian city of [[w:Najran|Negran]] (''Najran'') was liberated, and Christianity was restored in the land of [[w:Himyarite Kingdom|Himyaritia]]. 

Elesbaan then sent emissaries to the [[List of Patriarchs of Alexandria|Patriarch of Alexandria]] asking him to send a [[Bishop]] to Negran who was educated and virtuous, as well as [[clergy]] for the churches.<ref name=OCA/> While the Patriarch of Alexandria was [[Prayer|praying]] about this, the holy [[Apostle Mark]] appeared to him, bidding him to find a [[Deacon]] named ''Gregentios'', who was to be [[Ordination|ordained]] to the Priesthood, consecrated as a Bishop, and then to be sent to [[Elesbaan of Axum|Elesbaan]].<ref name=OCA/> 

The Patriarch did this, electing Gregentios for this [[Missionary|mission]]. During the [[Ordination|ordination]] service a [[miracle]] took place. St. Gregentios' face shone with the [[grace]] of the [[Holy Spirit]], and from his [[vestments]] came a sweet fragrance like [[myrrh]] or [[incense]], filling the whole church with the scent.<ref name=OCA/>

===In Himyaritia===
[[File:Map of Aksum and Arabia Felix (ca. 230 AD).jpg|right|thumb|[[w:Himyarite Kingdom|Himyarite]] (Homerite) Kingdom (red), in ancient Yemen (3rd c. AD).]]
Arriving in [[w:Himyarite Kingdom|Himyaritia]] (''Homer, Omer''), a region with many Jews,<ref group="note">According to [[w:Yemenite Jews|Yemenite Jewish]] tradition, the Jews of [[w:Najran|Najran]] traced their origin to the [[w:Ten Lost Tribes|Ten Tribes]]. (''[[w:Najran|Najran]].'' Wikipedia.'')</ref> St. Gregentios began to set the Church in order, preaching to both [[Paganism|pagans]] and Jews, and performing his ecclesiastical duties excellently.

After three years Elesbaan returned to [[w:Kingdom of Aksum|Ethiopia]] (''Kingdom of Aksum''), leaving the noble Abramius behind as King of the [[w:Himyarite Kingdom|Himyarite Kingdom]],<ref group="note">Ethiopian tradition states that Elesbaan eventually abdicated his throne, gave his crown to the [[Church of the Holy Sepulchre (Jerusalem)|Church of the Holy Sepulchre]] at [[Jerusalem]], and retired to a [[monastery]].<br>
:<small>(S.C. Munro-Hay. ''Aksum: An African Civilization of Late Antiquity.'' (Edinburgh: University Press, 1991), p.88f.)</small></ref> whom St. Gregentios crowned and anointed as king. Shortly afterwards Abramius issued a decree that all of his subjects were to be [[Baptism|baptized]].<ref name=OCA/> 

====Debate with the Jews====
Then certain prominent Jews turned to the Emperor saying that it was better for people to believe willingly rather than under compulsion. A particularly astute interlocutor from among them was Rabbi Ervan (''Herban, Ervas'').

They requested that Abramius should permit a debate on faith to be held between them and the Christians, [[Votive Offerings|vowing]] that if the Christians proved victorious in this debate, the Jews would then accept [[Baptism]]. The Jews were given forty days to prepare for the debate, which lasted for several days.<ref name=OCA/> 

[[File:O Agios Gregentios Episkopos Aithiopias.jpg|left|thumb|St. Gregentios of Himyaritia.]]
St. Gregentios however, with his wise arguments and righteousness, and with the divine [[grace]] of [[God]], refuted all of the arguments of the Hebrew Elder, Rabbi Ervan, using only texts from the [[Old Testament]].<ref name=OCA/> 

Then in a vision, Ervan beheld the holy Prophet [[Moses]], who worshipped the Lord [[Jesus Christ]]. The prophet Moses told Ervan that Ervan was in opposition to the truth and would be defeated. But Ervan would not acknowledge his defeat. He made a last desperate attempt. He said, ''"If you want me to believe in your [[Christ]], and to acknowledge that yours is the true [[God]], then show Him to me, Bishop!"'' The Saint replied: ''"Your request is impertinent. It is not with man that you contend now, but with [[God]]. However, the Lord can do what you have asked in order to convince you."''<ref name=OCA/>

Everyone waited to see what would happen. St Gregentios, having steadfast faith in God and trusting in Him, began to [[Prayer|pray]] aloud. He recalled the mystery of the [[Incarnation]] of God the Word, the miracles of His earthly life, the Three-day [[Resurrection]] and the [[Ascension]] into Heaven, and he invoked the power of the Life-Creating [[Cross]]. ''"Show Thyself to these people, O Lord,"'' he prayed, ''"and glorify Thy holy Name!"'' When he finished the [[prayer]], the earth quaked, and in the east the heavens were opened, and in a radiant cloud of light the Lord [[Jesus Christ]] came down on earth, and the Voice of the [[Lord]] was heard: 

::''"Through the prayers of Bishop Gregentios, He Whom your fathers put to death will heal you."''<ref name=OCA/>

Like [[Apostle Paul|Saul]], who was struck blind by the Heavenly light on the road to Damascus, the Jews were struck blind. Then they believed in [[Christ]] and they implored the holy Bishop to heal them.<ref name=OCA/> Upon receiving holy [[Baptism]], all of them were healed. Rabbi Ervan (''Herban, Ervas'') was baptized in the presence of the king, and received the Christian name Leo (meaning "lion"), and was honored with the office of [[w:Patrician_(ancient_Rome)#Late_Roman_and_Byzantine_periods|Patrician]].<ref name=SYNAX/> Thus by the [[grace]] of [[God]], Christian truth prevailed.

===Departure===
After this most extraordinary [[miracle]], St. Gregentios guided the flock of [[w:Himyarite Kingdom|Himyaritia]] (''Homer, Omer'') for another thirty years, accomplishing his [[Missionary|mission]] with much zeal and great fruition, and managing to bring into bosom of the Church most of the Jews of that area.<ref name=SYNAX/><ref name=OCA/> Legend has it that the number of Jews [[Conversion|converted]] and [[Baptism|baptized]] was 5,500,000.<ref>[[w:Bernard Quaritch|Bernard Quaritch]] Ltd. (Rare Books & Manuscripts).''[http://www.quaritch.com/book/2480/gregentius-saint-archbishop-of-taphar-disputatio-cum-herbano-iudaeo GREGENTIUS, Saint, Archbishop of Taphar. Disputatio cum Herbano Iudaeo].'' Paris, Fédéric Morel, 1586. £1500.00.</ref>

He reposed peacefully on [[December 19]], 552, and his loss was lamented by many people.<ref name=SYNAX/> He was buried in a crypt in the cathedral of [[w:Afar Region|Afar]].<ref name=OCA/>

Christianity is a minority religion in [[w:Christianity in Yemen|Yemen]] today. The ''[[w:World Christian Encyclopedia|World Christian Encyclopedia]]'' (Second edition, Volume 1), states that the [[Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church|Ethiopian Orthodox Church]] and the [[Church of Russia|Russian Orthodox Church]] are the largest denominations in Yemen. 

==As Author==
A ''' ''Disputatio cum Herbano Judaeo'' ''', which [[Karl Krumbacher|Krumbacher]] assigns to the time of Justinian, is attributed to Gregentius, Bishop of Taphar in Himyaritic Arabia. When Herban asserts that Solomon controlled all demons, the Bishop replies:<br>
:{{el icon}} "Σολομων εταπεινωσε δαιμονας; ουκ οιδας τι διαγορευεις. προς καιρον μεν ησφαλισατο τουτους εν τοις αγγειοις και σφραγισας κατεχωσεν." 
The use of the article with ''αγγειοις'' marks the detail as well known, and the sentence evidently summarizes the story told in the modern Greek manuscript.<ref>Robert P. Casey, Silva Lake, and Agnes K. Lake (Eds.). ''[http://www25.us.archive.org/details/MN41361ucmf_0  Quantulacumque: Studies presented to KIRSOPP LAKE by Pupils, Colleagues, and Friends].'' London: Christophers, 1937. p.6.</ref>

:* Gregentius Tephrensis. ''[http://books.google.ca/books?id=SBNuYgEACAAJ&dq=inauthor:%22Gregentius+Tephrensis%22&hl=en&sa=X&ei=3b6SUITTKYfC0AGMjYCYBA&ved=0CDIQ6AEwAQ Disputatio cum Herbano Judaeo, Graece edita, cum Interpretatione ... N.K. Nic. Gulonij ...].'' 1603.
:* Saint Gregentius (Apb of Taphar). ''[http://books.google.ca/books?id=9StUPwAACAAJ&dq=inauthor:%22Saint+Gregentius+(Apb+of+Taphar)%22&hl=en&sa=X&ei=Zb6SUND0Ke-x0AG6tYDoCQ&ved=0CDAQ6AEwAA Disputatio cum Herbano Judæo: Interprete N. Gulonio].'' 1677.

==See also==
'''Wikipedia'''
* [[w:Kaleb of Axum|Elesbaan]] (''Kaleb of Axum'') ([[October 24]])
* [[w:Kingdom of Aksum|Kingdom of Aksum]]
* [[w:Himyarite Kingdom|Himyarite Kingdom]] (''Himyaritia'')
* [[w:Zafar, Yemen|Zafar, Yemen]] (''Taphar'').
* [[w:Najran|Najran]] (''Negran'')
* [[w:Dhu Nuwas|Dhu Nuwas]] (''Dunaan'')
* [[w:Arabia Felix|Arabia Felix]]
* [[w:South Arabia|South Arabia]].
* [[w:Christianity in Yemen|Christianity in Yemen]]
* [[w:Freedom of religion in Yemen|Freedom of religion in Yemen]]
'''Other Languages'''
* {{fr icon}} [http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gr%C3%A9gence_de_Safar Grégence de Safar]. French Wikipedia.
* {{el icon}} [http://el.wikipedia.org/wiki/%CE%93%CF%81%CE%B7%CE%B3%CE%AD%CE%BD%CF%84%CE%B9%CE%BF%CF%82_%CE%A4%CE%B1%CF%86%CE%AC%CF%81 Γρηγέντιος Ταφάρ]. Greek Wikipedia.
* {{de icon}} [http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gregentios Gregentios]. German Wikipedia.

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===Notes===
<references group="note" />

===References===
<div><references/></div>

==Sources==
* Great [[Synaxarion|Synaxaristes]] {{el icon}}: ''[http://www.synaxarion.gr/gr/sid/1489/sxsaintinfo.aspx Ὁ Ὅσιος Γρηγέντιος Ἐπίσκοπος Αἰθιοπίας].'' 19 Δεκεμβρίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.
* Bishop [[Nikolai Velimirovic]]. ''[http://www.westsrbdio.org/prolog/prolog.htm Saint Gregory (Grigentius), Bishop of Omir].'' The Prologue from Ohrid. Serbian Orthodox Church Diocese of Western America.
* ''[http://www.holytrinityorthodox.com/calendar/los/December/19-05.htm Sainted Gregory, Bishop of Omiritia (Himyaritia)].'' HOLY TRINITY RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH (A parish of the Patriarchate of Moscow).
* ''[http://oca.org/FeastSaintsViewer.asp?SID=4&ID=1&FSID=103592 St Gregory the Archbishop of Omirits].'' OCA - Feasts and Saints.
* Sergew Hable-Selassie. ''[http://www.dacb.org/stories/ethiopia/gregentius_.html Gregentius, fl. 6th century, Orthodox].'' Dictionary of African Christian Biography.
:*<small>Gregentius, Bishop, sent as bishop to South Arabia when the area was under Aksumite control. He played an important role in the restoration of Christianity there after the persecution of Dhû Nuwâs. He is believed to have been the author of ''Legis Homeritanum.''</small> 

==Further Reading==
* ''[[w:Patrologia Graeca|Patrologia Graeca]].'' Vol. 86, I, col. 569 ff.
* [[w:J. B. Bury|J. B. Bury]]. ''A History of the Later Roman Empire.'' Vol. II. London, 1923. p.327.
* Albrecht Berger (Ed.). ''[http://www.amazon.com/Gregentios-Archbishop-Taphar-Millennium-Studies/dp/3110184451 Life And Works of Saint Gregentios, Archbishop of Taphar].'' Millennium Studies 7. Walter de Gruyter, Tra edition, October 30, 2006. 915 pp. ISBN 9783110184457
:*<small>In the late 10th century, an anonymous author wrote an account of a religious dialogue between Archbishop Gregentios and the Jewish scribe Herban and included it in a life of Gregentios based on earlier sources, which indicate that he was a [[missionary]] in Yemen in pre-Islamic times. Albrecht Berger examines and translates these texts, and he presents a critical edition.</small>
* [[w:Bernard Quaritch|Bernard Quaritch]] Ltd. (Rare Books & Manuscripts).''[http://www.quaritch.com/book/2480/gregentius-saint-archbishop-of-taphar-disputatio-cum-herbano-iudaeo GREGENTIUS, Saint, Archbishop of Taphar. Disputatio cum Herbano Iudaeo].'' Paris, Fédéric Morel, 1586. £1500.00.
:*<small>{{el icon}}, {{la icon}}: ''8vo., [8], 204 leaves, printed in Greek with Latin translation on facing pages; contemporary vellum.''</small>
:*<small>First edition of the single surviving work of St. Gregentius, the sixth-century archbishop of [[Zafar, Yemen|Taphar]] (i.e. Dhafar) in [[w:South Arabia|South Arabia]]. It is a debate - in dialogue form - between Gregentius and a learned Jewish rabbi, Herban. The debate took place at Taphar, in the presence of the King, Abramius, many bishops, a number of Jews, and the whole population of the city: it was terminated by the [[Miracle|miraculous]] appearance of [[Jesus Christ]] and the infliction of blindness upon the Jews, who were, however, restored to sight on their believing and being [[Baptism|baptized]]. Legend has it that the number of Jews [[Conversion|converted]] and baptized in consequence was 5,500,000. The Greek text is accompanied by a Latin translation by Nicolas Goulu. There are introductory verses by his father-in-law [[w:Jean Daurat|Jean Dorat]].</small>

[[Category:Saints]]
[[Category:6th-century saints]]
[[Category:Byzantine Saints]]
[[Category:Ethiopian Saints]]
[[Category:Missionaries]]
[[Category:Bishops]]
[[Category:6th-century bishops]]
[[Category:Wonderworkers]]