It is said that the Nine Saints arrived in Axum, the first great capital city of Ethiopia, in 480. They came from various parts of the East Roman Empire, having fled the persecutions of the Orthodox who remained faithful to the teaching of St. Cyril after Chalcedon's acceptance of the semi-Nestorian tome of Pope Leo the Great. The most prominent among the Nine Saints were the hieromonks [[Abba Zemika'el]], [[Abba Aregawi]], [[Abba P'antalewonentelewon]] (Panteleimon), [[Abba Aftse]], and [[Abba Gerima]] (also known as Yisihaq/Isaac), but the names of [[Abba Alef]] (also known as Abba Os), [[Abba Guba]], [[Abba Libanos]] (also known as Abba Mete'a), and [[Abba Liqanos]] were also recorded.