16 Facts About Abanoub

Abanoub or Abanob or Abanoub Al-Nahisy is a 4th-century Christian saint and martyr from Egypt.

Abanoub was born in Nehisa in the Nile Delta to Christian parents.

Abanoub was 12 years old when he was killed and beheaded, after being tortured for refusing to leave Christianity.

Abanoub's relics are preserved in St Virgin Mary and St Abanoub Churches in Sebennytos, Egypt.

Abanoub was born in the city of Nehisa, modern Kafr al-Abhar in the district of Talkha.

Abanoub was the only son of parents who reared him in the fear of God.

At age twelve, Abanoub entered the church to hear the priest asking the congregation to remain faithful during the persecutions provoked by Diocletian, the Roman emperor.

Abanoub received the Holy Sacraments, then he prayed to God to guide him to where he could confess his faith in Jesus.

Abanoub returned to his house, and straight away he rose up, and gave all the gold, silver, and apparel his father had left him to the poor and needy, then went to Samanoud, walking along the river bank.

Abanoub confessed the Name of the Lord Christ before Lucianus the governor.

Abanoub insulted Lucianus's idols such that the governor ruler became furious and gave orders that the child be whipped.

Abanoub's nose bled, but then, unexpectedly, the soldiers became blind and the ruler paralyzed.

The soldiers cried to Abanoub to pray for them and promised to become Christians.

Abanoub replied, "This will only happen in Athribis, so that everyone there should know that there is no other God but Christ".

The angel of the Lord came down from heaven, released Abanoub, and wiped up the blood that was running down from his nose and mouth.

In 960 AD, St Abanoub's body was transferred to St Virgin Mary Church in Samanoud.