Stories & Legends
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St. Matthew Confronts the Magicians of Ethiopia
The distribution of the provinces having been made, St. Matthew immediately took the road to Ethiopia to bring the
Faith there. He passed through Egypt, where his ardor in announcing the law of grace allowed him to overcome an infinity of obstacles that presented themselves there.
He showed the way to Heaven to these peoples, as much by the holiness of his life as by the strength of his doctrine and the brilliance of his miracles.
From Egypt, he went to Ethiopia, to the city of Naddaver, a city considerable for its population as the metropolis of the Ethiopian Kingdom. There he was received and lodged by that eunuch of Queen Candace whom St. Philip the Deacon had baptized, as is reported in the Acts of the Apostles.
This eunuch asked St. Matthew how he spoke and understood so many tongues. And then Matthew told him how the Holy Ghost descended and had given to the Apostles all knowledge of tongues. And that just as those who were emboldened by their pride to build a tower to reach Heaven were beset by a confusion of tongues, so in likewise manner the Apostles of Jesus Christ made a tower of the knowledge of tongues, but not out of stones but of virtues, so that all who believe shall mount up into Heaven.
Magicians & dragons
The Saint found in this city two magicians, named Zaroes and Arfaxat, who, by their prestidigitation, deceived these poor idolaters, causing them illnesses and then healing them in order to have them render, through these false miracles, respects that were not due to them.
When they saw that the Apostle was uncovering their sorcery and demonstrating their falseness to the people, they brought forth by their diabolical art two terrifying dragons which cast fire and sulphur by their mouths and nostrils and slew men to cast terror throughout the city.
Then, the Apostle Matthew, having first made the Sign of the Cross , went out to them. As soon as these dragons saw him, they were rendered as gentle as lambs and came and slept at his feet. And when the people were assembled, he commanded the dragons to depart without hurting anyone and return to their caves, and they went anon.
Then Matthew said to the enchanters: “Where is your craft? Awake your monsters if you can, and I will pray Our Lord that He soon execute on you what you would have committed against me.”
This wonder began to reassure the inhabitants against the charms of these impostors and gave the holy Apostle the means to announce the Savior to them, by whose virtue he had performed this prodigy. Thus many were converted by his preaching that day and embraced the Christian religion.
He raises the King of Ethiopia's son
But another miracle, much more striking than the first, allowed him to make even more considerable progress and completely destroyed the credit of the two magicians. Death had taken the King's son, named Euphranor, and the two enchanters were called so that they might raise him. But this they could not do. So, instead they tried to make the King believe that the youth had been ravished into the company of the gods, and that he should make a temple and an image to him.
But the foresaid eunuch of Queen Candace sent for the Apostle St. Matthew, who invoked the name of Jesus Christ over the body of the deceased and immediately restored him to life.
And then the King, who was named Egippus, sent for all the men in his provinces saying to them: “Come and see ye God in the likeness of a man.”
And then the people came with crowns of gold and diverse manner of sacrifices, they wanted to sacrifice to him. But St. Matthew beheld them and said: “What are you doing, men? I am not God, but I am servant of Our Lord.”
And he commanded instead that a great church to the one true God and Christ should be built of the gold and silver that they had brought. This was done and in that church, the Apostle sat and taught 33 years, and converted all Ethiopia to the Faith of Christ. And so King Egippus, with his wife and his daughter, and all the people, were baptized.
How marvelously consoled our Apostle was when Princess Ephigenia, daughter of the King of Ethiopia and a prodigy of beauty and wisdom, came to the Apostle to be consecrated to virginity. Having heard him speak of the happiness of the virgins who choose Jesus Christ as their Spouse, that noble Princess resolved to keep her virginity and to consecrate to God alone all the inclinations of her heart.
Her example excited many other young girls to do the same, and the Saint advised them all to withdraw together into a private house to live there under the guidance of the Princess, as the faithful Spouses of the Son of God. And then the Apostle consecrated Ephigenia, the King's daughter, and made her mistress and governess of more than 200 virgins.
St. Matthew received the mission to convert Ethiopia
From Egypt, he went to Ethiopia, to the city of Naddaver, a city considerable for its population as the metropolis of the Ethiopian Kingdom. There he was received and lodged by that eunuch of Queen Candace whom St. Philip the Deacon had baptized, as is reported in the Acts of the Apostles.
This eunuch asked St. Matthew how he spoke and understood so many tongues. And then Matthew told him how the Holy Ghost descended and had given to the Apostles all knowledge of tongues. And that just as those who were emboldened by their pride to build a tower to reach Heaven were beset by a confusion of tongues, so in likewise manner the Apostles of Jesus Christ made a tower of the knowledge of tongues, but not out of stones but of virtues, so that all who believe shall mount up into Heaven.
Magicians & dragons
The Saint found in this city two magicians, named Zaroes and Arfaxat, who, by their prestidigitation, deceived these poor idolaters, causing them illnesses and then healing them in order to have them render, through these false miracles, respects that were not due to them.
When they saw that the Apostle was uncovering their sorcery and demonstrating their falseness to the people, they brought forth by their diabolical art two terrifying dragons which cast fire and sulphur by their mouths and nostrils and slew men to cast terror throughout the city.
Then, the Apostle Matthew, having first made the Sign of the Cross , went out to them. As soon as these dragons saw him, they were rendered as gentle as lambs and came and slept at his feet. And when the people were assembled, he commanded the dragons to depart without hurting anyone and return to their caves, and they went anon.
Then Matthew said to the enchanters: “Where is your craft? Awake your monsters if you can, and I will pray Our Lord that He soon execute on you what you would have committed against me.”
This wonder began to reassure the inhabitants against the charms of these impostors and gave the holy Apostle the means to announce the Savior to them, by whose virtue he had performed this prodigy. Thus many were converted by his preaching that day and embraced the Christian religion.
He raises the King of Ethiopia's son
But another miracle, much more striking than the first, allowed him to make even more considerable progress and completely destroyed the credit of the two magicians. Death had taken the King's son, named Euphranor, and the two enchanters were called so that they might raise him. But this they could not do. So, instead they tried to make the King believe that the youth had been ravished into the company of the gods, and that he should make a temple and an image to him.
But the foresaid eunuch of Queen Candace sent for the Apostle St. Matthew, who invoked the name of Jesus Christ over the body of the deceased and immediately restored him to life.
The crowds were amazed at the miracle
& many converted
And then the people came with crowns of gold and diverse manner of sacrifices, they wanted to sacrifice to him. But St. Matthew beheld them and said: “What are you doing, men? I am not God, but I am servant of Our Lord.”
And he commanded instead that a great church to the one true God and Christ should be built of the gold and silver that they had brought. This was done and in that church, the Apostle sat and taught 33 years, and converted all Ethiopia to the Faith of Christ. And so King Egippus, with his wife and his daughter, and all the people, were baptized.
How marvelously consoled our Apostle was when Princess Ephigenia, daughter of the King of Ethiopia and a prodigy of beauty and wisdom, came to the Apostle to be consecrated to virginity. Having heard him speak of the happiness of the virgins who choose Jesus Christ as their Spouse, that noble Princess resolved to keep her virginity and to consecrate to God alone all the inclinations of her heart.
Her example excited many other young girls to do the same, and the Saint advised them all to withdraw together into a private house to live there under the guidance of the Princess, as the faithful Spouses of the Son of God. And then the Apostle consecrated Ephigenia, the King's daughter, and made her mistress and governess of more than 200 virgins.
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