Megabit 3 — March 12

Abba Cosmas, the Kind Archbishop

Today we remember a holy and gentle church father named Abba Cosmas. He was the archbishop of a great city called Alexandria, which means he watched over many churches at once. He was the fifty-eighth archbishop to sit on the special chair that once belonged to Saint Mark, who wrote one of the books about Jesus.

Abba Cosmas was good and kind. He knew the holy books very well and loved to explain them so people could understand. He gave away money he was allowed to keep for himself, sharing it with people who were poor and helping to build new churches.

Abba Cosmas once chose a man named Abba Peter to be a bishop, another church leader, for the country of Ethiopia. But some unkind, dishonest men did not want Abba Peter there. They wrote letters full of lies and caused a lot of trouble and sadness. For a while, it looked like the lies were winning.

But the truth does not stay hidden forever. When Abba Cosmas found out about the lies, he set things right with all his heart. In the end, everyone could see who had told the truth and who had not. God took care of His faithful servants. Abba Cosmas lived to be very old, and his days were full of peace. After leading God's people for twelve years, he died peacefully and went home to God.

He gave away money that was rightly his, sharing it with people who were poor, because he loved God's children.

All his days were filled with peace.— about Abba Cosmas

Barronyos of Banyos

We also remember a faithful saint named Barronyos, who came from a place called Banyos. He loved God and served Him with a faithful heart. We thank God for all His saints, big and small, who quietly loved Him with their whole lives. We ask them to pray for us, too.