Pagumen 1 — September 06

Pagumen, the Little Month

Today is the first day of Pagumen. Pagumen is a little month that comes at the very end of the Ethiopian year. It is the shortest month of all. It has only five days, and six in some years!

It is a happy time to thank God for the whole year that is ending, and to get ready for the New Year that is almost here.

Eutychius, the Friend of Saint John

Eutychius (say it: yoo-TIK-ee-us) was a helper of Saint John, one of Jesus' closest friends who went out to teach people about God. Eutychius loved to learn from John and to wait on him, and the Holy Spirit filled his heart with God's love.

Later, Eutychius traveled with the apostle Paul to tell people about Jesus. Many people listened, and they came to love God. He helped them be baptized, and he turned old buildings where people had once bowed to statues into churches.

Some people who did not understand were unkind to Eutychius and put him in prison. But God watched over him. An angel came right into the prison and brought him food. When he was put near fierce lions, the lions did not hurt him at all. They were as gentle with him as soft little sheep are with their shepherd. God's angel walked ahead of him and kept him strong.

Eutychius lived a long, happy life serving God. When he was very old, he went home to the God he loved. We remember him as the dear friend who stood beside Saint John.

The lions did not hurt him at all — they were as gentle as soft little sheep with their shepherd.

Besoy and His Loving Family

Besoy (say it: beh-SOY) lived in a city called Antioch. He came from a good family, and because he was wise and loved God so much, the church chose him to be a priest, a leader who helps people pray and learn about God.

Besoy had a brother named Abba Hor and a mother named Diodora, and both of them loved God bravely. They went home to heaven far away, in the city of Alexandria. Besoy wanted to visit the place where they rested. So he gave all his money to people who were poor, and he set off with only three little loaves of bread and a walking stick made of palm wood.

In Alexandria he stood before the city's ruler and said, with a brave and happy heart, that he loved Jesus too. Besoy gave his whole life for God, and he went home to heaven to be with his family again.

Then something wonderful happened. People wanted to burn the bodies of these holy friends in a great fire, but the fire would not touch them. Kind people carried the saints away in a ship to a town called 'Ablasi, and there they built a church for them. In that place God made many sick people well again. What a happy ending!

He gave away all his money to people who were poor, and set off with only three little loaves of bread and a walking stick.

Pachomius and Serapion

We remember two more friends of God today: Pachomius (say it: pa-KOH-mee-us) and Serapion (say it: seh-RAP-ee-on). We say a happy hello and a thank-you to these saints who loved God, and we ask them to pray for us all.

Remembering John the Baptist

Today we also remember a time when John the Baptist was kept in prison. John was the brave cousin of Jesus who told everyone to get their hearts ready for the Lord.

Even when things were hard, John stayed true to God and kept being brave. We thank God for John, and we remember that God stays close to us, even in hard times.