Anba Abraam (coptic saint)

Saint Abraam bishop of El-Fayyoum and El-Giza was born Paul (or Boulos in Arabic) Gabriel in 1829 AD in the district of Mallawi (Miniah) in the village of Gilda. His parents were pious and God loving. They brought Boulos G. in a Christian manner.

His parents sent him to the church school called "Kuttab". At the hands of his teacher Raphael he learned religious and non-religious subjects. He was bright and enthusiastic to study.

At the age of eight Boulos experienced the tragedy of losing his mother after a brief illness. He was her only child. He found in God what filled his heart and pacified his emotions. At the age of 15 Anba Yousab, bishop of Sunabbo ordained him a deacon. His heart longed for the monastic life. He loved the life of contemplation, so he went to El-Meharrak monastery at assiut when father abd-el-Malak was presiding on the monastery. He was ordained a monk when he was 19 years old in 1849 and took on the name of Bolous Gobriel El-Meharraki. He had a love of almsgiving. He was patient and self-disciplined. He also prayed much in seclusion.

Anba Ykoubos, the Bishop of E-Minieh, heard about him and summoned him to the episcopate. He retained him for four years during which Anba Yakoubos promoted him to a priest. During the four years Fr. Boulos turned the Bishop’s residence to a shelter for the poor. However due to his great love of monastic life he asked permission and was granted the privilege to return to the monastery in 1863.

At the time of his return to his monastery the monks with a consensus made him abbot over the monastery after the death of their abbot. Under his guidance the number of new monks exceeded forty within a very short span of time. He held the position of abbot of the monastery for five years, during which the monastery hosted and helped thousands of needy individuals. He improved the situation of the monastery physically and spiritually. He developed the agricultural land. An expansion of charitable works toward the widows, orphans and poor were implemented. Some monks became embittered because of the charitable works. They saw it as extravagant and squandering of the monastery’s assets. The monks took their problem to Anba Morcoros, who was acting patriarch. In 1586 (Coptic year) Fr. Boulos was deposed of the presidency of the monastery. Some monks from the monastery left with archpriest Boulos (Anba Abraam) because they were at disagreement with the action taken against Fr. Boulos. They arrived at the monastery of El-Baramous. The abbot of the monastery was Archpriest Youhannah the scribe, who became Pope Kyrilos the fifth. Pope Kyrilos and the people agreed at the request of four bishops (who were associates of Fr. Boulos) to make him a bishop. In 1597 (Coptic year) Fr. Boulos became Anba Abraam bishop of Fayoum and Giza.

In 1893 he had a disease in his legs (gangrene). The doctors decided to have it amputated. He had faith that he would be healed. A miracle took place in which Jesus appeared to him and healed his legs.

The blessed Anba Abraam departed to heaven on Thursday, Jun 9, 1914 after sunset. The saint’s body is present at the Coptic orthodox diocese of El-Fayoum in Egypt.

His life was characterized by two gifts.

1. His charity to a multitudes of the needy.

2. His prayer of faith by which many miracles were performed