Fulvianus (Matthew)

Saint Fulvianus (Matthew) was a prince of Ethiopia in the first century. According to tradition, the holy Apostle and Evangelist Matthew preached after Pentecost in Palestine, Syria, Media, Persia, Parthia and finally in Ethiopia. The Lord appeared to him and gave him a wooden rod, commanding him to plant it in a certain place in Ethiopia. There he ordained Platon as bishop; the rod sprouted and grew into a beautiful tree with sweet fruit, and beside it a spring welled up with healing water. Many Ethiopians believed in Christ.

The ruler of the land, Prince Fulvianus, a fierce pagan, opposed this and condemned the apostle to be burned. But the flames did not harm him; when Fulvianus ordered more wood to be put on and twelve idols to be set around the fire, the flames melted the idols and rushed toward him. Terrified, he begged for mercy, and the apostle's prayer put out the fire. Matthew departed to the Lord, and his body remained unharmed.

Fulvianus repented but still doubted: he put the body into an iron coffin and threw it into the sea, saying that if Matthew's God would keep him in the water as he had kept him in the fire, he would have reason to worship this one true God. That night the apostle appeared in a dream to Bishop Platon and commanded him to go to the shore: the coffin was brought by the waves and carried to the church built by the apostle. Fulvianus asked forgiveness, was baptized by Platon and received the name Matthew, by the command of God. He gave up his rule and became a presbyter, and after the death of Platon, at the apostle's urging, he became bishop of the Church of Ethiopia and spent his years preaching the Gospel. He is commemorated on 16 November.