"The story of St. Elesbaan goes back to the early period of Christianity’s long presence in Ethiopia.
"This remarkable black saint, whose story of victory and piety begins in ancient Abyssinia, now known as Ethiopia, found his ultimate fulfillment much later as a spiritual guide to his fellow black Africans. In this painting, the saint wears the habit of the Carmelite religious order and holds a miniature church. The inscription at the bottom of the painting attests to his Abyssinian origins and declares his special role as a protector against “the dangers of the sea.” - Read the rest of the story
here.
H/T to my Abyssinian research assistant.
