Saint Mercury

Saint Mercury

Mercurius (Greek: Ἅγιος Μερκούριος, Coptic: Ⲫⲓⲗⲟⲡⲁⲧⲏⲣ Ⲙⲉⲣⲕⲟⲩⲣⲓⲟⲥ; Syriac: ܡܳܪܩܘ̇ܪܝܘ̇ܣ; 224/225 – 250 AD) was a Roman soldier of Scythian descent who became a Christian saint and martyr. He was born in the city of Eskentos in Cappadocia, in Eastern Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey). According to Christian tradition, he was the soldier who killed Julian the apostate during his campaign in Persia. Saint Mercurius was also widely known by his Arabic-language name Abu-Sayfain, Abu-Sifin or Abu-Sefein in Egyptian Arabic (Arabic: أبو سيفين, romanized: Abū Seyfaīn; Coptic: ⲁⲃⲩⲥⲉⲫⲁⲓⲛ, romanized: Abû-Sefaīn) which means "father of two swords", referring to the second sword given to him by the Archangel Michael. St. Mercurius was born around 225 A.D. in Cappadocia (Eastern Asia Minor) into a family of Scythian descent. His parents were converts to Christianity and they called him "Philopater" or "Philopatyr" (a Greek name which means 'Lover of the Father'). They raised him in a Christian manner. When he grew to adulthood (at the age of 17), he enlisted in the Roman army in the reign of Emperor Decius. He gained a great reputation among his superiors as a swordsman and a tactician in many battles. During this period, it is said that the Emperor grew very close to him.

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