A Temple Guardian of Windows
St Ananius the Bridge between the Old & New Faith
Papais (Pope) Anianus, was second Papais of Alexandria and All Africa & Patriarch of the See of St. Mark.
He was ordained as the successor of Saint Mark the Evangelist in 69D, and was also the first convert Mark won to Christianity in Africa.
The story relating the conversion of Anainus to Christianity, by St Mark in 42 AD, just a few years after Yahshuah’s Ascension, offer’s us a remarkable insight into the true heritage of the religion and spirituality of African’s and Egypt in particular, seldom understood or promoted through the mainstream.
The story goes as follows:
As Mark was entering Rakotis, a suburb of Alexandria, after his trip from Cyrene to thePentapolis, the strap of his sandal fell off.
He found a cobbler, Anianus, to repair it. While he was working on the sandal, the awl slipped in Anianus' hand, piercing it. Anianus cried "Heis ho Theos" ("God is one") in response to the pain. Mark took the opportunity of Anianus' scream to preach the Gospel of Christianity to him, at the same time reportedly miraculously healing Anianus of his wound.
After Mark had preached the Gospel to Anianus, he was invited to Anianus' house, where he taught Anianus' family the Gospel and baptized them all. Anianus soon turned his house into a church, and it is said that it is the one known as the church of St. Mark which stands today in Alexandria. Following the martyrdom of Mark on the 30th day of Baramudah after he had returned to Alexander, after travelling the Mediterranean for 2 years, Anianus became the patriarch of the church in Alexandria. The number of Christians in the area grew significantly, and Anianus ordained new priests and deacons for the growing church.
The Credentials and Significance:
He was the 1st person Baptised in Egypt, into the new Faith. However, interestingly and significantly, Anianus before having the Gospel preached to him by St. Mark, although being a so called pagan Egyptian, already knew, worshipped and followed the 1st commandment and the foundation upon which all African Spirituality is built, notwithstanding this particular Temple website, i.e. That God or Yahovayah is One. This is very important a relevant for all African Christian’s and none Christian’s, to understand this fundamental principle that from time immemorial and across the entire spectrum of African Spirituality, God is One.