‘Life’ and ‘Miracles’ of Abuna Akala Krestos

This volume, written by Abba Isayeyyas, is a hagiographical history of Akala Krestos, a sixteenth-century Gondarite prince. When there was a rumor that the prince’s father, Galawdewos, was preparing to overthrow his brother Emperor Fasiladas (1632-1667) - ‘he amassed at that time a private army of mighty ones’ - a scheme was designed for Galawdewos to appear at the palace. However, he was slain as soon as he arrived. Akala Krestos was in school at that time. When one of his father’s attendants informed him about his father’s murder, he fled for his life. He walked from school in Gondar to the Monastery of Dabra Libanos in Shoa where he took the monastic garb and became a great ascetic. He visited the Monastery of Abuna Gabra Manfas Qeddus (Zeqwala) before he returned home and built a modest monastery called Medra Zoga.