Saint Rewis

Saint Rewis Was born in a village called Miniet Yameen in lower Egypt (North) in 1334 AD. His parents named him Freig. His mother Sarah and father Isaac were poor but devout Christians who raised him in the fear and love of the Lord. Worked as a farmer with his father and sold salt on the back of his kamel Rewis

Anba Freig (Rewis) His small (dwarf) kamel was named Rewis (meaning small head). He was obedient and would never depart him. He used his kamel’s name to hide himself when people new his virtues. His kamel used to wake him up for prayer if he was asleep.

Anba Teig (Rewis) At the age of 20 he left his village and went to Cairo to support Christians facing persecution. He learned the bible by heart and all the father’s sayings as he heard it in the church. He loved the life of continuous prayer and fasting, used to fast for 2-3 days then a week at a time, once fasted 11 days and once for 26 days.

St. Rewis He used to disappear in the desert for long periods praying and fasting. On his visits to families in their homes, he would pray for them, bless each member, fill them with the Peace of the Lord, and heal their sick.

Holy Communion Whenever he was about to take communion he would go backwards a little, then go forward. On asking him why he replied, "Because I see the Guardian Angel overshadowing the Divine Eucharist." He was blessed to see the Glory of God filling the Sanctuary, and His Light over the head of each communicant. He saw Christ 5 times and once had a conversation with him that is why we call him (Theophanios) (the one who saw God).

Saint Freig Saint Rewis (Freig/Tegi) was not a monk or a priest but he reached a very high degree of sprituality, he used to be carried to different places by the Holy Spirit either mentally only or also physically. He also saw things happening at other places, e.g. Saw the spirit of St. Mark from the monastery of St. Anthony rising to heaven, people heard him crying and grieving him.

Miracles Healing the sick. Seeing visions: He saw Christ in a fire that his disciples were scared of when he was sick but he assured them that this is Jesus Christ coming to support him in his illness. Helping people in trouble: a woman asked him to tell her if her husband who was ina war in Syria is alive or not, he said I have to go and check for you, he waked foward, disappeared for an hour and came back telling her her husband is safe, when the man returned he told his wife about an old man with untidy hair and little clothes on who came on the above mentioned day and saved him and his troop from his enemies. His wife new and told this is Anba Rewis.

His life Clothes: only a leather girdle around his hips, no shoes, no head cover or upper body cover. His kamel Rewis used to cover him when he sleeps to warm him up. He lied on the ground to sleep and worked in selling salt to support himself and help others. Regular partaking of the Holy Communion with a lot of fear and respect.

Virtues Silence: St.Rewis spent long time practicing silence and would not talk to anyone. He was beaten, put on the back of a donkey and people abused him verbally and threw rocks on him but he would not talk. Spiritual education and support to his disciples. Purity. Fasting and prayer.

Persecution St. Freig was stoned by people on the street because of his poor appearance, his silence which annoid some people and his faith. He was sick after it for 2 years. A prince once was angry as he could not get him to talk, he put him on a donkey and got people to abuse him verbally and hit him with rocks and dirt until he became very ill.

Names Original Birth name is Freig, used it initially until his virtues were known to people then stopped using it. Lived for a period of time in upper Egypt under the name Rewis (his Kamel’s name). He was also known by the coptic name Tegi.

Departure St. Rewis departed on 31st of October 1404 AD (21st of the coptic month Paopi) at the age of 70. He was buried with 4 of our Coptic Popes under the alter of the ancient St. Abi Sfeen church in the land of Ana Rewis monstery. This land is now the land of St.Mark’s Cathedral in Egypt, the Papal residence and Theological college. The church was discovered and excavated hundreds of years later while building the main Papal residency centre in Anba Rewis monastery, its name changed to Anba Rewis as he was the most recent saint that the monastery was names after.

Spirituality of St. Rewis He was not a monk, priest or bishop but a layman who attained a very high spirituality. Our Church celebrate his life and departure showing that spirituality is not for certain hierarchy in the church but for anyone who gets close to God.

St. Rewis Verses: 2 Cor. 6:9-10 ; Heb. 11:38-39 ; Matt. 5:14-16