Father Abali El-Souriany: From the Martyr's Name to a Life of Monasticism and Service
الراهب أبالي السرياني: من اسم الشهيد إلى حياة الرهبنة والخدمة
The Monastery of the Holy Virgin Mary, El-Sourian – Wadi El-Natrun
Father Abali El-Souriany is one of the monks of the Monastery of the Holy Virgin Mary, known as the Monastery of the Syrians (El-Sourian), in Wadi El-Natrun, Egypt. He is among the monks who have recently joined the monastery’s community: he received the grace of monasticism on Saturday, 8 February 2025, at the hands of His Grace Anba Matthaeus, Bishop and Abbot of the monastery.
His Monastic Tonsure
News report He was tonsured together with three other new monks, on the occasion of the sixtieth anniversary of His Grace Anba Matthaeus’s own monastic tonsure.
On 20 February 2025 the newspaper Watani published a report by the journalist Nader Shoukry, titled “4 New Monks and 3 New Priests at the Monastery of the Virgin Mary – El-Sourian”, which named the four new monks:
- Father Iqladios El-Souriany.
- Father Basilios El-Souriany.
- Father Abali El-Souriany.
- Father Ananias El-Souriany.
His Service to Father Okeen El-Souriany
Firsthand testimony According to personal firsthand testimony from November 2026, Father Abali El-Souriany serves and cares for Hegumen Okeen El-Souriany, one of the monks of the Monastery of the Holy Virgin, El-Sourian. He helps him and accompanies him in his daily life in his cell, and sees to his needs.
This information rests on the testimony of a person who has had a spiritual and personal relationship with Father Okeen El-Souriany over many years. It is kept among the site’s documentary records and has not been confirmed by an independent source.
This service reflects a genuine side of monastic life, in which each generation inherits the spirit of love, obedience and service to the elder fathers, continuing the monastic tradition for which the desert of Scetis has been known through the centuries.
The Holy Martyr Saint Abali, Son of Justus
Tradition Father Abali El-Souriany bears a name well known in the heritage of the Coptic Orthodox Church: that of the holy martyr Saint Abali son of Justus, whose martyrdom the Church commemorates on the first day of the month of Mesori every Coptic year.
The Coptic Synaxarium records that Saint Abali was the son of Saint Justus and Saint Theoclia, of the Roman royal family, and was heir to the throne.
When he returned from war to the city of Antioch, he found that the Emperor Diocletian had set up the worship of idols and was persecuting the Christians.
Despite his royal standing and his power to resist the emperor, Saint Abali chose to hold fast to his faith in the Lord Christ, putting the eternal kingdom before earthly glory.
Diocletian tried to persuade him to worship the idols, but he bravely refused, and the emperor ordered him exiled to Alexandria together with his parents.
There the governor Armenius ordered the family to be separated: he sent his father Justus to Ansina, his mother Theoclia to Sa, and Abali to the city of Basta.
In Basta Saint Abali confessed his faith in Christ and was subjected to harsh tortures, including beating, burning and the cutting of his limbs.
The Synaxarium records that the Lord healed him of his wounds, and that many believed in Christ when they saw his patience and steadfastness under torture.
In the end the governor ordered his holy head to be cut off, and he received the crown of martyrdom.
The Coptic Orthodox Church celebrates the commemoration of his martyrdom on 1 Mesori.
A Name That Joins the Memory of Martyrdom to a Life of Consecration
In the memory of the Church, the name Abali joins the life of a martyr who stood firm in his faith unto death with that of a present-day monk who chose a life of consecration and monasticism.
Although the holy martyr Saint Abali son of Justus and Father Abali El-Souriany are two different people who lived in ages far apart, telling the martyr’s story alongside an introduction to the monk lets the reader come to know the spiritual heritage bound up with this name.
We have no documented testimony about the personal reason for the choice of this monastic name.
We ask God to bless the life and service of Father Abali El-Souriany, and to grant him health, strength and grace in his service to Hegumen Okeen El-Souriany, and to keep all the fathers of the Monastery of the Holy Virgin, El-Sourian. Through the prayers of the Mother of God, the holy Virgin Mary, the holy martyr Saint Abali son of Justus, and all the saints of the desert. Amen.
Sources and References
- Watani, 20 February 2025: Nader Shoukry, “4 New Monks and 3 New Priests at the Monastery of the Virgin Mary – El-Sourian” (in Arabic).
- The Coptic Synaxarium, 1 Mesori: the martyrdom of Saint Abali son of Justus (in Arabic).
- Personal firsthand testimony, November 2026: on Father Abali El-Souriany’s service and care for Father Okeen El-Souriany at the Monastery of the Syrians. The details of the testimony are kept by the site’s administration.