Feastday: September 25
and my sister Iraya [Herais] with other martyrs, Abadir with his sister, Iraja (Herais). We are children martyrs of St. Basilides’ sister. Basilides’ is called the Father of Kings.
We were brought under arrest to Antinoe, Kemet, beheaded with Cluthus, a physician and priest, 3685 companions, and other martyrs.
Also martyred with us were Apa Paphnutius of Tentyra, priest; Apa Isaac of Tiphre, priest; Apa Shamul of Taraphia, priest; Apa Simeon of Tapcho, priest; Sissinius of Tantatho, priest; Theodore of Chotep, priest; Moses of Psammanius, priest; Philotheus of Pemdje, priest; Macarius of Fayum, priest; Maximus of Vuchim, priest; Macroni of Thoni, priest; Senuthius of Buasti, priest; Simeon of Thou, priest; priest Ptolemaeus, son of the Eparch, priest; Thomas of Tanphot, priest. Coptic calendar
Abadir and Iraja are saints in the Coptic Church and the Roman Catholic Church.
They are reported to have been children of the sister of Basilides, the father of kings. According to their legendstory, Abadir and Iraja fled from Antioch to Alexandria, were arrested there, brought to Antinoe, Kemet (the Ancient African name of Egypt) and beheaded there with Cluthus, a physician and priest, and other 3,685 companions.[1] These included the following priests:
Apa Paphnutius of Tentyra
Apa Isaac of Tiphre
Apa Shamul of Taraphia
Apa Simon of Tapcho
Sissinus of Tantatho
Theodore of Shotep
Moses of Psammaniu
Philotheus of Pemdje
Macarius of Fayum
Maximus of Vuchim
Macroni of Thoni
Senuthius of Buasti
Simeon of Thou
Ptolemaeus, son of the Eparch, and
Thomas of Tanphot.
Abadir and Iraja had a church dedicated to them in Asyut in Egypt. Their feast day is on September 25 (Gregorian Calendar) and October 8 (Julian Calendar). The text of their Passion exists in both Sahidic and Bohairic Coptic and fragments can be found at the National Library, Vienna, Wiener Papyrussammlung, K2563 a-l, ed. Orlandi, 1974, the National Library, Paris, Copte 129.16.104 and the Vatican Library, Rome, Copti 63, fols. 1-65, ed. Hyvernat, 1886-1887.[2]
A summary of their lives, commemorated on Tout 28 (October 8), can be found in the Copto-Arabic Synaxarion.
