Righteous Righteous Abraham the Forefather

Righteous Abraham is the Old Testament patriarch, forefather of the Hebrew people, and "father of all who believe" (Rom. 4:11-12). Born in Ur of the Chaldees around 2000 BC into the family of Terah, he left his homeland at God's command and journeyed to Canaan, receiving the promise that he would become a great nation and that all the families of the earth would be blessed in his offspring — a prophecy fulfilled in Christ.

God established a covenant with him, sealed by circumcision. In old age Abraham and Sarah at last had a son, Isaac. Abraham's supreme act of faith was his readiness to sacrifice Isaac on Mount Moriah at God's command — an event the Church reads as a prefiguration of Christ's sacrifice on the Cross. He received three strangers under the oak of Mamre, an appearance of the Holy Trinity that became the basis for the "Old Testament Trinity" icon. He was buried in the cave of Machpelah beside Sarah.

The Church venerates Abraham as a model of faith, obedience, and hospitality. Unlike most Old Testament patriarchs, Abraham has an individual fixed commemoration on October 9/22 (with his nephew Lot), in addition to the general commemoration on the Sunday of the Holy Forefathers.