Abba Alef alikuwa mmonaki aliyefanya umisionari katika Ethiopia ya leo akaanzisha monasteri chini ya kanuni ya Pakomi huko Bi'isa. Ni kati ya kundi la Watakatifu Tisa wa Kanisa la Kiorthodoksi la Ethiopia wanaosemekana kukimbilia nchi hiyo kutoka sehemu mbalimbali za Dola la Roma kutokana na dhuluma zilizofuata Mtaguso wa Kalsedonia (451). Wengine ni Abba Panteleoni, Abba Aftse, Abba Gärima, Abba Guba, Abba Liqanos, Abba Aregawi, Abba Sehma, Abba Yäm'ata (Yemata). Wote walikuwa wamonaki wasomi waliohuisha Ukristo wa Ethiopia. Wanasemekana kuwa ndio watafsiri wa Agano Jipya kwenda lugha ya Ge'ez. Tangu kale anaheshimiwa kama mtakatifu. Watakatifu wa Agano la Kale Orodha ya Watakatifu Wakristo Orodha ya Watakatifu wa Afrika Orodha ya Watakatifu Wafransisko The bishop Afonso Mendes, who had been the Roman Catholic Patriarch of Ethiopia under Emperor Susenyos, cited the "Chronicle of Axum" as saying about the Nine Saints, "In the days of Amiamid [i.e., Ella Amida] many monks came from Rum, who fill'd all the Empire; Nine of them stay'd in Tigre, and each of them erected a Church of his own Name."