Debre Mariam is a monastery in Eritrea

Eritrea

Eritrea , officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in the Horn of Africa. Eritrea derives it's name from the Greek word Erethria, meaning 'red land'. The capital is Asmara. It is bordered by Sudan in the west, Ethiopia in the south, and Djibouti in the southeast...

, founded by Abba Absadi, a disciple of the monk Ewostatewos

Ewostatewos

Ewosṭatewos was an important religious leader of the Ethiopian Church. He was a forceful advocate for the Ethiopian form of observing the Sabbath...

 between 1340-1350. The monastery is located at the confluence of the Obel

Obel River

The Obel River is a small tributary to the Mareb River whose headwaters are in the Eritrean Highlands and forms part of the border between Eritrea and Ethiopia.- See also :* List of rivers of Eritrea...

 and Gash Rivers. Since its founding the monastery acquired an extravagant manuscript library. Debre Mariam was the preeminent monastery in Eritrea

Eritrea

Eritrea , officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in the Horn of Africa. Eritrea derives it's name from the Greek word Erethria, meaning 'red land'. The capital is Asmara. It is bordered by Sudan in the west, Ethiopia in the south, and Djibouti in the southeast...

 until Debre Bizen

Debre Bizen

Debre Bizen is the best-known monastery of the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahdo Church. Located at the top of Debre Bizen the mountain near the town of Nefasit in Eritrea. Its library contains many important Ge'ez manuscripts.-History:...

surpassed it.