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Christianity in Ethiopia

Ethiopia has found strength in the church. From as far back as biblical times, the church has been the foundation upon which this magnificent country has developed. When the flood waters receded, and Noah and his sons disembarked from the great ship, God told them to, "Be fruitful and increase in number; multiply on the earth and increase upon it" (Genesis 9:7). Each of Noah's sons and their wives set out to do just that. His eldest son Shem, whom Jesus descended from, went into what is now Jerusalem. Japheth went into Europe and Asia Minor. Noah's third son, Ham, settled in Canaan, which is now Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and East Africa (Bible Commentary). One of the areas that Ham's descendents settled is now present-day Ethiopia, one of the oldest countries in existence (Bible Commentary). The first known civilization in Ethiopia was that of the mighty Aksumite Kingdom. Having established itself in 1000 BC, in northern Ethiopia, it eventually spread over all of northern and even central Ethiopia. The ancient city of Axum, which was started by the Aksumites, was Ethiopia's first capital city (Kurtz 45). During the reign of the Aksumites, King Solomon, who was in power from 970-930 BC, was visited by the Queen of Sheba (1 Kings 10: 1-13). Different theories have been presented as to where the queen was actually from. One Ethiopian story, called the Kibra Negast, states that the queen was actually Queen Makeda (said to have reigned from 1005-955 BC in the coastal regions of Ethiopia). This story claims that when Queen Makeda went to visit King Solomon, she converted to Judaism, and they became romantically involved. She bore him a son, Menelik I, and at the age of thirteen he went back to Jerusalem to get his father's blessing. Solomon, as the story states, appointed Menelik the first king of Ethiopia (Sorenson 23). Because of this, Judaism spread throughout Ethiopia. Falashas, or black Jews, practiced a simple form of Judaism. Because they lived in near isolation, the Falashas had only the first five books of the Bible, known as the laws of Moses (Kurtz 31). Axum was one of the largest and greatest cities of the Roman Empire, and because Rome dominated Red Sea trading, it was only a matter of time before Christianity would reach Ethiopia's shore (Marcus 7). According to church tradition, two Syrian boys, Aedisius and Frumentius, introduced Christianity to Ethiopia. Emperor Ella Amida put these two young men, who were shipwrecked, to work as slaves. As the years passed, they

gained trust with the Emperor, and he released them from prison. After the emperor's death, his widow, who was now in power, asked them to stay and to advise her until her infant son, Ezanus, came of age. While in this capacity, Frumentius sought out Christian merchants to start up churches, which caused the spreading of the gospel throughout Ethiopia (Marcus 7). When Ezanus took the throne in approximately 303, Frumentius went to Alexandria, and was designated as the official bishop to Ethiopia. He returned to Ethiopia in 305 and began a lifetime of evangelism, including converting Emperor Ezanus to Christianity (Marcus 7). In 350, Ezanus expanded his kingdom into Sudan and the Nile region to secure trade. After defeating the opposition, Emperor Ezanus thanked God for his protection, and for the next few centuries, no one is known to have challenged Axum's trading monopoly (Marcus 8). Trade not only brought prosperity, but it also brought about change. Ge'ez began to take hold as the common language of the people and was often used by royalty. The Bible was also translated into Ge'ez. As well as the language taking shape, other countries began looking to Axum as a superpower (Marcus 8). In the 12th century a new dynasty was beginning to emerge in the highlands of Ethiopia (Spaansen 2). Although this new dynasty, known as the Zagwes, retained the Aksumite social and political protocol, their achievements had remained obscured. It was not until Emperor Lalibela issued the building of eleven rock-hewn churches during his rule of 1185-1225 that they were recognized as a new political and religious power (Marcus 12). These eleven churches in Lalibela formed a museum of sacred architecture. In comparing these monolithic structures with other such structures in Ethiopia, it is obvious that the idea of hewing churches out of solid rock was inspired. What sets these structures apart are there amazing features, such as chiseledout entryways, courtyards, and interiors, and the rich "geometric and linear" decorations. To achieve this awesome wonder, Emperor Lalibela recruited craftsmen from as far away as Egypt and the Holy Land (Marcus 12). Europeans were very intrigued with Ethiopia during the Middle Ages because they believed it to be the only Christian nation outside of Europe (Kurtz 66). Legends began to circulate in twelfth-century Europe of a mysterious priestking named Prestor John. This devout Christian ruled a kingdom strategically placed to ward off the Islamic influence (Marcus 14). The mystery of Prestor John sparked the image of Ethiopia as an awe-inspiring kingdom and a much-desired ally (Sorensen 24). This persona, along with a kingdom that was both peaceful and united (with exotic animals and people),

combined to create an image of Ethiopia that was captured in the minds of Europeans and prompted them to eagerly thirst for Ethiopian resources (Marcus 14). The Zagwe dynasty was overthrown in 1270 by Yekuno Amlak, who claimed to be a direct descendant of Menelik I, the son of King Solomon and Makeda, Queen of Saba. This claim made it very easy for him to proclaim himself emperor and to regain the Solomonic line in Ethiopia. This story, which is also told in the Kibre Negast, glorifies this monarchial line and associates Ethiopia with the Judeo-Christian tradition (Marcus 18). In 1436, Zara Yakob was crowned king. Since the Islamic challenge was sometimes a reality and always a threat, Zara continued to mold Christianity into Ethiopia's main line of internal defense. Even the most radical clergy were integrated into the political economy further unifying church and state. Zara Yakob fought Muslim control of shipping around the Horn of Africa, and reports of his success made their way to Europe, which only added to the mystique of Prestor John. Some European leaders exaggerated the importance of Ethiopia hoping to dissuade Muslim influence in Egypt, Arabia, and Syria. Zara Yakob was a very strong ruler and because his successors were weak, this lead to the decline of the Solomonic Monarchy (Marcus 24-27). The explosion of Islam into this mostly Christian kingdom had been long in the making. Islam had come to Ethiopia in 615 when a group of persecuted Muslims fled to Axum. Their leader, the prophet Mohammed, said that Ethiopia was "a land of righteousness where no one was wronged." During the latter part of the seventh century, Muslims swept over Africa and the Mid East forcing many people to convert to Islam in what is known as a jihad, or a Holy War (Kurtz 46). Though the Islamic armies had tried numerous times to defeat the Christian nation, it wasn't until 1528 that Ahmed "the left-handed" finally succeeded. By 1535, Ahmed had a kingdom that spread from the Red Sea to Ethiopia's interior. In that same year Ethiopia's Emperor Dengel sent a cry for help to Europe. Portugal responded and in 1541, after six terrible years of war, they delivered four hundred musketeers. When the Ethio-Portugese army caught up with the Muslim armies, the fighting continued for two long and agonizing years. On February 25, 1543, Ahmed was killed, and the Christians gained control of Ethiopia once more (Marcus 34). The fighting had left the country poorer, with many cattle killed and people taken away by the Muslims and sold as slaves in Arab lands (Kurtz 49). During the 1700s the Oromo people from the south attacked and raided the plateau region of Ethiopia. Unlike the Muslims, the Oromo people did not force their own religious beliefs or culture on the Ethiopians. In 1766, civil war broke out resulting in the beginning of the "age of the princes," which lasted

until 1825 (Marcus 47). This period, also known as the zamena mesafint period, was best known for its slave trade. In the zamena mesafint, each province had its own king, and people felt loyalty to their own province, not to a country called Ethiopia (Kurtz 50). Historically, Ethiopia has found its strength in the church. From its initial foundation from King Solomon and Queen Makeda, to the rise of Islam in the seveth century, to the resurgence of Christianity in the fourteenth century, the church has been and will continue to shape Ethiopia.

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African Christianity in Ethiopia


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View Slideshow The adoption of Christianity in Ethiopia dates to the fourth-century reign of the Aksumite emperor Ezana. Aksum's geographic location, at the southernmost edge of the Hellenized Near East, was critical to its conversion and development. The kingdom was located along major international trade routes through the Red Sea between India and the Roman empire. The story of Ezana's conversion has been reconstructed from several existing documents, the ecclesiastical histories of Rufinus and Socrates Scholasticus. Both recount how Frumentius, a youth from Tyre, was shipwrecked and sent to the court of Aksum. Frumentius sought out Christian Roman merchants, was converted, and later became the first bishop of Aksum. At the very least, this story suggests that Christianity was brought to Aksum via merchants. Ezana's decision to adopt Christianity was most likely influenced by his desire to solidify his trading relationship with the Roman empire. Christianity afforded the possibility of unifying the many diverse ethnic and linguistic peoples of the Aksumite kingdom, a goal of Ezana's leadership. Aksum was one of the

earliest states to develop a coin system in order to service its sophisticated and prosperous economy. Emperor Ezana was the first world leader to put the cross on coins that are the earliest examples of Christian material culture from Ethiopia.

The adoption of Christianity in Ethiopia dates to the fourth-century reign of the Aksumite emperor Ezana. Aksum's geographic location, at the southernmost edge of the Hellenized Near East, was critical to its conversion and development.

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Remains of distinctive Aksumite church architecture have been located in Aksum, Matara, and Adulis. These are oriented basilicas with stepped podia, which are accessed by a monumental set of stairs. These churches include an apse with lateral square chambers, introduced into the design of basilicas along the south coast of Asia Minor, Syria, and Palestine by the fifth century. The construction of churches is believed to have served the religious needs of the new administrative and military officials settling in expanded territories. The growth of the Aksumite state ended after the Persian conquest of South Arabia, which displaced the trade routes of the Red Sea. While its origins are unclear, the Zagwe dynasty arose sometime during this period of reduced wealth and international prestige and probably lasted until 1270. The almost complete lack of surviving manuscripts makes it difficult to obtain a clear picture of the period. After the

abandonment of Aksum, the previous political and economic capital, the city of Roha, now called Lalibela, was established as the ceremonial center of the Zagwe dynasty. Churches most likely based on Aksumite precedents were hewn out of living rock in the mountains of Lasta. The Church of the Redeemer, the largest and perhaps most famous church at Lalibela, may be an architectural copy of the Cathedral of Mary of Zion at Aksum. The interiors of these magnificent structures were covered with paintings and murals. Yekunno Amlak's overthrow of the reigning Zagwe dynasty in 1270 marks the beginning of the Early Solomonic period (12701530). Amlak based his claim to legitimacy on an alleged lineage with the ancient rulers of Aksum originating with King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba. This period was one of dramatic social and cultural change and development. Extensive international trade returned to Ethiopia since Europeans were seeking alternatives to trading along Islamiccontrolled routes. This resurgence lasted until the Portuguese rounded the Cape of Good Hope. Evoking the legend of King Solomon, rulers of this period established royal churches lavishly decorated with wall paintings, gold ornamentation, and precious fabrics. These included the famous rock-hewn churches of Tegre and Lasta. Through affiliations with monastic leaders, these secular rulers used artistic patronage, including the recruitment of European artisans, to establish their authority and enhance their prestige. This interface with Europe exposed Ethiopian artists to new mediums, technologies, and aesthetic sensibilities. These influences are reflected in wall paintings through a shift from rigid frontality and the widespread use of geometric patterning to a three-quarter pose, a greater fluidity of line, and the use of modeling to describe three-dimensional volumetric figures. This new style contained elements of both Byzantine and Italian prototypes. Monasteries, for example the Dabra Hayq Estifanos monastery in Amhara, were established as centers of learning. These complexes often contained extensive scriptoria for extraordinary illuminated manuscripts, of which very few survive. The labor-intensive work of the scriptorium was often considered a crucial dimension in a monk's spiritual training. There were many monasteries in the region of Lake Tana, including that of Fr Seyon, one of two known artists of this period. Seyon is credited with the development of the devotional Marian Icon images and style. Mary became an extremely important figure in the Ethiopian church when Emperor Zar'a Ya'eqob (r. 143468) mandated the reading of the Miracles of the Virgin Mary and that she be honored at most of the thirty feast days in the liturgical year. Zar'a Ya'eqob was particularly successful at utilizing the power of her visual imagery to publicly emphasize teachings about her centrality to Christian salvation. The Islamic jihads of 1531 through 1543 by the neighboring state of Adal destroyed many royal churches, libraries, and monasteries, resulting in the loss of all of their records. Rare examples of the extraordinary royal patronage of the Early Solomonic period that survived were preserved in extremely remote, inaccessible monasteries. A long period of chaos followed the Adalite invasion, including subsequent incursions by enterprising groups seeking to fill the power void left by the fall of the Aksumites. In the seventeenth century, the significantly reduced Christian empire established the new capital of Gondar. Until its assault by Tigray in 1769, Gondar was the spiritual, artistic, and political center of the empire and therefore was a site for the principle scriptoria and painters' workshops, as well as architectural innovations.

While earlier Aksumite churches were circular, later constructions deliberately attempted to mimic those of the description of King Solomon's temple in the Old Testament. The churches built in Gondar have a square sanctuary with two aisles running along the periphery. The interiors are entirely covered in both murals and paintings that were commissioned by the wealthy elite in order to assist in their ascension to heaven. This was a period of intense artistic production, including, in particular, considerable quantities of icons devoted to the Virgin Mary. The Ethiopian royal dynasty remained intact until the overthrow in 1974 of Haile Selassie, the last Christian emperor, by a military coup.
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Christianity in Ethiopia
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Bet Giyorgis church in Lalibela

St George's Cathedral in Addis Ababa

Church in Bahir Dar

Priest of the Yimrehanna Kristos Church, Lalibela Christianity in Ethiopia dates to the 1st century AD, and this long tradition makes Ethiopia unique amongst sub-Saharan African countries. Christianity in this country is divided into several groups. The largest and oldest is the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church (in Amharic: Yityop'ya ortodoks twahedo btkrestyan) is an Oriental Orthodox church in Ethiopia that was part of the Coptic Orthodox Church until 1959, when it was granted its own Patriarch by Coptic Orthodox Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of All Africa Cyril VI. The only pre-colonial Christian church of Sub-Saharan Africa, the Ethiopian Orthodox church has a membership of slightly more than 32 million people in Ethiopia, and is thus the largest of all Oriental Orthodox churches. Next in size are the various Protestant congregations, who include 13.7 million Ethiopians. The largest Protestant group is the Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus, with about 5 million members. Roman Catholicism has been present in Ethiopia since the 16th century, and numbers 536,827 believers. In total, Christians make up about 60% of the total population of the country.[1]

Contents

1 Christian Roots 2 Frumentius 3 Isolation as a Christian Nation 4 Jesuit Missionaries 5 21st century 6 References 7 See also

Christian Roots
Although Christianity existed long before the rule of King Ezana the Great of the Kingdom of Axum, the religion took a strong foothold when it was declared a state religion in 330 AD. Pinpointing a date as to when Christianity emerged in Ethiopia is uncertain. The earliest and best known reference to the introduction of Christianity is in the New Testament (Acts 8:26-38[2]) when Philip the Evangelist converted an Ethiopian court official in the 1st Century AD. Scholars, however, argue that Ethiopian (which in Greek means "having a dark skin color") was a common term used for black Africans, and that the Queen Candace served by this official actually ruled in nearby Nubia (modern Sudan). According to church historian Nicephorus, the apostle St. Matthew,[3] later preached the Christian Gospel to modern-day Ethiopia (then called Colchis) after having preached in Judea.[4] Rufinus of Tyre, a noted church historian, recorded a personal account as did other church historians such as Socrates and Sozemius. The Garima Gospels are thought to be the world's oldest illuminated Christian manuscripts.

Frumentius
After being shipwrecked and captured at an early age, Frumentius was carried to Axum where he was treated well with his companion Edesius. At the time, there was a small population of Christians living there who sought refuge from Roman persecution. Once of age, Frumentius and Edesius were allowed to return to their homelands, however they chose to stay at the request of the queen. In doing so, they began to secretly promote Christianity through the lands.[5] During a trip to meet with church elders, Frumentius met with Athanasius, Archbishop of Alexandria who was second in line to the pope. After recommending that a bishop be sent to proselytize, a council decided that Frumentius be appointed as a bishop to Ethiopia. By 331 AD, Frumentius returned to Ethiopia, he was welcomed with open arms by the rulers who were at the time not Christian. Ten years later, through the support of the kings, the majority of the kingdom was converted and Christianity was declared the official state religion.[6]

Isolation as a Christian Nation


With the emergence of Islam in the 7th century, Ethiopia's Christians became isolated from the rest of the Christian world. The head of the Ethiopian church has been appointed by the patriarch of the Coptic church in Egypt, and Ethiopian monks had certain rights in the church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. Despite the expansion of Islam, Ethiopia was the only region of Africa to survive as a Christian state.[7]

Jesuit Missionaries
In 1441 some Ethiopian monks traveled from Jerusalem to attend the Council in Florence which discussed possible union between the Roman Catholic and Greek Orthodox churches. The arrival of the Ethiopian monks caused something of a sensation. It began two centuries of contact in which there were hopes to bring the Ethiopians into the Catholic fold (the doctrinal problem was that they inclined to the monophysite heresy associated with the Coptic church of Egypt). In 1554 Jesuits arrived in Ethiopia to be joined in 1603 by Pedro Pez, a Spanish missionary of such energy and zeal that he has been called the second apostle of Ethiopia (Frumentius being the first). The Jesuits were expelled in 1633 which was then followed by two centuries of more isolation until the second half of the 19th century.[8]

21st century
In March 2011, International Christian Concern said that a Muslim group spurred Muslim youths to burn up to 50 Ethiopian Christian churches and kill one person on the basis of accusations that Christians had desecrated the Koran.[9] Christianity by Country

Africa[show] Asia[show] Europe[show] North America[show] South America[show] Middle East[show] Oceania[show]
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IV

Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church


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Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church


The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church (Amharic: ?; Transliterated Amharic: Yityop'ya ortodoks twahedo btkrestyan) is the predominant Oriental Orthodox Christian church in Ethiopia. The Ethiopian Church was administratively part of the Coptic Orthodox Church until 1959, when it was granted its own Patriarch by Coptic Orthodox Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of All Africa, Cyril VI. It should not be confused with the Ethiopian Catholic Church, which is a Chalcedonian church. One of the few pre-colonial Christian churches of Sub-Saharan Africa, the Ethiopian Church has a membership of between 40 and 45 million,[1] the overwhelming majority of whom live in Ethiopia,[2] and is thus the largest of all Oriental Orthodox churches. The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church is a founding member of the World Council of Churches.[3] Tewahedo (Te-wa-hido) (Ge'ez tawhid, modern pronunciation tewhid) is a Ge'ez word meaning "being made one" or "unified". This word refers to the Oriental Orthodox belief in the one single unified Nature of Christ; i.e., a belief that a complete, natural union of the Divine and Human Natures into One is self-evident in order to accomplish the divine salvation of humankind, as opposed to the "two Natures of Christ" belief (unmixed, but unseparated Divine and Human Natures, called the Hypostatic Union) which is held by the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches. According to the Catholic Encyclopedia article on the Henotikon[4]: the Patriarchs of Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem, and many others,[who?] all refused to accept the "two natures" doctrine decreed by the Council of Chalcedon in 451, thus separating them from the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox who themselves separated from one another later on in the East-West Schism in 1054, although not over Christological views. The Oriental Orthodox Churches, which today include the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria, the Armenian Apostolic Church, the Syriac Orthodox Church, the Malankara Orthodox Church of India, the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, and the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church, are referred to as "Non-Chalcedonian", and, sometimes by outsiders as "monophysite" (meaning "One Single Nature", in reference to Christ). However, these Churches themselves

describe their Christology as miaphysite (meaning "One United Nature", in reference to Christ; the translation of the word "Tewahedo").

Contents

1 History o 1.1 Origins o 1.2 Middle Ages o 1.3 Jesuit interim o 1.4 Recent history 2 Practices and beliefs o 2.1 Exorcism 3 Distinctive traits o 3.1 Biblical canon o 3.2 Language o 3.3 Architecture o 3.4 Ark of the Covenant o 3.5 Similarities to Judaism 4 Bishops 5 See also 6 References 7 External links

History
Origins
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The Ethiopian Church claims its earliest origins from the royal official said to have been baptized by Philip the Evangelist (not to be confused with Philip the Apostle), one of the seven deacons: Then the angel of the Lord said to Philip, Start out and go south to the road that leads down from Jerusalem to Gaza. So he set out and was on his way when he caught sight of an Ethiopian. This man was a eunuch, a high official of the Kandake (Candace) Queen of Ethiopia in charge of all her treasure. (Acts, 8:26-27) The passage continues by describing how Philip helped the Ethiopian treasurer understand a passage from Isaiah that the Ethiopian was reading. After the Ethiopian received an explanation of the passage, he requested that Philip baptize him, and Philip did so. The Ethiopic version of this verse reads "Hendeke" (); Queen Gersamot Hendeke VII was the Queen of Ethiopia from ca. 42 to 52. Orthodox Christianity became the established church of the Ethiopian Axumite Kingdom under king Ezana in the 4th century through the efforts of a Syrian Greek named Frumentius, known in Ethiopia as Abba Selama, Kesat Birhan ("Father of Peace, Revealer of Light"). As a youth, Frumentius had been shipwrecked with his brother Aedesius on the Eritrean coast. The brothers managed to be brought to the royal court, where they rose to positions of influence and converted Emperor Ezana to Christianity, causing him to be baptised. Ezana sent Frumentius to Alexandria to ask the Patriarch, St. Athanasius, to appoint a bishop for Ethiopia. Athanasius appointed Frumentius himself, who returned to Ethiopia as Bishop with the name of Abune Selama. From then on, until 1959, the Pope of Alexandria, as Patriarch of All Africa, always named an Egyptian (a Copt) to be Abuna or Archbishop of the Ethiopian Church.

This Ethiopian icon shows St. George, the Crucifixion, and the Virgin Mary.

Middle Ages
Union with the Coptic Orthodox Church continued after the Arab conquest of Egypt. Abu Saleh records in the 12th century that the patriarch always sent letters twice a year to the kings of Abyssinia (Ethiopia) and Nubia, until Al Hakim stopped the practice. Cyril, 67th patriarch, sent Severus as bishop, with orders to put down polygamy and to enforce observance of canonical consecration for all churches. These examples show the close relations of the two churches concurrent with the Middle Ages. In 1439, in the reign of Zara Yaqob, a religious discussion between Abba Giyorgis and a French visitor had led to the dispatch of an embassy from Ethiopia to the Vatican.

Jesuit interim
The period of Jesuit influence, which broke the connection with Egypt, began a new chapter in Church history. The initiative in the Roman Catholic missions to Ethiopia was taken, not by Rome, but by Portugal, as an incident in the struggle with the Muslim Ottoman Empire and Sultanate of Adal for the command of the trade route to India by the Red Sea. In 1507 Matthew, or Matheus, an Armenian, had been sent as an Ethiopian envoy to Portugal to ask for aid against the Adal Sultanate. In 1520 an embassy under Dom Rodrigo de Lima landed in Ethiopia (by which time Adal had been remobilized under Ahmad ibn Ibrihim al-Ghazi). An interesting account of the Portuguese mission, which lasted for several years, was written by Francisco lvares, the chaplain.

Later, Ignatius Loyola wished to take up the task of conversion, but was forbidden. Instead, the pope sent out Joo Nunes Barreto as patriarch of the East Indies, with Andre de Oviedo as bishop; and from Goa envoys went to Ethiopia, followed by Oviedo himself, to secure the king's adherence to Rome. After repeated failures some measure of success was achieved under Emperor Susenyos, but not until 1624 did the Emperor make formal submission to the pope. Susenyos made Roman Catholicism the official state religion, but was met with heavy resistance by his subjects, and the authorities of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, and eventually had to abdicate in 1632 to his son, Fasilides, who promptly restored the state religion to Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity. He then expelled the Jesuits in 1633, and in 1665, Fasilides ordered that all Jesuit books (the Books of the Franks) be burned.

Recent history

An Ethiopian Orthodox priest photographed in 2005. In recent years, the Ethiopian church experienced a series of reforms. The earliest was in the 19th century with the publication of an Amharic translation of the Bible. Largely the work of Abu Rumi, who worked on this monumental effort for ten years in Cairo, this version, with some changes, held sway until Emperor Haile Selassie ordered a new translation which appeared in 1960/1.[5] Haile Selassie also played a prominent role in further reforms of the church, which included encouraging the distribution of Abu Rumi's translation throughout Ethiopia,[6] as well as his promotion of improved education of clergy, the founding of the Theological College of the Holy Trinity Church in December 1944 being a significant step in the Emperor's effort.[7] A third development came after his restoration to Ethiopia, when Emperor Haile Selassie issued on 30 November 1942 a new law reforming the Church, Decree Number 2 of 1942. The primary objectives of this decree were to put the finances of the church in order, to create a central fund for its activities, and to set forth requirements and steps for the appointment of clergywhich had been embarrassingly lax until then.[8]

The Coptic and Ethiopian Churches reached an agreement on 13 July 1948, that led to autocephaly for the Ethiopian Church. Five bishops were immediately consecrated by the Coptic Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of All Africa, empowered to elect a new Patriarch for their church, and the successor to Abuna Qerellos IV would have the power to consecrate new bishops.[9] This promotion was completed when Coptic Orthodox Pope Joseph II consecrated an Ethiopian-born Archbishop, Abuna Basilios, 14 January 1951. Then in 1959, Pope Cyril VI of Alexandria crowned Abuna Baslios as the first Patriarch of Ethiopia. Patriarch Abune Basilios died in 1971, and was succeeded that year by Patriarch Abune Tewophilos. With the fall of Emperor Haile Selassie in 1974, the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church was disestablished as the state church. The new Marxist government began nationalising property (including land) owned by the church. Patriarch Abune Tewophilos was arrested in 1976 by the Marxist Derg military junta, and secretly executed in 1979. The government ordered the church to elect a new Patriarch, and Abune Takla Haymanot was enthroned. The Coptic Orthodox Church refused to recognize the election and enthronement of Abune Tekle Haymanot on the grounds that the Synod of the Ethiopian Church had not removed Abune Tewophilos and that the government had not publicly acknowledged his death, and he was thus still the legitimate Patriarch of Ethiopia. Formal relations between the two churches were halted, although they remained in communion with each other. Formal relations between the two churches resumed on July 13, 2007.[10] Patriarch Abune Tekle Haymanot proved to be much less accommodating to the Derg regime than it had expected, and so when the Patriarch died in 1988, a new Patriarch with closer ties to the regime was sought. The Archbishop of Gondar, a member of the Derg-era Ethiopian Parliament, was elected and enthroned as Patriarch Abuna Merkorios. Following the fall of the Derg regime in 1991, and the coming to power of the EPRDF government, Patriarch Abune Merkorios abdicated under public and governmental pressure. The church then elected a new Patriarch, Abune Paulos, who was recognized by the Coptic Orthodox Pope of Alexandria. The former Patriarch Abune Merkorios then fled abroad, and announced from exile that his abdication had been made under duress and thus he was still the legitimate Patriarch of Ethiopia. Several bishops also went into exile and formed a break-away alternate synod. This exiled synod is recognized by some Ethiopian Churches in North America and Europe who recognize Patriarch Abune Merkorios, while the synod inside Ethiopia continues to uphold the legitimacy of Patriarch Abune Paulos. Following the independence of Eritrea as a nation in 1993, the Coptic Orthodox Church in 1994 appointed an Archbishop for the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church, which in turn obtained autocephaly in 1998 with the reluctant approval of its mother synod. That same year the first Eritrean Patriarch was consecrated. As of 2005, there are many Ethiopian Orthodox churches located throughout the United States and other countries to which Ethiopians have migrated (Archbishop Yesehaq 1997). The church claims more than 38 million members in Ethiopia, forming about half the country's population.

Practices and beliefs

Priests and deacons conducting a church service. St. Michael Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, Washington, DC. The faith and practice of most Orthodox Ethiopian Christians includes elements from Miaphysite Christianity as it has developed in Ethiopia over the centuries. According to researchers Thomas P. Ofcansky and LaVerle Berry, as with many Christian traditions, Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity includes elements from the local non-Christian heritage that are rejected by more educated church members, but usually shared by the ordinary priest.[11] Christian elements include God (in Ge'ez / Amharic, Egziabeher, lit. "Lord of the Universe"), the angels, and the saints, besides others.[11] According to the Ethiopian Orthodox Church itself, there are no nonChristian elements in the religion other than those from the Old Testament, or Higge 'Orit ( ), to which are added those from the New Testament, or Higge Wongiel ( ).[12] A hierarchy of "Kidusan" (angelic messengers and saints) conveys the prayers of the faithful to God and carries out the divine will, so when an Ethiopian Christian is in difficulty, he or she appeals to these as well as to God. In more formal and regular rituals, priests communicate on behalf of the community, and only priests may enter the inner sanctum of the usually circular or octagonal church where the tabot ("ark") dedicated to the church's patron saint is housed. On important religious holidays, the tabot is carried on the head of a priest and escorted in procession outside the church. It is the tabot, not the church, which is consecrated. Only those who feel pure, have fasted regularly, and have generally conducted themselves properly may enter the middle ring to receive communion. At many services, most parish members remain in the outer ring, where debteras sing hymns and dance.[11]

Choir with drums in an Ethiopian Orthodox church in Brisbane, Australia

Ethiopian Orthodox believers are strict Trinitarians,[13] maintaining the Orthodox teaching that God is united in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This concept is known as sllas, Ge'ez for "Trinity". Weekly services constitute only a small part of an Ethiopian Orthodox Christian's religious observance. Several holy days require prolonged services, singing and dancing, and feasting. An important religious requirement, however, is the keeping of fast days. All devout believers are to maintain the full schedule of fasts, comprising 250 days. 1. Fast for Hudadi or Abiye Tsome (Lent), 56 days. 2. Fast of the Apostles, 1040 days, which the Apostles kept after they had received the Holy Spirit. It begins after Pentecost. 3. The fast of Assumption, 16 days. 4. The Gahad of Christmas (on the eve of Christmas). 5. The fast preceding Christmas, 40 days (Advent). It begins with Sibket on 15th Hedar and ends on Christmas Eve with the feast of Gena and the 28th of Tahsas. 6. The Fast of Nineveh, commemorating the preaching of Jonah. It comes on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of the third week before Lent. 7. The gahad of Epiphany, fast on the eve of Epiphany. In addition to standard holy days, most Christians observe many saint's days. A man might give a small feast on his personal saint's day. The local voluntary association (called the maheber) connected with each church honors its patron saint with a special service and a feast two or three times a year.[11]

Exorcism
Priests intervene and perform exorcisms on behalf of those believed to be afflicted by demons or buda. According to a 2010 Pew Research Center study, 74% of Christians in Ethiopia claim to have experienced or witnessed an exorcism.[14] Demon-possessed persons are brought to a church or prayer meeting.[15] Often, when an ill person has not responded to modern medical treatment, the affliction is attributed to demons.[15] Unusual or especially perverse deeds, particularly when performed in public, are symptomatic of a demoniac.[15] Superhuman strength such as breaking one's bindings, as described in the New Testament accounts along with glossolalia are observed in the afflicted.[15] Amsalu Geleta, in a modern case study, relates elements that are common to Ethiopian Christian exorcisms: It includes singing praise and victory songs, reading from the Scripture, prayer and confronting the spirit in the name of Jesus. Dialogue with the spirit is another important part of the exorcism ceremony. It helps the counselor (exorcist) to know how the spirit was operating in the life of the demoniac. The signs and events mentioned by the spirit are affirmed by the victim after deliverance.[15] The exorcism is not always successful, and Geleta notes another instance in which the usual methods were unsuccessful, and the demons apparently left the subject at a later time. In any event, "in all cases the spirit is commanded in no other name than the name of Jesus."[15]

Distinctive traits
Biblical canon
Main article: Ethiopian Biblical canon

Drawing of the Virgin Mary 'with her beloved son' in pencil and ink, from a manuscript copy of Weddas Mrym, circa 1875. The Tewahedo Church Canon contains 81 books. This canon contains the books accepted by other Orthodox Christians.[16]

The Narrower Canon also contains Enoch, Jubilees, and I II III Meqabyan. (These are unrelated to the Greek I, II, III Maccabees with which they are often confused.) The canonical Enoch differs from the editions of the Ge'ez manuscripts in the British Museum and elsewhere (A-Q) used by foreign scholars (OTP), for example in treatment of the Nephilim of Genesis 6[citation needed]. The current 81 book version was published in 1986, containing the same text as previously published in the Haile Selassie Version of the Bible, only with some minor modifications to the New Testament translation. Some sources speak of the Broader Canon, which has in fact never been published as a single compilation, but is said to include all of the Narrower Canon, as well as additional New Testament books said to have been used by the early church: two Books of the Covenant, four Books of Sinodos, an Epistle of Peter to Clement--also known as "Ethiopic Clement," and the Ethiopic Didascalia. These may not all bear close resemblance to works with similar titles known in the west. An eight-part, Ethiopic version of the history of the Jewish people written by Joseph be Gorion, known as the Pseudo-Josephus is also considered part of the broader canon, though it would be considered an Old Testament work.[17]

Language

The divine services of the Ethiopian Church are celebrated in the Ge'ez language, which has been the language of the Church at least since the arrival of the Nine Saints (Abba Pantelewon, Abba Gerima (Isaac, or Yeshaq), Abba Aftse, Abba Guba, Abba Alef, Abba Yemata, Abba Liqanos, and Abba Sehma), who fled persecution by the Byzantine Emperor after the Council of Chalcedon (451)[citation needed]. The Septuagint Greek version was originally translated into Ge'ez, but later revisions show clear evidence of the use of Hebrew, Syriac, and Arabic sources. The first translation into a modern vernacular was done in the 19th century by a man who is usually known as Abu Rumi. Later, Haile Selassie sponsored Amharic translations of the Ge'ez Scriptures during his reign, one before World War II and one afterwards. Sermons today are usually delivered in the local language.

Architecture

The Church of Saint George is a monolithic church in Lalibela. There are many monolithic churches in Ethiopia, most famously the above-mentioned twelve churches at Lalibela. After these, two main types of architecture are foundone basilican, the other native. The Church of Our Lady Mary of Zion at Axum is an example of the basilican design, though the early basilicas are nearly all in ruin. These examples show the influence of those architects who, in the 6th century, built the basilicas at San and elsewhere in the Arabian Peninsula. There are two forms of native churches: one oblong, traditionally found in Tigray; the other circular, traditionally found in Amhara and Shewa (though either style may be found elsewhere). In both forms, the sanctuary is square and stands clear in the center, and the arrangements are based on Jewish tradition. Walls and ceilings are adorned with frescoes. A courtyard, circular or rectangular, surrounds the body of the church. Modern Ethiopian churches may incorporate the basilican or native styles, and utilize contemporary construction techniques and materials. In rural areas, the church and outer court are often thatched, with mud-built walls.

The Chapel of the Tablet at the Church of Our Lady Mary of Zion allegedly houses the original Ark of the Covenant.

Ark of the Covenant


The Ethiopian church claims that one of its churches, Our Lady Mary of Zion, is host to the original Ark of the Covenant that Moses carried with the Israelites during the Exodus. However, only one priest is allowed into the building where the Ark is located, ostensibly due to dangerous biblical warnings. As a result, international scholars doubt that the original Ark is truly there, although a case has been put forward by controversial popular writer Graham Hancock in his book The Sign and the Seal. Throughout Ethiopia, Orthodox churches are not considered churches until the local bishop gives them a tabot, a replica of the tablets in the original Ark of the Covenant. The tabot is at least six inches (15 cm) square and made from alabaster, marble, or wood (see acacia). It is always kept in ornate coverings on the Altar. Only priests are allowed to touch the tabot. In an elaborate procession, the tabot is carried around the outside of the church amid joyful song and on the feast day of that particular church's namesake. On the great Feast of T'imk'et, known as Epiphany or Theophany in Europe; group of churches send their tabots to celebrate the occasion on a common location where a pool of water or a river is located.

Similarities to Judaism
This unreferenced section requires citations to ensure verifiability.

The Ethiopian Church, Jerusalem The Ethiopian church places a heavier emphasis on Old Testament teachings than one might find in any of the Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholic or Protestant churches, and its followers adhere to certain practices that one finds in Orthodox or Conservative Judaism. Ethiopian Christians, like some other Eastern Christians, traditionally follow dietary rules that are similar to Jewish Kashrut, specifically with regard to how an animal is slaughtered. Similarly, pork is prohibited, though unlike Rabbinical Kashrut, Ethiopian cuisine does mix dairy products with meat. Women are prohibited from entering the church during menses; they are also expected to cover their hair with a large scarf (or shash) while in church, per 1 Cor. 11. As with Orthodox synagogues, men and women are seated separately in the Ethiopian church, with men on the left and women on the right (when facing the altar).[18] (Women covering their heads and separation of the sexes in churchhouses officially is common to some Oriental Orthodox, Eastern Orthodox and (before the 1960s) to Catholic Christians, as well as many conservative Protestant and Anabaptist traditions; it also is the rule in some non-Christian religions, Islam and Orthodox Judaism among them.) Ethiopian Orthodox worshippers remove their shoes when entering a church,[19] in accordance with Exodus 3:5 (in which Moses, while viewing the burning bush, is commanded to remove his shoes while standing on holy ground). Furthermore, both the Sabbath (Saturday), and the Lord's Day (Sunday) are observed as holy, although more emphasis, because of the Resurrection of Christ, is laid upon Sunday.

Bishops
These are bishops lead by the current patriarch Abuna Paulos and the synod in Ethiopia: Ethiopia:

Abuna Paulos, patriarch

Canada:

Bishop Matthias in Canadian diocese, residing in London, Ontario

In the United States there are the following bishops:


Abune Fanuel, archbishop of Washington, D.C. Abune Zekarias, archbishop in New York City Abune Ewastetewos (Eustathius), archbishop in Berkeley, California

The South of America:

Abuna Thaddaeus, archbishop of the Caribbean and Latin America

There is also a jurisdiction in Western Europe:


Abune Entonis, Archbishop of Northern Europe, in London Abune Yosef, Archbishop of Southern Europe, in Rome.

The church has 57 bishops and 44 dioceses.

See also

Abuna Christianity in Ethiopia Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church Ethiopian Catholic Church List of Abunas of Ethiopia List of Orthodox Churches

References
1. ^ "Ethiopia: Orthodox Head Urges Churches to Work for Better World". Retrieved 200609-13. 2. ^ Berhanu Abegaz, "Ethiopia: A Model Nation of Minorities" (accessed 6 April 2006) 3. ^ "Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church", World Council of Churches website (accessed 2 June 2009) 4. ^ [1] 5. ^ Edward Ullendorff, Ethiopia and the Bible (Oxford: British Academy, 1988), p. 66 6. ^ Margary Perham, The Government of Ethiopia, second edition (London: Faber and Faber, 1969), pp. 121f 7. ^ Perham, Government of Ethiopia, p. 132 8. ^ Perham, Government of Ethiopia, pp. 130 9. ^ Discussed in fuller detail by Perham, Government of Ethiopia, pp. 126-130 10. ^ "Common Declaration" of Pope Shenoudah III, Catholicos Aram I, and Patriarch Paulos - News and Media of the Armenian Orthodox Church, 22 July 2007 11. ^ a b c d Turner, John W. "Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity: Faith and practices". A Country Study: Ethiopia (Thomas P. Ofcansky and LaVerle Berry, eds.) Library of

Congress Federal Research Division (1991). This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.[2]. 12. ^ EOTC Doctrine 13. ^ Doctrine of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church 14. ^ "Ten things we have learnt about Africa". BBC News. April 15, 2010. Retrieved April 15, 2010. ""In Ethiopia, 74% of Christians say they have experienced or witnessed the devil or evil spirits being driven out of a person"" 15. ^ a b c d e f Geleta, Amsalu Tadesse. "Case Study: Demonization and the Practice of Exorcism in Ethiopian Churches". Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization, Nairobi, August 2000. 16. ^ "The Bible". Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church. Retrieved 23 January 2012. 17. ^ Cowley, R.W. (1974). "The Biblical Canon Of The Ethiopian Orthodox Church Today". Ostkirchliche Studien 23: 318323. Retrieved 21 January 2012. 18. ^ Hable Selassie, Sergew (1997). The Church of Ethiopia - A panorama of History and Spiritual Life. Addis Abeba, Ethiopia: Berhanena Selam. pp. 66. 19. ^ Hable Selassie, Sergew (1997). The Church of Ethiopia - A panorama of History and Spiritual Life. Addis Abeba, Ethiopia: Berhanena Selam. pp. 66.

Archbishop Yesehaq. 1997. The Ethiopian Tewahedo Church: an Integrally African Church. Winston-Derek Publishers. Mikre-Sellassie Gebre-Amanuel. 1993. The Bible and Its Canon in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. The Bible Translator 44/1:111-123. This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). Encyclopdia Britannica (11th Ed.). Cambridge University Press.

A Brief History Ethiopian Christianity


Judaism
The name where the Septuagent translators rendered the Herbrew in Ps. 72:9 and 74:14. Cush is one of four sons born to Ham. He had at least six sons of his own, most of whom were listed as progenitors of different tribes (Est. 1:1). The word occurs in the ancient Greek literature, as the name of race to be found in the extreme East and in the extreme West. The descendants of Cush settled in Ethiopia and they got their names from Cush. Axum was named after him. Axum is the birth place of Ethiopian civilization. It is generally agreed that after Herodotus and throughout the New Testament era Ethiopia was referred to the territory south of Egypt and bordering the west Bank of the Red Sea. Historians in

Greco- Roman world believed that Ethiopians were the first humans on earth. (Diodorus 3.2) In its early days, Ethiopia also embraced regions to the east of Red Sea, and included some of the territory represented today by Saudi Arabia and Yemen. (Homer 1.22-23; Herodotus- hist 7:70) The etymological root of Greek Aithiopia 'burnt face", describes the pigmentation of the people who were called Ethiopians. Consequently, not only does Ethiopia refer to a geographical territory, but it also indicates ethnicity. (Jer Much of the history of Ethiopia is similar to that of Egypt. Historians suggested that Ethiopia is older than pharaonic Egypt. In Axum itself, the fallen obelisk is 37.5 meters high. It is taller than the greatest Egyptian obelisk. The Sabeans in Yemen and Arabia were the extensions of the Sabeans in Ethiopia. South of Arabia was part of the kingdom of Axum. Ancient Ethiopia was wider as to incorporate many different people than under the Sabean hegemony. The Ethiopians embraced Judaism.(Ps. 87:4) Beyond the rivers of Ethiopia one may refer to Ethiopia, where Jewish community had apparently settled along with Semites from Southern Arabia. (2 Ch. 21:16; Isa. 18:1; Zp. 3:10). The Sabean migrants who crossed the Red Sea in the first millennium B.C and settled in Ethiopia brought with them Judaism and practiced it. The visit of Queen of Sheba to King Solomon in Jerusalem is recounted there. On her return, according to tradition, she bore him a son, whom she named Menilek. When Menilek grew up he visited his father in Jerusalem, and returned home accompanied by Azerias, the son of Zadok the High priest and many other Israelites. They carried with them the Ark of the Covenant, and kept it in special place in Axum. Judaism was introduced to Ethiopia and practiced throughout the country. Therefore the country became the first nation to worship in one God in the continent of Africa. We have strong evidence also that before Queen Sheba visited Solomon; she used to worship in one God. This is why she mentioned the named of God when she addressed to Solomon saying; " blessed be the Lord your God, who delighted in you, set you on the throne of Israel". (1 Kin. 10:9).

Christianity in Ethiopia
In the Acts of the Apostles Ethiopia is referred to the Nilotic Kingdom of Candace, who ruled at MeroN, where the capital had been moved during the Persian period. (Ac.8:26-39) Ethiopia embraced Christianity and has maintained its doctrine from the era of the apostles to the present day. This chapter recounts the story of the Ethiopia eunuch who was baptized by St. Philip in 34 A.D.

The Ethiopian Enunch reading the Book of the Prophet Isaiah (Isa. 53:4-9)

The baptism of the Ethiopian eunuch was the fulfillment of the prophecy of David which says; "Ethiopia will quickly stretch out her hands to God" (Act. 8:36; Ps. 68:31). This eunuch was a minister of Candace, Queen of Ethiopia. Later tradition identified the eunuch as the first Gentile convert, and the founder of the Ethiopian Church (Eusebius, hist. Eccl. 2.1.13).

The Ethiopian Enunch being baptized by Saint Philip (Ps.68:31; Act. 8:36)

Irenaeus also writes that he preached the Gospel to the Ethiopians. Tradition further records that the apostle Matthew preached the Gospel to Ethiopians. The two church historians, Socrats and Rufinus support this tradition.

The Orthodox Church


The story of the conversion of the Axumites has come down to us in the work of the contemporary church historian, Rufinus (d. 410 A.D) Meropius, a pilgrim from Tyre, came to Ethiopia accompanied by the two young men, Frumentius and Aedesius, both Christians. Apparently they followed the usual itinerary of the time along the African coast of the Red Sea. In the course of their journey they ran short of provisions and put in at a port on the Red Sea. The local inhabitants, however, were hostile to outsiders, and they massacred Meropius and all aboard the ship, sparing only the two boys. The two boys were taken to the king. Soon they gained his interest and won his confidence. The young Aedesius, he made his cup- bearer while the elder Frumentius, who showed signs of wisdom and maturity, became his treasurer and secretary. The king died early, leaving his wife with an infant son as heir to the throne. Now the dying king had given Frumentius and Aedesius leave to return to their own country if they so wished, but the Queen Mother who was left as a regent, begged them to remain to help her administer the kingdom until her son grew up. The young men agreed and stayed to carry out the task faithfully.

The thoughts of Frumentus now began to turn towards matters of evangelizing. He sought out Christians among merchants settled at Axum, and encouraged them to establish meeting places for prayer. The young king himself became a convert. When he was old enough to rule the country alone, Frumentius and Aedesius asked him for permission to leave Axum. Aedesius returned home to Tyre, but Frumentius went to Alexandria and laid the whole affair before the newly appointed Patriarch, Athanasius, beginning him to appoint a bishop to minister to the needs of the growing Christian community at Axum. The patriarch summoned a Council of Priests to consider the matter. It was agreed that Frumentius himself should be consecrated as the first bishop of Ethiopia. Therefore Frumentius was consecrated on December 18, 330 as the first bishop of the country. He was known there as Abba Selama, Kassate Berhan, "Father of peace and Revealer of light". The introduction of Christianity to Ethiopia was during the reign of King Ezana (320 - 356), the first African king to become a Christian and make Christianity the official religion of his country. Since then up to the fall of Emperor Haileselassie (1974) for about 1644 years the official religion of Ethiopia was Orthodox religion. The Ethiopian Orthodox Church, indigenous of Africa, is one of the oldest churches in the world and a founding member of the World Council of Churches. Ethiopian Orthodox church is one of the five Eastern Oriental Orthodox Churches. They are: Armenian, Syrian, Coptic, Ethiopian and the Syrian Church of Malabar in India. They are called Eastern Oriental Orthodox Churches; they only recognize three ecumenical synods; namely the

Synod of Nicaea in 325, the Synod of Constantinople in 381 and the Synod of Ephesus in 431. They reject the Synod of Chalcedon (451). The Nine Saints, who came to Ethiopia about 478 A.D from different parts of the Eastern Roman Empire, also made a large contribution to the growth of the church by translating the scriptures from Greek and Aramaic to the classical Ethiopian language of Geez.

The Major Turning Points in History


For centuries the Christian Ethiopians fought for maintenance of the Christian faith against internal and external foes. In 968, a Jewish persecution of Christians occurred under Yodit. There was also constant hostility from the Moslems of the Red Sea coast. In 1528, Ahmad Gragn attacked the country with the aid of Ottoman Empire. For more than a decade churches and monasteries were sacked and burned, and ancient manuscripts and other works of art were stolen and destroyed. The other problem was the attempt of the Roman Catholic Church from 1520 - 1631 to bring the Ethiopian Christians under the jurisdiction of Rome. In the time of Pope Julius III (1550 - 55), Portuguese Jesuits entered the country. They impressed the court, but alienated the clergy. In 1614 belief in Christ's two natures was imposed on pain of death. It was the Chalcedon formula of 451, which the Ethiopians had rejected. The people revolted, civil war broke out, and thousands were killed. After the death of Susneyos in 1631, his son Fasilades expelled the Jesuits from the country. From the beginning, the Ethiopian church affiliated itself with Alexandrian Church. After the death of Abba Selama, the first bishop of Ethiopia on July 26, 380 A.D., the Egyptian bishops were appointed to head the Ethiopian Church. This continued until early in the twentieth century. However, numerous problems, such as language, and distance from Alexandria made it imperative to have native bishops. After a long period of struggle, finally agreement was reached with the Coptic Patriarchate in 1950. In 1959 the Ethiopian Orthodox Church became autocephaly, while remaining in canonical union with the Coptic Church The Ethiopians residing in Boston have carried out a very commendable joy by sacrificing their money, knowledge, manpower, and buying a church. They are working hard to preserve their identity, faith and culture. The benefit of acquisition of the Church building is not limited for the spiritual and temporal service of Ethiopian alone. It is also for the permanent use of the generation to come and for the non Ethiopian believers of the faith as well. Debre Selam St. Michael Ethiopian Orthodox Church is a testimony to their forbearance, strength of faith and solidarity.

Boston Debre Selam Saint Michael Ethiopian Tewahdo Orthodox Church Mattapan, MA 02214 January, 2003

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