HOLY PATRIARCH EXTOLS THE YOUTH FOR SERVING AS LIVE POSTERS FO THE WORD OF GOD

H.H. Abune Paulos, Patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. . ., has praised the youth for acting as posters of the message of the Lord God, which they have demonstrated wearing shirts decorated with various verses from the word of God. In a sermon His Holiness delivered at the patriarchate St. Mary and at Yeka St. Michael churches in Addis Abab on the occasions of concluding this year’s Epiphany and Cana of Galilee, he has not only thanked the youth for their disciplined and spiritual service but also called up on fathers to cater for the youth appropriately. “All fathers, including me, shall look after the youth not to be condemned in history,” His Holiness has advised.

The patriarch has underlined that the youth’s motivation, participation and vigor for spiritual services being observed in different occasions, including this year’s Epiphany and Cana, is indeed commendable and deserves to be boosted. “The church tradition, heritage and history handed over to us from our fathers shall be well taught and relayed to the youth,” H.H. has said. He has advised the youth to ask resourceful fathers to better understand the church’s heritage.

Preserving history and heritages, being fundamental in the sovereign existence of a country, the youth shall be trustworthy to take care of it, the patriarch has added.

As the patriarch indicated, it is peace and love that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ has preached. If we live in love and peace as per Christ, we will get whatever we deserve, he said. On top of participating in ceremonies such as Epiphany and Cana, the youth has to abide by the word of God to have a better world, the Holy patriarch has emphasized.

CHURCH VEHEMENTLY DENOUNCES HOMOSEXUALITY

The Ethiopian Orthodox church has voiced its strong condemnation for homosexuality. H.H. Abune Paulos, the church’s patriarch . . ., has reaffirmed the church’s age-old stance in a discussion organized by United for Life Ethiopia held at the UN Hall in Addis.

As the patriarch has put it, this filthy practice of the outside world is being noticeable in this country to the dismay of the church he heads.

Homosexuality demeans the conscience of man who is created in God’s image; it is unnatural and unbiblical, he said. On top of this, the practice makes committers vulnerable to HIV/AIDS and other STD’s there by giving the church another ground to voice its abhorrence for the act, he has underlined.

Meanwhile, the patriarch has taken the opportunity to express the church’s condemnation for any act of terminating pregnancy including abortion. “We have no authority to deny the God-given right to life,” he has emphatically said.

PANEL DISCUSSION HELD ON RELIGIOUS CO-EXISTENCE

A Panel discussion was held in the town of Haiq, South Wollo Diocese, under the theme “Religious Tolerance is   a key to a Diocese.” The aim of the discussion conducted in the Haiq Town Library of Code Ethiopia is said to be helping hand over to the youth the tradition of social life irrespective of religious differences.

Participants included the diocese’s archbishop, Abune Atnatios, representatives of different religious institutions, government officials of the district, elders and representatives of Sunday schools and of Mahbere Kidusan. “It is foreign influence that is dividing us. We are not only related in blood but also confronted with the common challenge of poverty. We shall thus waste no energy and time on religious animosity,” H.G. Abune Atnatios has said on the occasion.

Representatives of the Zonal Islamic Affairs Office have on their part said that the role of religious fathers is immense in solving such problems. Sermon-givers in the name of each religious institution need to be well-scrutinized, the Muslim representatives added. As papers presented by Christian and Muslim participants have indicated, Ethiopian Christians and Moslems are socially interwoven. This, as the papers showed, goes to the extent of mutual celebration of each other’s holidays.

Sub-themes covered in the discussion revolved around checking Islamic extremists, avoiding religious conflicts, handing over heritages of co-existence to the new generation and others.

Participants of the panel were so active. They have reiterated that we have different religions but a common country reputed for co-existence. They have called up on the government to bring to justice those extremists who want to crack this culture of mutualism.

RESEARCH CENTER IS ASKED TO MAKE VIGOROUS STUDIES

Mahbere Kidusan’s Research Center has been asked to conduct studies profoundly on the abstract and concrete heritages of the church, and popularize its findings.

On Tahsas 30, 2001 E.C. (8Jan.2009), the center has entertained a discussion in its library on the theme, “Is research Essential for the church?” Presenting a key note for the discussion, Dn.Daniel Kibret has affirmed the need for having researches on the church. It is not just to dig out something new that research is important for the church; it is also important to stabilize existing statuesque, disseminate church’s teachings, reassume former glory, know one’s wealth precisely and offer appropriate answers to contemporary questions, Dn. Daniel said.

Participants have aired their views and raised questions pertinent to research. They have also called upon the Research Center to make vigorous studies on the various wealth of the church and make it known to the public through different channels.

BEE-KEEPING PROJECT GOES OPPERESSIONAL

The Assela St. Tekle-Haimanot bee-keeping project in Assela Diocese has gone operational, the Assela Branch of Mahbere Kidusan has announced. The project is known to have started work after a practical training on apiary has been given for five days / Tahsas1-5,2001 E.C.(10-14dec.2008)/by the Assela Center.

Similar projects that have managed to go operational are Limu-Bilbilo Kuskuam& selome Monastery, and Wondji  Gora St.Micahel Apiary projects. Five modern beehives with other bee-keeping facilities have been given for each of the operational projects. This all has demanded a total outlay of 19,735 birr obtained from former executives of the Assela center, Mahbere Kidusan, who are now residing in the United States.

Thirteen trainees recruited from the said churches and Assela St. George’s have been given a practical training before the projects operation at an outlay of 1600 birr. H.G. Abune Natnael, Archbishop of the diocese, has said that such a scheme needs to be appreciated for it is one of the ways to make the church economically self-reliant.

YOUTH HAVE PROVEN THEIR STALWARTNESS FOR THE CHURCH

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The participation the youth have made en masse and ethically during this years Epiphany has proven that the youth is indeed the church’s stalwart, participants of the ceremony have indicated. The memorial service for the baptism of our Lord and savior was conducted very colorfully throughout Ethiopia. In Jan Meida, Addis Ababa, it was specially glamorous since its eve.

The contribution of the youth was instrumental in making the holy event both colorful and peaceful. The youth have vigorously offered their hymns as the taboots moved to the baptismal pools on the eve, in their stay there and as they returned back to their respective churches when the ceremony ended.

Tourists from abroad who watched the ceremony have extolled the colour and ethics of the youth’s participation. As the tourists witnessed, the church has indeed a generation to assume the responsibility in accordance with its tradition of relay.

According to W/ro Yemisrach Fantahun of the Nine Saints Tour Agency, the ceremony has even opened the way for people from other factions to be baptized in the true faith of the Orthodox Tewahido.

The holiday has given the church’s administration a huge assignment to profoundly nurture this numberless youth of goodwill in the faith, order and tradition of the church. As participants have underscored, the church should seriously work on this to make the best out of the untapped energy of the youth who have willed to come to its bossom in plenty.The government and other pertinent organs are also requested to pay attention to Epiphany knowing that it is a major lure for tourists.

Meanwhile, it was also indicated that the media’s failure to give enough coverage for the ceremony needs to be corrected since it retards the tourism industry in the country.

      Praise be to God. Amen!!