Brief History of the Ethiopian Orthodox

Tewahido Church Prechristian Ethiopia

There are two versions of history regarding the religion of Ethiopia in prechristian times.

From that time on the Judaic faith with its teaching, the sacramental service and priesthood hierarchies entered Ethiopia .

The Old Testament Books began to be translated into the ancient Ethiopian language Geez from that time onwards.

It is not only history that testifies the acceptance of the Old Testament Faith by Ethiopia . The cultures and traditions upto now manifested by the people are other major evidences.

Circumcision on the eighth day after birth, the organization of the church choir and the instruments, the Ark of the Covenant and the celebrations of holidays etc. are some of the examples which have resemblances with the orders of the Old Testament faith.

The Facrk that Ethiopia the possesses land in Jerusalem , and the surroundings explains that Ethiopia had a longstanding faith and historical relationship with Jerusalem which of all countries was the first to accept the old Testament faith.

The Bible repeatedly speaks that Ethiopia is a believer in one God.

The main quotations in support of this are the following:

« Ethiopia will quickly stretch out her hands to God ´ Psm. 67:31

# Are you not as children of the Ethiopians unto me, O'children of Israel $ Ams. 9:7

From 982 B.C. to 34 A.D. Ethiopia has been adhering faithfully to the Old Testament beliefs and order.

Christianity in Ethiopia

All the prophesies of good spoken to the people through the prophets have been fulfilled at different times. Even if there is that which is not fulfilled, it is certain that it will be fulfilled.

That the prophecy " Ethiopia will quickly stretch out her hands" /Ps. 64:31/spoken of by the prophet may be fulfilled, Ethiopia accepted the Christian faith in 34 A.D. This happened as narrated in the act of the Apostles / 8:26 -40/ when a eunuch of great authority of Queen Garsamot /Candace/ was baptised by Philip, the evangelist, when he had gone to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover in accordance with Old Testament beliefs. Euseboius, the we well known of the history of the ancient church wrote the following about how the eunuch taught what he heard and understood from St. Philip about Christ after he returned to Ethiopia .

« The eunuch of great authority of the Ethiopian Queen is the first fruit of the Christian faith out side the Jews who learnt the secret of the word of God from the evangelist Philip and believed. For his people he was the first evangelist. And through him the prophecy stated in psalms 67:11 about Ethiopia has been fulfilled ´

/Eusebius Second Book No.1/

Following eunuch, the holy apostles Mathew, Nathnael, Bartholemew and Thomas had preached the Holy Gospel in Nubia and Ethiopia and this is testified by church historians like Rufinos and Socrates.

Although the Christian faith along with the baptismal sacrament and the teaching of the Gospel entered Ethiopia , because there was no bishop, the sacrament of Holy Communion and the other sacraments were not administered until 330 A.D.

In 330 A.D St. Frementius who as Syrian by birth and Ethiopian by nationality was sent to Alexanderia by the permission of king Ezana and after being consecrated by St. Athanasius, 20th patriarch of Alexanderia returned to Ethiopia.

Since then the sacraments of the church were administered in fullness and the Christian religion became a national religion. Those who had adequately studied the Christian faith and teaching were ordained as priests and deacons. The synagogues were transformed into churches, churches were built everywhere. The Gospel was preached in every Awraja. The holy books were translated.

St. Frementius for all his work, was given the epithet « Kesate Brehan Selama ´ /the light of peace/ and from his time onwards the Ethiopian church was recognized at a bishopric level.

In the 5 th century /480/ nine saints came from Syria and Asia Minor to Ethiopia and performed many spiritual tasks. Among the tasks they performed a few are:-

Because of their blessed deeds they are respected as saints by the Ethiopian church. Churches have been built in their name.

After this, in the 6 th century ( 540-560 ) a new chapter opened in the history of the Ethiopian church and this was the rise of the great scholar St. Yared. St. Yared composed in three varieties the church hymn which is used by the Ethiopian Church from ancient time up to now. He is recognised as a composer of spiritual music without parallel in the church up to now and because of this the Ethiopian scholars appreciates him by saying "there is no one before him and after him a hymn composer like him". The three varieties of hymn composed by St. Yared are Geez, Ezel and Araray. To day all the services of the Ethiopian church are performed with the hymn composed by St. Yared.

From the 7th to the 10 th century the followers of Islam had invaded North Africa and the Middle East up to the Indian Ocean and as this situation reached the Red Sea , the relationship of the Ethiopian Church with Alexandria and the Christian world was interrupted. In the 9th century, an opponent of the Christian religion by the name of Yodit rose from the Jewish community in Ethiopia and assumed power and inflicted great damages on the church. She was instrumental for the killing of the laity and clergy.

The period from the 11th to the 15th century is a period in which Ethiopian scholars appeared in great numbers and the churches destroyed by Yodit were repaired and destroyed. The world famous Lalibela churches were also constructed during this period. The great apostles St. Tekle Haimanot, St. Abba Giorgis of Gasicha and other saints came into prominence in great number during this period. This was the period in which the evangelical works embraced all Ethiopia , the monastic life was strengthened, religious books were translated from Arabic to Geez and many church books were written by native scholars.

Thereafter, the 16 th century was a period of great trial for the Ethiopian church. An internal enemy and a bitter opponent of the Christian religion rose up from Eastern Ethiopian in 1539 and supported by the Ottoman Empire he caused much suffering and agony and endangered the very survival of our church and country. He killed extremely many clergy and laity. He destroyed churches and ecclesiastical objects. He forced the mild-hearted Christians to convert to Islam and become his followers. However since the people of Ethiopia at that time were strong in their unity, upright in their moral and firm in their religion, with the cooperation of Portugal and with the power of God, Gragn Mohammed was destroyed.

After Gragn Mohammed the blood of many people was shed in the attempt of the Jesuit Catholic Missionaries to make the Ethiopian people accept the catholic religion. In particular during the reign of Emperor Susneyos ( 1595-1623 ) the catholic missionaries had created great conflicts in our country and in our church.

Although external and internal forces had on several occasions risen and attempted to weaken the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church , she has existed by over coming the suffering and trial with the help of Christ, the source of her power.

Our church has been under the spiritual leadership of bishops who came appointed from Alexandria from the 4 th to 20th century. Nevertheless the authority of the bishops who came from Alexandria to Ethiopia was limited to ordaining, benedictions and anointing the kings during their coronation. The administration of the church, however, from the time of St. Tekle Haimanot and thereafter was in the hands of his successors, the Itcheges. The seat of the Itchege was the monastery of Debere Libanos. We have presented at the end of this part the list of the names of the archpriests and Itcheges in order including the time of their service.

The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido church, first during the time of St. Harbe ( 1117-1157 ) and later during the time of Emperor Yohannes IV ( 1863-1881 ) had repeatedly asked the church of Alexandria to appoint bishops from among Ethiopian scholars. This request finally got and answer during the first half of the twentieth century.

Accordingly, for the first time, during the reign of Empress Zewditu, on May 21, 1921 four Ethiopian church scholars were chosen and sent to Cairo were they were consecrated bishops by His Holiness Yohannes the XIX at St. Mark Cathedral. Furthermore when His Holiness Yohanness the XIX Visited Ethiopia in 1922, he consecrated Itchege Gebre Menfus KIdus as the fifth bishop with the name of Sawiros.

This being so, Italy invaded Ethiopia during 1928-1933 ( E.C ) with the purpose of colonizing it, for changing its church to Catholic faith and to decimate the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church scholars. During this time many churches and relics were burnt and ecclesiastical objects were looted, bishops, clergy, monks and deacons were killed.

Notwithstanding, our church went through this period of persecution with exemplary patience, organized itself once again and continued to give its services to the people. After the end of enemy occupation of the country, four of the bishops who were consecrated passed away and it was difficult to perform spiritual services with only one bishop. Once again on July 18, 1940 , in Cairo , five Ethiopians were consecrated bishops by His Holiness yosab II.

After the death of the Egyptian Archbishop Kerilos on January 6, 1943 His grace Abune Basiliwos was appointed as archbishop of Ethiopian by Patriarch Yosab II.

The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church in this manner continued to gather one momentum after another, to proceed from one stage of development to a still better level of development until on June 21, 1951 His Holiness Abune Basiliwos was appointed as the first patriarch of Ethiopia .

Thus, this authority and self-reliance was attained by the historically unforgettable relentless effort of His Imperial Majesty Haile Selassie, by the desire of the church scholars and by the cooperation of the church of Alexandria .

While the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church had attained its independence and was serving the people with peace and without embellishment and spreading the Holy Gospel, just like the 16 th century it was once again confronted with an internal menace. This was the atheistic Derg government. The church leaders including the patriarch, archbishops and cleargy suffered many years of imprisonment. Lastly His Holiness Patriarch Tewoflos was brutally murdered.

His Holiness Abune Paulos, the present patriarch of Ethiopia and leader of our church like the apostale Paul was imprisoned by the anti-Christian Derg government and during seven years of imprisonment performed great deeds of martyrdom.

"Can a women forget her sucking child that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Even should she forget yet I will not forget the Esaiah 49:14-15. God did not abandon the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church to be destroyed by territorial. He did not forget her in her difficulties. Our church has passed through all those trials has put things in order and it is now serving God and the people.

Since the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewhaido Church became autocephalous, it has appointed five patriarchs. During the period of the fifth Patriarch His holiness Abune Paulos, Patriarch of Ethiopia and Itchege of the see of St. Tekle Haimanot Unparalleled achievements are being witnessed. The newly constructed Palace of the patriarch and the publication of the bible which contains the eighty on books according to the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church interpretation and style are vivid evidences of the ongoing progress within our church.

The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church has at present 32 dioceses within the country and in addition in foreign countries, it has dioceses in Jerusalem , the Caribbean Islands and Latin America , USA , Europe , other parts of Africa outside of Ethiopia , Canada and in others. It is 40 million followers, 40 archbishops, 400 thousand clergy and 30 thousand parish churches.

"May the Lord who raised our church above all be praised"

The Church of Ethiopia past and present Sep.1997 p.9-18