His Holiness Abune Mathias, Patriarch of Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, has sent a message to Patriarch Kirill
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His Grace Abune Filipos, president of Kidist Selassie Theological University and Archbishop of South Omo Diocese, on Monday, led a delegation to Moscow.
He will be delivering His Holiness Abune Mathias’s message to Patriarch Kirill, patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church.
The delegation is also expected to discuss the relationship between the two Orthodox Churches, according to a report by EOTC Media.
Last week, Patriarch Kirill expressed messages of solidarity with the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church as the latter faced a relentless attack in different parts of the country, mainly in the Oromo region of Ethiopia.
In a letter to his Holiness Abune Mathias, Patriarch Kirill said “My heart aches as I hear the news of the hardships the Ethiopian Christians are enduring, in these trying circumstances remaining faithful to their Church and despite the oppression maintaining the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (Eph 4:3).”
Last month, the Ethiopian Church faced a “split” , a situation that appears to be politically motivated. On January 22, three Bishops who are members of the Holy Synod announced that they have ordained 26 bishops and established an ethnic-based Synod.
The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church Holy Synod excommunicated the group. However, the group that broke away is now established even by church fathers, backed by the government in the Oromia region and beyond.
The goal behind the radical ethnic Oromo nationalist-led Oromia region in supporting the excommunicated group is believed to be weakening the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, one of the oldest churches in history with over 1700 years of age.
Security forces in the Oromia region killed dozens of followers of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church followers, in Shashemene and other parts of the region, as they were attempting to protect their church from the group that is supported by the regional government.
The situation mobilized Ethiopians from across the country and the Holy Synod called for a peaceful demonstration on February 12 if the Ethiopian government fails to address demands including non-interference in the affairs of the church.
The “split” within the Ethiopian churches happened barely weeks after a protestant pastor, Jonathan Aklilu, who is a close friend to Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, told a protestant crowd about the dream he saw. “I saw a big rock being broken into two,” he said.
Some activists on social media are interpreting his remark that the pastor did receive an intelligence message from government officials.
PM Abiy and his spouse are devoted protestant church followers.
The Ethiopian Church has been under intensified attack since Abiy Ahmed took power as prime minister in 2018. Dozens of churches have been burned and hundreds of Orthodox Church followers, including priests, killed.
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the oromo have always vied for this time in history how ironic that it came through abiy ahmed 500 years after ahmed gragn
Your holiness, Patriarch Kirill, Russian Orthodox church, Your sister church, The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo church wants more pray than ever.
I am embarrassed that Borkena would engage in yellow journalism, linking church burning in the past 4 years to Abiy/Oromo!
The Russian Orthodox Church should strengthen its relationship with the Oriental Orthodox Churches in order to provide necessary assistance to those in need.