Catholic and Orthodox Church leaders in Ethiopia emphasised peace in the Horn of Africa country, as Christians marked eastern Christmas.
Christmas in Ethiopia is called Genna and is marked on 7 January.
Orthodox, Catholics and Protestant Christians follow the Ethiopian calendar celebrations. The country, where many are Orthodox Christians, has recently experienced challenges with peace.
Cardinal Berhaneyesus Demerew Souraphiel sent his greetings as he hailed a recent peace agreement signed between the government and rebels, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front. Since November 2020, the two had fought a devastating war in the northern state of Tigray.
“Our prayers were heard on time. The peace negotiations were completed in the spirit of understanding and peace. We should work together to establish long-lasting peace for all our people, including those in conflict,” said Souraphiel, while calling on Christians to celebrate the day with those in need.
Agreed in the South African city of Pretoria on 2 November last year, the pact ended two years of fighting in the region.
The war had left an unspecified number of people dead and millions of others displaced. It also left the region on the verge of famine as it spread to other regions.
Abune Mathias, Patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, urged politicians to act responsibly to boost the peace agreement.
“All parties should work to diligently to make the peace process successful,” Mathias was quoted in the local press as saying.
“In the name of God, we convey our fatherly messages with trust that our government and all political forces work with great responsibility so that the journey of peace is not reversed.”
Tens of thousands of Orthodox Christians flocked the 12th and 13th Century rock-hewn churches in Lalibela.
The site had been the centre of fierce battles between the two sides. Changing hands twice, the rebels withdraw in December, allowing thousands of Christians to undertake their pilgrimage to the holy site.
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