Controversy has shaken the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, the oldest institution in Ethiopia besides the state itself, after “illegal appointments” of 26 bishops in late January.
Archbishop Abune Sawiros of South West Shoa Diocese and two other archbishops oversaw the appointment of 17 bishops for dioceses in the Oromia region, and nine bishops for other dioceses at a ceremony in Oromia, without the involvement of the ruling Holy Synod.
Archbishop Sawiros issued an explanation, saying the action followed failure to resolve long-standing problems within the Church, particularly failing to serve believers in their native languages and engaging with their culture.
This, he claimed, has resulted in the loss of millions of believers over recent years, particularly in Oromia and surrounding regions. He accused the governing Holy Synod of failing to reflect the Church’s diversity.
Last year a group of Oromia clergy lobbied the Synod to appoint priests who can preach the Gospel in the Oromo language, spoken by Oromo people.
After the appointments, Abune Pertos, head of the Holy Synod secretariat, and His Holiness Abune Mathias I, Patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, described them as “illegal” and without approval of the Synod.
They asked those observing the Fast of Nineveh 6-8 February to wear black to protest against what they described as a government-supported coup attempt by the “illegal group” to overthrow the Holy Synod.
The ruling synod said it has excommunicated the breakaway bishops, who have now spilt from it and formed the Holy Synod of Oromia and Nations and Nationalities.
It also condemned seizure of pontificates and offices administered by the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church.
On 1 February, the ruling synod demanded that the Ethiopian government “carry out the responsibilities assigned by the constitution by upholding the institutional supremacy of the Church, the rights and interests given to it by law, and by giving appropriate correction to the illegal actions”.
There were reports last Saturday that three people were killed in conflict at a church in the Oromia city of Shashamene.
Loading ...
