Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has called on leaders of the Church to resolve their differences through dialogue and discussion. He also defended his government’s track record of helping the Church in the face of growing criticisms, including by the Ezema party, of roles being played by the ruling party to divide the church by helping the breakaway Archbishops.
The PM’s remark came amid growing criticisms that his government is siding with the breakaway archbishops and security forces are detaining and pressuring religious leaders who are against the breakaway archbishops. In a video posted to his Facebook page, Abiy said that religious institutions should cleanse their insides from “politics, thievery and racism”, which he said were contrary to the principles and values of religious. But the trend has been repeatedly witnessed in the Ethiopian case, he said, leaving a trail of “breaking up history, hindering development, and damaging social coexistence.”
However, the Holy Synod of Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church (EOTC) released a statement refuting the prime minister’s position, the way he understood the problem and the invalidity of his recommendation to resolve the problem.
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Ethiopia: Clashes Between Orthodox Faithful, Police Claim Lives; Synod, Govt in War of Words
Addis Standard, 6 February 2023
Clashes lash between followers of Orthodox Christianity and the local police in West Arsi zone, Shashemene city of the Oromia Region on Saturday 04 February “claimed the lives of… Read more »
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Ethiopia: Orthodox Synod Declares Faithful to Wear Black for Fast of Nineveh to Protest Against ‘llegal Group’
Addis Standard, 3 February 2023
The Holy Synod of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church (EOTC) in Addis Abeba has declared the faithful to observe the upcoming three days of Fast of Nineveh which will be… Read more »
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Ethiopia: Prime Minister Weighs In On Deepening Crisis In Orthodox Church
Addis Standard, 1 February 2023
Addressing cabinet members who were convened for a six-month performance evaluation of government ministries, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed broke his silence with a remark on the… Read more »
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Addis Standard, 31 January 2023
The new “Holy Synod of Oromia and Nations and Nationalities”, which formed by the three breakaway Archbishops and their 25 appointee episcopate, who were excommunicated by the… Read more »
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Addis Standard, 26 January 2023
In an emergency plenary session the Holy Synod of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahdo Chuch (EOTC) held this afternoon, it has passed a decision to revoke the full authority given to… Read more »
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Ethiopia: Controversy Rocks Ethiopian Orthodox Church After ‘Illegal Appointment’ of Bishops
Addis Standard, 24 January 2023
Shock and controversy rocked the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church (EOTC), the second oldest institution in Ethiopia next to the state, after what’s widely condemned as “illegal… Read more »
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Abune Mathias, the head of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, has accused the government of wanting to destroy Tigray. “They are working day and night to destroy Tigray,” he says in … Read more »
Holy Trinity Cathedral in Addis Ababa, the seat of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church (file photo).
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