The Ethiopian Orthodox Church Today
The ancient and historical Ethiopian Orthodox Church has been a living apostolic church to this day. It was there yesterday and would be here tomorrow. When we are talking of the church in contemporary terms we are simply referring to its current spiritual and social activities. It is not certainly to present an ancient church as a new thing.
The Ethiopian Orthodox Church is at present making all conceivable efforts to strengthen the foundation of its existence and to spread the universal message of the Gospel. In this worthy venture, it is indubitably fulfilling its sacred evangelical mission. At the same time also, it is recording tremendous achievements in handing over a worthy heritage of good work to generations yet to come. This church has been successfully providing to the public spiritual and social services of manifold character. In this venture, the Ethiopian Orthodox Church has numerous achievements to its credit. It has been expanding parish councils; it has been opening temporal and spiritual schools; it has been strengthening the foundation of existing schools; it has been training and recruiting the clergy with the necessary known-how for administrative and educational purposes; and it has been publishing various religious books. It has been undertaking all these projects successfully within the limits of its own financial resources.
Appointment of Bishops
The administrative structure of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church embraces the whole country. There are no conceivable comers of the country where the church has not reached in the course of the past nineteen centuries. Wherever followers of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church are to be found, churches belonging to it are to be encountered. Even where there are no followers of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, it is the evangelical duty of the church to preach the gospel of Christ. That is precisely why the number of its followers of the is steadily growing from one year to another.
It is the bounden duty of the revered fathers and teachers of the church to augment the number of holy books in circulation whenever the parish councils expand and the number of followers of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church grows.
It is small wonder, therefore, that members of the Holy Synod of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church at present number no less than 40. No matter whether it be for the various regions of the country or branches of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church abroad, it has been found expedient to open now bishoprics being led by revered fathers of the church. It is to be recalled, therefore, that of the archimandrites who were rendering their services in Africa, Jerusalem, Western countries and the Caribbean islands, four were appointed bishops for Europe, the Caribbean islands and Latin America, Africa and Jerusalem.
On November 4, 1987, seven bishops were appointed in accordance with the decision of the Holy Synod of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church for Gambella, Dire-Dawa, Illubabor, Southern Omo, Western Hararghie and for Eastern Showa. These were all elevated to their new positions formally and ceremonially by His Holiness Abune Paulos, Patriarch of the Ethiopia and Itchegue of the See of St. Tekle-Haimanot.
the Holy of the Synod Ethiopian Orthodox Church is under the able spiritual guidance provided by His Holiness Abune Paulos. This holy organ is the highest administrative office of the church that looks into its diverse activities and arrives at relevant decisions on matters of policy affecting the church.
The Holy Synod meets in plenum twice a year and provides leadership and guidance on various spiritual and social matters. Such plenary meetings take place first on October 12 and then on a Wednesday 25 days after Ethiopian Easter. The decisions made and the directives issued by the Holy Synod are expected to be implemented right from the Patriarchate down to the dioceses. There is a standing committee of the Holy Synod that looks meticulously into the implementation of these decisions and directives. Extraordinary sessions of the Holy Synod could be also held.
the proceedings of the Holy Synod are conducted in accordance with the religious principles of justice outlined by the Holy Fathers, the apostles and their followers. Its faith and religious orders are inspired and directed by the canonical laws of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church.
For translating these canonical principles into practical reality, the Ethiopian Orthodox Church is free from the government administrative machinery. The church has been always self sufficient and self-governing. His Holiness the Patriarch occupies the highest position in the administration of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. The general manager who is an Archbishop at present is elected by the rest of his spiritual colleagues.
The Holy Synod of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church is making a judicious utilization of the privileges it enjoys in the field of self-administration. Towards this end, it is always taking measures aimed at improving the administration and at making itself responsive to the new demands of the day. It has been, therefore, recruiting new personnel and outlining new administrative directives in accordance with the needs of the day. The directives of the parish administrative council of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church have been also duly reformed. In this respect:-
- Properties expropriated by the past military regime, which were the source of invaluable income to the church, were restored to its legitimate owners,
- The Theological college, which is the fountain of spiritual enlightenment, is now under the Ethiopian Orthodox Church,
- Religious institutions taken over by the previous regime were restored to the Ethiopian Orthodox Church by the government through the indefatigable efforts made by his Holiness Abune Paulos.
The Holy synod has been identifying new places where churches could be built; and has been granted permission to put up these churches. The baptismal pool in Janmenda for the feast of Epiphany and Meskel Square for the celebration of the finding of the True Cross are now at the service of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church.
Evangelical Works
His Holiness Abune Paulos, Patriarch of Ethiopian and Itchegue of the See of St. Tekle Haimanot, has been ever of the opinion that evangelism is the foundation of the church. That is why he has been always giving priority to evangelism. His Holiness has been, therefore, traveling all the way from here to the various dioceses and preaching the gospel to followers of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. The various archbishops in the dioceses have been also following this sacred example. Preachers in various parts of the country have been also following on the footsteps of the Patriarch and the Archbishops for spreading the message of the Holy Bible. For this reason there is, at present, no conceivable comer in the country where evangelists of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church have not been for the purpose of conveying the Christian message to all. The evangelical work is also spreading far and wide through written material. In both the rural and urban areas of the country, the dioceses of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church are now embracing a large number of people.
In the words of Psalma 19:4 Therer
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