Fikremariamtesfaye
17 December 2007
Addis Ababa — The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church (EOTC) has prevailed vibrant despite the trials and tribulations it underwent in the last millennium, a senior official with the church said on Friday.
Speaking to reporters on Friday, the official, Megabi Mistir Welderufael Fetahi, said the church was planning a big event to cherish its long years of service to its congregates and congratulate individuals and institutions for being on its side during tall trying moments.
To this effect the church has formed a 25-member committee tasked with overseeing the big event- on February 2 next year- in the history of the church, Megabi Mistir Welderufael Fetahi who has been elected chairman of the committee said.
Megabi Mistir said the committee believes the occasion provides a golden opportunity for the followers and well wishers the Church to renew their support and reaffirm their bondage with the church.
He said the church expects to host up to 20,000 guests from in and outside the country to attend to take place at the Addis Ababa Millennium Hall.
All day-long spiritual songs and Chants will be the highlights of the event to be celebrated under the theme: Memorizing Church in the last Millennium" The day will also serve as an opportunity for the church to award certificates by way of officially acknowledging its Holy Fathers, Senior Clergymen, Popes, Leaders, Celebrated individuals, Former Friaries and so on, for contributing greatly to the church in the last millennium, according to Megabi Mistir FDRE President Girma Woldegiorgis, Government and State Ministers, Commissioners, leaders of different religions, members of the diplomatic corps, investors and famous individuals will attend the event, expected on the occasion, as the committee said.
"Ethiopia and Orthodox Church are the two sides of the coin that have shared the paramount part in the country's history," Megabi Mistir said..
"The origin of civilization rose from the church enabling the country to have its unique calendar, alphabet, architecture, literature and so on," he added citing from what church historians said.
According to the historians, Ethiopian Orthodox Church is the oldest of all Eastern Christianities (although Armenians would argue it).
There are at least three separate bodies of Tawahedo church with their own administrations in Addis Ababa, Jerusalem and North America (also in Jamaica and Europe).
Sometimes Ethiopian Orthodox Tawahedo Church is called Coptic, which is due to the fact that till the early fifties the head of Ethiopian church was selected in Alexandria, Egypt before the tradition was changed under the reign of Emperor Haile Sellassie.
Before the revolution the numbers of Ethiopian clergy were big, since Orthodoxy is usually very vested in monastic order. They say that during the Red Terror (1975-78) over 200 thousands monks were executed in Ethiopia.
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