The ongoing crimes of the dictator “Patriarch Abune” Paulos against the Ethiopian Orthodox Church

Ze Debrezeit Kidus Rufael

When ever the history of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church is raised, one finds

the archbishops and patriarchs who contribute a lot for the expansion, growth and

glorification of the Church. Abune Fremnatos the first Patriarch of Ethiopia has

accomplished his apostolic duty by preaching the nation and translating religious and

other canonical books to the Ethiopic language Geez. His effort to spread Christianity in

Ethiopia has been intensified by the nine saints who introduced and expand monastic life

for the church. The 13th century archbishops of Ethiopia Archbishops Abune Michael and

Abune Gabriel, who played significant role in reconciling administrative and theological

split between Bete Tekle Haymanot and Bete Ewstatitos and protected the church from

the herestic teaching of Estifanos, can never be forgotten1. During the reign of Susnyos,

Archbishop Selama died defending his faith from Jesuits missionary plot2 .The recent

past 20 th century story also tells us how Archbishop Petros, Archbishop Michael,

Patriarch Baslious and Patriarch Teweflos died for their religion and beloved country .The

third Patriarch of Ethiopian Orthodox church, His Holiness, Abune Tekle Haymanot died

for the same reason .He preferred to die of hunger than handing over the historic church

right and pride to the atheist Communist Junta3. Though Ethiopian Orthodox Church

history is full of such martyrs and committed church fathers act, Patriarch Paulos, the

fifth Ethiopian Patriarch, is exercising a strange and odd behavior like nepotism,

dictatorship, xenophobia, ethnocentrism and the likes which have never been exercise

before, in the millennium old history of the apostolic church.4

The rise of the dictator Patriarch Paulos

The author of the memoirs of the journalist, Tesfaye Gebre Ab, who was very close to the

key intelligence officers of the state, in his book argues that Patriarch Paulos

enthronement and Patriarch Merkorios dethronement was engineered by the ruling

government. I don’t want to get deep down to this issue since there are many

controversies being raised from different sides. But let us examine how this patriarch,

step by step, became a tyrant.

The first “apostolic duty” Patriarch Paulos did, soon after his enthronement, was to

change the 1,600 years old different traditions of the church. Unlike his predecessor, he

declared that the dress for a Patriarch should be white and for the first time in the history

of the church he ordered this costly new dress and publicize that this should be the dress

of a Patriarch. During that time it was fascinating for the faithful when they observe that

the new Patriarch first task was to worry for his dress design and color. Though many

scholars of the church were against his new dress style for violating the age old tradition,

some took it for granted considering his relatively young age and the cultural influence he

may have faced from his stay in United States of America while studying for his masters

and PhD. He then changed the previous title of Patriarch and came up with new and long

title: Patriarch Paulos, head of all Archbishops of Ethiopia, Ichege of the see of Tekle

Haymanot and archbishop of Axum. It was fascinating for every follower of the church,

again, why this patriarch was so hungry of power and authority this much. The reason

why he singled out and took the title of Axum Archbishop was also a puzzle for many.

No Patriarch before him has claimed such centrality of power. But his thirst for power

and authority doesn’t stop there. After some years he claimed that the Holly synod shall

be accountable to him. The Holly synod, for the last 1,600 years, was accountable for The

Holly Ghost. But Patriarch Paulos, shockingly, claimed this power. Surprisingly

surprising!

His dangerous and meaning less reformation act initiated huge resistance from

everywhere. Archbishops who are members of the Holly synod like the late Abune

Selama, Abune Kerlos and etc expressed their serious opposition. Aleka Ayalew Teamiru,

the foremost scholar of the church zealously criticized and rejected his proposal.5

Different monks, priests, hermits did the same. The faithful protested strongly against

him. But the response from his side was militaristic. Hermit who used to critically oppose

him was gunned down by his entourage pistol 6. The vocal critic of him, Aleka Ayalew,

was fired out of his job, as simple as garbage, with no recognition for his 50 year of

service in various positions and passed away eventually7. For the reasons, which

historians may decode it in the future; his major opponents like Abune Selama were

pronounced dead in various occasions. The opposition of the public in many churches,

for the newly emerged ill administration in the church, was crushed by police forces.8

The patriarch who was supposed to protect the followers of Ethiopian Orthodox church

from spiritual crisis became source of crises for the church and the followers. Since his

anointment, the church lost millions of dollars through corruption9. Promotion by merit,

for the key administrative position of the church, was changed to promotion by blood ties

and kinship. The spiritual father who was anointed to be the father of all the 47, million

followers became the source of xenophobia10 All this unethical, dictatorial and visionless

management of the patriarch for the last 17 years costed the church a lot. As per the

report of the recent census, 2007, the church lost millions of its followers. This is the first

time in the history when the church lost this much followers since the invasion of Ahmad

Ibn Ibrihim al-Ghazi, commonly called Gragn Ahmed11.?Members of the Holly Synod

Archbishops exactly depicted the situation of the church under Patriarch Paulos like this,”

Patriarch Paulos killed the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, we the other archbishops buried

the church killed by his holiness by failing not to oppose him(the Patriarch )” 12

The Current Challenge the Church faced the Patriarch’s response

Recently the three big religious movements: Judaism, Christianity (different

denominations) and Wahabiyism , backed by huge finance and powerful states are in

competition for the soul of the country. Israel has shown its commitment to immigrate

Falashmura i.e “Christians who are apparently the descendants of Jews who accepted

Christianity under the influence of European or Ethiopian Church missionaries during the

second half of the 19th century.”13 Parliament members are expressing the plan to airlift

thousands of Christians from the strong hold of Ethiopian orthodox Christian city,

Gondar, to Israel. No question these new immigrants will convert their religion to

Judaism which is another loss for the church 14

Muslim fundamentalists are also working so hard to Wahabiyaze Ethiopia as fast as

possible. United States, British, Germany and many other countries elites, politicians,

reporters and religious leaders have exposed this fact and are advising for the church to

wake up. The German Newspaper paper 15, “Bund Freier Evangelischer” Gemeinden

Kdor had reported that the Arab countries were spending multi millions of petro dollars

to completely transform Ethiopia into a Muslim country within twenty years.( it is

quoted by Admas, Amharic periodical published in Zurich, May 1992. The London

based Islamic Watch October/November 1992 alleges Libya’s huge and secret plan of

Wahabiyasing Ethiopia like this: "Col. Ghadafi is reported to be financing a plan to turn

Ethiopia into an exclusively Islamic country by the end of the century”16

. Many more

Arab countries are fueling billions of dollars to change the nation to their Wahabiy camp

soon.17 Here I am not talking against Islam but the fundamentalist wehabiya movement

which never allows social mix and tolerance with Orthodox Christians and others. The

Ethiopian Islamic Affairs Supreme Council (EIASC) have also genuinely and responsibly

announced the danger of the expansion of these fundamentalist again and again like this

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Different non orthodox Christian denominations have also huge projects to attract

Ethiopian population to their respective camp.Vatican have started new operation to

Catholicize Africa, Ethiopia included19. Different protestant denominations, being backed

up by westerns, are also busy of hunting souls of Ethiopia. The followers of the Ethiopian

Orthodox Tewahido church are the pray and the target be it for the Jewish,

fundamentalist, Catholic or protestant movement since a huge segment of the population

of Ethiopia is follower orthodox religion still and for the inefficient leadership Abune

Paulos is exercising in maintaining its flocks .

It was definitely clear that the church cannot keep its ground and accomplish its pastoral

service under the existing leadership as a result concerned and committed archbishops

like Abune Matios, Abune Samuel, Abune Kerlos and other confronted the Patriarch.

They strongly criticized the Patriarch for his visionless leadership and even requested to

limit the power of the Patriarch and conduct a new administrative reform which can make

the church conduct its apostolic mission effectively. 20

The shocking response

The response for the quest, raised by members of the holly synod, was one and the same.

“Unknown gangs” raided the compound of the Bete Kihnet, broke the residence of the

opposing archbishops who confronted the patriarch for administrative reform and gave

strict warning and intimidation.21 On this coordinated raid, even police was not allowed to

enter the compound of Bete kihnet and save the archbishops from the gangs, despite the

continuous plea they made to Federal police by phone. These “unknown gangs” also

attempted a murder trail to the journalist (he was seriously beaten with angle iron) of the

reputed newspaper Addis Neger for extensively reporting the oppositions of the

archbishops against the patriarch. It is also good to bear in mind that all these crimes

were being done with in few meters from the national presidential palace of Arat kilo

On the long awaited synod meeting of October 2009, which was expected to resolve this

problem, it was exposed that those archbishops who were asking for visionary leadership

and freedom of the church were told not to raise any issue about such things and

Mahibere Kidusan by EPRDF government officials22. With in that day, the government

owned Ethiopian News Agency reported that “the Church fathers have resolved their

difference”. Funnily enough the news came before the end of the synod meeting.23

The Patriarch game still has continued. By the time when multi millions are reported to

have converted their religion from orthodox to other religion, EOTC church Patriarch

Abune Paulos gave an award for high performance of the church.24

He further expressed that he strongly support the recent expansion of Catholics in Africa

(Ethiopia) like this

“I am really very happy to participate to this Synod of the Catholic Church on Africa. …I

carry my support as a friend and a brother to this endeavor of the Catholic Church for

Africa. I thank His Holiness for the invitation and I wish to him a long life and a fruitful

ministry.”25

I am not questioning the constitutional right of every religion. But Catholics have

committed a significant atrocities and crime in Africa. When the fascist Italy invaded

Ethiopia, Catholics bishops have blessed the poison gas and other weapons which were

used to kill Ethiopian Orthodox Monks and priests and other citizens. They even gave

their golden cross as a support to the invading army. To that end concerned Ethiopians

were asking, time and again, Vatican to apologize for that dark history. But his holiness

has zero courage to confront such issues. Rather to warmly welcome them.

By the time when the church needs more supporting man power, Patriarch Paulos

responded by giving warning and intimidation to Mahibere Kidusan , an association

under Sunday school department which is strongly fighting to defend Tewahido church

and its tradition.

Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church is under pressure and danger. The visionless,

irresponsible and ethnocentric leadership of Patriarch Paulos and the unnecessary huge

negative interference of EPRDF government on the issue of the church are threatening

the legacy of the church.

In a nut shell His Holiness has became a shame and a spiritual parasite to the church. If

the church is needed to exist in the coming centuries, avoiding him is an imperative task.

Orthodox Tewahido Church is in danger. The followers of the church and others

concerned Ethiopians should think now, before the time is over.

Reference

1. Church in Africa: 1450-1950 by Adrian Hastings. Oxford history of Christian Church

2. The History of Ethiopian Orthodox church by his Holiness Abune Gorgorios

3. The History of Ethiopian Orthodox church from the birth of Christ up to the

millennium. A special book published for the Millennium celebration

4. VOA Amharic service interview with Abune Matiwos archbishop of Jerusalem,

2009. http://www.quatero.net/pdf/Zeregnenet_Be_betekehenet.pdf

5. http://www.aleqayalewtamiru.org/excommunication.html

6. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abune_Paulos

7. http://www.aleqayalewtamiru.org/excommunication.html

8. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abune_Paulos

9. http://www.ethiopianreview.com/content/10480

10. http://www.ethiopianreview.com/content/10480

11.

12. http://deje-selam.blogspot.com/2009/07/blog-post_9834.html

13. http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1122973.html

14. ibid.

15. Bund Freier Evangelischer” Gemeinden Kdor

16. The London based Islamic Watch October/November 1992

??? International Religious Freedom Report 2004, Ethiopia

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18. http://www.zenit.org/article-27089?l=english

19. http://www.zenit.org/article-27314?l=english

20. Addis neger Newspaper Meskerem 16, 2001

21. http://deje-selam.blogspot.com/2009/10/blog-post_5208.html

22. ibid.

23. http://www.ethiotube.net/video/6278/ETV-News--Ethiopian-Orthodox-Churchstarts-

its-summit-to-discuss-main-dividing-topics

24. http://deje-selam.blogspot.com/2009/10/blog-post_719.html

25. http://www.zenit.org/article-27087?l=english