Coptic Orthodox Church in Africa - Ethiopia

Ethiopia

Ethiopia constituted a major archdiocese of the Church of Alexandria, which was always governed by an Egyptian Patriarchal Vicar in the rank of Archbishop since the 4th century, and named Abuna Salama by the Ethiopian Church. By 1929, the Alexandrine Throne allowed the Ethiopian clergy to participate in the governing of their own Church, and the first native Ethiopian archbishop was enthroned in 1930 (thus becoming an autonomous church).

In 1959, an agreement was reached between the Ethiopian Holy Synod and the Alexandrine Throne to have their own Patriarch-Catholicos in a transitional period. The Ethiopian Archbishop ordained as Primate of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church back in 1950, was elevated by the Coptic Orthodox Pope of Alexandria Joseph II in Cairo and enthroned in Addis Ababa by the members of the Ethiopian Holy Synod and an Alexandrine delegation. The first Prelate, Abuna Basilius I (1959-1971), Patriarch-Catholicos of Addis Ababa and all Ethiopia, was ordained and enthroned in 1959, by Pope Cyril VI of Alexandria.

The Patriarchate of Addis Ababa and of all Ethiopia is now headed by its 5th Patriarch, Abuna Paulos I (1992- ). This is after the Patriarchates of Abuna Theophilus I (1971-1979) (Deposed in a non-canonical way in 1976, sent to prison and murdered in prison in 1979), Abuna Tekle Haimanote I (1976-1988) (who was elected in a non canonical manner by pressure of the then Communist Government to replace his predecessor.) and Abuna Mercurios I (1988-1991), (who resigned under pressure, due to the accusation of collaborating with the (Dereg) Menghistu Communist Regime, and who is now living in self exile in Kenya).

Abuna Paulos I has requested from the Alexandrine Throne complete independence to his Patriarchate. The Patriarchate of Addis Ababa and all Ethiopia was granted its independence in 1994, by Shenouda III Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria, thus making the Patriarchate of Addis Ababa and all Ethiopia hierarchically and jurisdictionally independent “Autocephalous Patriarchate.”

Recently, the relation between the two churches improved significantly upon the signing of common declaration by the two patriarchs and the visit of Abuna Paulos to Egypt and the visit of Pope Shenouda to Ethiopia.